By January of 2005, Roger Taylor admitted to German television that they would be touring Europe in the spring and summer of that year, under the name of "Queen + Paul Rodgers". The full line up included original "Queen" members May (guitar, vocals) and Taylor (drums, vocals) as well as former "The Pretenders" and "Brian May Band" member Jamie Moses (guitar, vocals), former "Blue Oyster Cult" bassist Danny Miranda (bass, vocals), Queen's 1986 tour keyboard player Spike Edney (keyboards, vocals) and Paul Rodgers (vocals, occasional guitar). Over the course of 2005, the band played in over a dozen European countries as well as the Aruba Festival, 4 dates in Japan, 2 shows in the U.S.A., and 1 show in South Africa The band embarked upon a large scale tour of Northern America during Spring 2006, hitting 22 venues in the U.S.A. and 2 in Canada.
Some controversy was caused within the "Queen" fan base over the use of the name. There was concern over the fact that Queen's legendary front man, Freddie Mercury, was seemingly being replaced. However, each band member has said this is not the case: Rodgers could never replace Freddie Mercury but brought his own talents to the band. Furthermore, the fact that retired former "Queen" bassist John Deacon was also missing caused some discontent. Yet despite this, by and large "Queen" fans were won over by the band's blues-tinted renditions of "Queen" classics. Additionally, Paul Rodgers' fans were happy with the inclusion of several Free and Bad Company anthems on the set list, providing super-powered versions of tunes such as "All Right Now" and "Can't Get Enough".
After the end of the Return of the Champions Tour, the band set out to and completed their first and heretofore only album The Cosmos Rocks which debuted to warm reviews by fans in September 2008. Consequently the band toured again in late 2008 throughout Europe, Asia, and South America to promote the album. The Rock the Cosmos Tour in all was seen by nearly 1 million people in almost two dozen nations. The tour was highlighted by its first performance, recorded for DVD and CD, where the band played before over 350,000 fans in Freedom Square, Kharkiv, Ukraine. Said show was in fact put together at the last moment to benefit HIV/AIDS awareness.
On 14th May 2009, Paul Rodgers announced that his collaboration with the surviving active members of "Queen" was at and end, and that the "Queen + Paul Rodgers" project was being placed on indefinite hiatus. While, the band members did not rule out working together again, each sought to pursue solo projects, or in the case of Paul Rodgers, a reunion with Bad Company. The band has not gotten back together since, but Rodgers has stated that he's open to the idea of doing more, specially for charity.
Radio Ga Ga
Queen + Paul Rodgers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My only friend through teenage nights
And everything I had to know
I heard it on my radio
You gave them all those old time stars
Through wars of worlds invaded by Mars
You made 'em laugh, you made 'em cry
So don't become some background noise
A backdrop for the girls and boys
Who just don't know or just don't care
And just complain when you're not there
You had your time, you had the power
You've yet to have your finest hour
Radio, everybody!
All we hear is radio ga ga
Radio goo goo
Radio ga ga
All we hear is radio ga ga
Radio blah blah
Radio, what's new?
Radio, someone still loves you
We watch the shows, we watch the stars
On videos for hours and hours
We hardly need to use our ears
How music changes through the years
Let's hope you never leave, old friend
Like all good things, on you we depend
So stick around 'cause we might miss you
When we grow tired of all this visual
Had your time, you had the power
You've yet to have your finest hour
Radio
All we hear is radio ga ga
Radio goo goo
Radio ga ga
All we hear is radio ga ga
Radio goo goo
Radio ga ga
All we hear is radio ga ga
Radio blah blah
Radio, what's new?
Radio, someone still loves you
Loves
You
The lyrics of Queen + Paul Rodgers's "Radio Ga Ga" are a tribute to the power of radio in giving people hope, entertainment, and information. The first verse sets the scene of a lonely teenager finding solace in radio late at night. The second verse goes back further in time to the era of old radio programs that brought famous stars and sci-fi stories to the public. The chorus repeats the onomatopoeic expressions of "radio ga ga" and "radio goo goo" to suggest the mindless repetition and commercialization of radio, yet the singers insist that radio still has something to offer, that it's not just background noise or a poor substitute for TV. The final verse acknowledges the rise of videos as a dominant medium but asks radio to stay relevant and beloved, and suggests that radio still has the potential to inspire and unite people.
Beneath its catchy melody and anthemic chorus, "Radio Ga Ga" reflects Queen's nostalgic view of the bygone era of radio and their awareness of the changes in the music industry and media landscape during the 1980s. The song was inspired by Roger Taylor's fond memories of listening to his family's radio as a child, and it became a hit single from the band's 1984 album "The Works." The song's music video features footage of classic radio shows, including Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" broadcast, and Freddie Mercury communicates with a stadium full of fans through a radio transmitter. Here are some other interesting facts about "Radio Ga Ga":
• The song's title is said to refer to the catchphrase of a character in the children's TV show "The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers."
• "Radio Ga Ga" was famously featured in the opening scene of the Academy Award-winning movie "Bohemian Rhapsody" (2018), which chronicled the life and legacy of Queen and Freddie Mercury.
• In the concert film "Queen Rock Montreal" (1981), Queen performs a different song called "Intro: Flash" that features the same rhythmic clapping and chanting as "Radio Ga Ga."
• The video game "Grand Theft Auto IV" (2008) features "Radio Ga Ga" as a song on the in-game radio station "Vladivostok FM."
• Paul Rodgers, who joined Queen as lead vocalist in the 2000s, contributed backing vocals and piano to the studio version of "Radio Ga Ga."
• The song's lyrics were translated into Hebrew and included in a groundbreaking album of Israeli songs that fused traditional and modern musical styles.
• Brian May has described "Radio Ga Ga" as a "clever and important song," noting that it deals with "transience and the effect of massive technological transitions" and captures the "spirit of defiance" of human creativity in the face of "machines taking over."
• "Radio Ga Ga" was covered by the comedian and actor Weird Al Yankovic as part of his medley "Polka Party!" (1986).
• The song's refrain has been adapted or parodied in various contexts, such as a "Sesame Street" segment about the sounds of animals ("Elmo moo moo, Big Bird woof woof").
• The chord progression of "Radio Ga Ga" is relatively simple and repeats throughout the song: C, G/B, Am, F, C/G, G, C. The song's key is C major.
Chords:
Intro: C G Am F C G
Verse: C G Am F C G C G
Chorus: F C G Am F C G Am F C G C G
Line by Line Meaning
I'd sit alone and watch your light
I spent my teenage nights listening to you.
My only friend through teenage nights
During my teenage years, you were my only companion.
And everything I had to know
I learned everything I needed to know from listening to you.
I heard it on my radio
It was through the radio that I heard everything and learned about the world.
You gave them all those old time stars
You introduced us to the legendary stars of a bygone era.
Through wars of worlds invaded by Mars
Even during times of war and chaos, you were there like a comforting presence.
You made 'em laugh, you made 'em cry
Listening to you was an emotional roller coaster - you made us laugh and cry.
You made us feel like we could fly
Your music gave us wings and made us feel invincible.
So don't become some background noise
Don't let yourself become insignificant.
A backdrop for the girls and boys
Don't let yourself be relegated to being a mere background for the younger generation.
Who just don't know or just don't care
The youth today might not understand or appreciate your significance.
And just complain when you're not there
But they will surely miss you when you're gone.
You had your time, you had the power
You ruled the airwaves once upon a time.
You've yet to have your finest hour
But you haven't given your best performance yet.
Radio, everybody!
This is a tribute to the power of radio and the impact it has had on our lives.
All we hear is radio ga ga
We are inundated with meaningless noise and chatter, thanks to modern technology.
Radio goo goo
We hear senseless babble instead of meaningful content.
Radio ga ga
The glory days of radio are long gone.
All we hear is radio ga ga
Modern technology has drowned out the beauty and significance of the radio.
Radio blah blah
The current state of radio programming is unimpressive and lacks substance.
Radio, what's new?
Where is the innovation and creativity that radio used to represent?
Radio, someone still loves you
Despite all of this, there are still people who appreciate and love radio.
We watch the shows, we watch the stars
We are more focused on celebrity culture and entertainment than ever before.
On videos for hours and hours
We spend countless hours watching videos and live streams of our favorite stars and shows.
We hardly need to use our ears
We are less focused on the audio and more interested in the visual aspects of entertainment.
How music changes through the years
The evolution of music and entertainment over time is astounding.
Let's hope you never leave, old friend
We hope that radio remains a constant in our lives for years to come.
Like all good things, on you we depend
We rely on radio as a source of comfort, entertainment, and information.
So stick around 'cause we might miss you
Don't disappear on us, because we might realize how much we need you.
When we grow tired of all this visual
When we realize that the visual aspects of entertainment have grown stale, we may turn back to radio.
Had your time, you had the power
Radio was once the most powerful medium of entertainment and information.
You've yet to have your finest hour
But there is still time for it to make a comeback and reclaim its former glory.
Radio
A tribute to the power, significance, and nostalgia of radio.
Loves
The enduring affection for radio and all it has brought to our lives.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Roger Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@docnflossie7351
Cool 😎
@regent0419
Thanks for posting^^
@charliehorton3158
Freddie wouldn't approve. This guy can't sing.
@DML1978
I do not agree. Freddie loved Paul back since his Free and Bad Company days. Paul Rodgers is an amazing vocalist, and he never tried to be or copy Freddie. He also gave Queen Music a new bluesy touch, which I liked at that point. I guess it's a taste thing if someone likes him or not, but no-one can say that he cannot sing. 😉
@carolhagerty4288
@@DML1978 I am also saying that he’s not a good vocalist. He has no vibrato, he can’t really hold notes, he chops them short and many of his notes just fizzle out. Power wise, he is also lacking.