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)
Teo Torriate
Queen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No need to wonder if I ever think of you
The same moon shines
The same wind blows
For both of us, and time is but a paper moon...
Be not gone
Though I'm gone
A new life grows
The blossom knows
There's no one else could warm my heart as much as you...
Be not gone
Let us cling together as the years go by
Oh my love, my love
In the quiet of the night
Let our candle always burn
Let us never lose the lessons we have learned
Teo Torriatte konomama iko
Aisuruhito yo
Shizukana yoi ni
Hikario tomoshi
Itoshiki oshieo idaki
Hear my song
Still think of me the way you've come to think of me
The nights grow long
But dreams live on
Just close your pretty eyes and you can be with me...
Dream on
Teo Torriatte konomama iko
Aisuruhito yo
Shizukana yoi ni
Hikario tomoshi
Itoshiki oshieo idaki
When I'm gone
They'll say we're all fools and we don't understand
Oh be strong
Don't turn your heart
We're all
You're all
For all
For always...
Let us cling together as the years go by
Oh my love, my love
In the quiet of the night
Let our candle always burn
Let us never lose the lessons we have learned
The lyrics of Queen's song "Teo Torriate" talk about the bond of love and how it transcends time and distance. The song suggests that when one is away from the loved one, they need not worry because the same moon shines and the same wind blows for both of them. The lyrics ask the loved one not to be gone because even though the singer is physically not there, they still hold the flower that touches the loved one. The song emphasizes the importance of the bond of love, which warms the heart and comforts the soul.
The lyrics also suggest that the passage of time is fleeting, and it is just like a paper moon. The singer urges the loved one not to lose the lessons they have learned and always let the candle of love burn between them, even as the years go by. The song is a beautiful message of love and the power of the human connection. The Japanese refrain "Teo Torriate konomama iko" means "let us cling together as we go."
Line by Line Meaning
When I'm gone
Even after I am no longer here, know that I have thought of you and you have been on my mind.
No need to wonder if I ever think of you
You don't have to worry about whether or not I remember you, because I always will.
The same moon shines
Regardless of where we are, we can always count on the moon to be a constant presence in our lives.
The same wind blows
Just as the moon is constant, so too is the wind that touches both of us, even if we are far apart.
For both of us, and time is but a paper moon...
Our connection is not limited by time or distance, and the passage of time is fleeting and not truly significant in the grand scheme of things.
Be not gone
Don't leave me, because I want to hold onto our love and connection forever.
Though I'm gone
Even after I am gone, I want you to know that I am still with you.
It's just as though I hold the flower that touches you
In some sense, I am still able to touch you and bring joy to your life, even if I am not physically present.
A new life grows
Life goes on, and new experiences and growth are still possible, even after a loss or absence.
The blossom knows
The beauty and potential of life is evident in the growth and blossoming of flowers, and this gives us hope.
There's no one else could warm my heart as much as you...
You hold a special place in my heart that no one else can ever fill or replace.
Let us cling together as the years go by
We should hold onto each other and our love, even as time passes and things change.
Oh my love, my love
I love you so deeply, and my love for you will endure even after I am gone.
In the quiet of the night
In moments of peace and calm, our love can be even more powerful and profound.
Let our candle always burn
The flame of our love should never diminish or go out, but should burn brightly forever.
Let us never lose the lessons we have learned
We should remember the wisdom and growth that we have gained through our experiences together.
Teo Torriatte konomama iko
Let us go on as we are, Teo Torriatte - let us cling together.
Aisuruhito yo
My beloved, know that I love you deeply and always.
Shizukana yoi ni
In the quiet and peaceful evening, let us be together.
Hikario tomoshi
Let us light a flame to guide us through the darkness.
Itoshiki oshieo idaki
My dear, let me hold onto you and the lessons you have taught me.
Hear my song
Listen to my words and feel the power of our love emanating from them.
Still think of me the way you've come to think of me
Remember me and our love in the same way that you have always done.
The nights grow long
Even as time passes, there may be moments of darkness and sadness that we have to face.
But dreams live on
Despite the challenges and hardships of life, we should hold onto our dreams and hopes for the future.
Just close your pretty eyes and you can be with me...
You can always feel my presence and love, even if we are physically apart, by remembering our connection and closing your eyes.
Dream on
Continue to dream and hope for the future, because our love will endure and make anything possible.
They'll say we're all fools and we don't understand
There may be those who do not understand our love or its true meaning, but this should not diminish its power or significance to us.
Oh be strong
In the face of adversity, we must remain strong and hold onto our love and connection.
Don't turn your heart
Do not be swayed or discouraged by those who do not understand or support our love - we know its true value and worth.
We're all
We are all human and imperfect, but our love is transcendent and beautiful.
You're all
You are all that matters to me, and our love is everything.
For all
Our love is not just for us, but for everyone to share and experience.
For always...
Our love will endure and be a constant presence in our lives, forever and always.
Contributed by Charlotte H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-gh5od4tm7v
4０年以上前からクイーンを聴いている日本の男性です。
当時 福岡の九電記念体育館でのコンサートも行きました。
当初、日本の女性ファンの支持が圧倒的に多く大袈裟ではなく
日本から世界に羽ばたいたといえるグループであったと思います。
手をとりあってを初めて聴いた時にはメンバーが本当に
日本を愛してくれていることにうれしくて涙が出ました。
そして昨年、この神聖なる曲を東京オリンピックで聴いた時には
感動して再び涙が止まりませんでした。
映画 ボヘミアンラプソディがヒットしクイーンの歌が世代を超えて
受け入れられたことは自分自身が若い頃からクイーンの曲を聴いて
ファンであったことが間違いではなかったんだと確信できました。
@keisukekondo9147
[Japanese part]
手を 取りあって(Teo torriate)
このまま 行こう(konomama iko)
愛する人よ(Aisuruhitoyo)
静かな 宵に(Shizukana yoini)
光を ともし(Hikariwo tomoshi)
愛しき 教えを 抱き(Itoshiki oshieo idaki)
It's a great, incredible song!! Queen forever!!
@ToypooKaraoke
When I'm gone
No need to wonder if I ever think of you
The same moon shines
The same wind blows
For both of us, and time is but a paper moon...
Be not gone
Though I'm gone
It's just as though I hold the flower that touches you
A new life grows
The blossom knows
There's no one else could warm my heart as much as you...
Be not gone
Let us cling together as the years go by
Oh my love, my love
In the quiet of the night
Let our candle always burn
Let us never lose the lessons we have learned
Teo torriatte konomama iko
Aisuruhito yo
Shizukana yoi ni
Hikario tomoshi
Itoshiki oshieo idaki
Hear my song
Still think of me the way you've come to think of me
The nights grow long
But dreams live on
Just close your pretty eyes and you can be with me...
Dream on
Teo torriatte konomama iko
Aisuruhito yo
Shizukana yoi ni
Hikario tomoshi
Itoshiki oshieo idaki
When I'm gone
They'll say we're all fools and we don't understand
Oh be strong
Don't turn your heart
We're all
You're all
For all
For always
Let us cling together as the years go by
Oh my love, my love
In the quiet of the night
Let our candle always burn
Let us never lose the lessons we have learned
@Kiki_marine
Japanese fan here - just wanted to comment that the Japanese lyrics in this song is inexplicably gentle, sophisticated and beautiful. Not exactly the “modern” words we would use in daily life, but more like those of a quiet prayer. Thank you, Queen.
@lovemrj4ever
Beautiful
@elcacahuate7l979
Ow, that's actually so wholesome, thank you for sharing!
@thomacitalesarlley4030
Beautiful and emotional to me
@water9892
what does it mean?
@syntec1418
@water it's the same as the chorus you hear in English (let us cling together as the years go by, oh my love, my love ect) just in Japanese
@user-jg9nh6vb2l
手を取り合ってこのままいこう
愛する人よ
静かな宵に光を灯し
愛しき教えを抱き
日本人でも、こんなに美しい歌詞は簡単に紡ぐことは出来ない。
クイーンがどれだけ日本に感動を受けてくれたか、どれだけ日本を愛しているかを伝えるために、本当に心を込めて作ってくれたのだと思うと涙が止まらない。
クイーンは永遠です。
@Ayumu0104
東日本大震災が起きた時に、この曲がラジオやテレビにながれてて、とてもQueenにはとても感謝しています。i love you
@user-gh5od4tm7v
4０年以上前からクイーンを聴いている日本の男性です。
当時 福岡の九電記念体育館でのコンサートも行きました。
当初、日本の女性ファンの支持が圧倒的に多く大袈裟ではなく
日本から世界に羽ばたいたといえるグループであったと思います。
手をとりあってを初めて聴いた時にはメンバーが本当に
日本を愛してくれていることにうれしくて涙が出ました。
そして昨年、この神聖なる曲を東京オリンピックで聴いた時には
感動して再び涙が止まりませんでした。
映画 ボヘミアンラプソディがヒットしクイーンの歌が世代を超えて
受け入れられたことは自分自身が若い頃からクイーンの曲を聴いて
ファンであったことが間違いではなかったんだと確信できました。
@caiofb1988
おめでとう、私の友人！
日本ではどうなっていますか？