The band formed in London in 1970 after May and Taylor's former band Smile split after having released an album and single. Freddie replaced lead vocalist Tim Staffell, after the latter's departure from the original trio.
There was much deliberation as to what the band's name would be. May and Taylor had settled upon the Grand Dance, derived from a C.S. Lewis Trilogy of books Out Of The Silent Planet.
Ultimately, the band went with Queen, a name that was entirely Freddie's. Originally Roger and, especially, Brian did not like the name, though Mercury would eventually persuade them both that it was "right" for the band.
"Years ago I thought up the name Queen... It's just a name, but it's very regal, and it sounds splendid. It's a strong name, very universal and immediate. It had a lot of visual potential and was open to all sorts of interpretations. I was certainly aware of the gay connotations, but that was just one facet of it. "
- Freddie Mercury.
Queen went through several bass players before a young electronics major by the name of John Deacon arrived on the scene in January of 1971.
"Until John, it had been exploding bass player syndrome. If they musically worked they'd look all wrong, and if they felt all right they couldn't play. - Brian May.
This quite shy guy turned up with his immaculate Rickenbacker bass and immaculate amplifier, plugged in, and as soon as he started playing we realized it was right." - Brian May.
Later that year, the band was secured recording time at the newly built De Lane Lea studio, and used the opportunity to record several songs that would later appear on their debut album - Liar, Keep Yourself Alive, Jesus, and The Night Comes Down. The demo reel was passed around from producer to producer with little success, until a staff member of Trident records by the name of Roy Thomas Baker was introduced to the band by fellow Trident producer John Anthony. Baker dropped in to watch the band at work and, clearly liking what he heard, recommended Queen to his superiors.
It was eventually agreed upon that the fledgling band could record at Trident studios, though after already-established artists had finished their work, such as the likes of Elton John and David Bowie. Relegated to the wee hours of the morning to record the remaining tracks of their first album, the band nonetheless stuck it out until they reached their ultimate goal of "perfection".
Queen's self-titled debut album was released in 1973 and received little attention from the general public. They quickly followed it a year later with a second album, "Queen II" which also failed to generate much interest from music fans in Britain, despite the success of the album's single, Seven Seas of Rhye, which would reach #10 on the charts after the band's mimed appearance on Top of the Pops.
The band's second album was recorded with a higher budget than the first, and the band threw everything they had into recording it. Queen II was somewhat of a "concept album", split into "White Side" vs. "Black Side".
As was in their nature, the band pressed onward after the mediocre success of their first two albums, immersing themselves in a world-wide tour to promote Queen II. Queen played in America for the first time, as a support act for Mott the Hoople.
Sheer Heart Attack would be released later that year, focusing more on being accessible to listeners, than the grand and complex ideas of the previous two albums. The recording of their third album was met with some hardships, as May fell victim to a series of illnesses brought on by an infected inoculation, required for the band's rigorous touring schedule.
Sheer Heart Attack brought even more success for the band, with May's Now I'm Here and the song that would be the band's "turning point", the Mercury-penned Killer Queen, the latter of which would reach #2 on the UK charts.
During this time, the band began developing a huge following in Japan and witnessed their popularity for themselves when they visited the country, mainly in 1975, to promote their fourth and most famous album "A Night At The Opera", featuring the epic "Bohemian Rhapsody".
Queen's popularity grew steadily through the latter half of the 70s as they released hit album after hit album, reaching its peak in the mid-80s after their "Live Aid" appearance, and continuing into the early 90s before Mercury's untimely death on 24th November 1991. The official cause of death was bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS.
Over the course of their 30 year career, the band did sound tracks for two films ("Flash Gordon" and "Highlander"), released a string of live and studio albums, and had many many fans across the world.
In 1995, 4 years after Mercury's death, the band released the album "Made In Heaven". This album saw the surviving band members in the studio completing or reworking unused vocals, unreleased variations of Freddie solo material (a Queen version of "I Was Born To Love You" for example), and tracks where Brian and Roger added lyrics to flesh out a song ("Mother Love").
Queen have been on indefinite hiatus since 1997, when John Deacon decided to retire.
Several "Queen + ..." projects have been developed in the following years, a few of them mere remixes with no artistic involvement from the band. In 1999, a "Greatest Hits III" album was released. This featured, among others, "Queen + Wyclef Jean" on a rap version of "Another One Bites the Dust", a live version of "Somebody to Love" performed by George Michael, and a live version of "The Show Must Go On" performed live in 1997 with Elton John.
Brian May and Roger Taylor have performed together as Queen on several occasions (award ceremonies, charity concerts, and the like), sharing vocals with various guest singers. They have also recorded several covers of Queen's hits with guest vocalists, including "We Will Rock You" (first with Five and later Britney Spears, Beyonce, John Farnham and P!nk) and "We Are the Champions" (with Robbie Williams).
On the 14th of May 2002 the Queen musical 'We Will Rock You' opened in the Dominion theatre in London's 'West End'. A Musical about young people in the distant future who aren't allowed to listen to music not generated by computers. Various Queen songs are used in the story, played by a live band. This live band was supported by Brian May and Roger Taylor on the premiere evening.
At the end of 2004, May and Taylor announced that they would reunite and return to touring in 2005, with Paul Rodgers (founder and former lead singer of Free and Bad Company). Brian May's website also stated that Rodgers would be 'featured with' Queen as 'Queen + Paul Rodgers', not replacing Mercury. The retired John Deacon would not be participating.
Between 2005 and 2006 Queen + Paul Rodgers embarked on a world tour, the first leg in Europe and the second, Japan and then the US in 2006. On 15 August 2006, Brian May confirmed through his website and fan club that Queen + Paul Rodgers would begin producing their first studio album beginning in October, to be recorded at a "secret location". The album, titled The Cosmos Rocks, was released in Europe on 12 September 2008 and in the United States on 28 October 2008. Following the album the band again embarked on a tour through Europe, opening on Kharkiv's Freedom Square in front of 350,000 Ukrainian fans. The show in Ukraine was later released on DVD.
Queen and Paul Rodgers officially split up without animosity on 12 May 2009. Rodgers did not rule out the possibility of working together again.
Since 2012, Queen has been touring with Adam Lambert as the frontman.
More information about Queen + Paul Rodgers can be found on their last.fm page.
Official website: www.queenonline.com
Discography:
1.- Queen (1973)
2.- Queen II (1974)
3.- Sheer Heart Attack (1974)
4.- A Night at the Opera (1975)
5.- A Day at the Races (1976)
6.- News of the World (1977)
7.- Jazz (1978)
8.- The Game (1980)
9.- Flash Gordon (1980)
10.- Hot Space (1982)
11.- The Works (1984)
12.- A Kind of Magic (1986)
13.- The Miracle (1989)
14.- Innuendo (1991)
15.- Made in Heaven (1995)
Breakthrough
Queen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the dawn light wakes up
A new life is born
Somehow I have to make this final breakthrough . . . Now!
I wake up
Feel just fine,
Your face
I get religion quick
'Cos you're looking divine
Honey you're touching something, you're touchin' me,
I'm under your thumb, under you're spell, can't you see,
If I could only reach you,
If I could make you smile,
If I could only reach you,
That would really be a breakthrough - oh yeah.
Breakthrough, these barriers of pain,
Breakthrough, to the sunshine from the rain,
Make my feelings known towards you
Turn my heart inside and out for you now
Somehow,
I have to make this final breakthrough.
Now!
Your smile,
Speaks books to me,
I break up,
With each and every one of your looks at me,
Honey you're starting something deep inside of me,
Honey you're sparking something, this fire in me,
I'm outta control, I wanna rush headlong into this ecstasy
If I could only reach you
If I could make you smile
If I could only reach you
That would really be a breakthrough
If I could only reach you
If I could make you smile,
If I could only reach you
That would really be a breakthrough
Breakthrough, breakthrough
The lyrics of "Breakthrough" by Queen captures the expression of love and the challenges associated with it. The first lines resonate loss and transition, as the dawn signals the end of darkness and the start of a new day. The chorus sets the intention for a new beginning, implying that sometimes we need to break through personal barriers or emotional pain to reach the light at the end of the tunnel. The verses express the singer's infatuation with someone and their desire to take the relationship to the next level, with the use of religious metaphors hinting at a transformative experience. The bridge emphasizes a need for communication and the willingness to be vulnerable to the other person, allowing the singer to expose their emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
When love breaks up
The end of a relationship can be difficult to handle emotionally
When the dawn light wakes up
A new day begins and brings the hope for a fresh start
A new life is born
Moving on from a failed relationship can lead to personal growth and new opportunities
Somehow I have to make this final breakthrough . . . Now!
The singer is determined to move on from their failed relationship and make a breakthrough in their personal life
I wake up
The singer is starting a new day
Feel just fine,
The singer is feeling good
Your face
The singer is thinking about their former partner
Fills my mind
The thoughts of their former partner are consuming the singer's thoughts
I get religion quick
The singer is inspired to change their ways and find a new purpose
'Cos you're looking divine
The singer is admiring the beauty of their former partner
Honey you're touching something, you're touchin' me,
The singer is feeling a strong emotional connection with their former partner
I'm under your thumb, under you're spell, can't you see,
The singer is under the power of their former partner and can't break free
If I could only reach you,
The singer wants to reconnect with their former partner
If I could make you smile,
The singer wants to make their former partner happy
That would really be a breakthrough - oh yeah.
Reconnecting with their former partner would be a significant personal achievement for the singer
Breakthrough, these barriers of pain,
The singer wants to overcome the pain of their failed relationship
Breakthrough, to the sunshine from the rain,
The singer wants to find happiness and positivity after a difficult time
Make my feelings known towards you
The singer wants to express their emotions to their former partner
Turn my heart inside and out for you now
The singer wants to be vulnerable and open with their former partner
Somehow,
Despite the challenge, the singer is determined
I have to make this final breakthrough.
The singer is committed to moving on and making a positive change in their life
Your smile,
The singer is still thinking about their former partner
Speaks books to me,
The happiness the singer felt when they were with their former partner is still vivid in their mind
I break up,
The thought of their former partner is causing the singer to break down emotionally
With each and every one of your looks at me,
The singer is still affected by their former partner's gaze
Honey you're starting something deep inside of me,
The singer is feeling intense emotions triggered by their former partner
Honey you're sparking something, this fire in me,
The former partner is reigniting passion and excitement inside the singer
I'm outta control, I wanna rush headlong into this ecstasy
The singer is feeling overwhelmed by their emotions and wants to pursue the connection with their former partner
Breakthrough, breakthrough
The singer repeats the chorus, emphasizing their desire to overcome the pain of the past and find happiness.
Contributed by Nathaniel E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sirkhalid3509
When love breaks up
When the dawn light wakes up
A new life is born
Somehow I have to make this final breakthrough
Now
I wake up
Feel just fine
Your face
Fills my mind
I get religion quick
'Cause you're looking divine
Honey, you're touching something; you're touching me
I'm under your thumb, under your spell, can't you see?
If I could only reach you
If I could make you smile
If I could only reach you
That would really be a breakthrough, oh yeah
Break through these barriers of pain
Break through to the sunshine from the rain
Make my feelings known towards you
Turn my heart inside and out for you now
Somehow I have to make this final breakthrough
Now, oh yeah
Your smile speaks books to me
I break up
With each and every one of your looks at me
Honey, you're starting something deep inside of me
Honey, you're sparking something this fire in me
I'm outta control
I want to rush headlong into this ecstasy
If I could only reach you
If I could make you smile
If I could only reach you
That would really be a breakthrough
If I could only reach you
If I could make you smile
If I could only reach you
That would really be a breakthrough
Oh yeah
Breakthrough, breakthrough
If I could only reach you
If I could make you smile
If I could only reach you
That would really be a breakthrough
If I could only reach you
If I could make you smile
If I could only reach you
That would really be a breakthrough
Breakthrough
@lynn9885
Best piano song: Seven Seas of Rhye
Best swing song: You're My Best Friend
Best song: Bohemian Rhapsody
Most soulful song: Somebody to Love
Most invincible song: We Are the Champions
Most unstoppable song: Don't Stop Me Now
Catchiest song: Crazy Little Thing called Love
Most iconic song: I Want to Break Free
Most unifying song: One Vision
Wisest song: Who Wants to Live Forever
Most emotional song: The Show Must Go On
The last song: These Are the Days of Our Lives
The song that can't prevent you from smiling: Breakthru
@antiochosyuliana7904
Lyrics:
When love breaks up
When the dawn light wakes up
A new life is born
Somehow I have to make this final breakthrough
Now
I wake up
Feel just fine
Your face
Fills my mind
I get religion quick
'Cause you're looking divine
Honey, you're touching something; you're touching me
I'm under your thumb, under your spell, can't you see?
If I could only reach you
If I could make you smile
If I could only reach you
That would really be a breakthrough, oh yeah
Break through these barriers of pain
Break through to the sunshine from the rain
Make my feelings known towards you
Turn my heart inside and out for you now
Somehow I have to make this final breakthrough
Now, oh yeah
Your smile speaks books to me
I break up
With each and every one of your looks at me
Honey, you're starting something deep inside of me
Honey, you're sparking something this fire in me
I'm outta control
I want to rush headlong into this ecstasy
If I could only reach you
If I could make you smile
If I could only reach you
That would really be a breakthrough
If I could only reach you
If I could make you smile
If I could only reach you
That would really be a breakthrough
Oh yeah
Breakthrough, breakthrough
If I could only reach you
If I could make you smile
If I could only reach you
That would really be a breakthrough
If I could only reach you
If I could make you smile
If I could only reach you
That would really be a breakthrough
Breakthrough
@MusicFanatical1
Would be the best train station announcement ever: "We are sorry to announce the 9:30 to Waterloo service is delayed due to Queen filming a music video on the train in front."
@104thDIVTimberwolf
Pretty sure this was filmed in NE Pennsylvania. That locomotive definitely came out of the PRR shops outside of Pittsburgh. The Belpair firebox is a dead giveaway there. There is a rail museum up near Scranton that uses an identical engine and the clean exhaust is because they use anthracite hard coal.
Perfect for this video.
@adellenorth449
104thDIVTimberwolf nope it was in England, watch the making of the video
@adellenorth449
Near Peterborough to be precise
@tubs1725
Pretty easy to tell that it's a british steam locomotive.
@t.b.g.504
@@adellenorth449 Which also doubled for the East Berlin train chase sequence in the James Bond film Octopussy.
@francescodonofrio506
I'm in love with my train
@emilymiller5552
This comment deserves more likes
@therailtourer
👏🏻
@averyparker5053
Who isn't