The Queen Is Dead

You can listen to this album and enjoy most of it. That should earn it a five on this list of albums, which are generally horrible. But I’m writing it against all albums so for listenability and fine traditional English rock songs that focus on English life.

I love the smiths

Love this wlbum

Probably the most even of the Smiths LPs. Humorous and morose, often at the same time, Morrissey and Marr combine forces to make the soundtrack to your dreary little life. Peak 80s English culture. 5 double decker busses.

"im a morrissey hater. always have been. cant stand him. the only thing i could ever get into was like the 4 smiths records and the first 3 solo records + some non album singles and a handful of songs after that and also bona drag but that's it. (...) cant give him more than 80 all time classics"

On my multiple projects this is the second time this album has come up. The first time I gave it a 4. It was at the beginning of my engagement with this exercise, and I did so because I don’t think it’s their best. Now, after many albums and a solo work by Morrissey that I have found out is one of FOUR (4)… yeah, this gets a 5. It’s awesome. All the way through. The Smiths were awesome. Morrissey is f*ing almost unbearable without Marr. It’s amazing to me. The team of those two men was MAGIC. No one can convince me otherwise. Marr is in top form here. His arrangements are MASTERFUL- end to end. The first three songs are a powerhouse that work because Morrissey’s biting lyrics are highlighted so well by Marr. And then two songs that I have always adored, from the very first time I heard them, Bigmouth Strikes Again and Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others- ONLY work because of Marr’s incredible innovation. Without the music both songs are silly at best and possibly annoying. 5- Love The Smiths/ Morrissey can stick it Boolean: TRUE- in fact I plan on listening to it many more times before I die

she’s dead indeed…

Best album ever

(100/100)

I will pick Tne Smiths over Morrissey's solo work 100% of the time and this is my favorite Smiths album.

What an opener song. 6 minutes to throw you in you almost feel like yourve already been listening for 30min - in a very good way - you just zone right in vibing.

This was the second album I ever bought with my own money. I think I heard Bigmouth on CFNY, which clinched the deal. A lot of lawn mowing went into this. Still own the wax. And ya know what? It's still great. Morrissey the twat can get fucked. But to this day I cannot for the life of me figure out what the hell Marr did on those jangly guitars. It's like he listened to Chet Atkins and thought 'fuck I can make this alternative'. I still to this day can't play half the licks on this album, but that may say more about my shite guitar skills. Anyhow, nostalgia alone makes this five stars. I have a fantasy about doing Smiths karaoke, which would be worst case scenario for all involved.

A great album with some really interesting production work and fantastic hooks. It is so melancholy and really captures the feeling of the decade.

I’ll need time to truly justify this 5, but I feel like it’s the right choice. I love the lyrics, they can be kind of stupid, kind of smart, kind of funny, and Morissey’s performance sells it perfectly, even if he’s not the best singer ever. There’s not a skip here, and I’m sure I’ll be able to talk about and appreciate the smaller and better details that make me love this album as time goes on.

i already had this on my list, actually! very good album, very groovy, i like his voice alot. i recognised bigmouth strikes again and there is a light that never goes out. i liked it.

Peak

10/10

love the smiths!!!❤️

The best Smiths album. The perfect fusion of Marr’s jangly and unique guitar playing and Morrissey’s brilliantly ironic lyrics and vocalizations.

The Queen is dead, boys - and it's so lonely on a limb! Oh mother! I can feel! The soil falling over my head! And if a double decker bus, crashes into us - to die by your side, is such a heavenly way to die! This album is full of all-timers. I love it. Probably my favorite Smiths album front to back? "Some Girls are Bigger Than Others" is an unfortunate closer, but man - this record is just stacked with great songs. FIVE STARS

Orgasmo em 40 minutos, masterpiece

I love The Smiths

Classic album full of great lyrics, guitar work and bass playing. There is a light… is a particularly good song.

Anyone who doesn't have a core memory with There Is a Light That Never Goes Out playing should make one. I'd give this record six stars if I could.

Very unique and recognisable. May be their best album. Fav track: „I know it’s over“. Low 5 but still

I loved this album in high school and still love it now.

Absolutely brilliant. Easy 5. Also glad that I got to see Johnny Marr a few years back, but not Morrissey. Dizzy Whore, 1804.

The Boy With The Thorn In His Side and There Is a Light That Never Goes Out would get this five stars on their own.

Yeah, its like one of the best albums ever. Fun fact, had my first threesome listening to this on vinyl. Morrisey is a dickhead, but this shit is stacked. Standout Tracks: The Queen is Dead, I Know Its Over, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out 4.7

Minus one star for Morrissey being a tool, which brings it down from 6/5 to 5/5

Good album only listen through a few times but definitely an album I’d come back to.

This album is an absolute work of art that stands out from anything else Morrissey or The Smiths have ever done. The over-the-top sardonic vocals/lyrics really hit when they're backed by actual incredible guitar and songwriting.

i have listened to this album a bunch. i think it's the smiths at their best. very dense with songs that are just weird and cool and stupid and beautiful. i have something lovely to say about pretty much every track. favorite song is I Know It's Over

what an album to receive on Mother's Day. excellent, unfortunately.

Life is very long When you're lonely

-mwah. one of the greatest -even before listening, just looking at the tracklist, fills me with so much emotion. -"the queen is dead" is an immortal opening track, gets overshadowed by the other tunes on this album, but man is it good. "i was shocked and shamed to discover that i'm the 18th pale descendant of some old queen or another" + "love and law and poverty / these are the things that kill me". brilliant to kick open the door to the album with an overtly political song (the queen is dead, boys!) and still end the song on the melancholy note of "life is very long when you're lonely" UGH!!! kills me. -impossible for me to listen to this album without hanging onto every word morrissey sings. -"frankly mr shankly" is such a fun song. beautiful lyricism. "i want to catch something that i might be ashamed of" it's life affirming! ending on a "uhh give us money!" he's funny! -"i know it's over" what is there to say even. one of the most beautiful songs ever written. at times painfully soft and gentle, at times feels like getting punched in the gut, at times an unforgiving look in the mirror, at times feels like someone indulging his cruel impulses. but then we get to "it's so easy to laugh, it's so easy to hate / it takes guts to be gentle and kind / over and over and over" ohhh i know i'm gonna be repeating myself dumbly a lot here but it's so beautiful and so tender hearted. -"never had no one ever" just one thing after the other innit. "when you walk without ease / on these streets where you were raised / i had a really bad dream / it lasted twenty years, seven months, and twenty seven days". morrissey's vocals are incredible on this one. the instrumental part at the end feels like being shot off into the stratosphere. always feeling the tweet that's like morrissey? i hate that guy! can't stand him! can't give him more than 80 all time classics! -albums that make u say man i love music! i love music more than anything else on the planet! i'm glad i'm not overreacting! -"cemetry gates" is a popular smiths song that i don't even like that much but the relief after being stabbed repeatedly by "i know it's over" + "never had no one ever" is very needed. also another funny song by known plagiarist morrissey. for a long time i thought he sang "weird lover wilde" which i thought was cool and cute but of course because this is steven morrissey he was in fact fatshaming oscar wilde. -"bigmouth strikes again" WHAT is there to say even. i didn't intend to go through this track by track but you know. this one just makes u wanna get up and dance, doesn't it. people love saying morrissey didn't know how joan of arc felt but i strongly disagree, i think if ANYONE alive knows how joan of arc felt it would actually be him. i'm half joking but not really. johnny marr's playing on this is some of the best. -i think i remember liam gallagher saying "the boy with the thorn in his side" is his favourite smiths song... very loveable imo. -can't talk about "there is a light that never goes out" because words feel insufficient. just know that it's one of my favourite songs ever written, one of the saddest, one of the most beautiful, one of the gentlest. -i love "some girls are bigger than others" a lot. the music fading in and out at the beginning ... the guitar (one of the best smiths riffs imo, and that's saying something) ... the lyrics get memed a lot but i think it's perfect to end this album on a somewhat lighthearted song.

Iconic (obligatory fuck Morrissey!)

I'll be honest, the first time I heard this album was on a long car ride where I fell asleep in the backseat...I have no idea how because this is great. I still love listening to the Smiths, but in a yearning way, in a "I like seeing morrisey miserable" kind of way.

I said I love The Smiths.

Currently listening to this with a huge existential crisis as I finish a final project. 10/10 will revisit again

Yes, I do listen to the Smiths. But i do not wear a blouse :) Never had no one ever, I know it’s over and bigmouth strikes again were the top 3, but there were many other very good tracks, surprising even that it had a big percentage of the album I enjoyed. Win through consistency

I mean cmon

One of the best albums ever

I would give this a 5 just for "Bigmouth Strikes Again," which I am singing along with as I type this. As I said about the other Smiths record I reviewed here, I love the contrast between the superb music and the clever, often sarcastic lyrics. I don't like all of their stuff equally, but this is another 5-star album.

One of the best albums of the 1980s. Like it ends with a one-two punch of "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" into "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others". Honestly brilliant.

Love

First I was thinking of a 3. Than I was thinking of a 4. But when "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" played, I have to give it a 5.

Morrissey said the Queen was dead and then she died a mere 30 something years later. Prophetic. The Simpsons could never. There’s some quite funny lyrics and also some peak sad boi-ness. And it’s all catchy!

I listened to this album 2 songs at a time over a few hours because morrissey can get boring after a while. But there were no fillers on here; nothing that i would consider to be subpar. Which is why I’m giving The Queen Is Dead 5 stars.

Classic, not a every day listen for me but I must appreciate it’s greatness. One of the best albums of all time.

Apesar do Morrissey ser um cuzão, ele tem uma voz angelical. O baixo é sacanagem e eu queria muito saber qual o pedal que usam pra guitarra fazer esse som absurdo.

Fabulous album - love it, thx !

The funnest, dark songs ever. I sang along to most of these

I love The Smiths. I said I love The Smiths.

I already know I’m gonna give the suburbs by arcade fire a 5/5, so I’m not gonna be a hypocrite and dock Morrissey here even though he’s obviously a dick. For better or worse, I am Zooey Deschanel from 500 Days Of Summer, I just hope I’m less twee about it. If this wasn’t a 5 star album already, the Kieran Culkin bus meme would put it straight over the edge.

Keats and Yates are on your side is such an amazing line I need to listen to this several more times

I was surprised to find that I quite liked this. This is third Smiths album I've encountered, I liked one and hated one. There is something to be said for the partnership that Marr and Morrisey have. It is melancholic but punctuated with moments of light.

Morrissey deserves praise as the ultimate pretentious douchebag. No one else does it like The Smiths. Not a weak song on here, flys by. The opening bass pluck of Cemetry Gates might be the apex of recorded music history.

SUCH A FUCKING BANGER I LOVE IT MATE

An album that I've only come to in the last decade and has become one of my most listened to albums since. The band are at the height of their powers here.. although given their entire output spanned just 4 years you could argue that the whole lot is peak! Morrissey has never sounded better vocally, lyrically it's full of the acerbic wit mixed with the melancholy that he's known for, whilst Marr brings a musical vitality, full of hooks and memorable moments, all held down by a fantastic rhythm section; special shout out to Andy Rourke whose prominent basslines often form the backbone of these songs. Literally lightning in a bottle!

Through everything that has happened outside of the band and with the members, this album completely holds up and still gets to me. It's a culmination of precision and abandon, of melodrama and careful craft. Gladiolas for everyone!

In addition to the world-beating single “How Soon is Now?”, this is the Smiths release to play to persuade anyone who harbors any doubts about the band and its place in the English pop/alternative rock canons. Sure, Morrissey was always an acquired taste and a self-absorbed drama queen (let’s leave aside his more recent decline into far-right politics), but The Queen is Dead proves he was an incredible lyricist and vocalist with a poetic sense of phrasing, and the band isn’t bad either. The death of Andy Rourke a few years ago has made me re-appreciate his sturdy bass playing, while no one needs convincing of Johnny Marr’s talent on guitar. So many bangers on this, one of my top 10 albums of the ‘80s.

I hate you Morrissey.

Great album. Lots of great songs. Probably Smiths best.

Peak album. Thought i wouldn't like it but now every song is in my liked songs.

if sad why so catchy? morrisey has a voice that exudes a deep sadness. also way too short, i accidentally listened to it twice thinking i hadn’t finished it — it goes by quick (that’s a good thing). i know it’s over!!!!

Jangling all the way to deep depression and liking it

Morrissey is still a twat but this is still good music. High 4

Probably their most popular album, possibly their best. I think I prefer their self-entitled album "The Smiths". This is still a great one none-the-less.

Perfect.

I love all the songs in this album so so so very much. Anyways "If you're so funny, then why're you on your own tonight If you're so clever, then why're you on your own tonight If you're so very entertaining, then why're you on your own tonight If you're so very good-looking, why do you sleep alone tonight I know Because tonight is just like any other night." ...I think that says all I need to say.

Obras maestra

Absolutely iconic. Every song is unique, the vocals and lyrics are phenomenal, and the production quality top notch - I love how the songs fade out. This is an all time album for me.

I came to the Smiths later than most of my friends, and a long time after I first heard all of the records (I was in high school when this album came out). Was really the early 2000s before I realized their genius and also how much subtle humor is behind all of the lyrics. The tongue-in-cheek aspect was missed by a lot of fans and detractors alike at the time. For all of his shittyness now, Morrissey was a brilliant and unique lyricist. Marr is the kind of guitar hero I sought in the 80s, I just found Peter Buck first. Anyway this is the Smiths' masterpiece. Now I know how Joan of Arc felt!

Listening to this LP makes me very grateful for Jonny Marr... and very angry at Morrissey being such an arse. It is lyrically beuatiful, consistent yet with each track has having its own sheen.

Morissey is annoying but his band rocks

A lot of hits on this one

gran banda, exelente disco

I love bigmouth strikes again, and theres a light that never goes otu

Excelente

Este álbum no es algo feliz... pero es algo real. No es para todos... pero si conectas, te marca.

Amazing piece of music. 9/10

A master class in sharp witty lyricism and vocal delivery, Morrissey may be a bit of a twat these days (maybe he always was) but this is his and The Smiths’ finest hour (well, 37 mins). Johnny Marr’s melodic and jangly guitars are laden full of hooks, and the album moves effortlessly from being melodramatic and down beat, almost comedically so, to funny and whimsical, whilst making room for more serious endeavours. There are so many great songs here, easily 4 of my favourite Smiths songs live here, including the exceptional ‘The Boy with the Thorn in His Side’ which I somehow almost forget how much I love it every time I return.

Morrisey's obviously a real cunt but I won't let him take away my enjoyment of this album which was quite formative for me.

:) Interesting

I didn’t know music could sound this British

One of my absolute favourite albums of all time - an easy six out of five! Plenty of songs that would individually make any album a 5*. Has addictive riffs, a driving rhythm section (oh those bass lines) and fantastic, sometimes absurd, lyrics. All that with Moz' great vocals. More importantly than all of that though is the emotional appeal of this album. How not to be moved by "I know it's over"? Yeah, I love this album.

I don't know when Morrissey's line of credit is going to run out - how many more canceled shows or cancel-able comments he can bear before everyone is just finally done with him. After listening to this gem of an album once again - with its throbbing rhythm section (the title track), its endless supply of lyrical bon mots ("Cemetry Gates" alone could feed families), Johnny Marr's Platonic ideal of lead playing that manages to be muscular and angular without any hint of cock-rockery ("Bigmouth Strikes Again"), the best coming-out song this side of disco ("The Boy with the Thorn in His Side," and I don't care how many times Morrissey lies about its meaning), and an eleven o'clock number for every yearning kid of any age ("There Is a Light That Never Goes Out") - I suspect he'll keep getting away with it forever. What a bastard.

Incredible iconic British album, catchy instrumentation and choruses, album sounds complete with no weak links. “the greatest album to have ever existed, I did this all by myself and I’m so amazing, the best to ever do it” - Morrisey probably

Listened at home. Happened to get two Smiths albums within a week of each other. This is one of my favourite albums of all time and was so pleased to see it here. It trades the blatant political messages of Meat is Murder for Morrissey's trademark bitterness and makes for a much more cohesive and listenable experience. Marr's compositional prowess really shines here making this the most depressing album you want to dance to you've ever heard. Absolutely love it.

Fucking morrissey

I still am a big fan of the Smiths, despite all of Morrissey's bullshit. Johnny Marr's guitar playing is unparalleled and shines throughout this album. Favorites: Cemetry Gates, Bigmouth Strikes Again (the guitar riff is kick-ass), The Boy With the Thorn in His Side, There Is a Light That Never Goes Out Would I listen to it again: Yes

Sublime pop with razor sharp lyrics. Great song follows great song. Deserved of its consideration as a classic.

Well, shit (10/10, 5/5 on this scale)

Exceptional album. Mildly dated with some of the music, but only slightly. The vocals especially are very 80s, but are still great. Lyrically, there are several memorable moments even after only one listen.

This was my first time listening to the entire album in order. It’s somehow simultaneously bright and melancholic. Perfectly encapsulating 80s nostalgia - even for someone that didn’t live it.

Very cool

The defining Smiths album. Odd that it should stand so separate from the Smiths’ body of work given it lacks the popular cut through of tracks like This Charming Man or Stop Me. But instead, The Queen Is Dead offers The Smiths at their most focused. This is a perfect album but for one slight misstep. The progression from I Know It’s Over to Never Had No One Ever is just too much maudlin melodrama even for a Smiths album. Other than that, it’s faultless. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Забавно, предыдущий альбом был от Radiohead. Как говорится "Сынку, тебя мы послушали, дай теперь батя скажет своё слово". Эх, как я люблю The Smiths и этот альбом, безусловно, не исключение. Как я и говорил в предыдущем обзоре, вот чем работа The Queen Is Dead выгодно отличается от того же Hail To The Thief от Йорка. Разность чувств выражающаяся и в аранжировках и в темах которые затрагивает Моррисси. Горько-сладкие, ироничные, грустные и печальные мелодии. Вот что я ценю, в "альбомах под которых прикольно погрустить". Многогранность. I Know It's Over и, конечно, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, один из главных шедевров этой группы. Классика, потрясающий альбом.

The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead (1986) Вывод: сочетание меланхолии, иронии и британской повседневности; альбом как личное и одновременно культурное высказывание. В The Queen Is Dead личные эмоции неожиданно превращаются в довольно точное наблюдение за окружающим миром. В песнях много одиночества, самоиронии и тихого раздражения по отношению к социальной реальности. Но всё это подаётся не как трагедия, а скорее как остроумный и иногда почти литературный комментарий. Музыкально альбом кажется удивительно лёгким. Гитара Джонни Марра звучит чисто и мелодично, часто почти воздушно. В этих партиях чувствуется влияние британского попа 60-х, но подано оно гораздо мягче и современнее. Музыка движется легко и ритмично, иногда почти танцевально, даже когда настроение песен остаётся меланхоличным. Именно это сочетание для меня делает альбом таким интересным: довольно грустные или саркастические тексты существуют внутри светлой и мелодичной музыки. В результате возникает особое ощущение - не столько драматичное, сколько задумчивое и немного ироничное. Вокал Моррисси играет здесь ключевую роль. Он поёт так, будто рассказывает личные наблюдения или небольшие истории. Его интонации часто звучат одновременно ранимо и насмешливо. Из-за этого песни воспринимаются почти как короткие монологи человека, который внимательно смотрит на окружающий мир и не совсем в нём вписывается. Отдельно для меня работает атмосфера альбома. В нём чувствуется очень конкретная британская культурная среда: серые города, скука повседневной жизни, странные социальные правила и тихий протест против них.

My favorite album by one of my favorite bands. One of the best openers in album history. I know I'll be on an island for this one and I don't care. Johnny Marr is my god.

A lot of listener's comments focus on a shared hatred of Morrissey. While I get it, I still love their music. If you're new to The Smiths this is a great album to start with. Favorite songs: The Queen Is Dead, I Know It's Over, Bigmouth Strikes Again, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Revolutionary.

I fucking hate Morrissey so much, but god this album is amazing. Simply some of the most beautiful music ever made is on this album, it really is a unique experience like no other. Heartfelt vocals, killer guitar playing, and production that's the perfect level of sloppy to have charm without taking away from the music.

The Smiths están en mi top 3 de bandas favoritas. Con esto creo que ya lo digo casi todo. Para mí, todos sus discos son un 10, así que no voy a ser muy objetivo. Como no me cabe aquí todo lo que diría del álbum, me limito a señalar el estado de gracia compositivo del dúo Morrisey-Marr que ha llevado al mismo a ser considerado un disco clave en la historia del rock. Pon la canción que quieras, que no defrauda.

eu tenho um problemão com the smiths, acho que eh uma das bandas da minha vida. posso ficar anos sem escutar, mas sempre que eu escuto eu fico obcecado de novo e acabou ouvindo TUDO deles. eh engraçado como certas bandas/músicas não somem do sistema não, pode tocar onde for que cê vai saber cantar e vai dançar (ou chorar) como se não houvesse amanhã. btw eu gosto DEMAIS das linhas de baixo e guitarrinhas deles. e acho que aqui tá todo mundo no TOP OF THEIR GAME, tanto nas letras quanto nos instrumentos. atualmente, não eh meu preferido deles não, pq falta guitarrinha dançante, mas acho que eles tão mto sincronizados aqui pqp. dito isso, acho muito triste o acidente fatal que o morrissey teve, tão novo... não eh do album, MAS: tenho uma lembrança curiosa de estar num bar perto da ufmg, na minha segunda semana de curso, com 4 pessoas (que hoje em dia eu nem sou amigo mais) e colocarem "how soon is now" na jukebox. lembro de me sentir bem, apesar de tudo. em sequência, tomei 2 doses de cachaça e cantei bastante I AM HUMAAAAAAAN AND I NEED TO BE LOOOOOOOOOVED com desconhecidos. nunca mais voltei nesse boteco.

CLASSIC tracks. BANGER tracks. God. The Smiths, of course, have a reputation for being mopey, angsty, sullen, depress-ing/-ive, etc., and I get it, I really do, I know all those moody lyrics well enough to sing along to every one of these songs, but personally I'll never be able to listen to the jangle of the guitar on this record without breaking into a grin. (And some of the lyrics really ARE quite funny, besides..!) Incredible, incredible, INCREDIBLE work...

No question, Morrissey is overrepresented on this list. Not much doubt, he is a complicated figure, almost certainly a dick, very possibly racist. I might think more about that for his solo work, and expect to run out of patience by the time I finish. But this is the first Smiths or Morrissey album I've gotten and it is really good. I love Marr's guitar. It's brief enough that Morrissey's singing doesn't wear out its welcome, and matches the lyrics and vibes really well. For me, this is moody in a good way. It sounds great. Identifiably an 80's album, but missing the synthy artificiality of most 80's pop-rock. No doubt this belongs on the list, borderline on a 101 album list. An exemplar of the genre and era. I think I have to give it 5 stars and accept that it looks controversial on my dashboard. Favs - "The Queen is Dead", "Never had no one never", "Cemetery Gates" no skips though.

this is literally perfect idk what else to say

Love this album

On the shop floor There’s a calendar As obvious as snow As if we didn’t know

I know its over

Fantastic. Male yearning.

Best album ever…..

I can’t believe how much I actually like The Smiths

Ah this is still great. Not listened in decades probably, but singing along with every word and every out of tune note. Seriously good work from the whole band, and the right blend of nastiness and playfulness from the dickhead up front. Loved it

oh my god the absolute goat

When I was at a fair once, there was a stand selling band pins. I took a Bauhaus and Depeche Mode pin and the bloke running it started asking me about other bands I listened to. He insisted this was the greatest album of all time and I NEEDED to hear it. Brought this up at a party a few days later and someone put on the record. A few people were annoyed at the dreary music but I thought it was quite good. I prefer Meat Is Murder but Cemetery Gates and There’s A Light That Never Goes Out easily bring this to five stars.

Obligatory Morrissey is a bellend. Such a classic album though. I still remember hearing this for the first time, I’d been through the cure, Radiohead, and Elliot smith so this seemed like the next logical step in terms of broody teenager music. Listening to it again now I still think it holds up, the unique melodies, the musicality, especially some of the basslines, are awesome. There’s not one song on the album that doesn’t hold its own

One of the classics. Feels like the Smiths fully evolved No wasted space

Een van mijn favorieten. Fijne stem en melodieën, mooie teksten en heel goed gitaarwerk. En vreemde fade-ins en fade-outs? Highlights: I Know It’s Over, Bigmouth Strikes Again, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Morrissey may be an absolute Pollock but it can't be denied that this is just an outstanding album.

ok we can probably agree that morrissey is a miserable person but this album is so cunt

Probably the only totally essential smiths album, the rest of their best songs are scattered across compilations and albums with lesser tracks. Love the jangly guitar of a lot of the tracks, and lyrically I do think it's all fantastic, very witty My fave tracks are Frankly Mr Shankly, "Cemetry Gates" (sp) and Bigmouth Strikes Again, all songs which happen not to be total downers and are all quite funny. Cemetry Gates is probably my favourite overall There Is a Light is obviously great but it's almost too iconic to highlight. I think they probably should have ended it with that track rather than "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" which doesn't do much for me really, but they probably weren't thinking too hard about track placement. Something about the way the volume fades out and back in at the start really pisses me off for some reason

One of my all time favorite albums. Hits every emotion perfectly. Sad, funny, angry, the best.

Even though Morrissey's a cunt this is the easiest 5 stars I've given out so far.

Favorite track: I know it’s over

YES YES YES YES YES YES OOOHHHHHHHHH THE FIRST LP I BOUGHT I LOVE THE SMITHS OMGGG BUT FUCK MORRISSEY EEWWW god its such an interesting album: interesting vocals as always, interesting guitar, interesting lyrics. The album cover is so incredibly iconic omggg By far my favorite smiths song is Frankly, Mr Shankly such a vibe. Made my lovee the album. I Know Its Over gave birth to Jeff Buckleys versions and I will be forever thankful for this.

Några riktiga alltimers på denna!

Faktiskt så bra som det blir.

oavsett om det är smiths bästa eller inte så är det här onekligen fruktansvärt bra

Beautiful album, full of great songs and memorable hooks. Morrissey sings at his best here and Johnny Marr made some brilliant hypnotic tunes. There's perhaps a bit of a lull on the start of the second side, but the album starts and ends great. Quite a bit of variety between calm and uptempo songs, ballads and rockers. Great album.

Probably the album I'm most familiar with so far in this project based soley just on the company I keep. Unfortunately I have the extremely lukewarm take of disliking Morrissey the person but being quite fond of the music he's made... But you will not catch me admitting to that in person. Johnny Marr is going crazy on guitar for this whole album, especially Bigmouth Strikes Again oh my god. Vicar in a Tutu is definitely a sleeper hit although definitely a black sheep on this record in terms of its sound. Unfortunately I do really like the Smiths, even though I like their self-titled more than The Queen is Dead

Frankly, my Morrissey bias struck when I had this one proposed. I was about to blindly give it a one star withe the usual f*M*... But then I remembered that The Smiths was not only Morrissey, but also a very capable band, most noticeably one certain Johnny Marr. And luckily, I gave it a spin. Musically the record is simply great. Well produced, well played and arranged. And, the lyrics are surprisingly good and there is not one nuance of the later self-indulgent whiney and political distastefulness of said lyricist. It's all about the deepest loneliness, expressed in deep and true streams of consciousness and even a touch of humour. While I still don't like the overall nature of his voice, the delivery is personal and the phrasing is really really touching in places. Absolutely recommendable. Consistent and, yes, a great record. Apart from that, M. can shove it wherever it's itching. He was once great where he now is a sad flatearther, or whatever.

I never realized how humorous the Smiths were. This is my first time listening to an Album by this artist. I know some of their singles, and 'There is a light that never goes out' is saved to my liked songs on Spotify- from a time when I Shazamed it on a movie 😅 I really enjoyed this.

The whole Smiths discography is really solid with loads of great non album tracks on top of great albums. I think that none of albums alone were quite perfect, but they all are really good and Queen is dead is definitely one of the best. And of course any album that include one of the best pop songs ever ("There is a light...") earns 5/5

really makes you feel the soil falling over your head. 5/5

Beautiful album with some songs having a detached vibe, similar to what I like.

While it's unusual for an entire band to exist just to showcase the guitarist, you really couldn't pick a better one than Johnny Marr, and The Queen is Dead showcases him like none other. Without Johnny Marr and his loose, jangling, texturally rich guitar the 90s would sound entirely different. You can feel an entire new era of rock roiling beneath the surface of this album, dark and emotional and experimental. I...think there was someone else in the band...his name escapes me.

Fuck the Queen, fuck Morrissey, this album rocks. Best Song: There Is a Light that Never Goes Out Rating: 9/10 Stars: 5

This is an all time favorite album for me. I could say so much about why I love this album, from its rollicking bass, jangly guitars, sardonic lyrics, Morrisey’s enigmatic voice, how many of the songs I listen to on a regular basis. But instead, I’ll close with this: “It's so easy to laugh, it's so easy to hate // It takes strength to be gentle and kind.” How can the man who wrote that beautiful lyric go on to say such hateful things?

I know the album before, listened to ut anyways. Love the smiths and the album!!!

Great album

My initial impression of the album was betrayed by my difficulty listening to song lyrics. Reading the lyrics opened up a whole other world to me, one where I saw the album's melancholy, its witty, often dark humor, and a still-poignant criticism of the British society, in its full colors. I can say I'm still not done with this album, and it's exactly what defines a 10/10 for me: something that's not just incredibly well-crafted, but also has lots of layers to it, the layers that entice coming back to the record all over again and make it ever better the more you peel them off.

I can hear the influences the Smiths had on so many bands I love the more I listen to this record.

Bangers abound. You literally can't go wrong with any song on this album. An absolute melodious triumph. Favorite track: Bigmouth Strikes Again

Been waiting, let’s see if it lives up to the hype. It’s beautiful. For what it’s worth I like morrisseys vocal delivery, melodies, most of the lyrics?, but I can not stand him. This is my favorite guitar album from the class so far, Johnny Marr kills it on this one. I don’t know how to explain that I think even if I didn’t hate morrissey I would still hate him with no previous knowledge. This album is pretty perfect honestly. I’m struggling to say much about it because I just wanna shit on Morrissey. Take this 5.

I think the most The Smiths thing I can say about this album is that I get it. It’s Morrissey singing cripplingly sad songs about love lost and words and dirt and pubs and stuff. That’s until you pull it apart and realize that none of it is meant to be taken seriously and the joke is on you. Johnny Marr and the band provide a jangly undercurrent for the one-named-wonder and his painfully self-aware lyrics. The intro to the closing track even fades in and out to start as if they aren’t ready to play the joke on the listener yet. The Smiths hate the aristocracy and can see through the phoniness of your quoted poetry because they have done their research. Their tunes are catchy and fun. They leave you asking yourself, “what made that seem so important?” At the core, they make great music and it’s a joy to listen. Now you need to tell everyone. The Smith are the brilliant barstool poet and you’re lucky enough to post up next to them for a pint. They’re better than you and you know that because they told you so. And you can’t stand it, but they’re right

While I don't agree with Morrissey's political views at all and just don't like him as a person in general, I still can't deny that this is a near perfect album. I have always loved The Smiths and I believe this is their best album. This album is beautiful from start to finish and it never gets old. Stand out songs for me: I know it's over, Frankly, Mr Shankly and There is a light that never goes out

Such a clear peak for the band in every way. Every song is distinct and feels just more meticulously crafted than the last, from Marr's sparkly guitar layers (Boy With a Thorn, There is a Light), to the constant, pumping rhythm of drums and bass (The Queen is Dead, Big Mouth). It sounds like they wanted to prove something to themselves on this one, and they came out with a near perfect album.

vrh. shvatio sam da ne slušam baš čitav album, sada jesam. čak i meni slabije stvari (prva/naslovna, "never had no one ever" i "the boy with the thorn in his side") u stvari su jako dobre, a ostatak je odličan. možda najdraža mi je "cemetry gates", pokušao sam izdvojiti nekoliko najboljih, ali ni ne mogu jer su sve na istoj razini. jebeno

Great album, second to meat is murder only as far as I’m concerned

Ooh I love The Smiths! This album is one of their best. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out was the first Smiths song I ever heard.

masterpiece, sometimes I think I. like one of their other albums more. Though ultimately this is just magnificent

ez egy trip volt, ertem ratty healy gyokereit, jo vibeok, remek hosszusag, erdekes/fura dalfelepites, nagyon vicci szovegek. f fav: cemetry gates, v fav: frankly mr shankly, vicar in a tutu

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out sinistro de bom. Por enquanto o único álbum que eu tinha escutado alguma música antes na vida

Some girls are bigger than others 🎵🎶

Ja, det är onekligen en klassiker och ett helgjutet album. Det är imponerande med vilken extremt hög lägsta nivå Morrissey/Marrs låtar höll. På fem år lyckades de nästan få ur sig närmare 100 perfekta poplåtar. Helt oöverträffat. Min favoritskiva är louder than bombs med 20 singlar och b-sidor från 86-87, ett styrkeprov. Egentligen gillar jag sista skivan ”strangeways here we come” ännu mer, men det är detaljer de gå ju inte förbise ”the Queen is dead”.

Masterpiece. One of the greatest

It’s the smiths dummy!

De mis álbumes favoritos sin duda

Mad as hell that I fuck with Morrissey…

really really good. second half of the album was right up my alley, i’ll def do a relisten soon

Love it

Masterpiece and classic.

A lot can be said to describe this stroke of geniusness (is that a word ) in an album Personally love the smiths but never truly got round to listening to any of their back catalogue so it was a treat to listen to this gift of a record Track by track review : The queen is dead - Loved the toms intro into the atmospheric guitars of the great Johnny marr you get lost in the wall of sound and morriseys beautiful storytelling of I believe from what I can gather going to murder the queen and hearing about it in the news astounding from the get go Frankly mr shankly - very whimsical , loved the bass line clever word play again from morrisey I know it’s over - my 2nd favourite on the whole album I just fell in love with this lovely 6/8 feel going on almost reminded me of a love ballad from the 60s very righteous brothers like , the bittersweet lyrics and heartbreaking Melodies from morrisey make this such an atmospheric , tragic song you can hear the pain in his voice but yet sung so beautifully and the build up towards the end with Johnny Marr building the guitar with chorus effect really drove it home Never had no one ever - Again great song another 6/8 feel very atmospheric and building of the guitars Cemetery gates - great feel on this song Big mouth strikes again - fantastic , love the middle bit that builds on the snare , the guitar effects really give it charachter and love the lyrics of Morrissey again what a wordsmith The boy with a thorn in his side - again some lovely guitar playing from Marr , bass is complementing the riff , it reminds me of the cure this one , I’m sure they must have had a lot of inspiration from this band Vicar in a tutu - a bit daft lol probably a filler for the album A light that never goes out - just so happens to be one of my fave songs of all time this is quintessential Marr some lovely chords up the higher register , morrisey singing about the love of his life to quote the chorus “and if a double decker bus crashes into us , to die by your side is such a heavenly way to die” One of the best choruses of a song ever imho Some girls are bigger than others- genius enough said some great dynamics and very well written Melodie’s

I SAID I LOVE THE SMITHS UGH Listen I know the singer is a horrible jackass, this truly is my yellow flag😭 There is a light and it never goes out is literally my favorite song ever

Cool

Summer >"I'm going to ruin your life' Tom >*mumbles* "Hi" Summer >"I Said I love the Smiths"

Love it!

About as perfect as perfect gets.

9/10 Frustratingly, despite Morrissey, this is damn near perfect.

i frickin love the smiths yipee

Smiths at their peak

The Queen is Dead is the height of both Morrissey and Johnny Marr’s collective and individual creative efforts. Part of The Smiths’ genius comes from how thick and fast they wrote songs (this is just one of 4 albums written and released in 4 years). Never is that more true than on this LP where at points Marr sounds like he is in a hurry to get all of his riffs out, notes falling perfectly into place on conception. This rush of creative inspiration is beautifully captured by Stephen Street. Nothing overconsidered or overwritten. Morrissey’s vocals are at their most fluid and his lyrics are their most balanced. Of course you have the usual floral notes of tragic nostalgia and self pity but they are offset by plenty of outward-looking humour (occasionally harsh but more often just absurd). Nowhere else does he sound quite this playful, allowing his voice to take him to unexpected places. Its an all time classic!

My fav smiths album and one of my all time fav albums

First of all, fuck Morrissey but the cunt can carry a tune. Coming into this, I had some expectations but was immediately humbled. The Queen Is Dead - the toms, the wah wah (gorgeous effects on that guitar), "Her very Lowness with her head in a sling/I'm truly sorry, but it sounds like a wonderful thing", the noise of it all - what a fantastic opener (is that a xylophone toward the end?) - This might be my favourite track of this project so far (day 9?) Frankly, Mr Shankly - the smiths wanted to write a ska song here but were too scared to use a horn section. obviously very self-deprecating with some lyrics that haven't aged well but is two minutes of a fantastic bassline i know its over - didn't like this at all on first listen and while I still think it's the weakest track on the album, it does have it's charm! flirts with 80s ballad territory toward the end - not a fan at all of fade out as song enders never had no one ever - the drums, the bass particularly on this are so up in the mix, feels like the first track to really bare down on the vocals, almost suffocating it, a really heavy soundscape considering the lyrical content. a slow dance for sadness (lmao wankiest thing I've ever written) cemetery gates - standout track for me. "a dreaded sunny day" and the me vs you themes of the lyrics over the almost calypso instrumentation is just beautiful juxtaposition, great mixing for the guitar, snare and especially bass, a really great song, big smiles all around for me bigmouth strikes again - just a really, really well written song (the hi-eq backing vocals are such a weird touch that works so well) the boy with a thorn in his side - yeah obviously a great song but from 2.00 onwards is the real beauty of this track for me (vocals hitting that na na noo on the 3/4, great) vicar in a tutu - sense of rockabilly about it, vocals wander over the beat trying to match the hi hats at points (but soar with range), abrupt ending i dont like though (unrelated to the music, when I was part of the church, I saw my vicar in a tutu, religion doesn't have to be so rigid) there is a light - gorgeous, obviously iconic, will be remembered for the lyrics and vocals but the snyth/strings in this are so beautiful and really elevate the whole thing, especially a syncopated woodwind (??) bit at 1.46 "to die by your side is such a heavenly way to die" c'mon man leave some poetry for the rest of us some girls - the fade in then fade out then fade in, lovely stuff. the riff is gorgeous (very echo beach) while the bass at 0.33 reminds us it's not a one or two man show. 4.75

Oh good I thought I was gonna miss today's entry but I already know and love this album. Favorite Track: There Is a Light That Never Goes Out

10/10

This album is a classic. No it's not just for teenage girls in black eye makeup with quizzically styled hair in asymmetrical spikes. No its not just for teenage boys who eschew sporting events in favor of their dank bedrooms, curtains shut tight against the light, and a musty volume of Baudelaire stashed where other boys might stow a well-worn copy of Beaver Shots. Has there even been a more bathetic, pathetic three minute wallow as Never Had No One Ever? If there is, I'd like to hear it. The album opening is iconic. We fade in on some music hall matron leading the boys in a rousing what-hey, stiff upper lip, Bob's your uncle pub pageant. Then Morrissey comes zooming in on wings of wonder and we're off. All aboard, we're on a road to somewhere.

I love the smiths

8.8 = 4.5 sterren = 5 sterren? Matig rating systeem die 0 tot 5 sterren

This rules. Also fuck Morrissey.

there is a light that never goes out. funfun

Love this!! I haven’t really listened to the smiths before but I loved almost every song on this album. My favourite was Bigmouth strikes again, I love the guitar in this song.

I listened to this when the queen died. Good album then, good album now. Shame Morrisey’s a pillock

I'll never forget that magical feeling of hearing the title track for the first time - which happened to be my first song of theirs I'd heard of theirs - just the dreariness, and the savage lyrics, I was completely intimidated by their music but at the same time I was hooked and I wanted more; especially with the first song. When I came around and listened to the album a couple months later, it was a life-changing experience. The spark of the first listen of the title track has never been recreated for me, the first time can never happen again sadly. The Smiths really outdid themselves on this release, every release prior to this was (I think) building up for The Queen Is Dead. And I think The Smiths agree with that, with them changing their sound on their final release, Strangeways. The Queen Is Dead feels like a greatest hits album with the anthems that are present. I do think "Never Had No One Ever" the snail-paced song kills the momentum, and is my least favourite track here. I'm starting to accept it more, but only just a bit. I don't think there's another album that has so much quotable lyrics. I just always catch myself quoting lyrics from this album such as but not limited to: "We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry" "I've got the 21st century breathing down my neck" "A dreaded sunny day, so I'll meet you at the cemetery gates" I would love to put down all my favourite lyrics on this album, but I'd possibly be quoting every lyric that is present on this masterpiece. Morissey, love or hate him, he is in a tier of his own when it comes to song-writing. The wittiness, the lonesome and melancholy feelings, the charm. Some closing thoughts, "Vicar in a Tutu" is the most underrated song on the album and majority of the Smiths discography. I feel that "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" should've been the closer, it just works so much better than another really underrated song "Some Girls..." This masterpiece of an album is one I think everyone should listen to at least give a good chance once. Highlight Song/s: "The Queen Is Dead", "Frankly Mr Shankly" and Cemetry Gates"

Indeed.

love

Listening to this album for a second time after getting "Strangeways, Here We Come" I actually just like the Smiths. Now not all the albums hit, but I think after a second listen this is definitely a 5

I love the Smiths, and this album. I would recommend to lots of people.

peak

Great album, Smiths at their best.

Catchy. Listened multiple times.

Great album! Energetic with good variety amongst the tracks

One of my favorite albums of all time. Filled with great songs and anthems. The guitar is beautiful. And the lyrics 10/10

Sweetness, I was only joking when I said you should be bludgeoned in your bed.

A true classic. The sardonic morbidity of Morrissey’s lyrics combined with Johnny Marr’s jangling guitar = the Mancunian soundtrack of the 80s. I love this album.

I adore this record and is in contention for my favorite by the Smiths.(The other being Louder than Bombs). I love every song on this album but if I had to pick three favorites it would be; I Know it’s Over, Cemetery Gates, and There Is a Light That Never Goes Out. This record gives me such vivid memories of a low point in my life when I was spending way too much time at a local dive bar.

Fantastic album through and through Listened to it probably 5-6 Tiny’ times

The smiths make music that is mostly sad and lonely but Morrissey is self aware enough to add touches of self deprecating humor sprinkled throughout the album Like echo and the bunnymen and Bowie I came to the smiths late, and love all three now I don’t actually own this album so this is mostly new to me , I’m surprised that it’s not actually up to the standard of the albums that I own - but then Cemetery gates comes on and proves me wrong, and then it’s followed by bigmouth ( although I prefer Chumbawamba’s song of that name ) Back to the good old days when Morrisey wasn't a complete cunt (Not sorry for using the most apt word) Marr & Morrisey at their height here, Morrisey's poetry and Johnny's searing guitar licks. Gets better with each listen but still has a weaker opening than I expect . Mr Shankly is a great song but it sounds little to like a jaunty Salvation Army song that at the beginning strays too close too gimcky Before it settles to be great . That 5 seconds is enough though to prevent the 5 stars

Ik hou wel van dit album en van the smiths maar dit is niet mijn lievelings album van hun. There is a light that never goes out is wel echt een klassieker if a double decker bus crashes into us Fav: there is a light that never goes out Least fav: vicar in a tutu

Lovely!

One of my most important albums of my 20s. Representations of feelings of angst, cynicism, depression, love from my 20s are in this album. Lyrically and musically magnificent.

one of my fav albums ever, every guitar riff on here is incredible and the drums are amazing (johnny marr e mike joyce miei eterni padri), every song has great lyricism, switching between parodic/humorous and more serious themes. i love the smiths

First album on the list we already own on vinyl ! Side two is better than side one???? maybe my favorite smiths album!

5/5 great album johnny marr n smiths master lass

10/10

Most songs on the album are 5 stars. Highlights are I Know It's Over, Cemetry Gates, The Boy With Thorn In His Side, Vicar In A Tutu, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others.

I was so excited when this album came up on the generator this morning. It's my favorite Smith's record, and the one that got me hooked on them back in the mid 80's. I'd heard How Soon Is Now on the radio, and liked it a lot, but the first listen to Bigmouth Strikes Again and I fell for them hook, line, and sinker. I got the album right away and devoured it, and I think every song is totally listenable. There are standouts-Bigmouth, Cemetry Gates, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, and There Is a Light That Never Goes Out are all amazing, and I Know It's Over is one of the great songs ever IMO. I know Morrissey is an asshole, and I can't stand him as a human being. I'd never see him live at this point. But the music they made as a band, and some of his early solo stuff, stand out as some of the best from the 80's and early 90's for me.

SMITHS AYAYYA

I've been meaning to listen to this album for a while now, and I'm glad to have gotten it as my first album in this long journey. I very much enjoyed this one. Musically the album is excellent, with some of the band's best work on it, and while Morrissey's lyrics and vocal style are definitely not to everyone's liking, I'm quite partial to them (though I feel the need to point out that I find his personal beliefs as of recent reprehensible and a massive disappointment). All in all, I think this is a really solid album. I wouldn't call it the best album of all time as some have, but it's a very good one regardless and worthy of its status as a classic. A solid 4.5/5. RIP Andy Rourke

5/5

the queen is dead by the smiths/5

9.5

"I know it's over... it takes strength to be kind..."

Impeccable

one of my favorite albums of all time

Any album that debuted a song as etched into my soul as There Is A Light would be very hard pressed to not be a 5*. This is an eclectic album for sure, but some gorgeous moments stood out - Bigmouth is an old friend to me, the title track felt like a warm hug, and Cemetery Gates felt wonderful again after truly resonating with it a couple of years back, despite hearing the album multiple times through when I was a teenager and desperate to understand how it struck a chord with some dear friends (shout out George and Henry). I think this time though, Never Had No One Ever really hit the spotlight, as well as I Know It's Over, which felt sublime. An absolute masterpiece. Which always will need to be caveated with - yes Morrisey, both the world changed and you changed. Euergh.

At some point I had to cover the Smiths for this list. They exist. Morrissey's self-indulgent personality ("oh woe is me" personified and of course it would be someone British) is the one factor that separates The Smiths from being one of the greatest. OF course that gets rid of a good half of their songs. Insert joke about how Queen Elizabeth actually died here except I'm like a year too late to make that joke.

Knowed

Duh

A Joy.

Love this. I remember when I first listened to it. I wondered why I hadn’t listened to the Smiths sooner.

A fines masterpiece

I love The Smiths and this one hit me just the right way. So glad I had this given to me this morning.

even contemporary morrissey can't ruin this for me.

4.5! Maybe 5!

Smiths Goated

6 This is the best album on this list IMO

Je vais mettre de côté mon acharnement sur Morrissey étant donné que sa présence maléfique est diluée dans un groupe. The Queen is Dead est le premier album que j’ai connu du groupe et reste celui que je préfère.

Das Meisterwerk der Smiths – bissig, melancholisch, musikalisch brillant. „There Is a Light That Never Goes Out“ – eine der schönsten Hymnen der Popgeschichte: Sehnsucht, Tod und Liebe in einem Song. Die Zeile „To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die“ ist pure Poesie. „Bigmouth Strikes Again“ – ironisch, treibend, ein Klassiker des Indie-Rock. „The Boy with the Thorn in His Side“ – verletzlich und klanglich elegant, ein Vorgriff auf Morrisseys Solopfaden. 😊😊😊 Jede Accord ein purer Genuss FCK off auf M Altersstarrsinn 👍 🧠 Genialität Johnny Marrs Gitarrenarbeit ist ein Geniestreich – komplex, melodisch, nie aufdringlich. Morrissey liefert Texte zwischen Spott und Sehnsucht, die bis heute nachhallen. Ein Album wie ein literarisches Werk – düster, schön, unvergesslich.

I love the Smiths and I love this album

The sound of a band of a band brimming with confidence and hitting their creative peak. Superb.

This is a dark, weird album. But it also is moving and the instrumentals are fantastic. Morrissey’s vocals get silly at times but it all still works so well. A masterpiece.

5 stars

I really liked it! It's musically excellent as well as having great lyrics. I'm currently listening to the album for the third time today :)

Another one I haven't listened to in a long time. Probably their best, maybe less fun than earlier albums but the music and lyrics are peak. Still holds up for me, will have to listen to more Smiths now. 4.5 rounded up Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes: 29/106 (27%) Will I get? Maybe a better version

Great album.

A must have album. No brainer.

The music is still great. Not a Morrisey fan. Wish he'd figure his shit out.

Yeah unfortunately as much as Morrisey sucks these days this album still really slaps

Haven't listened to this in several decades, but now I remember where much of my music started.

5/5 incredible album, not a single bad song on there

Imaginative and confessional songs, interesting lilting singing that plays across shifting acoustics. Has a sense of melancholy, darkness, cutting acerbic humour but also compassion delivered in sing-song format that is unusual and cool. Has a swung feel to the instrumentation. Great guitar by Marr.

-great album, hadn't heard the whole thing before but honestly it was amazing

Not a massive fan of the smiths, but of all their albums, this is my preferred album, and it is fantastic. I do own it and it is packed with great songs and fantastically produced with the touch of Stephen Street. When I saw it in my listing my immediate thought was that it was a solid 4, but after revisiting and listening again, it is comfortably a 5. I know its over is the standout track. 5 Stars

Good tense Saturday evening album. Good gloomy Sunday morning album. The band sounds so tight on this one. ‘Bigmouth’ is my favorite Smiths song and one of my favorite songs ever. (I love Morrissey's self-aware juxtaposition of his own sturm und drang with Joan of Arc's.)

Best Track - "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out"

Fuck Yeah Part II

It's so hard for me to pick a favorite The Smiths record. This is the consensus favorite and probably their most consistent but I love so many of their singles from other albums. Iconic band, iconic record and their influence is still being heard today.

Title works well now. Favourite Songs: The Queen Is Dead, I Know It's Over, Bigmouth Strikes Again, The Boy With the Thorn In His Side, There Is a Light That Never Goes Out. Least Favourite Songs: Vicar In a Tutu.

A near-perfect album

Sian's score

As good as alternative/indie music can get. All killer, no filler. The rhythm section is deadly.

I understand why the top reviews are all one stars, but I also think it’s hypocritical to hate on Morrisey and then exclude all other big artists. The Beatles? All of them to some extent harmed their wives; Ringo beat Barbara into a bloody pulp to the point he thought she was dead. Led Zeppelin? Jimmy Page literally had 13 y/o Lori Mattix KIDNAPPED and RAPED and HELD HOSTAGE for YEARS. Like how do we not talk about that?? Morrissey is a boomer bigot spouting nonsense. He should be hated for that, but music fans love to praise WAY more problematic musicians and then turn around and act as if they have this high moral ground for hating Morrisey.

Album, który poznałem dopiero półtora roku temu, ale w krótkim tempie stał się w pewien sposób formatywny dla mnie. I rozpoczął mój romans z muzyką Morrisseya. Peak zdolności poetyckich Anglika i największy triumf The Smiths. Każdy utwór jest lirycznie bogaty i muzycznie ciekawy, całość jest zróżnicowana, ale wciąż spójna. Przezabawne "Frankly Mr. Shankly" i "Vicar in Tutu", fantastyczne "Cemetry Gates", melancholijne "I Know It's Over" i "Never Had No One Ever". No i jeden z najwspanialszych love songów ever, czyli "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out", które na stałe wryło mi się w mózg. Gdyby nie ten ostatni utwór, to myślałbym raczej o czwórce, ale on w pojedynkę wynosi ten album o poziom wyżej.

It was a little slow to start, but I could see this album being good for slightly active background music.

In the modern era I think this has become pretty easy to jump on and criticise purely because of Morrissey, but if we’re being honest this album deserves its place as the goat of sad boy music. It’s the cliche indie boy record for a reason, and it’s because it’s that good. I like the themes of criticising the industry, feelings of loneliness and breakups or that you don’t fit in, and I think that those become so relatable that it justifies their popularity. I also like the sarcasm within the lyrics and the ability to poke fun at certain topics. Obviously Marr is brilliant throughout, and I think the best thing about them is how they can convey themes that don’t necessarily have to match the tempo of the melody, but still all fit together. I haven’t dished out a 5* rating yet, but if we’re being honest this is a record that is deserving of such.

36 minutes of near unadulterated perfection. Whereas Strangeways has a constant air of claustrophic miserablism, executed with melodic brilliance, this album has some real light and shade. The music-hall 'Frankly Mr Shankly', and rockabilly 'Vicar in a Tutu' is full of Morrissey's acerbic character observations, and some of the greatest lines he ever wrote. Then of course you have the big hitters, the frenetically catchy 'Bigmouth Strikes Again'; the pop-perfect and bittersweet 'Boy with the Thorn in His Side', and the devastating 'There is a Light'. Those three alone are enough to make this feel like a Greatest Hits, were such a concept compatible with The Smiths.

Top ten album of all time!

One of the small handful of records I use as the measuring stick for a 5. It’s perfection. All aspects of the band are at the peak of their powers here.

Taking me straight back to being a depressed 15 year old stomping around Brighton

How do we reconcile the sensitive feminine dandy of then, with the flag waving and dodgy views of now? The answer is you can’t.

Great Halloween vibes

Yeah....it's good

10/10 I love me some sad boy music. 10-10-2025

Some songs were a little silly, but they were all very catchy and I find myself humming them even after listening.

Rating: 5/5 Short Review: A tragicomedy of manners set to perfect pop. Death, wit, and flowers — all pressed between the pages of a diary that’s been cried on. Favorite Track: There Is a Light That Never Goes Out — romantic nihilism turned into a singalong.

Although I wasn't familiar with any of the songs, I liked their sound.

Not my favorite band by any stretch but I do like this LP very much. The Queen is Dead, Frankly Mr. Shankly, Cemetry Gates, Bigmouth strikes Again... some really good stuff on here.

The best Smiths album, and in some ways it gets quite close to a best of really. There are so many highlights, and it's fiendishly difficult to pick a fave from them. There's honourable mentions for the title track, Frankly Mr Shankly, I Know Its Over (I'm just listing every track now), Bigmouth, The Boy With the Thorn and Some Girls... but really, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out is such an extraordinary song. It's monumental, and yet it's light - even funny at times. It's one of those timeless songs that it's hard to believe was brought into existence by the same creatures as you and me. I'm not even going to use this review as an excuse to knock Morrissey.

Very good album

Great

Love this album. Definately one of The Smith's greatest in my opinion. Lots of good, recognisable songs, which are already on my playlist. A classic stable, with pleasant melodies. Can't help but love it 5/5❤️

Perfect record

I first got Meat is Murder, early into doing this list project. I gave it a 3. Not bad, not great. Well shortly after that I started getting really into The Smiths, and thought I might have been unfair. Then I got Strangeways and gave that a 4. Since then I've been eager to get this album so I could give it the 5 stars this band deserves (particularly Marr). What a romantic and influential band. This album starts strong, and just gets better as it goes on. I particularly love the stretch from "Cemetry Gates" to "Vicar in a Tutu," though of course "There is a Light" is also deservedly massive. Anyway this album is wonderful. Must-listen #221.

Yes, it's that good b/c it's that funny, that visceral, that necessary, and that iconic. Wit is not wont to make you get up and do something, but the well-known equilibrium Morrissey and Marr strike, one between the cataclysmic and the blithe, not only establishes a will to live but an anti-capitalist drive to dismember the status quo. Lyrically, Morrissey is at his absolute best, letting the loners know it's more than okay to hanker for company, even or especially if it's a confounding thing to desire: 'And when you want to live / How do you start? / Where'd you go? / Who do you need to know?' There isn't a bad track on this relatively short release, but of course there are the highlights, and they're even better in the fold of an entire album. Superb.

Never gave them a real listen before. Really enjoyed

Arguably the best Smiths album. Banger from start to finish

I loved this record when it came out. Still do.

Near damn perfect. The Smiths' best album by a long shot. This album has many of their best songs and no real skips. I'm surprised to see all of the negative reviews. I hate Morrissey too, but c'mon this is a masterpiece. Favorite track: Frankly, Mr. Shankly 4.5/5

2025-09-21: I think I liked it and I thought that I would give it a 4 or a 5 but the reasons escape me. I slept well and was more conductive to enjoying music than other days, but I imagine I liked the style in general.

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Off the cuff remark: in spite of recent years and Morrissey proving himself to be an absolute plum there is no getting away from this being a masterful album utterly deserving it's place on this list. Lyrically and musically just pop mastery. Standout track: depending on the day it really could be any of them. Every track glitters. Revisit?: it's been too long since I listened to the whole album, I will be listening again very soon.

I loved the album before this project. Some track are bangers like I Know It's Over, Bigmouth Strikes Again and There Is a Light That Never Goes Out* and. Others are great in case of lyrical humour and beauty (The Queen Is Dead, Frankly, Mr. Shankly, Cemetry Gates* and Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others). Basic 5 out of 5 for me.

Magnificent, The Smiths at their peak.

Listen, I don’t feel good about it, but these are all bangers

Bangers.

Morrissey haters can suck it. This is better than anything the Cure ever did.

I LOVE THE SMITHS. I have never listened to this album fully, but I knew two songs already which I love (I know it's over and there is a light that never goes out). I appreciate the length of the album and overall it was just enjoyable throughout. No skips for me except maybeee the last one but it's not that skippable just not my favourite. This is my first 5 stars. I think the smiths deserve it if anyone.

5/5. No notes. There just isn't a bad song on it. "Frankly, Mr. Shankly" and "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" might be my two favourite songs I've gotten on this project so far. It's just immaculate. The Queen is dead.

Yes, there is that increasingly problematic singer who remains an annoying elephant in the audio, but can we at least praise the greatness here that's of enduring credit to the other three? The music is majestic and really ahead of its time ("There Is a Light …" is a modern musical masterpiece), and the tonalities that Marr plays with from song to song sound as surprising as they did when this record was new. I should know—I first heard the album, which was my introduction to this band, played in full by a college radio DJ the night of its release. I was mesmerized and, again, putting aside the problematic singer, I still am. It must be noted that side one has its slumps ("Never Had No One Ever" is so forgettable I forgot about it), but side two is pretty much perfect. You may think it's the Morrissey show, but this is undeniably the sound of a band at its prime. Some contributions are bigger (and better) than others.

For my money, this is one of 5 LPs that best encapsulate early 1980s British pop/new-wave (in my head I imagine that Morrissey detests the term "new-wave"). The Smiths were more a singles band than one who relied on their albums. Indeed, "Louder than Bombs," one of their singles collections, is perhaps a better demonstration of their mastery of that artform. But what makes "The Queen is Dead" so perfect isn't the singles, it's everything else. Yes, the album contains two of their most beloved songs ("Boy" and "Light") but the rest of the album slaps hard, as the kids today say. "Never Had No One Ever" sounds like it could have been from their debut, the title track rocks as hard as anything the band ever did, and "Frankly Mr. Shankly" will stay in your head for days. An amazing document of an amazing band. PS Morrissey is a bellend.

Think I know every word!

Morrissey is a shithead, but this album is still great. Bigmouth Strikes Again will be in my head for weeks.

top 100 OAT top 10 of the 80s every day of the week - I think I’ve listened to this at least once a month since I was 14 lmao Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke put on matching GOAT performances, and even at his most punchable (which, Frankly, Mr. Shankly definitely is) Morissey has such an inescapable, sweaty charm

UGHHHHHHHH

Hola chicos!! se viene review intensiva por obvias razones, asi que no me demoro más y comienzo: The Smiths lleva siendo mi banda favorita desde que con 12 años, cometí el error de rebuscar entre los discos de mi madre y encontrar este álbum, y a día de hoy sigo pagando las consecuencias. Este grupo ha significado mucho para mi, y para muchas generaciones de personas a lo largo de los últimos 40 años. Las letras atormentadas y específicas de Morrissey, junto con las preciosas guitarras de Johnny Marr, el cual es el único hombre que conozco que es capaz de hacer a una guitarra llorar. Por supuesto, acompañados de la sección rítmica de Andy y Mike. Y este último hace un maravilloso trabajo de batería en este álbum. El álbum, el álbum... "The Queen Is Dead" es de las cosas más grandes que se me ocurren a la hora de hablar de música. Desde su primera canción la cual le da nombre al álbum, nos queda claro por donde irán las cosas, pero aun así, nos sorprende más y más a medida que pasan las canciones. Canciones como "I Know It's Over" es una amarga delicia que te grita al oído todas las cosas que te dan miedo pensar al meterte en la cama. Como poco a poco, va creciendo hasta acabar en un descorazonador final. Después, canciones muy, pero que muy bonitas como "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" nos transportan al sonido más característico de la banda. Y bueno, el himno de los británicos tristes "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out". Con esta canción vemos a un Morrissey que tiene mucho miedo de volver a casa tras los ensayos, las giras y todo lo demás, porque le asusta encontrarse con la triste realidad; Que está terriblemente solo. Ahi no hay nadie, sólo él. Y con esta canción nos cuenta la historia de un amante al cual no le importaría morir junto a su pareja en un accidente de tráfico, si con eso hace que ese momento dure para siempre. Ah si, y mi canción favorita del disco "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" la cual tiene un precioso arpegio de guitarra que lleva siendo mi favorito de todos los tiempos desde que lo escuché por primera vez. The Smiths es quizás la banda mas influyente de la música junto a por supuesto, The Beatles (hay que ser realistas) Ellos son los abuelos del Indie Rock, y la inspiración de tantas personas. Bandas como Oasis, Blur, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers y un largo etc. Marcaron una generación, y esas preciosas letras han hablado para muchísima gente, entre ellas, yo. No se me levanta una ceja al decir que Morrissey es el mejor Letrista que ha dado la música en los últimos 50 años, y que Johnny Marr es de los mejores guitarristas de los últimos 50 años. Bueno, cualquiera que no se haya escuchado este álbum, debería. Antes de Morir. Gracias Mamá.

Love the Album