The Queen Is Dead (single)
| THE SMITHS song | |
|---|---|
| Name | The Queen Is Dead (song) |
| Album/single | The Queen Is Dead |
| Length | 6:24 (Album version) 6:06 (No Intro) 7:29 (Demo) 3:36 (Instrumental demo) |
| Writer/composer | Morrissey/Marr |
| Producer | Morrissey Johnny Marr |
| Release | June 1986 |
| Recorded | Winter 1985 |
Information
- An unedited version of this song appears on The Smiths – Unreleased Demos & Instrumentals bootleg LP.
Lyrics
Oh! Take me back to dear old Blighty, Put me on the train for London Town, Take me anywhere, Drop me anywhere, Liverpool, Leeds or Birmingham 'Cause I don't care, I should like to see my...
By land, by sea.
Farewell... to this land's cheerless marshes Hemmed in like a boar between archers1 Her very Lowness with her head in a sling I'm truely sorry but it sounds like a wonderful thing
"I say, Charles, don't you ever crave To appear on the front of the Daily Mail Dressed in your Mother's bridal veil?" And so I checked all the registered historical facts And I was shocked into shame to discover How I'm the 18th pale descendent Of some old queen or other
Oh has the world changed or have I changed? Oh has the world changed or have I changed? As some 9-year old tough who peddles drugs (I swear to God, I swear) I never even knew what drugs were
So I broke into the Palace With a sponge and a rusty spanner She said: "Eh, I know and you cannot sing!" I said: "That's nothing, you should hear me play piano!"
We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry And talk about precious things But when you're tied to your Mother's apron No one talks about castration
We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry And talk about precious things Like Love and Law and Poverty These are the things that kill me
We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry And talk about precious things But the rain that flattens my hair These are the things that kill me
All their life, they make love and then pierce through me Pass the Pub who saps your body And the church who'll snatch your money The Queen is dead, boys And it's so lonely on a limb
Pass the Pub that wrecks your body And the church - all they want is your money The Queen is dead, boys And it's so lonely on a limb
Life is very long when you're lonely Life is very long when you're lonely Life is very long when you're lonely Life is very long when you're lonely
Live History
Play count (The Smiths concert): 39
The Smiths live history:
- Glasgow, Scotland 1986-07-16 (The Smiths concert)
- Newcastle upon Tyne, England 1986-07-17 (The Smiths concert)
- Manchester, England 1986-07-19 (The Smiths concert)
- Salford, England 1986-07-20 (The Smiths concert)
- London, Ontario, Canada 1986-07-30 (The Smiths concert)
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada 1986-07-31 (The Smiths concert)
- Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 1986-08-02 (The Smiths concert)
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada 1986-08-03 (The Smiths concert)
- Mansfield, Massachusetts 1986-08-05 (The Smiths concert)
- New York, New York 1986-08-06 (The Smiths concert)
Play count (Morrissey concert): 114
Morrissey live history:
- Claremont, California 1997-10-26 (Morrissey concert)
- Stockton, California 2007-04-27 (Morrissey concert)
- Sparks, Nevada 2007-04-28 (Morrissey concert)
- Sparks, Nevada 2007-04-29 (Morrissey concert)
- Oakland, California 2007-05-01 (Morrissey concert)
- Santa Rosa, California 2007-05-02 (Morrissey concert)
- Spokane, Washington 2007-05-05 (Morrissey concert)
- Seattle, Washington 2007-05-06 (Morrissey concert)
- Salt Lake City, Utah 2007-05-08 (Morrissey concert)
- Denver, Colorado 2007-05-09 (Morrissey concert)
Appears On
- How Soon Is Now? (single)
- The Queen Is Dead
- Rank
- The Complete Picture
- The Sound Of The Smiths
- Complete
- The Queen Is Dead (single)
Appears On Covers Compilation
Cover Versions