Following a lot of hints and teasing, the official announcement has come regarding the upcoming expanded reissue of The Smiths’ classic 1986 album The Queen is Dead. This morning Rhino Records made the formal announcement, revealing that despite initial reports—in addition to a disc version, the special deluxe edition will be be released as a 3CD/1DVD, or 5LP boxed set and will feature a previously unreleased live album, Live in Boston.
The Queen is Dead reissue arrives October 20th on digital and streaming services, and these three physical formats:
- Deluxe 3CD/1DVD boxed set: Features a new 2017 remastering of the album on one disc; a second disc with 13 demos, B-sides and alternate versions, eight of which are previously unreleased; and a third disc with the 13-track, previously unreleased Live in Boston album—which was recorded August 5th 1986 (it’s not the full set, however). The DVD features the 2017 remastering of the album in 96kHz/24-bit PCM stereo and “The Queen Is Dead — A Film By Derek Jarman.”
- 2CD version: Features the 2017 remastering of the album on one disc, and the 13 additional demos, B-sides and alternate versions on the second disc.
- 5LP boxed set: Features the 2017 remastering of the album, the demos, B-sides and alternate versions, and the Live in Boston album spread over five records.
Regarding the reissue, Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr made stated: The Queen Is Dead was epic to make and epic to live.” Morrissey, his former vocalist and songwriting partner , went on to add:
“You cannot continue to record and simply hope that your audience will approve, or that average critics will approve, or that radio will approve. 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.”
It seem’s Morrissey and Marr have been spearheading a reissue campaign leading up to this release to compensate for last’s year failure to recognize The Smith’s 3rd studio LP’s 30th Anniversary. Whether or not the reissues will continue, remains to be seen—but speculation certainly seems to be a part of the marketing campaign…
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Full Tracklist for all editions below.
Tracklist: The Smiths, The Queen is Dead
Disc 1: Original Album — 2017 Remaster
1. “The Queen Is Dead”
2. “Frankly, Mr. Shankly”
3. “I Know It’s Over”
4. “Never Had No One Ever”
5. “Cemetry 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”
Disc 2: 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. “Cemetry 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 previously unreleased.
Track 8 released on 7-inch 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”
Disc 3: Live In Boston (Previously Unreleased)
1. “How Soon Is Now?”
2. “Hand In Glove”
3. “I Want The One I Can’t Have”
4. “Never Had No One Ever”
5. “Stretch Out And Wait”
6. “The Boy With The Thorn In His Side”
7. “Cemetry Gates”
8. “Rubber Ring/What She Said/Rubber Ring”
9. “Is It Really So Strange?”
10. “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”
11. “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore”
12. “The Queen Is Dead”
13. “I Know It’s Over”
Recorded at Great Woods Center For The Performing Arts on August 5, 1986
DVD:
The Queen Is Dead on 96kHz / 24-bit PCM stereo
The Queen Is Dead — A Film by Derek Jarman
