Freddie Mercury - 1976, interview with Kenny Everett:
"It's written by Brian. I've done the vocals on it, but Brian wrote this lovely tune. He's very versatile."
Dear Friends
Queen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Only tears to dwell upon
I dare not say as the wind must blow
So a love is lost, a love is won
Go to sleep and dream again
Soon your hopes will rise and then
From all this gloom life can start anew
And there'll be no crying soon
In Queen's song Dear Friends, the singer is reflecting on the loss of love and the resulting sorrow. The lyrics suggest a sense of acceptance and resignation, as the singer acknowledges that sometimes love is lost and sometimes it is won. The line "I dare not say as the wind must blow" implies that this is just a natural part of life. The singer then offers a message of hope, telling listeners to go to sleep and dream again, assuring them that their hopes will rise and life can start afresh. The final line, "And there'll be no crying soon," suggests that the sadness will pass and brighter days are ahead.
The song is a departure from Queen's typical sound, with no guitar or drums and instead featuring only piano and vocals. It has a melancholic, introspective feel, with Freddie Mercury's gentle crooning perfectly capturing the mood of the lyrics. Although not one of the band's most well-known tracks, it is a beautiful and emotionally resonant song that showcases Mercury's incredible vocal range and ability to convey deep emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
So dear friends your love is gone
My dear companions, your beloved has left you, and you are left alone to grieve.
Only tears to dwell upon
You have no other option but to wallow in your tears and feel the heartache.
I dare not say as the wind must blow
I am afraid to speak, but like the wind, life is unpredictable and sometimes brings hardships.
So a love is lost, a love is won
Just as one love has been lost, another may be won in due time as life is full of chances and opportunities.
Go to sleep and dream again
It's better to rest and revisit your dreams as they can provide ray of hope and a better tomorrow.
Soon your hopes will rise and then
In the near future, your optimism and positivity will help you cope with the present sorrow.
From all this gloom life can start anew
Despite all the sadness and pain, there is still the possibility of a fresh start and a new beginning.
And there'll be no crying soon
The time will come when you will no longer have to shed tears, and joy will take place of sorrow.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Brian May
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thecatmangaming5503
Oh man... what a gorgeous little gem of a song :--)
That harmony kicking in always gives me chills and Freddie's voice is so tender and calming, like... goddamn
Could really be used as a gentle lullaby
That being said, I feel the hidden star of the show here is Brian May's songwriting! Idk how many of you guys have seen the songmeanings page for this, but a lot of people there feel there's some darker (perhaps even suicidal) undertones to the lyrics, and... I can see it, though obviously we don't know for sure what Brian was intending. It does kinda sound like a message from a recently deceased person to their loved ones, like... "your love is gone, only tears to dwell upon" (his 'dear friends' are pretty clearly grieving a loss)
But the part that really gets to me are the lines "soon your hopes will rise, and then/there'll be no crying soon"... I can sort of hear that as the suicidal narrator's low selfesteem coming through? It almost has a tone of "yeah you've lost me, but eh you'll be fine and get over it quickly" which sadly I'm sure is something a lot of suicidal people do wrongly believe
Any thoughts?
@spencerkalp3417
Lily of the valley, nevermore and dear friends are all under 90 seconds and yet so beautiful and in my opinion some of queens best songs.
@michaelrusso996
Lily of the Valley is 104 seconds...
@chloejackson5934
i agree
@melissagarcia4174
Mr VEVO Shhhhh
@martinamontecinos953
Same stile with Jealousy (but more long)
@tjmagix7281
@Michael Russo Thanks smartass
@judithgarcia3783
I'm gonna sing this song as a lullaby for my future babies <3
@henryjackson2357
Judith García You're not going to have any babies.
@sergiotl7378
@Henry Jackson Why not?
@dumpstercub2902
@Henry Jackson Are you psychic? Please tell us, will Jared, 19 ever fucking learn how to read?