THE QUEEN IS DEAD
Often cited as one of the best albums of the 1980's, The Queen Is Dead is also known by critics and fans alike to be The Smiths' best. A wide variety of emotions are expressed here, from the brooding sound of songs like "I Know It's Over" and "Never Had No One Ever" to the comical "Frankly, Mr. Shankly," "Vicar In A Tutu" and "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others." The latter three songs overshadow any belief that Morrissey is a miserablist, but yet show his very witty sense of humour. The album begins with a sample of "Take Me Back To Dear Old Blighty" from a British film called The L-Shaped Room before heading into the brilliant, rocking title track. A perfect introduction to an album that makes the listener want to hear more.
Morrissey's wit is further evident in fantastic songs such as "Bigmouth Strikes Again" and "Cemetry Gates," the last of which Moz plays upon his status as a miserablist with the use of such lines as "A dreaded sunny day/so let's go where we're happy/and I meet you at the cemetry gates." This is the kind of wordplay that Morrissey has very keenly used in the past with songs like "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" (from Hatful Of Hollow). A very funny song indeed. There are two songs in particular which stand out for me: the beautiful "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out," a love song as only Morrissey could write one, and "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side," which almost never fails to put me in a fantastic mood everytime I listen to it.
Of course, a lot should be said for the music itself. This is the album that Johnny Marr worked the hardest on as far as music writing and production was concerned. Morrissey's wonderful words are phenomenally backed up by the enormous talent of the other Smiths and this definitely makes every song on this record a true masterpiece and a timeless treasure. The Queen Is Dead is definitely one of the best pop albums of all time, if not THE best.
LYRICAL HIGHLIGHTS
"So I broke in to the palace with a sponge and a rusty spanner. She said: 'Eh, I know you and you cannot sing.' I said: 'That's nothing, you should hear me play piano.'" - The Queen Is Dead
"I want to live and I want to love. I want to catch something that I might be ashamed of." (among others) - Frankly, Mr. Shankly
"It's so easy to laugh. It's so easy to hate. It takes strength to be gentle and kind." - I Know It's Over
"Love is natural and real, but not for you, my love. Not tonight, my love." - I Know It's Over
"I had a very bad dream. It lasted 20 years, 7 months, and 27 days." - Never Had No One Ever
"All those people, all those lives, where are they now? With their loves, and hates, and passions just like mine. They were born, and then they lived, and then they died. Seems so unfair, I want to cry." - Cemetry Gates
"Keats and Yeats are on your side, but you lose, 'cos weird love Wilde is on mine." - Cemetry Gates
"Sweetness...sweetness, I was only joking when I said I'd like to mash every tooth in your head. Sweetness...sweetness, I was only joking when I said by rights you should be bludgeoned in your bed." - Bigmouth Strikes Again
"Bigmouth strikes again and I've got no right to take my place in the Human Race." - Bigmouth Strikes Again
"The boy with the thorn in his side, behind the hatred there lies a murderous desire for love." - The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
"As Rose collects the money in the cannister, who comes sliding down the bannister? A vicar in a tutu. He's not strange. He just wants to live his life this way." - Vicar In A Tutu
"And if a double-decker bus crashes into us, to die by your side is such a heavenly way to die. And if a ten-ton truck kills the both of us, to die by your side, well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine." - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
"Send me the pillow, the one that you dream on, and I'll send you mine." - Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others