THE SMITHS RELEASE NEWLY MASTERED AND EXPANDED VERSION OF
‘THE QUEEN IS DEAD’ ON 20TH OCTOBER
Widely considered to be both The Smiths’ finest work and one of the greatest albums ever made, ‘The Queen Is Dead’ has cast a significant influence over subsequent generations since it was first released in the summer of 1986. Now Warner Bros. Records can confirm details of a newly mastered and expanded version of the album that will be released on 20th October.
This reissue represents the first time that The Smiths’ back catalogue has been revisited in such a way. It follows two recent limited edition vinyl singles sourced from the archives: a demo mix of ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’ which was released for Record Store Day, and ‘The Queen Is Dead’ which debuted at #1 on the official vinyl chart when it was released in June.
The album features several of the band’s finest moments including the title track and ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’, as well as the iconic singles ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’ and ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’.
‘The Queen Is Dead’ will be released on digital and streaming formats as well as the following physical formats – all of which feature the 2017 master of the original album:
Deluxe 3CD / 1 DVD box set – featuring the 2017 master of the album; additional recordings featuring demos, b-sides and alternative versions; the ‘Live In Boston’ album recorded at the Great Woods Center For The Performing Arts on 5th August 1986; and a DVD featuring the 2017 master of album in 96kHz / 24-bit PCM stereo and ‘The Queen Is Dead – A Film By Derek Jarman’.
2CD version – featuring the 2017 master and additional recordings.
5LP box – featuring the 2017 master of the album, additional recordings and the ‘Live In Boston’ recording.
“You cannot continue to record and simply hope that your audience will approve, or that average critics will approve, or that radio will approve,” says Morrissey. “You progress only when you wonder if an abnormally scientific genius would approve – and this is the leap The Smiths took with The Queen Is Dead.”
Johnny Marr adds, “The Queen Is Dead was epic to make and epic to live.”
CD1 – Original album: 2017 master
1. ‘The Queen Is Dead’
2. ‘Frankly, Mr. Shankly’
3. ‘I Know it’s Over’
4. ‘Never Had No One Ever’
5. ‘Cemetary Gates’
6. ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’
7. ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’
8. ‘Vicar In A Tutu’
9. ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’
10. ‘Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others’
CD2 – Additional recordings
1. ‘The Queen Is Dead’ (full version)
2. ‘Frankly, Mr. Shankly’ (demo)
3. ‘I Know It’s Over’ (demo)
4. ‘Never Had No One Ever’ (demo)
5. ‘Cemetary Gates’ (demo)
6. ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’ (demo)
7. ‘Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others’ (demo)
8. ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’ (demo mix)
9. ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ (take 1)
10. ‘Rubber Ring’ (b-side)
11. ‘Asleep’ (b-side)
12. ‘Money Changes Everything’ (b-side)
13. ‘Unloveable’ (b-side)
Tracks 1-7 and 9 are previously unreleased.
Track 8 was released on 7” for Record Store Day.
Tracks 10 and 11 are 2017 masters of b-sides from ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’.
Tracks 12 and 13 are 2017 masters of b-sides from ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’.
CD3 – ‘Live in Boston’ – previously unreleased
1. ‘How Soon Is Now?’ (5.25)
2. ‘Hand In Glove’ (2.58)
3. ‘I Want The One I Can’t Have’ (3.24)
4. ‘Never Had No One Ever’ (3.29)
5. ‘Stretch Out And Wait’ (3.09)
6. ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’ (3.34)
7. ‘Cemetery Gates’ (3.01)
8. ‘Rubber Ring/What She Said/Rubber Ring’ (4.17)
9. ‘Is It Really So Strange?’ (3.23)
10. ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ (4.09)
11. ‘That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore’ (4.51)
12. ‘The Queen Is Dead’ (5.08)
13. ‘I Know It’s Over’ (7.39)
Recorded at the Great Woods Center For The Performing Arts on 5th August 1986.
DVD:
‘The Queen Is Dead’ on 96kHz / 24-bit PCM stereo.
‘The Queen is Dead – A Film by Derek Jarman’.
