Few albums have left as lasting an impact on indie rock as The Queen Is Dead. The Smiths’ 1986 masterpiece has been hailed as one of the greatest albums of all time, filled with biting wit, melancholic beauty, and some of Johnny Marr’s most inventive guitar work. But even the most devoted fans may not know these five surprising facts about the album’s creation.
1. The Album Almost Had a More Brutal Title
Before settling on The Queen Is Dead, the band toyed with a working title that was even more provocative: Margaret on the Guillotine. The phrase, a reference to then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, would later resurface as the title of a Morrissey solo song. While The Smiths were no strangers to political statements, the title was deemed too extreme, and they instead drew inspiration from Hubert Selby Jr.’s novel Last Exit to Brooklyn, which featured the line “the queen is dead.”
2. Johnny Marr Used a Harmonizer to Manipulate Morrissey’s Voice
One of the most peculiar production choices on the album is the pitch-shifted backing vocals on Bigmouth Strikes Again. The ethereal, almost chipmunk-like harmonies were originally recorded by Kirsty MacColl, but Marr found her vocals “really weird” and decided to replace them with a sped-up version of Morrissey’s own voice. To credit the “singer,” the album sleeve lists the name Ann Coates—a play on Ancoats, an industrial district in Manchester.
3. The Opening Track Uses a Sample from a Forgotten 1960s Film
The album’s dramatic opening track, The Queen Is Dead, begins with a haunting snippet of the World War I song Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty, sung by Cicely Courtneidge in the 1962 British film The L-Shaped Room. The choice was deliberate: the film, about a pregnant woman navigating life as an outcast, aligned with Morrissey’s fascination with social misfits. The sampled snippet sets the tone for the entire album, blending nostalgia with rebellion.
4. Andy Rourke’s Bassline on the Title Track Was So Good, Johnny Marr Couldn’t Believe It
The thundering, almost punk-like energy of The Queen Is Dead is powered by Andy Rourke’s driving bassline—something that Johnny Marr later called “unmatched.” The part was developed in the studio during a jam session, and according to Marr, when Rourke locked into the groove, the entire band had an unspoken realization that they had captured something magical. When Rourke passed away in 2023, Marr specifically recalled this recording session, saying, “I’ll never forget watching him play that bassline.”
5. “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” Almost Didn’t Make the Album
One of The Smiths’ most beloved songs, There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, was initially considered for a lead single but was ultimately passed over in favor of Bigmouth Strikes Again. Even Johnny Marr wasn’t sure if the song would work, as he thought the guitar part wasn’t particularly interesting. Morrissey, however, insisted on keeping it—and history has proven him right. The song has since become an anthem of longing and escape, ranking among the greatest songs ever written.
The Queen Is Dead is a defining statement of alternative rock, filled with biting humor, raw emotion, and some of The Smiths’ most inventive musicianship. From hidden film samples to behind-the-scenes production quirks, these details add even more depth to one of the greatest albums of all time.
