something successful happening to us.
We were penniless, you know. Just like
another struggling rock ’n’ roll band. All
sitting around in London bedsits, just like
t he re st.’
Sheer Heart Attack proved to be a
big success all over Europe, and even
managed to go gold in the United States
- a sure sign that Queen was a band to be
watched. Speaking about the album, John
Deacon commented, ‘I have the feeling
that the whole thing is getting a bit more
professional all round. We are, after
all, on our third album. I’ve got more
confidence in the group now than ever
before. I was possibly the one person who
could look at it from the outside because
I was the fourth person to join the band.
I knew there was something there but I
wasn’t so convinced of it. Till possibly
t h is a lbu m.’
Mercury expanded on this after
harsher critics described the album
as nothing more than a collection of
singles, in spite of it generally being seen
as a cohesive long-player with a wide
variety of musical genres, including
ballads, ragtime and heavy metal: ‘Not
a collection of singles, dear – although
we might draw another one off later for a
single. I’m not absolutely sure about that,
though. No, not all the numbers last for
ages. There were just so many songs we
wanted to do. And it makes a change to
have short numbers. It’s so varied that we
were able to go to extremes. I only had
about two weeks to write my songs so
we’ve been working fucking hard.’
It was at this point that Queen started
to make a name for themselves with their
onstage theatrics, in particular those of
front man Freddie Mercury, who had
fast become a remarkable entertainer –
dressing in satin, sequins and leaping all
over the place.
Following the dismissal of Norman
Sheffield, the follow-up to Sheer Heart
Attack arrived a year later under new
management. The opening track of A
Night at the Opera, Death On Two Legs,
proved to be a reference to the whole
sordid affair, and Mercury later stated,
‘As far as Queen are concerned our old
management is deceased. They cease to
exist in any capacity with us whatsoever.
One leaves them behind like one leaves
excreta. We feel so relieved!’ Queen’s new
manager was John Reid, who also handled
Elton John’s career at the time – an artist
that the band later collaborated with.
Considered by many to be the band’s
strongest ever outing, A Night at the
Opera featured what is also widely
considered to be the group’s greatest ever
Released on 21 November 1975, A
Night at the Opera was the fourth
studio album from Queen. This was
the release that launched Queen in
to superstardom, and provided the
band with their first UK No. 1 in the
form of Bohemian Rhapsody. Freddie
Mercury personally designed the
band logo featured on the cover,
which is typically overstated and
regal, whilst a Marx Brothers film
of the same name inspired the title
of the album. Widely regarded as
Queen’s magnum opus, A Night at
the Opera was justifiably the most
expensive album ever recorded at the
time of its release.Death On Two Legs (Dedicated to...)
A hate song aimed at Queen’s ex-
manager, Death On Two Legs is a
snarling rocker, opening this classic
album up with an admirable bang –
‘You’re just a sewer rat decaying in a
cess-pool of pride.’Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon
The Mercury penned Lazing On a
Sunday Afternoon is the polar episode
to Death On Two Legs, switching
mood to one of over-the-top silliness.
Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon shows
Mercury’s penchant for songs about
high society to good effect.I’m In Love with My Car
A Roger Taylor stalwart, I’m In Love
with My Car also features Taylor on
lead vocals. Filling in the gaps with
squealing race-car impersonations on
his guitar, May’s work is admirable
here. It should come as no surprise
that this was a live favourite for many,
many years.You’re My Best Friend
John Deacon’s first credited single- You’re My Best Friend is a song
written for his wife, with piano and
overdubbed bass lines. A simple, yet
beautiful song of love and devotion,
with some great electric piano.
’
An acoustic number, ’39 features
Brian May on lead vocals, and really
showcases his talents to great effect.
‘Sci-fi skittle’ in nature, the track also
features some pretty good double bass
from Deacon. ‘In the land that our
grandchildren knew...’Sweet Lady
‘You call me up and feed me all the
lines, You call me sweet like I’m some
kind of cheese, Waiting on the shelf,
You eat me up, You hold me down,
I’m just a fool to make you a home.’ A
Brain May penned heavy metal track,
Sweet Lady is loud and riff-heavy.
Nothing spectacular, this is regarded
by many as the album’s worst track.Seaside Rendezvous
With their voices alone, Taylor and
Mercury imitate piccolos, flutes,
trumpets and tubas on this one. They
also imitate tap dancing sounds with
their fingers. Ridiculously innovative,
Seaside Rendezvous is another Mercury
high society track.The Prophet’s Song
A Brian May epic: The Prophet’s Song
features some stunning guitar work,
and complicated production. Multi-
layered and multi-tracked all over the
place, this track still doesn’t feel too
over-produced. Well thought through.Love of My Life
One of Mercury’s most covered songs,
Love of My Life is a tender piano and
harpsichord number, influenced by
Chopin and Beethoven.Good Company
With vocals and ukelele by May, Good
Company is another Brian May classic
to rival The Prophet’s Song. The jazz
break at the end involved the complex
recording of May’s guitar in every
possible way imaginable. The lyrics,
too, are particularly poignant here.Bohemian Rhapsody
The crown jewel track of (arguably)
Queen’s crown jewel album, Bohemian
Rhapsody couldn’t get anything other
than five stars. In the style of a rock
opera, and with the most unusual
structure for a piece of popular music,
the track’s six different sections
feature both a cappella and heavy
metal arrangements. Nothing short of
incredible. ‘Shall we do the fandango?’God Save the Queen
A possible homage to Jimi Hendrix’s
version of The Star-Spangled Banner.
Overt. Pure Queen excess.