The Smiths released their third studio album, The Queen Is Dead, on June 16th, 1986 in the UK on Rough Trade Records. A week later, it was released in the US on Sire Records. The album contains the hits, “The Boy With The Thorn In His Side,” “Bigmouth Strikes Again,” and “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.”
Written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr, "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" features lyrics drawn from "Lonely Planet Boy" by the New York Dolls. According to Marr: "When we first played it, I thought it was the best song I'd ever heard”
It was not released as a single in the UK until 1992, five years after the band had broken up for a best-of compilation.
We’re featuring the song as today’s ear X-tacy in honor of The Smiths’ bassist Andy Rourke who passed away in May, 2023.
