When asked about the group's name, Morrissey explained: "It was the most ordinary name and I thought it was time the ordinary folk of the world showed their faces." "Smith" happens to be the most common surname in England. The Smiths were unique in that they never used artwork for their album covers, instead electing for photos of people Morrissey admired like James Dean, Truman Capote, and Pat Phoenix.
The Smiths signed to the independent label Rough Trade Records in 1983 and released their first album, The Smiths, in 1984. They based their songs on the songwriting partnership of Morrissey and Marr. Their focus on a guitar, bass, and drum sound and a fusion of 1960s rock and post-punk was a rejection of the synth-pop sound that was predominant at the time. Several Smiths singles reached the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart, and all their studio albums reached the top five of the UK Albums Chart, including the number-one album Meat Is Murder (1985). They achieved mainstream success in Europe with The Queen Is Dead (1986) and Strangeways, Here We Come (1987), both of which entered the top 20 of the European Albums Chart.
Internal tensions led to the Smiths' breakup in 1987, followed by public lawsuits over royalties. Their live album Rank (1988) reached the top 10 in Europe. Since the band's dissolution, the members have refused offers to reunite and have all separately stated that the band is finished and will never reunite.
Studio albums
The Smiths (1984)
Meat Is Murder (1985)
The Queen Is Dead (1986)
Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put me on the train for London Town
Take me anywhere, drop me anywhere
Liverpool, Leeds or Birmingham
But I don't care
I should like to see my-
(I don't bless them)Farewell to this land's cheerless marshes
Hemmed in like a boar between arches
Her very lowness with her head in a sling
I'm truly sorry, but it sounds like a wonderful thing
I say, Charles, don't you ever crave
To appear on the front of the Daily Mail
Dressed in your mother's bridal veil?
And so I checked all the registered historical facts
And I was shocked into shame to discover
How I'm the eighteenth pale descendent
Of some old queen or other
Oh, has the world changed or have I changed?
Oh, has the world changed or have I changed?
Some nine year old tough who peddles drugs
I swear to God, I swear I never even knew what drugs were
So I broke into the palace
With a sponge and a rusty spanner
She said, "'Ey, I know you and you cannot sing"
I said, "That's nothing, you should hear me play piano"
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
We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry
And talk about precious things
Like love and law and poverty, oh, oh
(These are the things that kill me)
We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry
And talk about precious things
But the rain that flattens my hair, oh
(These are the things that kill me)
All their lies about makeup and long hair are still there
Past the pub who saps your body
And the church who'll snatch your money
The Queen is dead, boys
And it's so lonely on a limb
Pass the pub that wrecks your body
And the church, all they want is your money
The Queen is dead, boys
And it's so lonely on a limb
Life is very long when you're lonely
Life is very long when you're lonely
Life is very long when you're lonely
Life is very long when you're lonely
"The Queen Is Dead" by The Smiths is a moving song that deals with themes of loneliness, disillusionment, and a longing for something better. The opening lines speak of a desire to return to England, to London specifically, and to be dropped anywhere, indicating a loss of direction and purpose. The singer acknowledges that they do not care where they go, as long as they can see their homeland once more. The second verse continues this theme, juxtaposing the "land's cheerless marshes" with the desire to escape to Liverpool, Leeds, or Birmingham.
The chorus contains some of the most memorable lines in the song, with a reference to Charles (presumably Prince Charles) and an irreverent desire to see him dressed in his mother's bridal veil, hinting at a rejection of traditional monarchy and the restrictions it imposes on individual freedom. The third verse takes an unexpected turn, referencing the singer's discovery that they are a descendant of an old queen, causing them to question whether they or the world around them have changed. The reference to a "nine-year-old tough who peddles drugs" jars with the sense of history and heritage mentioned earlier in the song, creating a sense of dislocation and confusion.
The final verse picks up on the theme of loneliness, with references to precious things like love, law, and poverty. The singer longs to escape the endless rain and the lies about makeup and long hair, with the repetition of the lines "These are the things that kill me" serving to reinforce their sense of ennui and hopelessness. The song ends with two almost identical verses, with slight variations, emphasizing the sense of being caught in a cycle of endless loneliness, with pubs and churches offering little solace. The repeated line "The Queen is dead, boys" suggests an end to the old order, but offers little hope for what might come next.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, take me back to dear old Blighty
Oh, please take me back to England
Put me on the train for London Town
Put me on a train to London
Take me anywhere
Take me anywhere
Drop me anywhere
Leave me wherever
Liverpool, Leeds or Birmingham
Doesn't matter where specifically
But I don't care
I don't care where I go
I should like to see my
I'd like to see my family/friends
I don't bless them
I don't approve of them
(Farewell) To this land's cheerless marshes
Goodbye to this dreary country
Hemmed in like a boar between arches
Feeling trapped like an animal
Her very Lowness with a head in a sling
The Queen in poor condition
I'm truly sorry, but it sounds like a wonderful thing
I'm sorry, but glad the Queen is dead
I say, "Charles, don't you ever crave
I ask Charles if he ever craves
To appear on the front of the Daily Mail
To be in the news
Dressed in your Mother's bridal veil?"
Dressed strangely, like in a bridal veil
(Oh, oh-oh, oh)
(vocalization)
And so I checked all the registered historical facts
I checked historical documents
And I was shocked into shame to discover
I was ashamed to find out
How I'm the 18th pale descendant
I'm a distant descendant
Of some old queen or other
Of a past queen
Oh, has the world changed, or have I changed?
Did the world change, or did I?
Some nine year old tough who peddles drugs
A young drug dealer
I swear to God, I swear, I never even knew what drugs were
I'm telling the truth, I didn't know about drugs
So I broke into the Palace
I trespassed into the Palace
With a sponge and a rusty spanner
Using some random tools
She said, "Eh, I know you, and you cannot sing"
The Queen recognized me and criticized my singing
I said, "That's nothing, you should hear me play piano"
I retorted with a talent I have
We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry
Let's walk somewhere peaceful
And talk about precious things
We can have meaningful conversations
But when you're tied to your mother's apron
But when you're dependent on your mother
No one talks about castration
No one talks about being controlled
Like love and law and poverty, oh, oh
Topics that are important to me
(These are the things that kill me)
(These are the things that hurt me)
But the rain that flattens my hair, oh
But the rain that ruins my appearance
(These are the things that kill me)
(These are the things that hurt me)
All their lies about makeup and long hair, are still there
Society's lies are still present
Past the pub who saps your body
Past the pub that weakens you
And the church who'll snatch your money
And the church that takes your money
The Queen is dead, boys
The Queen has died
And it's so lonely on a limb
It's so lonely when you're alone
Life is very long when you're lonely
Life is very difficult when you're alone
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steven Morrissey, Johnny Marr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind