Amazingly, THE QUEEN IS DEAD came out thirty years ago today. For me, it was that magical time between graduating from high school and heading off to the University of Notre Dame. I spent that summer of 1986 dreaming of college, working as an overnight DJ at a local radio station, and rather madly chasing around a young woman (who is now, thankfully, happily married and living in central Kansas).
Strangely, though, THE QUEEN IS DEAD did not inspire or trouble me once that summer. For whatever reason, I completely missed its release.
It wasn’t until I arrived at Notre Dame that a great friend (and now an extremely famous philosopher) introduced me to THE QUEEN IS DEAD. From the first listen, I was bowled over. Being rather partial to prog rock, I didn’t cotton easily to non-progressive music. Yet, there was something in THE QUEEN IS DEAD that captured my imagination. There was a wit, a whiny intelligence, a reference to some of my favorite writers, and a strange cynical romanticism that pervades the whole album that tugged at my soul.
With Morrissey, I wanted to walk the cemetery gates, and I knew that there was a “light that never goes out” when it came to that Kansas girl I chased for almost two years.
I felt sorry for the Queen and for Prince Charles, of course, but I chuckled about the vicar, and I thought I knew a Bigmouth, here or there.
Thirty years ago. Amazing. It could’ve been yesterday.
Here is where you make art out of writing about art. Well done.
With Morrissey, I wanted to walk the cemetery gates, and I knew that there was a “light that never goes out” when it came to that Kansas girl I chased for almost two years.
I felt sorry for the Queen and for Prince Charles, of course, but I chuckled about the vicar, and I thought I knew a Bigmouth, here or there.
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Brad, really felt reflexed on your words…. I was 14/15 when I heard it and I was really partial to progressive rock although I had (and still have) an inconditional love for the more elaborated bands of britain rock and pop (XTC, Tears for Fears, Talk Talk, Duran Duran, Madness), specially the more dark ones like The Cure, Bauhaus, Love and Rockets, The Chameleons, and a lot of the 4AD ones (Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins and that marvelous and intriguing monster that was This Mortal Coil). The Queen is Dead was and still is my favourite Smiths record. The others really doesn’t cliked as Queen. Saludos to you, always a pleasure to read.
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Me, too, PD! I’d still put TT, XTC, and TFF better, but I do love The Smiths. Such great music. The Cure, too. Thanks so much for this–great thoughts.
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Brilliant (and strangely poignant) review Dr. B. Thanks
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