25 Years - The Queen is Dead

[Bigmouth1]

June 2011
25 Years since the release of 'The Queen is Dead'. Arguably the greatest Smiths Album. Listening to it today and I am still Awestruck. The Venom and Humour from Morrissey combined with the Beauty and Complexity of Johnny's Music.
Would love to Upset todays Music world and have The Smiths Back at top of Music charts.
Which Track... from the Queen is Dead would be great to reissue, repackage?

 

[not_me_not_I]

I'd guess they'd re-release "There Is A Light" if they were going to do it, maybe with the demo track that got leaked as a b-side?
I was thinking today how I've come to see it as sort of the 'American' album - it was the first one a lot of us heard, and seems to be the one that we Americans always rank as their best. My UK friends and the Smiths themselves seem to pick other albums. Or is this a misconception?

 

[CrystalGeezer]

I'm hesitant to answer because of "it's so lonely on the hill" syndrome, p) but I'd say it's a toss up between Symmetry Gates and The Boy With the Thorn in his Side. They're all genius, really. Tough call.

 

[Tibby]

My favorite from that album is I know it`s over.But to be reissued I would also have to say The Boy With The Thorn In His Side.

 

[M-in-Oz]

Must be something in the air...
I've been listening to QID daily after not listening it for years (as an album from start to end). I'm not sure I can comment on whether it's a 'US' record but what I have been thinking is that the vocals sound to me very similar to Morrissey's current vocals - hope this is making sense.
My favourite song is 'I Know It's Over' but for a re-issue, hmmm maybe The Boy With the Thorn In His Side or Frankly Mr Shankly

 

[Rowntree]

I'd guess they'd re-release "There Is A Light" if they were going to do it, maybe with the demo track that got leaked as a b-side?
I was thinking today how I've come to see it as sort of the 'American' album - it was the first one a lot of us heard, and seems to be the one that we Americans always rank as their best. My UK friends and the Smiths themselves seem to pick other albums. Or is this a misconception?

I'm in the UK but can only speak for me

My favourite album doesn't count as it's Hatful of Hollow but my favourite studio album is Strangeways Here We Come. I never really understood why The Queen is always singled out for praise. It's an amazing album of course, but then so are all the others.

 

[mcrickson]

Mm, I don't think anything from it should be reissued. Which is strange, because usually reissues are alright by me. But something about the Smiths stands apart. Compilations are one thing, perhaps, but I don't think Smiths singles should be reissued like Mozza is doing with his solo work. While the albums are of course legendary, I think that a good handful of people remember the Smiths as a singles band -- there were so many, and they were so strong compared to a lot of the output at the time. So for some particular reason, it doesn't quite sit with me that a particular single should be reissued. That's just me.

 

[Raphael Lambach]

I think The Queen is dead would deserve to be re-issued with many bonus tracks and new booklet - however the cover should be maintained or they could use that alternative sleeve.

 

[Oh my god. it's Robby!]

I'm hesitant to answer because of "it's so lonely on the hill" syndrome, p) but I'd say it's a toss up between Symmetry Gates and The Boy With the Thorn in his Side. They're all genius, really. Tough call.

Symmetry Gates
and um, upon further review, I am pretty sure that I enoy "Strangeways, Here We Come" just as much as I do "The Queen Is Dead"


ps: and thank you for another reminder that I am indeed old since I think I bought this album pretty soon after it came out

 

[Dave]

Needs more Kristeen Young.

 

[KenzieW]

I'm in the UK but can only speak for me

My favourite album doesn't count as it's Hatful of Hollow but my favourite studio album is Strangeways Here We Come. I never really understood why The Queen is always singled out for praise. It's an amazing album of course, but then so are all the others.

My favorite is Hatful of Hollow too.

 

[Bigmouth1]

Symmetry Gates
and um, upon further review, I am pretty sure that I enoy "Strangeways, Here We Come" just as much as I do "The Queen Is Dead"


ps: and thank you for another reminder that I am indeed old since I think I bought this album pretty soon after it came out

I do believe it was Moz who said “Age should not affect you. You are marvellous or you are boring, whatever your age.” or somthing like that.
It was the Queen is dead that got me in to the Smiths and Morrissey, my elder brother was playing it in his room when i was 11. When he went out I used to go in and find his Tapes to play it. 'Tapes do you remember them??'

 

[WhalleyRange]

Never Had No One Ever and Some Girls are really great.

I was really depressed and fearing for my sanity when the record came out so sadly I never look back on that time as as time to remember.

 

[sad veiled bride]

I agree that "TQID best Smiths album" is not a dogma. Yet, I believe that it has that something, so I can understand why it stands on the top in a sense, although I personally couldn't make a definitive choice among the albums. I can hardly express what it is, but it has to do with the power of the feelings that TQID conveys. It has to do with Romanticism, in literary sense. Ok, Keats and Yeats are not on your side, but There is a light...is the most romantic pop song ever written, with those phantasies mixing love and death. And I know it's over, my favourite one, and The boy with the thorn come from that part of the soul too. And more, on the other side there are songs with so much irony, to balance the epic-romantic side. That's why maybe this album represents the Smiths completely and it's a kind of apotheosis! Sorry, if I can't explain myself very well.

 

[Waz]

Hmm.. I'd be tempted not to re-issue (re-package, re-package!) or re-release whatsoever to be honest. The album is fine as it is and doesn't need some über-extended 2CD edition with all the B-sides and that sort of thing. And as us fans most likely have the album, would there really be any incentive in getting people to download a track off the album making Warners yet more dosh?

Leave as is - it's perfect.

 

[Bigmouth1]

Why are so many Morrissey Fan's so Miserable?? My goodness. Its a bit of fun, do you think Morrissey will like you if you Whing and Moan!!!

 

[Waz]

I hope I didn't come across as that miserable - be assured I'm not.

I agree that it'd be nice to upset the chart apple cart and have some decent music in there for a change, and there'd be nothing better than to introduce a whole different set of people to the genius of the album.

Thing is - how would you want to do it? And then I stumbled upon the perfect answer: classic album nights!

Quite a few places in Manchester now have a regular date (either once a week or once a month) where a classic album is played for people to listen to in its entirety. Don't know if any are near you but it might be worth suggesting that The Queen Is Dead would be perfect for such a night, so that a wide variety of music fans can listen to it. And if that means people actively listen to it and enjoy it, then that's a good thing. If they buy it, even better.