Sum 41 released their debut album, All Killer No Filler, in 2001 and achieved mainstream success through the album's first single, "Fat Lip", which reached number-one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart; it remains the band's most successful single to date. As of February 2017, they have since released five more studio albums: Does This Look Infected? (2002), Chuck (2004), Underclass Hero (2007), Screaming Bloody Murder (2011) and 13 Voices (2016).
The band was formed by singer-songwriter Deryck Whibley and drummer Steve Jocz, after Whibley convinced Jocz to join his band. Jocz was a drummer in another band and Whibley was convinced that "he was the best drummer around". The duo then added Dave Baksh as lead guitarist a year later and after going through several bassists, ended up picking Jason McCaslin to complete their lineup.
On May 10, 2006, Dave Baksh announced in a statement through his management company that he was leaving Sum 41 to work with his new band, Brown Brigade, which has a more "classic metal" sound. Baksh cited "creative differences" as the reason for his departure but claimed that he was still on good terms with the band. On March 9, 2010, Steve Jocz confirmed that new lead guitarist Tom Thacker will take part in the writing and recording.
On April 18, 2013, drummer Steve Jocz announced he would be leaving the band via his official Facebook page, leaving Whibley as the sole founding member of the band. Their follow up album will be the band's second collaboration as a trio and first with Whibley and McCaslin as the only two bandmates from their original release left.
In 2015 Frank Zummo became the drummer of the band replacing Jocz after his departure in 2013. On July 9, 2015, the band launched a PledgeMusic campaign for its comeback album. On July 23, 2015, the band played its comeback show at the Alternative Press Awards, which featured former lead guitarist Dave Baksh, joining the band on stage 9 years after officially leaving the band. The band's set also featured DMC as guest. Since the performance, rumors speculated that Dave had returned to the band rather than being just a guest. On August 14, 2015, Sum 41 announced through Alternative Press that Baksh had made his official return to the group, and will appear on the group's sixth album. On December 26, 2015, Sum 41 teased two new songs on Instagram's account. On January 1, 2016, Deryck Whibley published on the Facebook page that the new album is almost finished.
The band is set to perform on the 2016 Warped Tour. On May 11, 2016, the group announced its signing to Hopeless Records. On June 1, 2016, the band announced that an album was set to be released in the fall of 2016. On June 6, 2016, the group announced that the album would be titled '13 Voices and that it is scheduled for release on October 7, 2016. The first song off of the upcoming album, "Fake My Own Death", was released on June 28, 2016 through Hopeless Records' official YouTube channel, along with a music video for the song. The song was performed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on October 3, 2016. The album's first official single, "War", was released on August 25, 2016.[61] On September 28, 2016, the album's eighth track, "God Save Us All (Death to POP)" was leaked online, before being officially released (along with a live music video) on September 29, 2016.
Their seventh studio album, Order in Decline, was released July 19, 2019. The second single from the album "A Death in the Family" was released along with a music video on June 11. On June 18, "Never There" was released as the third single, along with a video. On July 8, the band released "45 (A Matter of Time)" as the fourth single, along with a video. On May 28, 2021, the band released a version of "Catching Fire" featuring Nothing, Nowhere, along with a music video.
On February 22, 2022, the band announced a U.S. tour with Simple Plan called the Blame Canada tour. The tour is set to run from April to August 2022. On March 23, 2022, the band announced their eighth studio album, 'Heaven and Hell', which is set to be a double album. 'Heaven' will be a pop punk album much like the band's early material while 'Hell' is a continuation of the band's more recent heavier metal sound.
Studio Albums:
'All Killer No Filler' (2001)
'Does This Look Infected?' (2002)
'Chuck' (2004)
'Underclass Hero' (2007)
'Screaming Bloody Murder' (2011)
'13 Voices' (2016)
'Order in Decline' (2019)
'Heaven and Hell' (2024)
Website: www.sum41.com
Killer Queen
Sum 41 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In her pretty cabinet
'Let them eat cake' she says
Just like Marie Antoinette
A built-in remedy
For Khrushchev and Kennedy
At anytime an invitation
You can't decline
Caviar and cigarettes
Well versed in etiquette
Extraordinarily nice
She's a Killer Queen
Gunpowder, gelatine
Dynamite with a laserbeam
Guaranteed to blow your mind
Anytime
Ooh, recommended at the price
Insatiable an appetite
Wanna try?
To avoid complications
She never kept the same address
In conversation
She spoke just like a baroness
Met a man from China
Went down to Geisha Minah
(killer, killer, she's a Killer Queen)
Then again incidentally
If you're that way inclined
Perfume came naturally from Paris (naturally)
For cars she couldn't care less
Fastidious and precise
She's a Killer Queen
Gunpowder, gelatine
Dynamite with a laser beam
Guaranteed to blow your mind
Anytime
Drop of a hat she's as willing as
Playful as a pussy cat
Then momentarily out of action
Temporarily out of gas
To absolutely drive you wild, wild
She's all out to get you
She's a Killer Queen
Gunpowder, gelatine
Dynamite with a laser beam
Guaranteed to blow your mind
Anytime
Ooh, recommended at the price
Insatiable an appetite
Wanna try?
You wanna try
The lyrics to Sum 41's "Killer Queen" paint a vivid picture of a woman who exudes power, luxury, and danger. The song opens with a mention of Moet et Chandon champagne, which the Killer Queen keeps in her pretty cabinet, evoking images of opulence and extravagance. The phrase "Let them eat cake" she says just like Marie Antoinette, adds to the luxurious imagery and parallels the Killer Queen to the famously indulgent queen of France. The next lines mention Khrushchev and Kennedy, political figures who were involved in the Cold War, and insinuate that the Killer Queen holds power over them.
Despite her power and luxury, the Killer Queen's true danger is revealed in the chorus. She's a "gunpowder, gelatine, dynamite with a laser beam," guaranteed to blow your mind. The line "Anytime" emphasizes the unpredictability and danger of the Killer Queen. The lyrics also describe her as "insatiable," willing to try anything and everything to satiate her appetite.
The second verse touches on the Killer Queen's elusiveness and secrecy. She never keeps the same address to avoid complications and speaks like a baroness, indicating a refined and sophisticated personality. The reference to Geisha Minah, a Japanese tea house, shows that the Killer Queen is well-traveled and worldly. Finally, the lyrics describe her as "fastidious and precise," emphasizing her attention to detail.
Overall, "Killer Queen" is a song that celebrates the exciting, dangerous, and intoxicating allure of someone who is both powerful and enigmatic.
Line by Line Meaning
She keeps her Moet et Chandon
She drinks fancy champagne, Moet et Chandon, which she keeps in her pretty cabinet.
'Let them eat cake' she says
She flaunts her wealth and privilege by saying 'Let them eat cake,' just like Marie Antoinette.
A built-in remedy
She has a solution for everything.
For Khrushchev and Kennedy
She can handle political leaders like Khrushchev and Kennedy with ease.
At anytime an invitation
She is always invited and can never be declined.
Caviar and cigarettes
She indulges in fancy foods like caviar and also smokes cigarettes.
Well versed in etiquette
She knows how to behave in high society and is very polite.
Extraordinarily nice
She appears very nice and friendly.
She's a Killer Queen
She is a powerful and dangerous woman.
Gunpowder, gelatine
She is as explosive as gunpowder and gelatine.
Dynamite with a laserbeam
She is like dynamite with a laser beam, unstoppable.
Guaranteed to blow your mind
She can amaze and astound you.
Anytime
She can do it at any time.
Ooh, recommended at the price
She is expensive but worth it.
Insatiable an appetite
She has an insatiable hunger for power and luxury.
Wanna try?
Do you dare to try and get close to her?
To avoid complications
She avoids getting too involved or attached, to keep things simple.
She never kept the same address
She is always on the move, never staying in one place too long.
In conversation
When she speaks, she sounds like a noblewoman or aristocrat.
She spoke just like a baroness
She talks like a noblewoman or baroness.
Met a man from China
She met a man from China, perhaps indicating her travels and international connections.
Went down to Geisha Minah
She went to a place called Geisha Minah, possibly a reference to a fancy, exotic club or restaurant.
(killer, killer, she's a Killer Queen)
She is still a killer queen, dangerous and powerful.
Then again incidentally
She quickly changes the subject.
If you're that way inclined
If you are interested in that kind of thing.
Perfume came naturally from Paris (naturally)
She wears natural perfume from Paris.
For cars she couldn't care less
She doesn't care about expensive cars.
Fastidious and precise
She is very careful and precise in everything she does.
Drop of a hat she's as willing as
She is always ready and willing to do what she wants at the drop of a hat.
Playful as a pussy cat
She can be playful and flirtatious like a cat.
Then momentarily out of action
She might disappear for a short time or change her approach.
Temporarily out of gas
She might get tired or run out of energy.
To absolutely drive you wild, wild
She can make you go wild with desire.
She's all out to get you
She is pursuing you relentlessly and will do anything to get what she wants.
Ooh, recommended at the price
She is worth the high price.
Insatiable an appetite
She has an insatiable hunger for power and luxury.
Wanna try?
Do you dare to try and get close to her?
You wanna try
Are you brave enough to try and get involved with her?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Freddie Mercury
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sometimes Amanda
So...Sum 41 is about the last band on earth I'd expect to beautifully nail a Queen cover but they did it! Definitely one of the best on that tribute album, too.
Edmeister
These guys are one of the few modern bands I actually like, and the fact that they can make an amazing cover of one of my favorite songs by my most favorite band of all time, has definitely made me respect them much more.
Seltiyel
I totally agree!
Srinivas Shri
Eagle agreed
noah lollar
Eagle this is not sum 41. I don't know who it is but it sure as fuck ain't them.
Aditi Verma
@noah lollar this is sum 41, that's Deryck's (the lead singer of sum 41) voice
TashieB1986
I have to say, this is THE BEST cover of this song I have ever heard. Well done sum 41, I love it!
Zach Mayer
he has a lot better of a voice than i thought
CyberKaze
this just shows you what a good band is
ALESSANDRO RE
Nice version... Great recording's work and so beatifull changes in licks that not loss the way from the original. Full stars!