The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead (1986) (2 Viewers)

[Hector Grey]

Ditto for Hatful of Hollow

I love HFOH. Kinda think they were not an albums band. Like the Jam.

 

[travispickle]

oops...wrong thread.

In case anyone was wondering

I just thought it was a pic of well know Smiths enthusiast Phil Collins. I'm gutted now.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

I love all their albums and singles. Think they only recorded a handful of duff tracks throughout their career, and they were mostly covers.

 

[Lili Marlene]

I'm not getting all the hate for Vicar in Tutu, are we rockabilly racists on thumped or is it just the lyrics?

I love all their albums and singles. Think they only recorded a handful of duff tracks throughout their career, and they were mostly covers.

like the Jam

 

[Cornu Ammonis]

"Vicar in a Tutu" is great fun!

 

[Hector Grey]

"Vicar in a Tutu" is great fun!

Fuck sake. This isn't about FUN!

 

[David Kronenbourg]

The lyrics are great. I love the vicar and his joyful flouting of social conventions.

I was minding my business
Lifting some lead off
The roof of the Holy Name church
It was worthwhile living a laughable life
Just to set my eyes on a blistering sight
Of a vicar in a tutu
He's not strange
He just wants to live his life this way

A scanty bit of a thing
With a decorative ring
That wouldn't cover the head of a child
As Rose collects the money in the canister
Who comes sliding down the banister
The vicar in a tutu
He's not strange
He just wants to live his life this way

The monkish monsignor
With a head full of plaster
Said "my man, get your vile soul dry-cleaned"
As Rose counts the money in the canister
As natural as rain
He dances again
My God
Vicar in a tutu, oh yeah

The next day in the pulpit
With freedom and ease
Combating ignorance, dust and disease
As Rose counts the money in the canister
As natural as rain he dances again
And again and again
The fabric of a tutu
Any man could get used to
And I am a living sign

 

[travispickle]

I'm not getting all the hate for Vicar in Tutu, are we rockabilly racists on thumped or is it just the lyrics?

It's only the Metallers who hate it. Need I say more?

 

[David Kronenbourg]

It's only the Metallers who hate it. Need I say more?

hahaha

 

[CinnamonBoy]

And I am a living sign

Aw man, I love that little outro.

I still think Strangeways is better though. A Rush, Death of a....Paint a Vulgar Picture, Last Night I Dreamt, Stop Me...all pack a much more emotional punch whilst Girlfriend in a Coma is a cracking throwaway pop song and I Won't Share You is genuinely mournful and beautiful. Amazing album.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

Aw man, I love that little outro.

I still think Strangeways is better though. A Rush, Death of a....

Best line:

As natural as rain
He dances again

 

[pete]

Best line:

As natural as rain
He dances again

Can you feel his pain
Heart cleft in twain
In the rain
On the train
To the plane
Call john mcclane

If it was Lisa O'Neill you'd be slagging it off.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

Can you feel his pain
Heart cleft in twain
In the rain
On the train
To the plane
Call john mcclane

If it was Lisa O'Neill you'd be slagging it off.

I don’t know who that is.

 

[therealjohnny]

"Strangeways here we come" rang a bell. I remember reading something about "Strangeways" in the halcyon days of Kerrang. Turns out it was a band. And Phil Collins appeared on the cover of Kerrang when it was (sort of) cool. Which made me laugh.

 

[Anthony]

I'm going to give this s go on the headphones now.

 

[Anthony]

Enjoying this. It's not a reverby as I was expecting. Know It's Over is a great song, so is Never Had No One Ever which has a similar vibe to a number of Morrissey solo songs Vauxhall and I stuff . I have no problem with Cemetry Gates.
I've always hated that pitched up vocal on Bigmouth Strikes Again. It ruins the song.
more later...

 

[travispickle]

Aw man, I love that little outro.

I still think Strangeways is better though. A Rush, Death of a....Paint a Vulgar Picture, Last Night I Dreamt, Stop Me...all pack a much more emotional punch whilst Girlfriend in a Coma is a cracking throwaway pop song and I Won't Share You is genuinely mournful and beautiful. Amazing album.

I don't have as much love for Strangeways, though it has some great songs on it. Morrissey and Marr seemed to think it was the band's finest moment - apparently they had great fun making it. I just think TQID hangs together better as a complete LP.
As other posters have said though, there's no one GREAT SMITHS ALBUM; they really were unbeatable when it came to releasing great singles, but for me TQID comes closest to being that one great Smiths record.

 

[ann post]

Have tried a few times over the past few days to give this a proper airing.

The long ballads are putting me off. I like the smiths generally. I can't click with this one.

I think its interesting that this and last weeks album club albums have royal references in their titles.

As mentioned already, some good standalone songs.

I'm listening to strangeways now though, I like it a lot better tbh. That first minute of the first track is loads of great smithsness.

I also find it fascinating when people hate music. like its just a bunch of sounds and stuff, yet rage is never far away.

 

[Anthony]

Onto the controversial Vicar In A Tutu. Lyrically it's fine. It's mix differently to the rest of the album which doesn't to it any favours.
There is a Light That Never Goes Out is an excellent song but it is just too familiar and famous it feels like I'm not actually listening to an album, for a few minutes someone put the radio on. It's hard to put in context.
Some Girls.. sounds lovely. So smooth and warm, the closing bars are probably my favourite moments on The Queen Is Dead.
Did The Smiths use keyboards live? They are nearly as important as the guitar on a lot of songs.
I give this album a solid 8.

 

[GO]

I'm excited to hear what this Fridays selection is gonna be ..the first two..in hindsight were fairly obvious choices..and a couple of albums that have been similarly composted in my mind.

I'm really hoping for a bit of a curveball.
Although, one mans curveball is another mans forkball no doubt