7” pressing of the title track from what is arguably The Smiths’ best album, released 31 years to the day before this release. “The Queen Is Dead” appears here for the first time on a single, and is a rare edit which omits the sing-along intro (a sample of “Take Me Back To Dear Old Blighty” from 1962 film The L-Shaped Room). We don’t have much info on the extent to which Morrissey & Marr were involved in this, but it contains all the trappings of a typical Smiths release, including the melodramatic portrait nicked from a film still on the front (in this case, Margherita Caruso portraying the Virgin Mary in 1964’s Il Vangelo Secondo Matteo). The b-side contains “I Keep Mine Hidden,” which is apparently the last song The Smiths recorded before their publicly dramatized breakup and which previously appeared as the b-side to Girlfriend In A Coma. Also available as a 12” maxi single with the rare instrumentals “Oscillate Widly,” “Money Changes Everthing” and “The Draize Train” on the b-side. Both are extremely limited (we don’t have numbers, so don’t ask) and essential for any Smiths completist. Which, if you’re reading this, is probably you.

• indie exclusive pressing
• first time on 7" picture disc
• deluxe vinyl pressing
• limited edition
• music label: Warner Bros. Records 2017

reviewed by Salford Lad 07/2017