The Zimmermann Note

The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead

One of the main influences that Morrissey has had on me has been my willingness to be an omnivore. His continual speaking out about animal rights issues, I wonder sometimes why he is continually getting ill, food poisoning, .etc. and how healthy the vegetarian diet must be. It has to be a big deal when you end up canceling most of your stateside tour and I do not get the impression he is much of a partier, but you know, I have been wrong about these types of things in the past. It was the first thing I thought about when writing this about the dangers of vegetables and then I realized that I was writing about a vegetable, the Queen.

The major foray into the Smiths catalog had been quickly obtained by purchasing the essential albums on cutout LP at some ridiculously reduced prices at the now defunct Rose Records. LP at the time was going out of style as a means to listen to music. I still remember listening to them as there was a slight imperfections as to how the albums would play on a record player. Normally the first minute or so of every side there were blips but something that I was more than willing to appreciate.

There is one thing that you can say about Morrissey is that he is an original. I think one of the things that the 80’s definitely had for itself was the battle between the Smiths vs. R.E.M. and how both Morrisey and Stipe were so capable of weaving their own tapestries with their lyrics.

The difference between the Smiths and R.E.M. was that Morrissey felt like this larger than life persona with the Smiths. The moments that shine for me however are the title track with the driving guitarwork of Marr and the drumming of Mike Joyce.

I know that Marr gets quite a bit of credit for his music and deservedly so but I still think that it’s Morrissey’s lyrics that are the shining moment. He is the one singing ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’ and ‘Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others’, the latter feeling slightly obtuse but clever. Maybe it is just me but I have never found The Smiths to be depressing because I never took what Morrissey was singing at face value and nor put him on any emotional pedestal. He was just Morrisey, who is the male equivalent to the crazy cat lady who had fucking awesome lyrics about kittens.