Record Roulette: The Queen Is Dead
Welcome back, everyone; I've missed you. Of course, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to cover an extremely relevant Record Roulette this week- The Smiths' The Queen Is Dead.
The Queen Is Dead was The Smiths' third studio album, initially released in June 1986 by Rough Trade Records in the UK and Sire Records in the US. The album features Morrissey on lead vocals, Mike Joyce on drums, Andy Rourke on bass, and Johnny Marr on lead guitar and various background instruments (harmonium, marimba, string synthesizer, etc.).
In 2012, Rolling Stone ranked TQID #218 on their updated "500 Greatest Albums List", saying, "The original kings of British mope rock could have earned that title on the basis of this album alone. The Smiths' most tuneful record is full of emulsifying rage…epic sadness…and strummy social commentary."
Pitchfork describes this album as The Smiths' "Imperial Moment," the point in their careers where they could not be topped. TQID is also the band's most well-known album, featuring perhaps their most famous song, "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out," and sleeper hits like "Cemetry Gates" and "I Know It's Over."
For Morrissey, TQID was the final step in crafting a lonely, bitter persona. The band's first two studio albums, Meat is Murder and The Smiths, feel like a warm up- Morrissey is timidly suffering, unwilling to show his true colors. The Queen is Dead spits fire in comparison. "For the first time, he hands out blatant insults towards the government, music industry, and society and stands by them, which is something you might not have expected from someone who is consistently heartbroken" (Willet, Classic Album Mondays).
In his portrayal of a lonely outcast, Morrissey searches for the Divine Feminine, then slowly slips into an Oedipus Complex with notes of misogyny. "I Know It's Over" is Morrissey's Complex on subtle display, begging and pleading with the Mother to save him from being buried alive. The Oedipus Complex is not uncommon in rock music, and its offshoots if you listen closely. The lonely rebel seeks a Divine Feminine, or Manic Pixie Dream Mom, to save him while discreetly maintaining anti-women practices behind closed doors. "Rock's great paradox is that it has successfully revolted against established notions of manliness while remaining misogynistic" (Reynolds & Press, 1996, p.18). We'll explore this concept in depth at a later date, but this is the album's general theme.
In the titular song, "The Queen Is Dead," the band criticizes the Monarchy, specifically King Charles, implying Charles has his own Oedipus Complex to deal with- "We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry, and talk about precious things. But when you are tied to your Mother's apron, no one talks about castration." Those who live in glass homes should not throw stones, but I digress.
It could be argued that this perspective goes against what the album stands for: Morrissey defending himself from those who take his lyrics at face value- "I was only joking when I said, by rights, you should be bludgeoned in your bed… Now I know how Joan of Ark felt, as the flames rose to her Roman nose and her Walkman started to melt," ("Bigmouth Strikes Again").
There's a lengthy conversation to be had about the separation of art and artist, but I feel that with every obscene, outrageous lyric, there's a tinge of truth (See: "The Uncomfortable Truth About Morrissey").
At the end of the day, I still listen to The Queen Is Dead. If you overanalyze every piece of music, you'll find the flaws you're looking for within the lyrics. Nevertheless, it remains one of indie rock's best albums and the evil twin to The The's Soul Mining. The Queen Is Dead is not for everyone, but I do expect it to come up in conversation now more than ever, given recent events.
Listen to The Queen Is Dead on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Music
Purchase The Sex Revolts: Gender, Rebellion, and Rock ‘n’ Roll by Simon Reynolds and Joy Press new or used