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)
Sweet Lady
Queen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You call me up and treat me like a dog
You call me up and tear me up inside
You've got me on a lead
Ooh, you bring me down
You shout around
You don't believe that I'm alone
Ooh, you don't believe me
Sweet lady
Sweet lady
Sweet lady, sweet lady
Ooh, stay sweet
You say
You call me up and feed me all the lines
You call me sweet like I'm some kind of cheese
Waiting on the shelf
You eat me up
You hold me down
I'm just a fool to make you a home
Ooh, you really do me
When you say
Sweet lady (sweet lady)
Sweet lady (sweet lady)
Sweet lady, ooh, come on, stay sweet
My sweet lady
Though it seems like we wait forever, oh-ah
Stay sweet, baby
Believe and we've got everything we need, ah
(We got everything we need) ow
Sweet lady
Sweet lady
Sweet lady (yeah, ooh, ooh)
Stay sweet (stay sweet)
Oh, runaway, come on, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, sweet lady
Woo
The lyrics of Queen's song "Sweet Lady" seem to be about a tumultuous relationship between the singer and the titular "sweet lady". The first verse describes how the woman in question treats the singer poorly, "like a dog", by constantly tearing him down and not believing that he is actually alone. Despite this, the singer seems to still be drawn to her, in a sense, as she "brings him down" and he keeps coming back for more.
The chorus then addresses the woman directly, calling her a "sweet lady" but pleading with her to "stay sweet". The second verse continues with the theme of the woman treating the singer poorly, this time likening him to a piece of cheese waiting on a shelf for her to consume. Despite feeling like a "fool" for letting her treat him this way, he still can't seem to let her go.
The bridge seems to offer some hope for the relationship, with the singer urging the woman to "stay sweet" and believing that they have "everything we need" if they just stick together. Overall, the song appears to be about the complicated dynamics of a love-hate relationship, and the struggle to maintain feelings of love and devotion in the face of mistreatment.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, I like it
I enjoy this feeling
You call me up and treat me like a dog
You contact me only when you need something and treat me poorly
You call me up and tear me up inside
Your words hurt me deeply
You've got me on a lead
You have control over me
Ooh, you bring me down
Your actions make me feel low
You shout around
You are loud and aggressive
You don't believe that I'm alone
You doubt my claims of being single and available
Ooh, you don't believe me
You mistrust me
Sweet lady
Affectionate term for the person being addressed
Sweet lady
Affectionate term for the person being addressed
Sweet lady, sweet lady
Affectionate term for the person being addressed, repeated
Ooh, stay sweet
Continue to be kind and gentle
You say
You express
You call me up and feed me all the lines
You tell me lies and try to manipulate me
You call me sweet like I'm some kind of cheese
You flatter me insincerely
Waiting on the shelf
Unwanted and unappreciated
You eat me up
You consume my emotions and energy
You hold me down
You restrict my freedom and potential
I'm just a fool to make you a home
I am naive to think you will commit to me
Ooh, you really do me
You hurt me deeply
When you say
During the times you speak
Sweet lady (sweet lady)
Affectionate term for the person being addressed, repeated
Sweet lady (sweet lady)
Affectionate term for the person being addressed, repeated
Sweet lady, ooh come on, stay sweet
Continuation of affectionate request
My sweet lady
Possessive and affectionate term for the person being addressed
Though it seems like we wait forever, oh-ah
Even if we have to wait a long time
Stay sweet, baby
Affectionate request to keep being kind and gentle
Believe and we've got everything we need, ah
If we have faith in each other, we have all we need
(We got everything we need) ow
Reiteration of the previous line
Sweet lady
Affectionate term for the person being addressed
Sweet lady
Affectionate term for the person being addressed
Sweet lady (yeah, ooh, ooh)
Affectionate term for the person being addressed, with emphasis
Stay sweet (stay sweet)
Repeated affectionate request
Oh, runaway, come on, yeah, yeah
Expression of desire to escape and enjoy life
Yeah, yeah, sweet lady
Reiteration of affectionate term for the person being addressed
Woo
Exclamation of exuberance or pleasure
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Brian May
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nynkewy
You call me up and treat me like a dog
You call me up and tear me up inside
You've got me on a lead
You bring me down
You shout around
You don't believe that I'm alone
You don't believe me
Sweet lady
Sweet lady
Sweet lady... stay sweet
You say
You call me up and feed me all the lines
You call me sweet like I'm some kind of cheese
Waiting on the shelf
You eat me up
You hold me down
I'm just a fool to make you a home
Ooh you really do
And you say
Sweet lady
Sweet lady
Sweet lady... stay sweet
My sweet lady
Though it seems like we wait forever
Stay sweet baby
Believe and we've got everything we need
Sweet lady
Sweet lady
Sweet lady... stay sweet
Runaway come on
Yeah yeah
Sweet lady
@baileyjewel4509
You can hear the question and concern in Freddie's voice when he sings "You call me sweet like soms kind of cheese"😂😂
@alaiabudiman3339
Queen Lover i think he did it on purpose😂😂😂
@crumch-lx3ix
He's like "Darling, how drunk were you when you wrote this?"
@Nina-oi1qk
Freddie was definitely laughing when he said that.
@markmaddalla6353
I love cheese.
@ayshaalex3404
Waiting on a shelf
@kikiwang6921
"You call me sweet like im... Some kind of... Cheese???" Freddie sounds so confused 😂😂
@valentinne
I-I'ts good
-Bri
@godot9749
@Leny Flop time???
@kokichisimp7901
Kiki Wang I KNOW.