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)
Ride Like The Wind
Queen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Push the envelope, don't sit on the fence) hey hey hey hey
Ride the wild wind
(Live life on the razors edge) hey hey hey
Gonna ride the whirlwind
It ain't dangerous - enough for me
Get your head down baby - yeah - we're gonna ride tonight
I wanna take your hand - lead you from this place
Gonna leave it all behind
(Check out) Check out of this rat race
Ride the wild wind (hey hey) hey hey hey hey
Ride the wild wind (hey hey) hey hey hey
Gonna ride the whirlwind
It ain't dangerous - enough for me
Tie your hair back baby - we're gonna ride tonight - yeah
We got freaks to the left - we got jerks to the right
Sometimes I get so low - I just have to ride
Let me take your hand
Let me be your guide
Ooh ride the wild wind
(Don't sit on the fence) (hey hey) hey hey hey hey
Ooh ride the wild wind
(And live life on the razors edge) hey hey hey
Gonna ride the whirlwind
It ain't dangerous - enough for me
Yeah ride the wild wind (hey hey) hey hey hey
Ooh ride the wild wind hey hey hey hey hey hey
Ha ha ha haa
Gonna ride the - ride the whirlwind
It ain't dangerous - enough for me
Ride the wild wind
Ride the wild wind
Hey hey hey
The wild wind
Hey hey hey
The wild wind
Hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
"Ride the Wild Wind" is a song by British rock band Queen, and it's about taking risks and living life to the fullest. The lyrics are an invitation to push boundaries and experience new things, to live life on the edge and leave behind the monotony of everyday life.
The chorus "Ride the wild wind" is a call to action, encouraging listeners to take a leap of faith and embrace the unpredictable nature of life. The lyrics "Push the envelope, don't sit on the fence" and "Live life on the razor's edge" suggest that one should not be afraid to take risks and challenge themselves, even if it means stepping out of their comfort zone.
The song continues with the idea of leaving everything else behind, and enjoying the thrill of the ride with someone special. The lyrics "Your angel eyes are shining bright, I wanna take your hand - lead you from this place" suggest a romantic adventure with a partner. The line "We got freaks to the left, we got jerks to the right" denotes the idea of staying true to oneself and not getting influenced by other people's opinions.
Overall, "Ride the Wild Wind" is a song about living life to the fullest, taking risks, and embracing the unpredictable nature of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Ride the wild wind
Take a chance and live life to the fullest
(Push the envelope, don't sit on the fence) hey hey hey hey
Take risks and don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone
(Live life on the razors edge) hey hey hey
Live life to the extreme, always seeking the next adventure
Gonna ride the whirlwind
Embrace the excitement and unpredictability of life
It ain't dangerous - enough for me
I'm ready for anything, even if it's risky
Get your head down baby - yeah - we're gonna ride tonight
Let loose and enjoy the moment
Your angel eyes are shining bright
You possess a radiant energy that invigorates me
I wanna take your hand - lead you from this place
I want to guide you to a place of freedom and excitement
Gonna leave it all behind
Abandon the mundane and predictable aspects of life
(Check out) Check out of this rat race
Escape the rigidity and constraints of societal norms
Tie your hair back baby - we're gonna ride tonight - yeah
Prepare yourself for an exhilarating experience
We got freaks to the left - we got jerks to the right
Let's surround ourselves with unconventional, exciting people
Sometimes I get so low - I just have to ride
In moments of despair, I find solace and release in an adventure
Let me take your hand
Let me guide you through the excitement and unpredictability of life
Let me be your guide
Trust me to lead you to exhilarating experiences
Ha ha ha haa
Expressing the joy and thrill of the wild ride
The wild wind
The forceful, unpredictable nature of living life to the fullest
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN DEACON, BRIAN MAY, FREDDIE MERCURY, ROGER TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@badtothebone93
Never understood how this album was so overlooked and underrated, this is easily some of their absolute best work
@mariegrimes8085
This is probably not a song that would be in my regular Queen playlist but there's not denying it's an incredible song. To me this represents the extraordinary power of Queen - Freddie's vocals are dynamic and sheer perfection; Roger's drums are all power and fervor, John's bass line is deep and powerful, and Brian's guitar playing is exquisitely beautiful. Queen can never be matched in their style and musicality!
@GwaihirEye
My dear Marie, thanks for this comment. My thoughts exactly. Thank you for expressing the truth, at least from the point of view of Quenn's loyal fan during last 33 years. Queen was always a group of 4 different pure music artists, combining the best of themselves. None of them, including Freddie, didn't reach the tops in solo projects. Except John of course, who never tried it. Only together they were creating a kind of magic.🙂
@alekubacka3520
His low notes reach the depths of my soul... And the bass, the drums, and the guitar... Absolute perfection. He was the wild wind…Goose bumps just like 30 years ago…INSANELY AWESOME!!!!!!
@joelmaoliveira5050
Dont forget the keyboards.
@foxywhale
Me playing it on repeat because everything about this song chills me to the core also.
@PowerRedBull
Does it not seem that this songs rhythm might be inspired by the bangles song 'walk like an Egyptian' , which was released a few years before. It's quite an uncommon rythm, especially in this genre.
@nazbazal70
26 years on and this album still sounds great.
@fastica
Totally agree! I would even say that it sounds better than most actual albums.
@zeinm.7391
It sounds like if it was made two or three years ago!! Absolutely stunning