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)
The Millionaire Waltz
Queen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There is spring in the air once again
Drink to the sound of the song parade
There is music and love everywhere
Give a little love to me (I want it)
Take a little love from me
I wanna share it with you
Feel like a millionaire
Once we were mad, we were happy
We spent all our days holding hands together
Do you remember, my love?
How we danced and played
In the rain we laid
(Really wish that we could stay there)
Forever and ever
Now I am sad, you are so far away
I sit counting the hours day by day
Come back to me
How I long for your love
Come back to me
Be happy like we used to be
Come back, come back to me
Come back, come back to me
Oh, come back to me, oh, my love
How I long for your love
Won't you come back to me?
My fine friend
Take me with you and love me forever
My fine friend
Forever, forever
Bring out the charge of the love brigade
There is spring in the air once again
Drink to the sound of the song parade
There is music and love everywhere
Give a little love to me (I want it)
Take a little love from me
I wanna share it with you, oh
Come back
Come back to me
Make me feel
You make me feel like a millionaire
The Millionaire Waltz by Queen is a melodic plea for love and connection. The song opens with an invitation to celebrate love, to bask in the springtime air, to enjoy the music and give and take in the joys of love. The singer invites his love interest to take a little love from him, to share it with him, to be with him so that he can feel like a millionaire. Memories of the past make the chorus even more melancholic as the singer mourns his separation from his love. He reminisces about how they once were happy, how they would play together, dance together and hold hands together. He remembers how they spent their time enjoying each other’s company, in the rain they laid, and how he wishes they could stay there forever.
In the second verse, we see the singer separated from his love, he’s counting the hours day by day, waiting for his love to come back to him so that he can be happy like they once were. The singer pleads with his love interest to come back to him, to love him forever, to make him feel like a millionaire. The last two lines of the song are repeated to emphasize how much the singer longs for his love to come back to him, to fill the void and return him to the happier times of the past.
The song's lyrics convey a longing for companionship and a desire to relive past happy moments. It is a plea for lost love to come back to the singer so that he can be complete again. The waltz rhythm creates a melancholic vibe, with the singer lamenting the loss of his love. The song's message is simple, love is all that matters, and the memories associated with it are priceless.
Line by Line Meaning
Bring out the charge of the love brigade
Let us celebrate love in a grand way
There is spring in the air once again
Love is in the air and it's a new beginning
Drink to the sound of the song parade
Let us raise a toast to love and happiness
There is music and love everywhere
Love and music are all around us
Give a little love to me (I want it)
Please show me some love
Take a little love from me, I want to share it with you
I have love to give, please take some from me
I feel like a millionaire
I feel rich in love and happiness
Once we were mad, we were happy
We were crazy in love and very happy
We spent all our days holding hands together
We were always together, holding hands and enjoying each other's company
Do you remember, my love?
Do you recall those happy times, my dear?
How we danced and played
We used to dance and have fun
In the rain we laid
We lay down in the rain, enjoying each other
Wish that we could stay there, forever and ever
I wish we could have stayed in that moment forever
Now I am sad
I am sad now that you are gone
You are so far away
You are too far away from me
I sit counting the hours day by day
I spend my days waiting for you
Come back to me, how I long for your love
Please come back to me, I miss your love so much
Come back to me - be happy like we used to be
Come back to me and let's be happy together like we used to be
Come back, come back to me
Please come back to me
Oh, come back to me, oh my love
Please come back to me, my love
How I long for your love - won't you come back to me, yeah
I miss your love so much, please come back to me
My fine friend - take me wiz you unt love me forever
My dear friend, take me with you and love me forever
My fine friend - forever - forever
My dear friend, let's be together forever
Come back, come back to me - make me feel
Please come back to me and make me feel happy again
You make me feel like a millionaire
You make me feel rich in love and happiness
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Freddie Mercury
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jakob Čepon
1970. Freddie joined the band.
1970. Queen was formed.
1971. John deacon joined the band.
1973. Debut album
1975. The greatest song.
1977. Two of the greatest rock anthem ever.
1978. The happiest song ever.
1980. The greatest bassline
1981. The most iconic bassline
1985. The greatest performance.
1991. The greatest frontman in rock history. Died 😞.
1992. The greatest tribute concert for Freddie.
1995. The most emotion album was released. And it was made in heaven 😔.
2018. A great movie. Bohemian rhapsody.
R.I.P freddie mercury.
Queen forever 🤩.
Cristian Pinzón
That guitar solo! That voice! That piano! That bass! What a band. Like D. Bowie said once, "God bless Queen".
crucifixnails
Cristian Pinzón didn't know he said that. Thanks. I'm a Bowie fan boy, and my brother is Queen.
Bárbara Sanjurjo
Cristian Pinzón that drums too
T Sommers
Cristian Pinzón Long Live the Queen
camille Bonenfant
And that drum!
Vlad Minzer
look Bowie's perfomans at the Mercury tribute concert (after "Heroes")
HDpiano
Queen, y'all were too much. <3
Glopbop 4484
One of the best piano tutorial channels!
Wann 407
@Glopbop 4484 ya right
Alejo _Paredes
@Glopbop 4484 nacho pozo: hold My beer