Record Store Day buyers in Europe who’ve already snatched up copies of the hotly anticipated new 7-inch from The Smiths — featuring previously unreleased versions of “The Boy With the Thorn In His Side” and its original B-side “Rubber Ring” — have discovered a biting political message inscribed in the 45’s run-out groove: “Trump will kill America.”
Smiths fans began reporting the etching late Friday (see tweets/photos below). A stand against Donald Trump is not a surprising sentiment given the band’s past political stances, and more recent pronouncements against conservative politicians by both Morrissey and Johnny Marr. Morrissey, in particular, has made no secret of his disdain for the new American president.
The design of the single’s Albert Finney-starring sleeve, as one buyer noted, is credited simply to Esteban, or Steven — Morrissey’s first name — in Spanish.
The single, released by Rhino/Warner Bros., includes a “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. Both are previously unreleased.
‘Trump will kill America’ etched on the vinyl. #TheSmiths being The Smiths. #recordstoreday2017 #RSD17 pic.twitter.com/U0ig1yAsWQ
— Ro (@oelkanimor) April 22, 2017
Hard to see but the Smiths vinyl is hand-etched with "Trump will kill America". Word. ✊🏼 pic.twitter.com/oO1dBq2E1O
— Sarah✌🏼 (@sarahbuddery) April 22, 2017
“Trump will kill America”. The Smiths runout groove 2017 #thesmiths#morrissey#rsd#rsd2017 pic.twitter.com/2G9cWMZT0V
— Øystein D Johansen (@Oystein_David) April 20, 2017
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
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Pretty sure Obama got a good head start on that, if we are talking nonsense.
No, no one was talking nonsense. It was an article about what another artist did to their product. But thank you for interjecting your opinion anyway in an attempt to start some nonsense.
I think Morrisey needs to focus on keeping tour dates and not cancelling all the time rather than worry about America.
Whew! Glad I didn’t waste my money on this one. I’ve had enough of the alarmist propaganda, thanks.
A small point, but The Boy With The Thorn In His Side comes from the album The World Won’t Listen. It is not on The Queen Is Dead.
Listen to track 7 again.
The World Won’t Listen is also a compilation album.
“The Boy With the Thorn in His Side” is absolutely on ‘The Queen is Dead.’ It was also included on the ‘World Won’t Listen’ compilation, but that was released the following year.
Seems a wasted opportunity that they didn’t say the same thing about Theresa May and England on the other side.
Bad thing is, they tried to do something on May on the flip, but every time they attempted a pressing, something… (I am so sorry for this, in advance)
breks it.