The Queen Is Dead | The Smiths, 1986

Kenneth Hall, Buckingham Palace from the Mall, 1937

Oh, take me back to dear old Blighty

Put me on the train for London Town

Take me anywhere

Drop me anywhere

In Liverpool, Leeds or Birmingham

But I don’t care

I should like to see—

I don’t bless them

[Intro] Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty,

Cicely Courtneidge, 1962

(Farewell) To this land’s cheerless marshes
Hemmed in like a boar between archers
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 18th 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, “Eh, 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 that 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

The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead – 1986