1) Born on 1… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least 2 artists with the name Brian May
1) Born on 19th July 1947 in Feltham, England to parents Harold and Ruth May, Brian May is probably best known as the guitarist for English rock band Queen. Within the band he introduced unique triple layered guitar harmonies, created on his home made guitar "Red Special", which has become his trademark over the years. He also made his mark during the Queen's jubilee by playing God Save The Queen on top of Buckingham Palace to begin the concert.
In addition to having huge success as a member of Queen, Brian May also has a string of solo albums including "Back To The Light" and "Another World", as well as having written soundtrack material such as "Furia". Brian also collaborates with artists like Paul Rodgers, Ian Hunter, Eddie Van Halen and many more.
Besides being a talented musician (he can play guitar, bass, ukulele, piano, keyboards, and many other instruments, as well as having the ability to sing), Brian is also a recognized astronomer. He has been made a Doctor in the field of Physics, and has recently been awarded a Doctorate in Astronomy after finishing his thesis, started in the early 1970s before Queen gained recognition. In 2006 he collaborated with Sir Patrick Moore and Chris Lintott to release "Bang! The Complete History Of The Universe". It has since been released in a number of languages.
In recent years Brian has toured with Queen & Paul Rodgers with fellow Queen member Roger Taylor. The collaboration has seen the release of three live albums, "Return of the Champions (2005)," "Super Live in Japan (2006)," and "Live in Ukraine (2009)" and one studio album "Cosmos Rocks (2008)". The band has since split up on friendly terms and do not rule out working together again in the future. For 2010, Brian May will be working on projects outside of the recording studio including the potential We Will Rock You Movie, based on the musical of the same name.
2) Born in Adelaide in 1934 and died in 1997, Brian May (no relation to Brian Harold May of Queen) was one of the first composers to achieve international acclaim as an Australian composer and was best known as the composer of MAD MAX and THE ROAD WARRIOR (MAD MAX II). May received his musical training as a pianist, violinist and conductor at the Adelaide Elder Conservatorium. He joined the Australia Broadcasting Company in 1957, where he formed the ABC Adelaide Big Band, an ensemble that performed all manner of light music for broadcast, and May became a leading figure in Australian light music as a result. He moved to Melbourne in 1970 to arrange and conduct the ABC’s Melbourne Show band. Moving into film music in a period of time when Australia’s film industry was just beginning to take its place among international film circles, May composed such notable film scores as RACE FOR THE YANKEE ZEPHYR, ROAD GAMES, CLOAK AND DAGGER, DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR, MISSING IN ACTION 2, SKY PIRATES, STEEL DAWN, DR. GIGGLES, FREDDY’S DEAD: THE FINAL NIGHT MARE and BLINDSIDE. He won the Australian Film Institute Award for best original score with MAD MAX; many other awards followed, including the Golden Award from the Australian Performing Rights Association. He continued to score films until 1993, composing music for more than 30 films and many hours of television, most of which he orchestrated himself. Sadly, the composer passed away in 1997 at the age of 63.
Love Token
Brian May Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's such a shame they don't love each other
Papa's in a jam, Mama's throwin' pans
The game's up, it's time to run for cover
Everybody's cryin' but they can't stop hopin'
Everybody's lookin' for the door that's open
Mama's making heat to keep the old fire smokin'
You got love but you ain't got style
You want your freedom but in a while
You're lost children but you know for sure
You gotta find out what your love is for
[Oh baby life ain't what it used to be]
(You're tellin' me, not since you've been hangin' round here)
[Mama what you screamin' for actin' like a demon for
And hey mama quit wavin' them hands in the air]
(Don't talk to me that way)
[Well I don't see no reason to raise your voice to me]
(You put fat in the fire you got meat for brains)
[Well you don't give me comfort and a man's gotta get it somewhere]
(Ooh, that's a shame)
[Yeah, well]
Mama's hangin' on to every word that's spoken
But Papa's hangin' onto his old love token
Oh I don't want to leave you Mama
Oh I don't want to leave you Papa
Long haired woman gonna turn you to stone
You can't beat 'em, 'cause you need 'em
You gotta live, you gotta love
Your love token's gotta fit like a glove
Listen to the story 'bout the dream that's broken
You gotta keep a hold of your old love token
Oh I don't want to leave you Mama
Oh I don't want to leave you Papa
Oh I don't want to leave you alone
But I'm gonna have to babe
The lyrics to Brian May's song "Love Token" tell the story of a dysfunctional family where the parents are both in love, but not with each other. Mama and Papa are constantly bickering and fighting, and the tension is palpable. Mama is throwing pans, and Papa is in a jam, and everyone is crying, hoping for some kind of escape. Despite the chaos, Mama is determined to keep the "old fire" smokin', while Papa clings to his "old love token."
Throughout the song, there is a sense of desperation and longing. The characters all want something they can't have: love, freedom, comfort. They are lost children searching for meaning and purpose in their lives. The chorus reminds us that love is not enough, that we also need style and a sense of purpose to make it through. Despite the difficulties, the characters are determined to hold on to their old love tokens, even if they have to leave each other to do it.
Overall, the lyrics of "Love Token" are a poignant reminder of the complexities of love and family relationships. They speak to the human need for connection and understanding, and the challenges we face in finding it.
Line by Line Meaning
Mama's in love, Papa's in love
Both Mama and Papa are in love, but not with each other
It's such a shame they don't love each other
It's unfortunate that Mama and Papa don't love each other
Papa's in a jam, Mama's throwin' pans
Papa is in trouble, and Mama is angry and throwing things
The game's up, it's time to run for cover
The situation is getting bad, and it's time to escape it
Everybody's cryin' but they can't stop hopin'
Everyone is sad, but they still have hope
Everybody's lookin' for the door that's open
Everyone is searching for a way out
Mama's making heat to keep the old fire smokin'
Mama is trying to keep the romance alive
Papa's hangin' on to his old love token
Papa is holding on to his old memories of love
You got love but you ain't got style
You have love, but you lack sophistication
You want your freedom but in a while
You desire freedom, but not for long
You're lost children but you know for sure
You may be lost, but you have some certainty
You gotta find out what your love is for
You need to understand the purpose of your love
Mama what you screamin' for actin' like a demon for
Why are you yelling and acting crazy, Mama?
And hey mama quit wavin' them hands in the air
Stop waving your hands around, Mama
Don't talk to me that way
Don't speak to me in that tone
Well I don't see no reason to raise your voice to me
There is no justification for you to yell at me
You put fat in the fire you got meat for brains
Your actions caused a problem, now you have to deal with it
Well you don't give me comfort and a man's gotta get it somewhere
You're not providing me with comfort, so I have to look for it elsewhere
Ooh, that's a shame
That's unfortunate
Mama's hangin' on to every word that's spoken
Mama is listening intently to everything being said
But Papa's hangin' onto his old love token
Papa is clinging to his memories of love
Long haired woman gonna turn you to stone
A woman with long hair can have a powerful impact on you
You can't beat 'em, 'cause you need 'em
You can't defeat someone if you need them
You gotta live, you gotta love
You need to experience life and love
Your love token's gotta fit like a glove
Your memories of love need to fit perfectly
Listen to the story 'bout the dream that's broken
Pay attention to the tale of the shattered dream
You gotta keep a hold of your old love token
You must hold on to your memories of love
Oh I don't want to leave you Mama
I don't want to leave you, Mama
Oh I don't want to leave you Papa
I don't want to leave you, Papa
Oh I don't want to leave you alone
I don't want to leave you by yourself
But I'm gonna have to babe
But unfortunately, I have to go
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN MAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind