In the wake of last month’s surprise release of a new “The Queen is Dead” single, The Smiths’ Facebook page has been hinting that something more is in the works involving the band’s beloved 1986 album. And today, it seems, came the first evidence of what many have suspected: The Queen is Dead will, at long last, receive an expanded reissue.
Update: Full details of The Smiths’ 3CD/1DVD reissue of The Queen is Dead
According to fansite morrissey-solo.com, since-deleted listings for a 2CD/1DVD reissue of the album appeared on Amazon.co.uk today showing the release will include a 2017 mastering of the original album on one disc, and a second disc featuring 13 demos, mixes, alternate takes and B-sides — some of which are previously unreleased. There was no indication of the DVD’s contents.
On June 16, the 31st anniversary of The Queen is Dead’s release, new 7-inch and 12-inch singles of the album’s title track appeared in U.K. record shops, each with previously released B-sides. This followed the Record Store Day release of a 7-inch featuring the previously unreleased “demo mix” of Queen is Dead track “The Boy with the Thorn In His Side,” and the “early Drone Studios version” of “Rubber Ring,” later compiled on Louder Than Bombs.
Last Thursday, The Smiths’ Facebook page posted a black-and-white image with only the hashtag #TQID — the acronym for The Queen is Dead. Today, another black-and-white image, again with the #TQID hashtag. Fans have speculated the images, seen below, are part of new artwork for the reissue.
Check out the CD tracklist for the expanded reissue as seen on Amazon today.
Tracklist: The Smiths, The Queen is Dead reissue
Disc 1
1. “The Queen is Dead” (2017 Master)
2. “Frankly, Mr. Shankly” (2017 Master)
3. “I Know It’s Over” (2017 Master)
4. “Never Had No One Ever” (2017 Master)
5. “Cemetry Gates” (2017 Master)
6. “Bigmouth Strikes Again” (2017 Master)
7. “The Boy With the Thorn in His Side” (2017 Master)
8. “Vicar in a Tutu” (2017 Master)
9. “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” (2017 Master)
10. “Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others” (2017 Master)
Disc 2
1. “The Queen is Dead” (Full Version)
2. “Frankly, Mr. Shankly” (Demo)
3. “I Know It’s Over” (Demo)
4. “No One 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” (Single B-Side) [2017 Master]
11. “Asleep” (Single B-Side) [2017 Master]
12. “Money Changes Everything” (Single B-Side) [2017 Master]
13. “Unloveable” (Single B-Side) [2017 Master]
DVD
Contents not yet known
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
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- The absolute best of The Smiths: All 70 songs ranked by Slicing Up Eyeballs’ readers
- The Smiths’ ‘The Queen is Dead’ getting new 7- and 12-inch vinyl releases next week?
- Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of The Smiths: Vote for your favorite songs by Morrissey & Marr
- Listen: The Smiths’ Record Store Day 7-inch with 2 previously unreleased demos
- ‘Trump will kill America’ etched into vinyl of The Smiths’ Record Store Day single
Complete BBC Sessions or GTFO.
My first, last, and ONLY Smiths concert: August 15, 1986 @ The Aragon Ballroom (Chicago). Paid $13.50 for general admission and never left the front row. Having attended well over a hundred shows in my lifetime, this tour and concert witnessed at the age of 16 set the benchmark and won’t ever be topped. “The Queen Is Dead” is my “Sgt. Pepper’s…” – it commands that kind of 2017 deluxe/expanded treatment.
An outtake of There is a Light is a great thing. The full mixed version of Rubber Ring/Asleep from the Boy With The Thorn 12 inch would be nice, perhaps it is going to happen. They are side by side on the release as 2017 masters!
They need to do this for each Smiths LP…and yes, complete BBC sessions as well!!
Is the version of Rubber Ring from the recent RSD 7″ unique to that 7″?