The Smiths
The Queen is Dead
[Intro]
"Oh, take me back to dear old Blighty
Put me on the train for London Town
Take me anywhere, drop me anywhere
In Liverpool, Leeds or Birmingham, but I don't care
I should like to see—"
[Drum Solo]
[Verse 1]
(I don't bless them)
Farewell to this land's cheerless marshes
Hemmed in like a boar between archers
Her very lowness with her head in a sling
I'm truly sorry, but it sounds like a wonderful thing
I say, Charles, don't you ever crave
To appear on the front of the Daily Mail
Dressed in your mother's bridal veil?
(Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
[Verse 2]
And so I checked all the registered historical facts
And I was shocked into shame to discover
How I'm the eighteenth pale descendent
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 nine year old tough who peddles drugs
I swear to God, I swear I never even knew what drugs were
(Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
[Verse 3]
So I broke into the Palace
With a sponge and a rusty spanner
She said, "'Ey, 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 are tied to your mother's apron
No one talks about castration
(Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
[Verse 4]
We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry
And talk about precious things
Like love and law and poverty, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
(These are the things that kill me)
We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry
And talk about precious things
But the rain that flattens my hair, oh-oh-oh
(These are the things that kill me)
All their lies about makeup and long hair are still there
[Verse 5]
Past the pub that saps your body
And the church who'll snatch your money
The Queen is dead, boys
And it's so lonely on a limb
Pass the pub that wrecks your body
And the church, all they want is your money
The Queen is dead, boys
And it's so lonely on a limb
[Outro]
Life is very long when you're lonely
Life is very long when you're lonely
Life is very long when you're lonely
Life is very long when you're lonely
[Instrumental Outro]