Cover art for The Queen Is Dead (Live in London, 1986) by The Smiths

The Queen Is Dead (Live in London, 1986)

The Smiths
Track 1 on Rank 
Sep. 5, 19881 viewer

The Queen Is Dead (Live in London, 1986) Lyrics

[Intro]
Hello!

[Verse 1]
Farewell to these marshes
Hemmed in like a boar between archers
Her very Lowness with a head in a sling
I'm truly sorry, it sounds like a wonderful thing
I said "Charles, don't you ever crave
To appear on the front of the daily mail
Dressed in your mother's bridal veil?"

[Verse 2]
And so, I checked all the registered historical facts
I was shocked and shamed to discover
I am the 18th pale descendant
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 9-year-old tough who peddles drugs, I swear to god
I never even knew what drugs were

[Verse 3]
So, I broke into the palace
With a sponge and a rusty spanner
She said "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're tied to your mother's apron
No one talks about ca—
[Verse 4]
Past the pub who breaks your body
And the church who'll snatch your money
The Queen is dead, boys
And it's so lonely on a limb
Past the pub who wrecks your body
And the church, all they want is your money
The Queen is dead, boys
You can trust me, boys

[Outro]
Life is very long, when you're lonely
Life is very long, when you're lonely

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