The Queen Is Dead is the third studio album by the English rock band The Smiths, released on 16 June 1986, by Rough Trade Records. The album was produced by the band’s singer, Morrissey, and their guitarist, Johnny Marr, working predominantly with engineer Stephen Street who engineered The Smiths’ previous album, Meat Is Murder (1985). Marr wrote several songs while the Smiths toured Britain in early 1985, working out arrangements with bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce during soundchecks. The album title is taken from American writer Hubert Selby Jr.’s 1964 novel, Last Exit to Brooklyn. The cover art features the French actor Alain Delon in the 1964 film L’Insoumis. The Queen Is Dead spent 22 weeks on the UK Albums Chart, reaching the number two position. It reached number 70 on the US Billboard Top Pop Albums chart and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in late 1990. The Queen Is Dead received widespread critical acclaim and was included in multiple best album lists. Rolling Stone ranked the album 113th on its 2020-updated list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. In its 2013 list, NME named The Queen Is Dead the greatest album of all time.
Tracklisting
| Position | Title |
|---|---|
| 2017 Remastered Album | |
| A1 | The Queen Is Dead |
| A2 | Frankly, Mr. Shankly |
| A3 | I Know It’s Over |
| A4 | Never Had No One Ever |
| A5 | Cemetry Gates |
| B1 | Bigmouth Strikes Again |
| B2 | The Boy With The Thorn In His Side |
| B3 | Vicar In A Tutu |
| B4 | There Is A Light That Never Goes Out |
| B5 | Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others |
| Additional Recordings | |
| C1 | The Queen Is Dead (Full Version) |
| C2 | Frankly, Mr. Shankly (Demo) |
| C3 | I Know It’s Over (Demo) |
| D1 | Never Had No One Ever (Demo) |
| D2 | Cemetry Gates (Demo) |
| D3 | Bigmouth Strikes Again (Demo) |
| E1 | Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others (Demo) |
| E2 | The Boy With The Thorn In His Side (Demo Mix) |
| E3 | There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (Take 1) |
| F1 | Rubber Ring (Single B-Side) |
| F2 | Asleep (Single B-Side) |
| F3 | Money Changes Everything (Single B-Side) |
| F4 | Unloveable (Single B-Side) |
| Live In Boston | |
| G1 | How Soon Is Now? |
| G2 | Hand In Glove |
| G3 | I Want The One I Can’t Have |
| G4 | Never Had No One Ever |
| H1 | Stretch Out And Wait |
| H2 | The Boy With The Thorn In His Side |
| H3 | Cemetry Gates |
| H4 | Rubber Ring / What She Said / Rubber Ring |
| I1 | Is It Really So Strange? |
| I2 | There Is A Light That Never Goes Out |
| I3 | That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore |
| J1 | The Queen Is Dead |
| J2 | I Know It’s Over |
Apple Music
Release Images
Release Information
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia URL | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Queen_Is_Dead |
| Format | 1× Box Set Deluxe Edition |
| Label | Warner Bros. Records |
| Catalog Number | 0190295785628 |
| Notes | Round silver hype sticker on shrink: ‘5 LP BOX SET featuring the 2017 Master of the seminal album, additional recordings and an unreleased live album, all heavyweight vinyl 0190295785628’. All three issued with gatefold sleeve and printed inner sleeves. Made in the EU. |
| Discogs URL | The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead |