Before Queen, Taylor founded Smile with Brian May. Smile released one album in Japan which is now available throughout the world as Ghost of a Smile. Smile wrote a few of the songs which would later appear on Queen's self-titled debut album, and one - Doin' Alright was featured on the Smile album.
Taylor also fronted another band, The Cross from 1987 to 1991. The first album, Shove it (1988) was a solo album by Taylor in all but name - he wrote all the songs and played most of the instruments himself. This was an experiment that didn't really work for Taylor and in the other two albums by The Cross he allowed the other members of the band to contribute more, resulting in more traditionally styled rock albums.
Out of the four original members of Queen Taylor and guitarist Brian May continued to play as Queen + Paul Rodgers between 2004 and 2008. Of the other original members singer Freddie Mercury tragically died in 1991 and bassist John Deacon retired from music business in the mid-1990's.
In 2009, after the partnership between him, Brian and Paul ended, Roger worked on some new solo material from which his single The Unblinking Eye (Everything is Broken) was digitally released at 23th November at Queenonline.com. At the moment it is unclear how the future of Queen will look like, though Roger has announced that he will do a short tour in the spring of 2010.
A Nation of Haircuts
Roger Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
god help us all we're a nation of haircuts
how can you ever stand tall in a nation of haircuts?
we don't make ships and we don't make cars
but we look real good hanging out in bars
you better never grow old in a nation of haircuts
or you'll be out in the cold in a nation of haircuts
fashion rules in a nation of haircuts
check your shoes check your hair
last week's thing oh dear
and we salute you all you groovy dudes
yeah we salute you you're so fucking cool
check you threads check your cred but you better not smile
don't move too quick you might spoil your hairstyle
check your shoes check your hair
looking good yeah
you got to drink the right drink in a nation of haircuts
you better watch what you think in a nation of haircuts
a nation of haircuts
a nation of haircuts
a nation of haircuts
a nation of haircuts
i said a keith richard not a cliff richard
The lyrics of A Nation of Haircuts by Roger Taylor of Queen fame, seem to be a critical commentary on the obsession of the modern society with external appearances and fastidious grooming that has replaced substance and skill. The first verse could be interpreted as a reference to how difficult it is for true talent and knowledge to flourish in a society where appearance is valued over everything else. The phrase "God help us all" could be a sarcastic take on how a superficial standard of beauty has become a national obsession. The chorus emphasizes this point by stating that in a society where style and appearance become the norm, it's hard to stand out (or stand tall) without conforming.
The second verse talks about how fashion and trends dictate everything in a nation of haircuts, where there is no point of view or original thought. People are constantly checking their shoes, hair, and trying to keep up with the latest trends. The bridge of the song seems to be mocking the idea of a 'groovy dude' who tries too hard to belong to a certain cool tribe, who sacrifices their personality and individuality for the sake of fashion. The phrase 'Check your threads, check your cred, but you better not smile', again highlights the absurdity of this kind of behavior.
Overall, the song seems to be a warning about the dangers of homogenization of tastes and aesthetics, and a protest against how we as a society judge people based on their appearance alone, while ignoring their skills, knowledge, and character.
Line by Line Meaning
how can you ever stand tall?
How can you maintain your individuality and dignity amidst conformity and shallowness?
god help us all we're a nation of haircuts
Our society is obsessed with appearance and lacks depth and substance.
how can you ever stand tall in a nation of haircuts?
How can you retain your integrity and sense of self in a society that prioritizes superficiality?
we don't make ships and we don't make cars
Our society doesn't produce anything of real value or substance.
but we look real good hanging out in bars
We prioritize looking good and fitting in over actually doing something meaningful or productive.
you better never grow old in a nation of haircuts
As you age, it becomes harder to meet society's unrealistic beauty standards and you may be cast aside as irrelevant.
or you'll be out in the cold in a nation of haircuts
If you don't conform to society's expectations, you may be rejected or ostracized.
no point of view in a nation of haircuts
Our society doesn't encourage individual thought or critical thinking.
fashion rules in a nation of haircuts
Conformity to trends and fashion is valued above all else in our society.
check your shoes check your hair, last week's thing oh dear
We're obsessed with constantly updating our appearance to keep up with ever-changing fashion trends.
and we salute you all you groovy dudes, yeah we salute you you're so fucking cool
We celebrate and idolize those who conform to society's beauty standards and fashion trends.
check your threads check your cred but you better not smile
We prioritize seeming cool and fitting in over genuine expression and emotion.
don't move too quick you might spoil your hairstyle
We're so concerned with our appearance that we limit our movements and actions to avoid messing up our hair.
you got to drink the right drink in a nation of haircuts
Our society values fitting in and appearing trendy even in our choice of beverage.
you better watch what you think in a nation of haircuts
Our society doesn't encourage or tolerate independent or unconventional thought.
a nation of haircuts
The overarching theme and critique of the song - our society is shallow, obsessed with appearance, and lacking in substance.
i said a keith richard not a cliff richard
An example of someone who embodies individuality and nonconformity compared to someone who fits society's beauty standards and trends.
Contributed by Jordyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@cassgarsa1341
Roger is so talented... His music never gets old.
@heatherqualy9143
This song has grown on me over the last year or so. I thought it was interesting, then pretty good, now it’s one of my favourites. These lyrics are fantastic, and the guitar riff is so darn catchy!
@darlingdiaz4238
WHY IS THIS SONG SO FUCKING GOOD?!
ROGER, WHAT A TALENT. 🌸
@user-ms2kt8sy8w
His description is always outstanding. A man of letters without unnecessities. A modern version of Pentateuch.
@hippiejane2683
OMG, I love it. Spending a lot of time on YouTube during self-isolation.
@space.trucks.1138
Love It.
@airhead6258
underrated af
@darlingdiaz4238
YES.
@franhowell7294
I salute you Roger 😎
You're so fucking cool!!!!
@georgeshannon1128
Cool as Fuck 😍🤘🤘🤘🍻