"I Know It's Overrated" - The Queen Is Dead turns 30 - The Quietus

I Know It's Overrated: The Queen Is Dead Turns Thirty - The Quietus
Simon Price , June 13th, 2016 06:10

In the three decades since its release, The Smiths' The Queen Is Dead has repeatedly been hailed as the band's crowning achievement, and regularly features in lists of the greatest albums ever made. Lifelong Smiths fan Simon Price, however, is not so sure
 
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I got bored before I ever got to the record. I must have read two pages worth and it was all about the author and his lost youth, but he sort of gave up the game when he said he had written the Smiths were better than The Beatles so he could get a reaction. Another person who made some sort of career out of being a troll.
 
I have never been of the opinion that TQID was the Smiths' crowning achievement, but then I'm in the minority.
 
I enjoyed the article and agree with him on some points. The Smiths were a singles band - this is something that everyone forgets. Frankly Mr. Shankley and Vicar in a Tutu are without question terrible songs that do nothing for me.
I would disagree - Some Girls Are Bigger than Others is my favorite song on TQID - I think it's a much deeper critique of how society emphasizes vanity and meaninglessness ignoring the reality of horror, violence and poverty that seethe under the normalcy of everyday life. And I Know It's Over is incredibly overrated.
 
I have never been of the opinion that TQID was the Smiths' crowning achievement, but then I'm in the minority.

I prefer the debut album. Has there ever been a pole on here for favourite smiths album? been interested to see what people think, i reckon the results would be equally split
 
I enjoyed the article and agree with him on some points. The Smiths were a singles band - this is something that everyone forgets. Frankly Mr. Shankley and Vicar in a Tutu are without question terrible songs that do nothing for me.
I would disagree - Some Girls Are Bigger than Others is my favorite song on TQID - I think it's a much deeper critique of how society emphasizes vanity and meaninglessness ignoring the reality of horror, violence and poverty that seethe under the normalcy of everyday life. And I Know It's Over is incredibly overrated.

To each his own n' all, but I know it's over is f***ing epic!
 
I prefer the debut album. Has there ever been a pole on here for favourite smiths album? been interested to see what people think, i reckon the results would be equally split

Oh man. So many polls over the years.
 
Meat is murder is my fav from start to finish. Some songs on tqid are better as individual songs but it drags in spots and strange ways is also strong with the best production but I always come back to mim when I want to hear an album
 
TQID is the best of the four in terms of songs, although I agree Strangeways has the best production. IMO, though, the Smiths are at their best on Hatful of Hollow and Rank. I think TQID is partly a beneficiary of the notion that any great band must have a masterpiece, and that has to be one of the "proper" albums.
 
The reviewer obviously hates any whiff of humour. Wasn't 'Vicar in a Tutu' a last minute replacement for 'Unloveable'? The album would be miserable as f*** with that on there as well.
 
The reviewer obviously hates any whiff of humour. Wasn't 'Vicar in a Tutu' a last minute replacement for 'Unloveable'? The album would be miserable as f*** with that on there as well.

Vicar is funny but it's also super catchy and I really love the guitar part myself
 
One of the first things I bought on vinyl and cassette.
The fact it only had one single released from it and we still discuss it 30 years later with some reverence is testament to its strengths.
Whether it is the best album... Well, that can be debated to insane levels (and probably will in this forum!), but as a body of work - it is sublime.
The memories this album dredges up for me are priceless.
Regards,
FWD
 
TQID is the best of the four in terms of songs, although I agree Strangeways has the best production. IMO, though, the Smiths are at their best on Hatful of Hollow and Rank. I think TQID is partly a beneficiary of the notion that any great band must have a masterpiece, and that has to be one of the "proper" albums.

Nah, meat is murder is the best, track-for-track, theres not one dud on it.
 
Nah, meat is murder is the best, track-for-track, theres not one dud on it.
MIM is 2nd for me after The Smiths (debut) The early albums still have that raw power and beauty. The later albums are more beauty and less raw power.
 
MIM is 2nd for me after The Smiths (debut) The early albums still have that raw power and beauty. The later albums are more beauty and less raw power.

I'll go along with that, the last two are very polished, i prefer the jaggy edges of the first two. I just think the songs are better too, Reel around the fountain, hand that rocks the cradle, rusholme ruffians, just full of atmosphere. Bleaker the better imo :thumb:
 
Meat is murder is my fav from start to finish. Some songs on tqid are better as individual songs but it drags in spots and strange ways is also strong with the best production but I always come back to mim when I want to hear an album
I'll be controversial and say that not only is 'Meat Is Murder' my favourite Smiths album but I'm talking about the re-issued version that includes 'How Soon Is Now'. I think it was reissued in the 90's and I bought it on CD because I only had it on vinyl and cassette at that point.
 
Meat Is Murder is my least favorite. Not that it's not good but the songs that appear on Rank are much better. "What She Said" and "Rusholme Ruffians" on Rank are a couple of my favorite Smiths moments.
 
Price is largely right - but on saying that, maybe the QID's lighter moments create the light and shade that is needed on a good album. Foe example, I Know it's Over comes as a surprise after the flippant Frankly Mr Shankly - and Cemetry Gates comes as a bit of breezy relief after the darkness of Never Had No-one Ever etc.
With intensity all the way through, nothing would stand out and suddenly get your attention.
 

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