Many overlook the fact that "We Will Rock You" is 95% a cappella. The only instrument on it is the guitar that appears in the last 30 seconds. Most of the song consists of the sounds of stomping feet, hand claps, and vocal chants that were multitracked to create the effect of a stadium filled with people making those sounds.
Boy oh boy do I agree with you!! There was a time I would have said Who Cares I’ve heard it a million times But then I realized how great it really is and I would miss it if I never could hear it again 😂 ‘Does that make any sense ??
Sure does! This journey into Queen definitely opened my eyes to songs I knew were there but never thought about what they were about or meant. WWRY is just so much a part of pop culture that if you're on the planet, you know it.
Welcome to News Of The World! This album is one of their biggest and most acclaimed works, after ANATO. This album adopts a simpler approach, toning down the elaborate flair for which Queen is famous. Those complexities still exist on it, just aren't as pronounced as they had been. Looking forward to you getting to Spread Your Wings and Sleeping On the Sidewalk.
Great to see you doing this album! This video was made in Roger Taylor's garden on a cold day. Freddie is wearing somebody else's gloves. There was a "making of" video that showed him swigging brandy and moving a bit erratically to the irritation of the people filming. Another video was shot that day: Spread Your Wings, written by John Deacon. Also that day, the band signed their farewell deal with their managerJohn Reid, who was sitting in a car nearby.
It's interesting and amusing to know that Freddie was tipsy while making this video. Despite that, everything seemed to align perfectly for the final product; his lively demeanor matched the song well. It's also intriguing that they filmed a second video on the same day. I wonder if it was shot in the same location. I'm surprised to hear that they ended their relationship with John Reid so soon-hadn't they only been with him for a few years at this point?
I can believe that. I don't remember a time when I wasn't aware of We Will Rock You, but it wasn't until the past few years that I learned it was by Queen. They have a few songs I’ve always known of, but I didn't realize who they were by until recently.
@AceM-Reacts same here. I thought Fat Bottom Girls was from a southern rock band and Another One Bites the Dust was a funk band. Didn't know they were from the same band that did Bohemian Rhapsody.
In the past radio stations would play We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions one after the other. It was almost as if the two were combined into the same track.
Freddie was drunk during this and the Spread Your Wings video made the same day. This was filmed on a cold February day and Freddie was drinking brandy trying to get warm. Instead he got sauced lol. Ended up throwing up in Roger’s rhododendron bush haha!
@AceM-Reacts let me tell you about the Spread Your Wings video. I think it makes it much more fun when you know the story ahead of time. They filmed both videos in Roger’s back yard of the mansion he was buying but didn’t own completely yet (the current owners weren’t sure he could afford it). Freddie pulls in the driveway with his new Rolls Royce (not sure he could afford it) and they all hop in to sign their amicable separation agreement with John Reid their manager. The band was now in charge of their own destiny. Like I said Freddie was drinking brandy to try and stay warm. If you watch the video you will see John Deacon playing the piano with his bass in his lap. Freddie was too drunk to play. John has to start playing his bass before he can even stand up. Then you see Freddie dragging around the mic stand because he didn’t have his usual mic. He finally pulls the mic out of the stand. He gets in front of Brian and Brian is trying not to laugh. At one point Freddie crouches down and makes a face at Brian and Brian starts to laugh but catches himself. Freddie then gets up on the drum riser and starts swinging the mic around and thankfully doesn’t hit anyone. At the end of the video you see him walking towards the camera with the mic wrapped around his neck! Spread Your Wings was taped first. He has Ratty’s gloves on that looks like they are held together by electrical tape haha. They say at this time Freddie wasn’t as used to drinking yet.
News Of The World is not that well regarded by many but I've always liked it a lot. They definitely pared back the elaborate arrangements and multi-layered vocals for a grittier, more straightforward sound, but the result is still pretty strong, especially side 1. There are a couple of weak tracks on side 2, but I rate this my 5th favourite Queen album, ahead of A Day At The Races.
I think the song is about being shamed by society for being unconventional. The verses focus on criticizing this person for their offkilteredness... "You big disgrace"... "somebody needs to put you back in your place"... etc.
Many overlook the fact that "We Will Rock You" is 95% a cappella. The only instrument on it is the guitar that appears in the last 30 seconds. Most of the song consists of the sounds of stomping feet, hand claps, and vocal chants that were multitracked to create the effect of a stadium filled with people making those sounds.
Boy oh boy do I agree with you!! There was a time I would have said Who Cares I’ve heard it a million times But then I realized how great it really is and I would miss it if I never could hear it again 😂 ‘Does that make any sense ??
Sure does! This journey into Queen definitely opened my eyes to songs I knew were there but never thought about what they were about or meant. WWRY is just so much a part of pop culture that if you're on the planet, you know it.
Welcome to News Of The World! This album is one of their biggest and most acclaimed works, after ANATO. This album adopts a simpler approach, toning down the elaborate flair for which Queen is famous. Those complexities still exist on it, just aren't as pronounced as they had been. Looking forward to you getting to Spread Your Wings and Sleeping On the Sidewalk.
Great to see you doing this album! This video was made in Roger Taylor's garden on a cold day. Freddie is wearing somebody else's gloves. There was a "making of" video that showed him swigging brandy and moving a bit erratically to the irritation of the people filming. Another video was shot that day: Spread Your Wings, written by John Deacon. Also that day, the band signed their farewell deal with their managerJohn Reid, who was sitting in a car nearby.
It's interesting and amusing to know that Freddie was tipsy while making this video. Despite that, everything seemed to align perfectly for the final product; his lively demeanor matched the song well. It's also intriguing that they filmed a second video on the same day. I wonder if it was shot in the same location. I'm surprised to hear that they ended their relationship with John Reid so soon-hadn't they only been with him for a few years at this point?
This song is iconic. Eveyone knows it but not many know its Queen and not many have heard more than the first verse and the guitar ending.
I can believe that. I don't remember a time when I wasn't aware of We Will Rock You, but it wasn't until the past few years that I learned it was by Queen. They have a few songs I’ve always known of, but I didn't realize who they were by until recently.
@AceM-Reacts same here. I thought Fat Bottom Girls was from a southern rock band and Another One Bites the Dust was a funk band. Didn't know they were from the same band that did Bohemian Rhapsody.
In the past radio stations would play We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions one after the other. It was almost as if the two were combined into the same track.
That's interesting. Wikipedia says it was a double-A side single. Maybe they were fused together to make one big, long song.
Freddie was drunk during this and the Spread Your Wings video made the same day. This was filmed on a cold February day and Freddie was drinking brandy trying to get warm. Instead he got sauced lol. Ended up throwing up in Roger’s rhododendron bush haha!
That's hilarious! I'd think if anybody could hold their liquor, it'd be Freddie! 🤣
@AceM-Reacts let me tell you about the Spread Your Wings video. I think it makes it much more fun when you know the story ahead of time. They filmed both videos in Roger’s back yard of the mansion he was buying but didn’t own completely yet (the current owners weren’t sure he could afford it). Freddie pulls in the driveway with his new Rolls Royce (not sure he could afford it) and they all hop in to sign their amicable separation agreement with John Reid their manager. The band was now in charge of their own destiny. Like I said Freddie was drinking brandy to try and stay warm. If you watch the video you will see John Deacon playing the piano with his bass in his lap. Freddie was too drunk to play. John has to start playing his bass before he can even stand up. Then you see Freddie dragging around the mic stand because he didn’t have his usual mic. He finally pulls the mic out of the stand. He gets in front of Brian and Brian is trying not to laugh. At one point Freddie crouches down and makes a face at Brian and Brian starts to laugh but catches himself. Freddie then gets up on the drum riser and starts swinging the mic around and thankfully doesn’t hit anyone. At the end of the video you see him walking towards the camera with the mic wrapped around his neck! Spread Your Wings was taped first. He has Ratty’s gloves on that looks like they are held together by electrical tape haha. They say at this time Freddie wasn’t as used to drinking yet.
News Of The World is not that well regarded by many but I've always liked it a lot. They definitely pared back the elaborate arrangements and multi-layered vocals for a grittier, more straightforward sound, but the result is still pretty strong, especially side 1. There are a couple of weak tracks on side 2, but I rate this my 5th favourite Queen album, ahead of A Day At The Races.
I think the song is about being shamed by society for being unconventional. The verses focus on criticizing this person for their offkilteredness... "You big disgrace"... "somebody needs to put you back in your place"... etc.
Hmmm. Now that you put it that way, I can see it.
Always take something new away from your reactions.
Thank you so much. I appreciate your saying that and watching! ☺