| “Killer Queen” | |||||
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| Single by Queen from the album Sheer Heart Attack |
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| A-side | "Killer Queen" | ||||
| B-side | "Flick of the Wrist" | ||||
| Released | 11 October 1974 | ||||
| Format | Vinyl record (7") | ||||
| Recorded | 1974 | ||||
| Genre | Glam rock | ||||
| Length | 3:03 | ||||
| Label | EMI (UK), Elektra (US) | ||||
| Writer(s) | Freddie Mercury | ||||
| Producer | Roy Thomas Baker and Queen | ||||
| Queen singles chronology | |||||
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"Killer Queen" is a song by the British rock band Queen. Queen were an English rock band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist For the Queen song of the same name see News of the World (album. A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of 7 inch Vinyl records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of 7 inch Vinyl records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s For the Queen song of the same name see News of the World (album. Events 1138 - A massive earthquake struck Aleppo, Syria. 1531 - Huldrych Zwingli is killed Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. A gramophone A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Glam rock (also known as glitter rock) is a sub-genre of Rock music that developed in the UK in the post- Hippie early 1970s which was "performed by In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music The EMI Group is a British music company comprising the major record company EMI Music – which operates several labels and is based in Kensington in Elektra Records is a now-dormant American Record label owned by Warner Music Group (WMG and from 2004 on operating under WMG's Atlantic Records A songwriter is someone who writes the Lyrics to songs the Musical composition (chords or Melody to songs or both Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara; 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991 was a Zanzibar -born British Musician, best known as the lead In the Music industry, a record producer or music producer has many roles among them controlling the recording sessions coaching and guiding the musicians organizing Roy Thomas Baker is an English Record producer who helped create a number of extremely popular pop and rock records from the 1970s to the present Queen were an English rock band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist Queen were an English rock band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist Seven Seas of Rhye is a song written by Freddie Mercury and performed by English rock group Queen. " Now I'm Here " is a song by the English Rock band Queen. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Queen were an English rock band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist It was their breakthrough hit, reaching #2 in the UK in early 1975. The song was taken from Queen's 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack, and was written by pianist and lead singer Freddie Mercury. For the Queen song of the same name see News of the World (album. Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara; 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991 was a Zanzibar -born British Musician, best known as the lead It was released as a Double A-side, along with "Flick of the Wrist". A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of 7 inch Vinyl records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s
Mercury commented that the influences he received for the track included early Beatles records, Beach Boys and (lyrically) Noel Coward. The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 The Beach Boys is an American rock band Formed in 1961 the group gained popularity for its close vocal harmonies and lyrics reflecting a California Youth culture Sir Noël Peirce Coward ( 16 December 1899 26 March 1973) was an English Actor, Playwright He wrote the lyrics first before adding the complex musical arrangements. The recording features elaborate 4-part vocal harmonies (particularly in the choruses, and also providing backing parts in the verses), and also an elaborate multitracked guitar solo by Brian May. Brian Harold May, CBE The song was included in the List of songs deemed inappropriate by Clear Channel following the September 11, 2001 attacks, although its inclusion has been subject to criticism. [1]
Contents |
Recording sessions
Besides using a grand piano as he used to, Freddie Mercury overdubbed the song with an upright (credited as "jangle piano"), in order to give the track a vaudeville sound. Vaudeville was a Genre of variety entertainment prevalent on the stage in the United States and Canada, from the early 1880s Besides piano, bass, drums, and guitar, there are several percussion instruments such as bike horn and bell tree. A horn is a tapered sound guide designed to provide an acoustic impedance match between a sound source and free air A bell tree is a Percussion instrument, consisting of vertically nested Metal bowls
Queen on the record
Freddie Mercury:[2]
| “ | People are used to hard rock, energy music from Queen, yet with this single you almost expect Noel Coward to sing it. It's one of those bowler hat, black suspender belt numbers – not that Coward would wear that. (. . . ) It's about a high class girl. I'm trying to say that classy people can be whores as well. That's what the song is about, though I'd prefer people to put their interpretation upon it – to read into it what they like. | ” |
Brian May:
| “ | 'Killer Queen' was the turning point. It was the song that best summed up our kind of music, and a big hit, and we desperately needed it as a mark of something successful happening for us. . . I was always very happy with this song. The whole record was made in a very craftsman-like manner. I still enjoy listening to it because there's a lot to listen to, but it never gets cluttered. There's always space for all the little ideas to come through. And of course I like the solo, with that three-part section, where each part has its own voice. What can I say? It's vintage Queen. The first time I heard Freddie playing that song, I was lying in my room in Rockfield [a residential recording studio in Wales], feeling very sick. Rockfield Studios, near Monmouth in Wales and just outside the village of Rockfield, are where many of British rock music’s most successful recordings After Queen's first American tour I had hepatitis, and then I had very bad stomach problems and I had to be operated on. So I remember just lying there, hearing Freddie play this really great song and feeling sad, because I thought, 'I can't even get out of bed to participate in this. Maybe the group will have to go on without me. ' No one could figure out what was wrong with me. But then I did go into the hospital and I got fixed up, thank God. And when I came out again, we were able to finish off 'Killer Queen. ' They left some space for me and I did the solo. I had strong feelings about one of the harmony bits in the chorus, so we had another go at that too. | ” |
Personal
- Freddie Mercury: lead vocal, piano
- Brian May: electric guitar, backing vocals
- John Deacon: bass guitar, backing vocals
- Roger Taylor: drums, backing vocals
Live recordings
- Live Killers (1979)
- We Will Rock You (1981)
References
External links
- Killer Queen – The Official Signed Limited Edition Book
- KillerQueenOnline.com – The longest running Queen tribute band
- Queenpedia - detailed worldwide release information
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