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)
We Will Rock You
Queen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Playing in the street, gonna be a big man someday
You got mud on your face, you big disgrace
Kicking your can all over the place, singin'
We will, we will rock you
We will, we will rock you
Shouting in the street, gonna take on the world someday
You got blood on your face, you big disgrace
Waving your banner all over the place
We will, we will rock you (sing it out)
We will, we will rock you
Buddy, you're an old man, poor man
Pleading with your eyes, gonna make you some peace someday
You got mud on your face, big disgrace
Somebody better put you back into your place
We will, we will rock you, sing it
We will, we will rock you, everybody
We will, we will rock you, hmm
We will, we will rock you
Alright
The lyrics of Queen's "We Will Rock You" are an anthem for anyone who wants to make a mark in the world, regardless of their age or background. The song begins with a young boy in the streets, being told to make a big noise and play hard because he will be a big man someday. The verse repeats and adds that the boy has mud on his face - a symbol of hard work and perseverance. The chorus begins, with the declaration that "we will rock you." The repetition of this statement is electric and seeks to excite the listener with a sense of anticipation and unity.
The next verse follows the same pattern, but now the boy has grown up to be a young man. He is shouting in the streets, telling the world that he is ready for anything. Again, he has blood on his face, but this time it signifies strength and endurance. The chorus repeats, stating that "we will rock you" with even more intensity, as if the listener is being egged on to join in.
The final verse is more reflective, with the boy now an old man. He is pleading with his eyes for some peace, but someone better put him back into his place because he still has mud on his face. The chorus repeats again, with the crowd joining in and the song fading away triumphantly. Overall, "We Will Rock You" is a song that encourages people to be bold, brave, and to stand up for what they believe in.
Line by Line Meaning
Buddy, you're a boy, make a big noise
Hey there, young man, don't be shy or quiet! Make some noise and make a statement.
Playing in the street, gonna be a big man someday
Even if you're just playing around now, you have the potential to become something great in the future.
You got mud on your face, you big disgrace
You may not look perfect, but that doesn't matter. Keep being yourself and doing your thing.
Kicking your can all over the place, singin'
As you go on your journey to becoming a man, people may try to knock you down or hold you back. But keep moving forward and don't let them get to you.
We will, we will rock you
Others may doubt you, but we believe in you and your potential. You will succeed and become great.
Buddy, you're a young man, hard man
As you get older, life can get tougher. But don't back down from the challenges and obstacles that come your way.
Shouting in the street, gonna take on the world someday
Be confident and speak up for what you believe in. You have the power to make a difference in the world.
You got blood on your face, you big disgrace
You may have faced some tough situations and come out bruised or battered, but that doesn't make you any less of a person.
Waving your banner all over the place
Stand up for your beliefs and show the world what you stand for. Be proud of who you are and what you represent.
We will, we will rock you (sing it out)
Raise your voice and let the world hear you. Don't be afraid to make some noise and show the world what you're capable of.
Buddy, you're an old man, poor man
Even if you've gone through some tough times or have faced some hardships in life, you still have value and worth.
Pleading with your eyes, gonna make you some peace someday
You may have some regrets or things you wish you could change, but don't lose hope. You can still find peace and happiness in the future.
Somebody better put you back into your place
Don't let others try to control or push you around. Stand up for yourself and be your own person.
We will, we will rock you, sing it
We will continue to support you and believe in you, no matter what challenges or hardships you may face.
We will, we will rock you, everybody
Everyone has the potential to make a difference and achieve greatness. We all have something valuable to contribute to the world.
We will, we will rock you, hmm
We will continue to push forward and make a difference, no matter what obstacles we face or what others may say.
We will, we will rock you
Through hard work, determination, and perseverance, we will achieve our goals and make a positive impact on the world.
Alright
Let's do this.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Brian Harold May
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nugget6028
Buddy, you're a boy, make a big noise
Playing in the street, gonna be a big man someday
You got mud on your face, you big disgrace
Kicking your can all over the place, singin'
We will, we will rock you
We will, we will rock you
Buddy, you're a young man, hard man
Shouting in the street, gonna take on the world someday
You got blood on your face, you big disgrace
Waving your banner all over the place
We will, we will rock you, sing it
We will, we will rock you
Buddy, you're an old man, poor man
Pleading with your eyes, gonna make you some peace someday
You got mud on your face, big disgrace
Somebody better put you back into your place
@helenaachagas
Buddy, you’re a boy, make a big noise
Playing in the street, gonna be a big man some day
You got mud on your face, you big disgrace
Kicking your can all over the place
We will, we will rock you
We will, we will rock you
Buddy, you’re a young man, hard man
Shouting in the street, gonna take on the world some day
You got blood on your face, you big disgrace
Waving your banner all over the place
We will, we will rock you
We will, we will rock you
Buddy, you’re an old man, poor man
Pleading with your eyes, gonna make you some peace some day
You got mud on your face, you big disgrace
Somebody better put you back into your place
We will, we will rock you
We will, we will rock you
We will, we will rock you
We will, we will rock you
@helenaachagas
Amigo, você é um garoto, faça um barulhão
Tocando na rua, vai ser um grande homem algum dia
Você tem lama no seu rosto, sua grande desgraça
Chutando sua lata pra todo lugar
Nós vamos, nós vamos sacudir você
Nós vamos, nós vamos sacudir você
Amigo, você é cara jovem, um cara forte
Gritando na rua, vai enfrentar o mundo algum dia
Você tem sangue no seu rosto, sua grande desgraça
Agitando sua bandeira por todo lugar
Nós vamos, nós vamos sacudir você
Nós vamos, nós vamos sacudir você
Amigo, você é um homem velho, pobre homem
Suplicando com seus olhos, vai causar alguma paz algum dia
Você tem lama no seu rosto, sua grande desgraça
É melhor alguém te colocar de volta no seu lugar
Nós vamos, nós vamos sacudir você
Nós vamos, nós vamos sacudir você
Nós vamos, nós vamos sacudir você
Nós vamos, nós vamos sacudir você
@jmr1068204
For those not familiar with the lyrics:
Buddy, you're a boy, make a big noise
Playing in the street
Gonna be a big man someday
You got mud on your face
You big disgrace
Kicking your can
All over the place, singing
We will, we will rock you
We will, we will rock you
Buddy, you're a young man, hard man
Shouting in the street
Gonna take on the world someday
You got blood on your face
You big disgrace
Waving your banner
All over the place
We will, we will rock you (Sing it out)
We will, we will rock you
Buddy, you're an old man, poor man
Pleading with your eyes
Gonna make you some peace someday
You got mud on your face
Big disgrace
Somebody better put you back
Into your place
We will, we will rock you, sing it
We will, we will rock you, everybody
We will, we will rock you, hmm
We will, we will rock you, alright
@Ivosferatus
"You're a legend Fred"
"We're all legends"
@hidof9598
Of course!Right yeah!
@MrBrayan1299
Sadly, a shitty movie
@jaycuevas5954
Movie got me and my girl balling, so overwhelming 💯❤
@paulgreen7138
I watched it the 1st of Nov in Australia
@antonkuligin4474
Russia)
@OwenGrady1999
My teacher: What kind of instrument do you play?
Me and the boys: Table
@Tanquismo207
That one kid: RULER
@isamsemo7105
The good old days 😂
@MashaB17
AHAHAHAAHHAHHAHAHAHA