5: April 29th — The Queen is Dead (1986) and Keats/Yeats/Wilde
Listen to The Queen is Dead
Read:
- “Countdown: 10 Lyrics Morrissey Stole From Elsewhere”: https://www.morrissey-solo.com/threads/countdown-10-lyrics-morrissey-stole-from-elsewhere.96174/
- “70 Brilliant Oscar Wilde Quotes”: https://quotesnsmiles.com/quotes/70-brilliant-oscar-wilde-quotes/
Blog question: This LP is usually considered the Smiths’ masterpiece. The range of modes, topics, musicality, and so forth, have expanded widely and yet every track seems perfect unto itself. What is probably most pronounced is the level of political satire that appears on this record — Morrissey seems to have become something like Jonathan Swift. What progression do you see in this record’s lyrics compared to The Smiths?
ReplyDeleteFrom what I’ve heard so far, I agree that The Queen is Dead is the best album The Smiths came out with. I can definitely see how the band has evolved together through their music. In The Smiths, sometimes the band did not sound fully together. The songs on The Queen is Dead sound much more cohesive. My favorite song on the LP was Cemetry Gates; the song was a perfect combination of classic, The Smiths melancholy and a little pep that made me really enjoy the tune.
In terms of lyrics, two ‘themes’ stood out to me--the political nature of much of the LP and the arguably happier lyrics of many songs. The Queen is dead and VIcar in a Tutu stood out to me as the most political songs on the album. Both were anti-establishment and seemed against royalty and the church. One lyric from The Queen is Dead that sums up Morrissey’s disdain for the royal family is, “And I was shocked into shame to discover How I’m the 18th pale descendent of some old queen or other.” Clearly, Morrissey doesn’t want to be associated with British royalty and the establishments associated with it.
Before, Morrissey's somber lyrics seemed to end at death. Whenever Morrissey talks about death in The Queen is Dead, he usually says that he’d be content dying because of whoever is in his life. For example, in There is a Light That Never Goes Out, Morrissey writes, “And if a double-decker bus crashes into us; to die by your side is such a heavenly way to die.” Although the morbid lyrics are a consistent theme, it does seem like Morrissey is a little bit happier than in the first album. I’m not really sure what was going on in his life during 1986--maybe he had something/someone that was bringing him some joy.
In my opinion, this is the best LP we have listened to thus far. As was stated in the forum question, the pure musicality and range of expansion seen in the tracks of The Queen is Dead are but a few of the reasons why I like this LP more than any other before. In regard to the most pronounced level of political satire that appears on the record, I would say that it is in the utter disgust that Morrissey appears to have toward the crown and the establishment in general. In regard to specific lyrics that convey this disdain toward the crown and other establishment ideas, this one from "The Queen Is Dead" is particularly on the nose: "I say, Charles, don't you ever crave to appear on the front of the Daily Mail dressed in your Mother's bridal veil?” Not only is the lyric directly calling out the royals, it is also making a blatant mockery of Prince Charles and his wardrobe choice. In regard to how the lyrics have progressed since The Smiths LP, the easiest way to describe it is that they have simply evolved. The lyrics carry more weight, while also being very subtle at times. But, at other times, Morrissey will still just bluntly state his opinion toward something (as seen in the example from "The Queen is Dead"), showing that the band still has some of the habits seen in earlier LPs.
ReplyDeleteIn regard to lyrics from the LP related to Oscar Wilde, there are very clear allusions to him and blunt statements that mock the idea that Morrissey or the Smiths in any way plagiarized or stole from that poet or any others (such as Keats or Yeats). Some specific lyrics that shows this mockery from Morrissey of the notion that they plagiarize or steal from poets of the past is in "Cemetry Gates," one of which goes "Keats and Yeats are on your side but you lose 'cause weird lover Wilde is on mine." Another lyric within that same track that again mocks the previously stated notion goes "If you must write prose/poems, the words you use should be your own, don't plagiarise or take 'on loan'." Both of these lyrics are clearly satirical in nature as they mock the notion that critics of the Smiths had regarding the idea that the Smiths were stealing or "taking on loan" the words of others, namely Wilde.
-Andrew Myers
The witticisms and absurdist themes are apparent in this album when juxtaposed with Johnathan Swift, and Mozz''s allusions to Oscar Wilde's poetry is apparent. In regards to the latter, I interpret the following lines from the song "I Know it's Over" stating " . . . I can feel the soil falling over my head" as a reference to the Wilde poem "Requiescat' that says "All my life's buried here, Heap earth upon it." The motif of being buried is apparent in both particular works. I also find interesting Mozz's predilection for Wilde, as he was considered to be a 'dandy' and effeminate and was in fact gay. It plays on the motif of the uncertainty of Mozz's sexual orientation. That he would pick Wilde over Yeats and Keats may be viewed as statement of some kind. Or maybe not.
ReplyDeleteHe adopts a bit of Swift's satire as evidenced in "Cemetry Gates" where he admonishes that "If you must write prose/poems / The words you use should be your own / Don't plagiarise or take 'on loan.'" Which is comedic as Mozz has taken "inspiration" from many other writers, poets and musicians and has taken lines verbatim and inserted them into his music. So his self-awareness of this is transformed into sardonic wit, in line with Johnathan Swift.
This album contains one of my favorite songs by The Smiths, and that being "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out." It morbidly fits with other songs on the album that entail cemeteries and being buried. This particular song involves two people where there's definite longing by one for the other. This is evidenced with the lyrics "And in the darkened underpass / I thought, 'Oh God, my chance has come at last' / But then a strange fear gripped me / And I just couldn't ask." These lyrics make more sense if you interpret it as two men going out on the town, and one of them being too scared to come out and tell the other that they want to be with them more than as friends. It's also hinted that the closeted individual has a tumultuous home life and doesn't want to be there, perhaps due to his sexual orientation? Regardless, they adopt a fatalist outlook and welcome a death by car crash if it means they can be with their unrequited love in their last moments: "And if a double-decker bus / Crashes into us / To die by your side / Is such a heavenly way to die."
--Daniel Rivera
DeleteIf I only had 37 minutes and 11 seconds left to live, I would lie down and listen to this album. It's full of vivid emotions that are portrayed so beautifully in the music and lyrics. To me, this album describes the rebellious nature of human existence, both political and personal. This interpretation might be way out of what the band wanted to say. My favorite tracks on this record are I Know It's Over and Bigmouth Strikes Again. (Quick sidetrack: I went to a dance show where the performers danced to I Know It's Over, and it's interesting to see The Smiths' music and lyrics interpreted by movement.)
ReplyDeleteIn their self-titled album, I feel like the lyrics are focused on society as a whole, whereas, The Queen is Dead focuses on the establishment and the enigmas within one. In the title track, Morrisey actually name drops Prince Charles, "I say: Charles, don't you ever crave to appear on the front of the Daily Mail dressed in your Mother's bridal veil?" Morrisey has almost a taunting tone in this line, asking if he ever dreams of becoming the king someday. He also addresses the Queen as "her very lowness" as a play on how someone would call her to her face, "Her Royal Highness." The main idea of the song is how unimportant the monarchy is.
Bigmouth Strikes Again is a song that really resonates with me because my interpretation of the lyrics is the story of someone who openly disagrees with the authorities and is rebellious. The reference to Joan of Arc, "Now I know how Joan of Arc felt," is someone who acts by their own beliefs. Joan of Arc believed she heard a voice except, no one believed her. Consequently, Joan, proclaimed a witch, was burned on the stake. I think Joan of Arc represents Morrisey himself. He is a musical martyr who isn't afraid to sing about controversial topics and denounce the establishment.
Overall, I think that this album is ingenious in its lyricism and music, where the sound of this band has become matured and identifiable.
The Queen is Dead is regarded as one of the best, if not the best Smith's album there is. Rightfully so, this album enompasses the talent of the band as a collective. What makes this album stand out in comparision to the prevoius albums we've listend to is the blatant political criticism Morrisey writes in his lyircs.
ReplyDeleteFor example, in "The Queen is Dead," he sings "Her very Lowness with her head in a sling/I'm truly sorry but it sounds like a wonderful thing." He refers to the Queen as "lowness" as opposed to her "highness" and daydreams about her head being caught in a sling, a reference to execution. Rather than express regret or remorse, he "apologizes" for not finding it tragic or heatbreaking. The lyric "The Queen is dead boys/And it's so lonely on a limb" doesn't refer to the actual death of the Queen, but the delining trust, importance and relevance of the British monarchy and what means for England.
As some have mentioned to lyricism in "Bigmouth Strikes Again," Morrissey sings "Now I know how Joan of Arc felt/As the flames rose to her Roman nose/And her Walkman started to melt." Morrissey is comparing himself to Joan of Arc, particularly how she was villanized and subsequently burned at the stake for speaking out against the English monarchy. Quite dramatic, but very in character of Morrissey to compare himself to her for his political criticisms.
It's interesting to see how such a politcally charged album also has some of the most somber songs The Smiths have released. "I Know It's Over," "Never Had No One Ever" and "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out." What's interesting about the last song is that unlike the first two, the music, the beat and overall composition are upbeat, almost cheery, but the lyrics are quite the opposite. Morrissey sings in the chorus "To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die." Even though it is not as depressing as the lyrics in "I Know It's Over" or "Never Had No One Ever," it's still quite a morbid thing to say, despite the ting of romanticism.
This LP is the first the Smiths album I was introduced to and I can definitely see how it is considered the Smith’s masterpiece. Even in the very first song, “The Queen is Dead” is such a statement piece, it really showed how the Smiths progressed from its previous songs into a new style. Lyrics such as “by land and by sea” in “The Queen is Dead” likens traditional British patriotic tunes, such as Rule Britannica! But then it follows with lyrics, such as "I say, Charles, don't you ever crave / To appear on the front of the Daily Mail / Dressed in your Mother's bridal veil?”, this seems almost sacrilegious to talk about an institution such as the Royal family in this sense. Morrissey has always been controversial but he has definitely solidified his jump into the British alternative scenes’ disdain for traditionalism. Even the other songs feature a strange sense of balance optimism and melancholy, such as how Cemetery Gates utilises an upbeat tune but with gloomier lyrics, and how “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” talks about being killed in a very optimistic manner.
ReplyDelete- Samantha Wong
DeleteOh yeah. This right here is it. This album makes me wanna get into a car and run over stop signs. This makes me feel British just by listening to it. Bigmouth Strikes Again I think is a great sarcastic F U to literally everyone and thing Morrissey doesn't like (which is a lot) and now is kind of ironic considering how terrible Morrissey is. This song now feels much more like a self criticism than anything else and just kind of shows how pretentious and self righteous he is. Still a very good song and component to an amazing album. It's so blunt with its political commentary and unapologetically anti-establishment.
ReplyDeleteI feel as though what always pushes bands to continue to be progressive and forward thinking is that ability to go against the grain and give a voice to the criticized and the hated. This album is a perfect balance of The Smiths progression as a band and their clever lyrical writing.
The musical composition itself is very well made and it is interesting to see The Smiths continue to adopt many of their old methods of music making. I had mentioned in their first album how some of the songs are slightly pitch shifted due to the poor heat conditions of their first recording studio. This makes many of the songs sound slightly off in tuning to where it still sounds correct but if you try to replicate it, it's very difficult. Here, the songs There Is A Light That Never Goes Out and The Queen Is Dead are also shifted in pitch ever so slightly where the tuning is flat, but it sounds good and unique and give them that unique sound, combined with Morrissey's vocals, that we are used to. Here, however, The Smiths continue to try new sounds and effects that still bend with their sound that they've already established
-Andrew Naranjo
The Queen is Dead, here are some of my intepretations on the queen is dead:
ReplyDeleteHemmed in like a boar between archers: Queen being the boar, archers on the castle walls, the queen is trapped in her own castle.
Her very Lowness with her head in a sling: I think this means her highness , the Queen is imagined to be trapped by a sling
So I broke into the Palace With a sponge and a rusty spanner: reference to Michael Fagin who's occupation was a painter and a carpenter, to me it could mean also that he was harmless and merely a prankster
Pass the Pub who saps your body
And the church who'll snatch your money: criticizing the powers of authority and a parody of the pub where drinking takes a toll on your body.
overall I think its quite comical that this song got so popular
-MAXIMILIAN Tan Jee Yuan
By the time this record came out, the Smiths had the confidence to go after arguably the most prestigious institution in the country, the Crown. It's almost unheard of to do this (especially at that time) and to me its pretty courageous. Some of the lyrics are pretty "intense" (I'm struggling to find the right word here), like when he talks about members of the Monarchy being tied to "the mothers apron" or when he goes after Prince Charles (which is a running theme). I found it very interesting that someone would write and publish lyrics like this, given the significant public backlash you could face. But it goes to show how much the Smiths didn't care about their financial success; they just wanted to make good music and speak about what they felt they wanted to talk about. They were always controversial but these is taking it to a new level. I also agree with Bea, that it does seem like Morrissey seems happier. The lyrics do hint at him finally having something significant to live for.
ReplyDeleteThis album has a refined sound and confidence in itself that allows for an effortless wittiness. I personally love this album a lot, but I feel like that is an universal opinion, its a great album. I think it leans into the jangly sound more than previous albums, even Meat is Murder, but I think it is because it is their genuine sound. Personally I love almost all of the songs on this album equally so I don't have any favorites to examine. I really do enjoy the tongue and cheek nature of this album, in its absurdism and campiness.
ReplyDeleteMorrissey makes fun of his own lack of ability musically, and how he is perceived by those who don't like his music, as being a terrible singer by echoing a vaudevillian reply:
So I broke into 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"
I think this line echoes the tone of the whole album as pointed and witty with a sense of self-awareness.
- evan ibarra
DeleteI have been waiting all quarter to tell this story but over the summer, I was spending a great deal of time in Sonoma, mostly visiting Bodega and Sebastopol. Anyways, one day, I was driving home through Petaluma. I had called in a deep dish Hawaiian from a pizza joint in the area which was taking much longer than anticipated. While I was waiting, I noticed a thrift store down the street from the restaurant that looked relatively interesting. Upon arrival, I was greeted by a strange hippie dude who owned the store. I immediately went to check out their record selection. Unfortunately, it generally sucked pretty bad which was disheartening, but as I was turning to leave, I saw an unopened, first-edition 'the Queen is Dead' staring at me from the wall. Again, unfortunately, it had a price tag of $100 that was severely out of the budget of myself who had about $40 in the bank. I left empty-handed, save a couple of Dead pins, but the thought of being the owner of this piece of history would not leave my head. The whole rest of the day, from when I was eating the Hawaiian goodness to trying to fall asleep, I couldn't get this record out of my head. I even dreamed about it. The next morning I called the man at the store and talked to him for about 45 minutes. We eventually got back on the topic of the record and I managed to squeeze him down to $60 due to our budding friendship. I then begged my dad for a small loan (which was eventually paid back) and got on my way to Petaluma to pick it up. I learned after that near-mint copies go for about $150 and I have not seen an unopened copy ever before or since so I definitely got a real steal.
ReplyDeleteAs for the album itself, I think it is definitely the most polished material that the Smiths ever put out. The album is cohesive but still allows each song to shine in their own right and the instrumentation is somehow minimalist while also maintaining the Smiths' signature sound. The production on this album is definitely the best that can be heard from the Smiths, with each song rivaling and generally beating their best-produced song previously, 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now.' I would say my current favorites in this listen are "I Know It's Over," "Cemetery Gates" and "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side," but these are definitely subject to change next time I put the album on.
Lyrically, Morrissey outdid himself on this record, somehow making the lyrics the darkest yet most refined found on any Smiths albums.
My personal favorite lyrics on this album are:
"Life is very long when you're lonely";
"Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
See, the sea wants to take me
The knife wants to slit me
Do you think you can help me?";
&
"And in the darkened underpass
I thought, "Oh God, my chance has come at last"
But then a strange fear gripped me
And I just couldn't ask"
I think these specific lyrics just hit very specific emotions that hit close to home for my personally.
As far as comparisons to Oscar Wilde, I think that Wilde has this sense of irony and deprecation that Morrissey tries hard to channel in his lyrics. Additionally, I think the lyrics borrowed in "Cemetery Gates" are kind of funny because when I watched 'The Man Who Came to Dinner' in Summer 2019, I remember thinking to myself that the lines felt familiar and now I know why.
Sorry for such a long response, I think I was fired up for some reason.
- Charles Whitcomb
Like others have said, The Queen Is Dead is a masterpiece. All of the songs on the album flow so well together while still maintaining their own individual sound. Morrissey's lyricism definitely takes a more satirical turn (even though they have always been at least a little coy) and I think it's what makes this album stand out as a great improvement from their previous works. Unlike their self-titled album, The Queen Is Dead features The Smiths already deep into their groove. As we sort of established last section, Meat Is Murder really helped the band find their place and what they were aiming for. Although their debut album is pretty good, it just isn't as polished or diverse as these later works. After The Smiths got into their groove, we can see them satirizing themselves and furthering their explicit political messages on The Queen Is Dead. Cemetry Gates, one of, if not my favorite Smiths songs, really puts that satire on display. Morrissey is known for stealing bits and pieces, or even whole quotes, from popular culture and placing them in his songs. The song make fun of plagiarism while mentioning writers, Keats, Yeats, and Wilde and quoting directly from the movie "The Man Who Came To Dinner" and Richard III. Morrissey sings "If you must write prose and poems the words you use should be your own/Don't plagiarise or take 'on loan'" while doing exactly that. We can also seen inspiration from writers, notably Wilde, on "I Know It's Over". Morrissey's "Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head/And as I climb into an empty bed/Oh well, enough said" is extremely similar to Wilde's Requiescat: "All my life’s buried here, Heap earth upon it.". And we also have the iconic "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out". Morrissey's happy resignation with death makes for a classic angsty/depressing Smiths anthem that is beautiful but also haunting.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I really really enjoyed this album as it contains many of my favorite songs by The Smiths and it has definitely stood the test of time.
- Addison Harms
I completely understand why this LP is considered with such high regard. The songs all feel very put together and you can tell that the band has fully come into their songwriting. One of its great strengths is the diversity in the lyricism and style of each song. The liveliness of “Vicar in a Tutu” in contrast to the darker calm of “Never Had No One Ever” shows this very well. Each song is distinct in its own way but they come together to make something magical. Even with their differences, they still work together nicely.
ReplyDeleteI think my favorite song on the LP would have to be “Frankly, Mr. Shankly,” which is strange because I usually prefer longer and sadder songs, but I really enjoy the lyrics and the tune. The song is much more playful than the majority of the others on this LP, even throwing in a bit of wordplay in lines such as “You are a flatulent pain in the arse.”
In my opinion, this record’s lyrics are much more poetic than the ones in previous albums and LPs (if we disregard the flatulence joke and “Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others”). Now, whether this is a result of Morrissey and Marr’s songwriting or of their plagiarism, I don’t know, but the result is the same. It’s a memorable collection of tracks that has received endless praise. The growth since their first album is palpable in the confidence in their voices and clarity of the musical production, but also in the lyrics and the depth behind them. The lyrics in The Queen is Dead are more thought out and meaningful, even with political meaning, while The Smiths had much less social and political commentary.
Serafina Valisa
This LP was the best out of all the LPs I’ve heard of theirs. Granted, I do think The Smiths seem to improve with each LP, and they expanded the range of topics expressed in their songs. Although I’d say that the musical elements in the new tracks sound pretty similar in comparison to their older LPs, the message they were trying to get across with the songs felt much more controversial. A good example of this is in their song “The Queen is Dead” in which Morrissey essentially mocks the British Monarchy, calling the Queen his royal lowness and questioning the validity of the British monarchy. The lyrics to the newer tracks also utilize more witty and sarcastic humor than in previous tracks, which was pretty nice. Overall, I’d say that the Smiths’ music is taking a more controversial turn. They’re definitely being more open with controversial topics whether it be political or societal. Some of their songs even acknowledge how their political beliefs might lead to trouble or disagreements (Bigmouth Strikes Again).
ReplyDelete-Jenny Cho
A common theme that I have observed so far in their music is that as they moved along in their career, they became more and more political. The music style stayed the same, but the lyrics to the songs became a lot more conversational. For example, in the song “The Queen is Dead” he is conversing with the queen. I actually found the lyrics to the song “Vicar in a Tutu” quite interesting, because of how provocative it was in terms of being so anti traditional, anti-monarchy and anti-religious. As mentioned, the lyrics to this album were a lot more conversational than the ones before, so it is natural that they incorporated some quotes like “My man, get your vile soul dry-cleaned” and “If you’re so funny why are you on your own tonight?” and so on. I also noticed that the songs in The Queen us Dead are focused more on the mainstream culture, whereas the previous songs were more personal.
ReplyDelete