Bigmouth Strikes Again

Recorded at RAK Studios in London in 1985, the track was produced by Morrissey and Johnny Marr with engineer Stephen Street. Morrissey's pitch-raised backing vocals were credited to the fictional Ann Coates. Released ahead of The Queen Is Dead in May 1986, the single paired Marr's urgent guitar arrangement with Morrissey's satirical response to criticism from the music press. It reached number 26 on the UK Singles Chart. The song became one of the band's most celebrated recordings and was later covered by Treepeople, Placebo and Slapshot. A live performance closed the Smiths' 1988 album Rank.