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)
Mad The Swine
Queen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But this time I wear no sandals
Ages past I gave all you people
Food and water
Three feet tall so very small I'm no trouble
I bring thunder lightning sun and the rain
For all the people in the land
A message of love
I bring you from up above
All good children gather around
Come join your hands and sing along
They call me mad the swine
I guess I'm mad the swine
I've come to save you save you
Mad the swine
Mad the swine
So all you people gather around
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
I woke up on the water just as before
I'll help the meek and the mild and believers and the blind
And all the creatures great and small
Let me take you to the river without a ford
Oh and then one day you realise
You're all the same we've been in life
All I've come to say just like before
They call me mad the swine
I'm mad the swine
I've come to save you save you
Mad the swine
Mad the swine
So all you people gather around
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
Ooh
Oh now
So all you people gather around
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
Don't ever fail me
Mad the swine
Mad the swine
I've come to save you save you
Oh now
Mad the swine
Mad the swine
So all you people gather around
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
Hands and praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
I'll get down on my knees and praise the Lord
The lyrics to Queen's song "Mad The Swine" depict a character who claims to have come to the people bringing a message of love from up above. He introduces himself as "mad the swine" and says that he has brought thunder, lightning, sun and rain for all the people in the land. He claims to have been here before a long time ago and had given all the people food and water. The character invites all good children to gather around and sing along with him. He declares he will help the meek and the mild, and believers and the blind and all creatures great and small. He ends the song by urging all the people to gather around, hold out their hands and praise the Lord.
At face value, the song tells a story of a character, "mad the swine," who is eager to save and help everyone. Some might see it as religious or spiritual, with the character delivering a message of love from up above, inviting all good children to gather around and praising the Lord. However, the song's lyrics could also have a more ambiguous meaning. There's a possibility that "mad the swine" is portrayed as a false prophet who claims to have come to save the people but is using manipulation and deception to achieve his goals.
"Mad The Swine" was one of the songs that Queen recorded in the early 1970s but was never released officially. A few copies of the track were later circulated on vinyl, and a remastered version eventually appeared on the 2011 re-release of the album Queen II.
Line by Line Meaning
Been here before a long time ago
I have been here before a long time ago.
But this time I wear no sandals
This time I'm here without any support or protection.
Ages past I gave all you people
In the past, I provided everything to you.
Food and water
I gave you essential resources like food and water.
Three feet tall so very small I'm no trouble
Despite being small in size, I cause no trouble.
I bring thunder lightning sun and the rain
I bring with me the natural elements of thunder, lightning, sun and rain.
For all the people in the land
I bring these elements for the benefit of everyone in the land.
A message of love
I have a message of love to share with you.
I bring you from up above
This message comes from a divine source.
All good children gather around
All good-hearted and pure-spirited individuals should come together to hear this message.
Come join your hands and sing along
Let's join together and express our unity through singing.
They call me mad the swine
People refer to me as 'mad the swine'.
I guess I'm mad the swine
Perhaps I am what they call me.
I've come to save you save you
I have come to rescue you from something.
So all you people gather around
Everyone should come together to receive this rescue.
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
Raise your hands and offer gratitude to the divine creator.
I woke up on the water just as before
I woke up on the water, similar to my previous experience.
I'll help the meek and the mild and believers and the blind
I am here to help the humble, the sincere believers, and those who are blind to the truth.
And all the creatures great and small
I am here to help all living beings, irrespective of their size or strength.
Let me take you to the river without a ford
Let me take you to a destination where you can cross the river effortlessly.
Oh and then one day you realise
One day you will come to the realization that...
You're all the same we've been in life
We all are the same in this journey of life.
All I've come to say just like before
The purpose of my return is the same as in the past.
So all you people gather around
Gather around to hear my message.
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
By raising your hands, show your reverence to the divine creator.
Mad the swine
They call me the mad swine.
I've come to save you save you
I am here to save you from some danger.
Oh now
Oh, yes!
So all you people gather around
Come together to hear my message.
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
Praise the Lord by raising your hands.
Hands and praise the Lord
Show your reverence by both raising your hands and praising the Lord.
Praise the Lord
Express gratitude to the divine creator.
I'll get down on my knees and praise the Lord
I will prostrate and express my reverence to the divine creator.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FREDDIE MERCURY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind