This song led to bicycle shops selling out of bells whenever Queen toured in their area. Fans would purchase bicycle bells to ring when they performed this song and it frequently led to shops selling out.
I don't see it as a person who was passionate about bicycling as much as person who just wants to be left alone. He doesn't want to get caught up in anything, he doesn't want to get involved, he just wants to do something simple and fun.
I think this song is really a metaphor for generally 'disregarding what others think and doing what you like when you want' , as indeed Freddie Mercury did.
This song takes me back to being 10-12 years old. I didn't care about politics, world events, whatever - I just wanted to ride my bike with my friends. Every once in a while, we'd race. Hurry through chores so you could get back out there. Obnoxiously ring the bell if any pedestrians came within 50 feet. I miss those days.
'Freddie was inspired by seeing the Tour de France' Apparently, the story behind this one is that Freddie slept with one of the Tour de France athletes, who's English wasn't very good, and his response to everything was simply, 'I like to ride my bike'. Obviously, one can never be certain about the validity rock legends like this but the lyrics certainly make sense in that context.
One of the things that I like about Queen is they are not afraid to challenge the "rules" of rock but moved comfortably into various classifications of music, not to be taken too seriously didn't seem a problem.
I think this is an ode to personal freedom, not strictly confined to cycling. It’s a fun song contrasting with the overly serious social conscious folk song movement, that became popular in the ‘60’s when the members of Queen were growing up.
If Roger can be in love with his car then Freddy can most certainly want to ride a bike! He rode a bike in “Lazing on a Sunday afternoon” (Bicycling on every Wednesday evening “CHING CHING” of bells), I always felt “bicycling” was a running theme after this one. Fun song!
As Queen’s popularity grew, the also grew away from there deeper/darker/complex, work. I always preferred the older version of Queen but sill had a torch lit for them at any level. I even love HOT SPACE album in which they were ridiculed by press and fans. Queen could change genres as fast as they could change wardrobes. BTW, QUEEN 2 turned 50 yesterday. You touched on it but missed the best parts of it all. I understand your “50 series” and what a great ride!!! Thanks Amy!
Hot Space should never have been made. And I say that purely on musical merrits, not based on any preconceived notion what Queen should be like. The Album is just bad.
This is another song that isn't meant to be taken too seriously. It's just dumb fun. I think Freddie saw the guys in their spandex outfits and thought he would look good out there with them. I do love the bass line on the chorus.
One of the things i love about Queen was the cheeky aspect, the tounge in cheek that is there in certain songs many other rock acts were far too serious in the 70s, so the balance was refreshing. Fun song, on the vinyl of the Jazz album, there was an insert of naked ladies on bikes, quite fun!
It was a cold, November night in 1978 when Queen was touring in support for JAZZ and I was right up front of the stage with a bicycle bell. Freddie noticed and wanted to look it over and, of course I obliged. He rang it a couple of times before tossing it back to me. Only after bouncing off my (now bloody) lip then, into my hands only for someone take it from me! Well, something snapped in me and I took my elbow and slammed it into his belly and took it back. I didn’t get stabbed or beaten. I got my bell back. Sadly, when I moved out of my parents home the following year my mother threw it out 😖
I think this is one of Queen's most operatic songs. It's more like 20th century opera, the way it zooms around, changes tempo and suddenly shifts. I think it's an under-rated modernist piece hiding in plain sight. Remember, Freddie had many layers and he knew his music. The joke's on us if we take it too literally or get distracted by gimmicks (ooh, look naked women on bikes!)
I knew uou wouldn't be able to do the video, but think you would enjoy the reckless abandon and risque theme. Surprisingly over 200 women showed up for the filming!! Check it out sometime! Thank you for another great reaction!!! 😃
This song was popular when I was young... It might be cheesy to some but there's something about this song 😅. Now as a 51yr old, I still sing this evertime I ride my bike.
I remember reading that Queen put out ads in local newspapers back then inviting ladies to be in the video if they were ok with being nude in it. Obviously many ladies answered as there are many in the video. What really made me laugh was the company that rented Queen the bicycles insisted they pay to have all the bike seats replaced with new seats!
Now that I listen to the lyrics, it’s clearly a peace oriented song. Though I always understood the lyrics “I don’t like star wars “ as “look at these morons on tv thinking they’re something important fighting about nothing”, now I realise it’s about living in a peaceful world. “I wanna have the right to ride my bike whenever I please, without harming anybody, and not having to be bothered by people with no empathy going on about why wars are necessary and suffering when they actually carry them out.” He’s also saying to those people preaching about joining politics: “By peacefully riding my bike, I’m making a statement about peace. Don’t consider me out of politics, I may even be doing more than yourself.”
I think this song is just about freedom and getting away from the clutches of the rat race. So substitute the humdrum banal cut throat rat race for the carefree, who cares who wins bicycle race. Which, if you consider the lyrics and phrasing, is more of a sedate appreciative adventure of nature on a bike than a race
I think this song is a metaphor for being yourself. It is basically just saying that just should be who you want to be and that you should not be worried about what is popular or the popular topic of the day. You should just be authentic to yourself.
While this may not be my favorite song, it has great memories attached to it. Ever since the release of Queen's Greatest hits there has been a copy in one format or another of it in my car. When my kids were small, it was the one album we could all agree to listen to on road trips. They sang along with every song (we all did) and Bicycle Race was was one of their favorites. It was always sung at the top of their lungs! Fat Bottom Girls was pretty hilarious too. They didn't look for meaing in the lyrics, the songs were just irresistable.
I remember to your reaction to Roger's "car song", when you mentioned, that you could smell the gasoline, the grease and imgaine an old car service. This song gives very similar experiences, you can see and smell 😅the sweat, the rise and slope on the road, and the sportsmen's determination. I can imagine all these aboves, it might be my mom's impact, because she was a great fan of several bicycle races watching on television.
The song "Bicycle Race" It's far from a typical rock song, with lots of different ideas bundled together very cleverly. I always thought it is musical complexity versus simplicity, some kind of display. In terms of key changes, harmonics, because Freddie is clearly messing around here with all this, at the same time he cleverly weaves in these beautiful and simple "hooks" that contribute to the song's widespread appeal. I think it was a number 11 hit in the UK. The backstory involves Brian and Freddie watching the Tour de France together in one of their flats or houses, each inspired to write different songs afterward. While the song may seem to revolve around a race, like you I also wondered whether it’s really about musical obsession, and possibly reflects aspects of their personal and professional relationship also. Who knows.
Another brilliant reaction from you Amy, so thank you very much!! My only request is that when you finish your Queen 50 journey (part 1) you instantly begin on your Queen 50 journey (part 2), as they have so many great songs that I would LOVE to see your reaction to!! Each and every one of your reactions just makes my day!!!!!
Always loved this song. Wonderful reaction, as usual, Amy! It's one of Freddie's more creative pieces with changes of timing and a solo by bicycle bells. When they went on tour the towns would sell out of bicycle bells because the fans would buy them to ring them during the solo. I think if you are so focused on a solo sport like cycling you don't pay attention to politics or religion or movies, etc. Rumour has it that Freddie met some of the cyclists, got the idea for this song and Brian got the idea for Fat Bottomed "girls" from Freddie's experience. Whatever you do listen to Dreamer's Ball off Jazz. One of Brian's best!
Now you only have to review Pink Floyd's "Bike" from Syd Barret's era. I find it hard to believe that Freddie et al never heard it before writing this.
I think I figured out why this lady for me is ASMR. She is like a female version of Mister Rogers, who I watched when I was a child. Similar enthusiasm/passion for her subject matter.
I didn't think this song was that great the first time I listened to it, I thought it was a bit too corny but it grew on me as I listened to it more. I now find it to be clever, creative and most importantly musical and enjoyable to listen to. I also experience it as doing the title of the album justice with all of its flat notes and half notes, the song seems to be written using jazz music components. It was produced during Queen's height of growth towards becoming or being a super group.
The Mountain Studios were in the Casino building in Montreux, Switzerland, not Montreal, Canada ;-) Theses days it's actually a Queen-centric museum about itself called "The Studio Experience", run AFAIK by Freddie's long-time PA Peter Freestone. Each year around Freddie's birthday (September 4) an open-to-everyone (but ticketed) party takes place in the Casino's ball room one floor above. That building, the Casion of Montreux, also has a firm place in music history in it's own right. "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple is all about the former casino building burning down during a concert by Frank Zappa.
I’m enjoying your Queen reviews as always. Love to watch you listening and enjoying them. It’s interesting that each member was able to write music and lyrics based on everyday influences, dreams, books, food, love, sounds…etc. They were all amazing musicians especially together. Bicycle is fun to sing along with. Another amazing display of their talent was the music they each wrote for the 1980’s fantasy movie Highlander. I think if Freddie had survived they might have done more movie soundtracks. I say that because the songs were phenomenal and many of their album music is still used in movies to this day, decades later. ❤
There's a real sense of freedom with this song. The wanting to ride a bicycle, 'where I like', without any of the cares of the world, present day, (for the time), fads and fashions, politics and conflicts going on in the world. The simple act of going for a leisurely ride away from it all. The, 'race', part being the desire to be on your marks, get set and go. The only true ulterior motive to go riding the bike being those fat bottomed girls who'll be riding today! 😁 A very simplistic song, but one that is indelibly links to the time period of the late 70's, due to the various references within. Jaws had come out approximately 3 years earlier and Star Wars was very recent, having been released, (in Europe), earlier the same year. The inclusion of bicycle bells in the middle section worked really well, and always reminds me, a little, of the beginning part of, 'time', by Pink Floyd, when all the clocks chime together. Only Queen could pull off a song about riding a bicycle, I feel.
"There's this line that suits his voice incredibly well." Part of me thinks any musical line ever written would suit Freddie's voice incredibly well. What couldn't he sing? You should cover Freddie's Opera lp, "Barcelona". I think you'll be blown away.
The music really gets the essence of watching Le Tour. Besides taking off from work or using the whole vacation following the race, many also start cycling and do crazy things in the traffic after watching. It's a big event in Europe with full live TV for three weeks! For some it might be safer to listen to this song and buy guitar instead... 😆😆😆
Queen seemed to have a thing for various modes of transport.. From cars, bicycles, a train in (Breakthru) and they’re sitting in a flying craft in Radio Ga Ga.. 🥳😜👑
The original vinyl albums included a poster of a bunch of nude women in a "bicycle race"...! 😳🤪😎 There's also a music video that includes "behind the scenes" (no pun intended) of that photoshoot. 🤙😎
Queen are such a fun band. You cannot be unentertained by listening to Queen. Every album is engaging (except for The Highlander soundtrack - that album has some of the most depressing songs imaginable; Freddie was clearly processing some stuff). Between Freddie's innate showmanship, fearlessness (part of growing up a gay man in the 60s), willingness to experiment, and the band's overall talent, Queen takes genres like ragtime, marches, 50s rock, musical (such as in this track), and opera and makes them endlessly cool.
Totally with the thought that other's passions, whether you particularly enjoy them or not, is a turn on. If you don't get drawn in by a scholar or professional who is knowledgable, articulate and passionate, then how do you enjoy life? Okay, I am already knowdgable and a lover of music, but it's why the reactors I prefer, Amy, Ixi, Palatino… all have enough fire and insight to teach me something, or highlight an element I may have overlooked, and draw out a "Oh sh!t, that's spot on!" moment on a regular basis. Anyway, love John's work here, and Freddie's using the word association technique as a base for his verses.
For the "bell solo", in the live shows audience members would bring actual bicycle bells to the concert and ring them at that part lol. Also, the bass line in this song is phenomenal, and masterfully performed by John! I'm surprised Vlad didn't mention anything about the music video, which is infamous because it consists of naked ladies riding around the track on bicycles lol
Amy - I'd love to know if you (or either of you) have heard Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of The Worlds? Prog rock classic and excellent colab between the world of rock music, classical music and science fiction.
It's one of my favourite albums of all time. There's a live version on UA-cam too. But make sure you watch/listen the original one with the Richard Burton narrative. The artwork alone is enough to earn accolades, outstanding social commentary and the guest list one the album is an achievement in itself.@@paulonius42
I Still have the vynil I bought in ca. 1979, lol. Still listen to it, top! Richard Burton reading excerpts from the novel in between Songs is wonderful.
I have a few original copies, including the Forever Autumn single. But to top it off, my youngest daughter is named after one of the characters in the musical version. I'm a bit of a megafan lol @@juttapopp1869
As always, amazin how you really FEEL music, and you can express in the moment what you feel about each detail, going from the smallest detail to the totality... A huge pleasure to watch your videos... Greetings from Argentina!!!
Riding a bicycle is a technical thing. The song's about obsession for a specific technical craft, basically being a geek, and telling anyone who judges you for it to F themselves.
Another fun Queen song this weekend. A good summation by you: "I don't care about anything else, I just want to ride my bicycle". Although Freddie was still able to spare a thought for the fat bottomed girls (beauties). I have this funny image in my head of Freddie riding an old fashion bike while trying to keep up with his pro bicycle racing competitors. Good observations on their playing. Nice to see all the band members were credited with the bicycle bells. It is a rare skill.
Hello ! First of all, thx for this channel. It brings a little bit of sun in this sad, sad world ❤ About this song, it always makes me think of child singing on his bike on the tune of a "comptine" (we say where I live 😊) I also hope Vlad told you about the poster in the album and the photoshoot 😂
I don’t think this is a song about bicycles. This is an anthem - a celebration of freedom. A reminder of the sheer joy of being able to choose to do whatever you like. To have your own opinions. To push aside your responsibilities. To be yourself as an individual whatever society thinks. To be different. P.S. Freddie composition = Deaky bass to die for.
This is a fun tongue in cheek song as Queen always had that about them. They were the first artist to have a video banned by MTV in 1982 for the song Body Language. Says it all really.
In Jr. High, my buddies and I would go on long "Bike Hikes". Our longest one was about 15 miles out and 15 back on a trip to Six Flags St. Louis. Parts were peaceful, but it got a little hairy sometimes, with cars and trucks whizzing by on the highway. Even the back road we took to get to the highway was scary at one point. We had accelerated to 50 miles an hour on a steep downhill stretch. A sharp curve to the left came up and my brakes were a bit too worn. I almost went flying off that curve into the trees. And this was in the 70's, when kids didn't wear bike helmets. I don't see how we 70's kids survived. 😬😅
Great take on a quirky song. Jazz was the last recording I ever bought by the band. After that, they had changed so much their music was almost unrecognizable to me.
I believe Jazz was the album that Queen went a bit to pop to try and get some radio hits. The songs arent bad but they are much less "Queeny" and artistic than the previous albums. But I prefer Queen II (March of the Black Queen!) so there is that
this song has been written because during their recording of this album, the band had seen the france tour 1978 that passed thrug the place where they had the recording studios... so nice and researched song... pretty near to their old style..the other one, cool song of this album, for sure is 'dreamers ball'..
To celebrate fat bottom girls on bicycles a poster was included with the Jazz album of the starting gate of a nude women’s bicycle race. The seventies were a special time!
I don't recall any fat bottoms on that poster. My dad actually cut and folded those posters at his bindery. So he brought a couple home for me and my brother, before we even knew the album would be coming out. 😳🤪😎
I see it as being more of a child-like expression of simply wanting to do what you want to do in the moment, being carefree and not concerned with anything else - not really necessarily about a love of bike-riding in general.
I love your reactions & evaluations of the music you listen to. You're the most articulate reactor on YT. As a music lover myself I'm surprised at how often your insights inspire me to think about pieces of music I've heard dozens of times in new ways. I truly appreciate your content & hope you'll be around for years to come. PLEASE revisit Van Halen & U2 someday 🙂
No brushes, just a pair of hi-hats played in 16th-notes 😉 An interesting trademark of Roger Taylor's around this is the fact that he often opens the hi-hats slightly on the 2 and 4 counts (in a 4/4 rhythm) together with hitting the snare drum with his other (left) hand; He does this to help emphasize those snare hits = the complete opposite to The Rolling Stones' Charlie Watts who had _omitted_ the 2 and 4 beats on the hi-hats, but for the same reason! 😄
They did something similar with the songs "Party" and "Khashoggi's ship".....The second song is part of the first song so would have to listen to them together as it tells what happens during and after a party, it has always been one of my favourites of queen as well as "Rain must fall".
15:03 As a drummer, and a Roger Taylor critique, I can safely say that brushes were probably not used in his drum groove. Knowing Roger, I think he would be playing 16ths with his right hand on the partially closed hi-hat cymbals, and then opening the hi-hats at the end of every phrase. I may be wrong, but that is what I expect of 1970’s Roger drumming 😁🥁🤘
We must have a straight full version Live Aid performance reaction from Ms. Amy Vlad. Seriously that one would be the best. No analysis just full on reaction. Bet she would enjoy it as much as we all would love to see her reaction! Pls Vlad pls!!!
Amy, Ian Hamilton wrote about (but wasn't very specific about) an event that over 200 women showed up for. The event was a nude bicycle race. All females. A poster from the event was included with the purchase of the LP (Jazz) when it was first released. I don't know if the event inspired the song, or if the event was conjured to promote the song. I'm pretty certain I read, tho, that it was Queen who put the event together.
This song led to bicycle shops selling out of bells whenever Queen toured in their area. Fans would purchase bicycle bells to ring when they performed this song and it frequently led to shops selling out.
that is such a fun fact!
I remember the Jazz concert! We all brought bicycle bells....what fun we had 😊
John Deacon as a bass player turns his instrument into a lead backing vocal instead of just a bass line. Amazing bass player.
Sophisticated fun. Typical Queen. Not too serious but always top notch musically
I don't see it as a person who was passionate about bicycling as much as person who just wants to be left alone. He doesn't want to get caught up in anything, he doesn't want to get involved, he just wants to do something simple and fun.
I think this song is really a metaphor for generally 'disregarding what others think and doing what you like when you want' , as indeed Freddie Mercury did.
This song takes me back to being 10-12 years old. I didn't care about politics, world events, whatever - I just wanted to ride my bike with my friends. Every once in a while, we'd race. Hurry through chores so you could get back out there. Obnoxiously ring the bell if any pedestrians came within 50 feet.
I miss those days.
'Freddie was inspired by seeing the Tour de France'
Apparently, the story behind this one is that Freddie slept with one of the Tour de France athletes, who's English wasn't very good, and his response to everything was simply, 'I like to ride my bike'.
Obviously, one can never be certain about the validity rock legends like this but the lyrics certainly make sense in that context.
One of the things that I like about Queen is they are not afraid to challenge the "rules" of rock but moved comfortably into various classifications of music, not to be taken too seriously didn't seem a problem.
If you are good enough, boundaries don't matter.
Who could make a hit song about bicycles? Freddie Mercury!!! Harmonies are incredible!!! That's a beautiful harp behind you!!!
I think this is an ode to personal freedom, not strictly confined to cycling. It’s a fun song contrasting with the overly serious social conscious folk song movement, that became popular in the ‘60’s when the members of Queen were growing up.
Queen were never “political” for this reason. Queen were about observing various aspects of life and having fun while doing it!
If Roger can be in love with his car then Freddy can most certainly want to ride a bike! He rode a bike in “Lazing on a Sunday afternoon” (Bicycling on every Wednesday evening “CHING CHING” of bells), I always felt “bicycling” was a running theme after this one. Fun song!
As Queen’s popularity grew, the also grew away from there deeper/darker/complex, work. I always preferred the older version of Queen but sill had a torch lit for them at any level. I even love HOT SPACE album in which they were ridiculed by press and fans. Queen could change genres as fast as they could change wardrobes. BTW, QUEEN 2 turned 50 yesterday. You touched on it but missed the best parts of it all. I understand your “50 series” and what a great ride!!! Thanks Amy!
Hot Space should never have been made. And I say that purely on musical merrits, not based on any preconceived notion what Queen should be like. The Album is just bad.
Queen 2 is still in my all time top 10.
Agreed! Queen II should be listened to from start to finish.
Even then, Bicycle Race is still really complex musically (lyrically is a different story but yea)
This is another song that isn't meant to be taken too seriously. It's just dumb fun. I think Freddie saw the guys in their spandex outfits and thought he would look good out there with them. I do love the bass line on the chorus.
Yep, intrigued by their (ahem) gay attire.
There's a reason why he was the quintessential lover of life, singer of songs.
I do hope number 25 is Dont Stop Me Now. Fitting song for half way.
Yes! With the video 🙏🏼
One of the things i love about Queen was the cheeky aspect, the tounge in cheek that is there in certain songs many other rock acts were far too serious in the 70s, so the balance was refreshing. Fun song, on the vinyl of the Jazz album, there was an insert of naked ladies on bikes, quite fun!
Don't forget that the video accompanying this song was of the same nude bicycle 'race'.
I still have my poster, in pristine condition as I was into dudes, not chicks 😊
I gave my poster to my brother to take to university with him. I believe it was quite popular!😜
Oh yes, quite ample in their cheekiness. 😉
It was a cold, November night in 1978 when Queen was touring in support for JAZZ and I was right up front of the stage with a bicycle bell. Freddie noticed and wanted to look it over and, of course I obliged. He rang it a couple of times before tossing it back to me. Only after bouncing off my (now bloody) lip then, into my hands only for someone take it from me! Well, something snapped in me and I took my elbow and slammed it into his belly and took it back. I didn’t get stabbed or beaten. I got my bell back. Sadly, when I moved out of my parents home the following year my mother threw it out 😖
Jealousy; Leaving Home Ain't Easy; and In Only Seven Days, are 3 great songs from this album.
More of that jazz.
I think this is one of Queen's most operatic songs. It's more like 20th century opera, the way it zooms around, changes tempo and suddenly shifts. I think it's an under-rated modernist piece hiding in plain sight. Remember, Freddie had many layers and he knew his music. The joke's on us if we take it too literally or get distracted by gimmicks (ooh, look naked women on bikes!)
I knew uou wouldn't be able to do the video, but think you would enjoy the reckless abandon and risque theme. Surprisingly over 200 women showed up for the filming!! Check it out sometime!
Thank you for another great reaction!!! 😃
This song was popular when I was young... It might be cheesy to some but there's something about this song 😅. Now as a 51yr old, I still sing this evertime I ride my bike.
Im the same age as you and do the same! It brings the joy of bicycle riding to have this song in my head.
I remember reading that Queen put out ads in local newspapers back then inviting ladies to be in the video if they were ok with being nude in it. Obviously many ladies answered as there are many in the video. What really made me laugh was the company that rented Queen the bicycles insisted they pay to have all the bike seats replaced with new seats!
I'm sure they made more money selling on those bare'ly used bicycle seats than for all of the bikes! 😂😮🍑
Now that I listen to the lyrics, it’s clearly a peace oriented song. Though I always understood the lyrics “I don’t like star wars “ as “look at these morons on tv thinking they’re something important fighting about nothing”, now I realise it’s about living in a peaceful world.
“I wanna have the right to ride my bike whenever I please, without harming anybody, and not having to be bothered by people with no empathy going on about why wars are necessary and suffering when they actually carry them out.”
He’s also saying to those people preaching about joining politics: “By peacefully riding my bike, I’m making a statement about peace. Don’t consider me out of politics, I may even be doing more than yourself.”
I think this song is just about freedom and getting away from the clutches of the rat race.
So substitute the humdrum banal cut throat rat race for the carefree, who cares who wins bicycle race. Which, if you consider the lyrics and phrasing, is more of a sedate appreciative adventure of nature on a bike than a race
Im going to be listening to Queen till the end of my days... thank you Freddy for the music, gone too soon...
Me too. 69 yo!
I think this song is a metaphor for being yourself. It is basically just saying that just should be who you want to be and that you should not be worried about what is popular or the popular topic of the day. You should just be authentic to yourself.
This song is very underrated...it barely gets played anymore, but is really joyful
While this may not be my favorite song, it has great memories attached to it. Ever since the release of Queen's Greatest hits there has been a copy in one format or another of it in my car. When my kids were small, it was the one album we could all agree to listen to on road trips. They sang along with every song (we all did) and Bicycle Race was was one of their favorites. It was always sung at the top of their lungs! Fat Bottom Girls was pretty hilarious too. They didn't look for meaing in the lyrics, the songs were just irresistable.
Yes, well... A beautiful song with a beautiful music video.
Yes… the video had some great … assets to it 😊
If you were to watch the video it would change your whole idea of the song's meaning.
@@richdiddens4059 I have watched the video many times!
I love that song... Funny and in the same time really well played and produced... Love the harmonies too 😉
I remember to your reaction to Roger's "car song", when you mentioned, that you could smell the gasoline, the grease and imgaine an old car service. This song gives very similar experiences, you can see and smell 😅the sweat, the rise and slope on the road, and the sportsmen's determination. I can imagine all these aboves, it might be my mom's impact, because she was a great fan of several bicycle races watching on television.
The song "Bicycle Race" It's far from a typical rock song, with lots of different ideas bundled together very cleverly. I always thought it is musical complexity versus simplicity, some kind of display. In terms of key changes, harmonics, because Freddie is clearly messing around here with all this, at the same time he cleverly weaves in these beautiful and simple "hooks" that contribute to the song's widespread appeal. I think it was a number 11 hit in the UK.
The backstory involves Brian and Freddie watching the Tour de France together in one of their flats or houses, each inspired to write different songs afterward. While the song may seem to revolve around a race, like you I also wondered whether it’s really about musical obsession, and possibly reflects aspects of their personal and professional relationship also. Who knows.
Another brilliant reaction from you Amy, so thank you very much!! My only request is that when you finish your Queen 50 journey (part 1) you instantly begin on your Queen 50 journey (part 2), as they have so many great songs that I would LOVE to see your reaction to!! Each and every one of your reactions just makes my day!!!!!
To me, it’s about being a kid riding your bike. The fun, the freedom. No cares about the big bad world.
Always loved this song. Wonderful reaction, as usual, Amy! It's one of Freddie's more creative pieces with changes of timing and a solo by bicycle bells. When they went on tour the towns would sell out of bicycle bells because the fans would buy them to ring them during the solo. I think if you are so focused on a solo sport like cycling you don't pay attention to politics or religion or movies, etc. Rumour has it that Freddie met some of the cyclists, got the idea for this song and Brian got the idea for Fat Bottomed "girls" from Freddie's experience. Whatever you do listen to Dreamer's Ball off Jazz. One of Brian's best!
Oh yes please "Dreamer's Ball". Gorgeous, the live in Paris one.
Such a cheeky song!
With a cheeky video.
It's like Freddie's response to Syd Barrett's "Bike"
Great review amy. Please do 'Jealousy ' _. a lovely Freddie song.
Yes underrated and overlooked as a little gem of a ballad. Piano and vocals.
Now you only have to review Pink Floyd's "Bike" from Syd Barret's era. I find it hard to believe that Freddie et al never heard it before writing this.
Or Nazareth’s My White Bicycle
I think I figured out why this lady for me is ASMR. She is like a female version of Mister Rogers, who I watched when I was a child. Similar enthusiasm/passion for her subject matter.
I always took it as a child hyperfocused on his bicycle, rather than any other pursuits.
It would have been nice to include a live reaction to the VIDEO too ... :-) it is "special".
That video is half the song.
I enjoy your videos. You have a beautiful mind.
I didn't think this song was that great the first time I listened to it, I thought it was a bit too corny but it grew on me as I listened to it more. I now find it to be clever, creative and most importantly musical and enjoyable to listen to. I also experience it as doing the title of the album justice with all of its flat notes and half notes, the song seems to be written using jazz music components.
It was produced during Queen's height of growth towards becoming or being a super group.
Yes corny because of the references it's sounds dated. Now there would be President Drumpf mentioned.
I love your comment about the line "I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike" sounding like a pedal turning. It really does!
They went back to back on the LP.
This is my all time favourite Queen song. There is nothing on the green Earth that sounds remotely like it.
The Mountain Studios were in the Casino building in Montreux, Switzerland, not Montreal, Canada ;-)
Theses days it's actually a Queen-centric museum about itself called "The Studio Experience", run AFAIK by Freddie's long-time PA Peter Freestone. Each year around Freddie's birthday (September 4) an open-to-everyone (but ticketed) party takes place in the Casino's ball room one floor above.
That building, the Casion of Montreux, also has a firm place in music history in it's own right. "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple is all about the former casino building burning down during a concert by Frank Zappa.
I’m enjoying your Queen reviews as always. Love to watch you listening and enjoying them. It’s interesting that each member was able to write music and lyrics based on everyday influences, dreams, books, food, love, sounds…etc. They were all amazing musicians especially together. Bicycle is fun to sing along with. Another amazing display of their talent was the music they each wrote for the 1980’s fantasy movie Highlander. I think if Freddie had survived they might have done more movie soundtracks. I say that because the songs were phenomenal and many of their album music is still used in movies to this day, decades later. ❤
There's a real sense of freedom with this song. The wanting to ride a bicycle, 'where I like', without any of the cares of the world, present day, (for the time), fads and fashions, politics and conflicts going on in the world. The simple act of going for a leisurely ride away from it all. The, 'race', part being the desire to be on your marks, get set and go. The only true ulterior motive to go riding the bike being those fat bottomed girls who'll be riding today! 😁 A very simplistic song, but one that is indelibly links to the time period of the late 70's, due to the various references within. Jaws had come out approximately 3 years earlier and Star Wars was very recent, having been released, (in Europe), earlier the same year. The inclusion of bicycle bells in the middle section worked really well, and always reminds me, a little, of the beginning part of, 'time', by Pink Floyd, when all the clocks chime together. Only Queen could pull off a song about riding a bicycle, I feel.
Interesting with Don't Stop me Now is let me live my hedonistic lifestyle. John, Brian and Roger warned him about a candle burning twice as bright.
@@ManChan-w5p Indeed. With freedom comes responsibility. Something Freddie chose not to adhere to quite as much as he could have done.
Queen and more so Freddie defined rock music...
"There's this line that suits his voice incredibly well."
Part of me thinks any musical line ever written would suit Freddie's voice incredibly well. What couldn't he sing?
You should cover Freddie's Opera lp, "Barcelona". I think you'll be blown away.
I'm pretty sure that she started her Queen journey with that.
9:04 "I'm just in love with riding my bicycle."
And Roger Taylor is in love with his car.
Is anyone seeing what the symbolism of this song might be?
The music really gets the essence of watching Le Tour.
Besides taking off from work or using the whole vacation following the race, many also start cycling
and do crazy things in the traffic after watching. It's a big event in Europe with full live TV for three weeks!
For some it might be safer to listen to this song and buy guitar instead... 😆😆😆
Queen seemed to have a thing for various modes of transport.. From cars, bicycles, a train in (Breakthru) and they’re sitting in a flying craft in Radio Ga Ga.. 🥳😜👑
Spread your Wings and fly away.
I'm A rocket ship on my way to Mars.
So so looking forward to this one love you
The original video of the girls bicycle race they staged at Wembly stadium is an essential part of this song.
i belive , it s about innocence of riding a bicycle , against de war , the political issues or anything alse wrong.
The original vinyl albums included a poster of a bunch of nude women in a "bicycle race"...! 😳🤪😎
There's also a music video that includes "behind the scenes" (no pun intended) of that photoshoot. 🤙😎
Queen are such a fun band. You cannot be unentertained by listening to Queen. Every album is engaging (except for The Highlander soundtrack - that album has some of the most depressing songs imaginable; Freddie was clearly processing some stuff).
Between Freddie's innate showmanship, fearlessness (part of growing up a gay man in the 60s), willingness to experiment, and the band's overall talent, Queen takes genres like ragtime, marches, 50s rock, musical (such as in this track), and opera and makes them endlessly cool.
Totally with the thought that other's passions, whether you particularly enjoy them or not, is a turn on. If you don't get drawn in by a scholar or professional who is knowledgable, articulate and passionate, then how do you enjoy life?
Okay, I am already knowdgable and a lover of music, but it's why the reactors I prefer, Amy, Ixi, Palatino… all have enough fire and insight to teach me something, or highlight an element I may have overlooked, and draw out a "Oh sh!t, that's spot on!" moment on a regular basis.
Anyway, love John's work here, and Freddie's using the word association technique as a base for his verses.
Another call for the song "Travel" by The Gathering, the TG25 live version. "I wish you knew your music was to stay forever".
For the "bell solo", in the live shows audience members would bring actual bicycle bells to the concert and ring them at that part lol. Also, the bass line in this song is phenomenal, and masterfully performed by John! I'm surprised Vlad didn't mention anything about the music video, which is infamous because it consists of naked ladies riding around the track on bicycles lol
John Deacon é um gênio. Tks Amy for analise this song that I love so much.
Amy - I'd love to know if you (or either of you) have heard Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of The Worlds?
Prog rock classic and excellent colab between the world of rock music, classical music and science fiction.
I know you were asking her, not me, but that sounds really interesting! Thanks for the tip!
It's one of my favourite albums of all time. There's a live version on UA-cam too. But make sure you watch/listen the original one with the Richard Burton narrative. The artwork alone is enough to earn accolades, outstanding social commentary and the guest list one the album is an achievement in itself.@@paulonius42
It's fantastic!! Used to listen to it all the time in college!! 😃
I
Still have the vynil I bought in ca. 1979, lol. Still listen to it, top! Richard Burton reading excerpts from the novel in between Songs is wonderful.
I have a few original copies, including the Forever Autumn single. But to top it off, my youngest daughter is named after one of the characters in the musical version. I'm a bit of a megafan lol @@juttapopp1869
As always, amazin how you really FEEL music, and you can express in the moment what you feel about each detail, going from the smallest detail to the totality... A huge pleasure to watch your videos... Greetings from Argentina!!!
Motorcycles have a feeling of power as well as freedom. ✌️
Riding a bicycle is a technical thing. The song's about obsession for a specific technical craft, basically being a geek, and telling anyone who judges you for it to F themselves.
You need to listen to Dead on Time! Great videos 👍
'It's got a basket, a bell that rings and things to make it look good.'
the brushed drums, might be for replicating the sound of a freewheel clicking.
Another fun Queen song this weekend. A good summation by you: "I don't care about anything else, I just want to ride my bicycle". Although Freddie was still able to spare a thought for the fat bottomed girls (beauties). I have this funny image in my head of Freddie riding an old fashion bike while trying to keep up with his pro bicycle racing competitors. Good observations on their playing. Nice to see all the band members were credited with the bicycle bells. It is a rare skill.
The most original song I've ever heard!
Hello !
First of all, thx for this channel. It brings a little bit of sun in this sad, sad world ❤
About this song, it always makes me think of child singing on his bike on the tune of a "comptine" (we say where I live 😊)
I also hope Vlad told you about the poster in the album and the photoshoot 😂
I don’t think this is a song about bicycles. This is an anthem - a celebration of freedom. A reminder of the sheer joy of being able to choose to do whatever you like. To have your own opinions. To push aside your responsibilities. To be yourself as an individual whatever society thinks. To be different. P.S. Freddie composition = Deaky bass to die for.
This is a fun tongue in cheek song as Queen always had that about them. They were the first artist to have a video banned by MTV in 1982 for the song Body Language. Says it all really.
No great loss, Body Language sucks anyway.
Here we go love you love you
In Jr. High, my buddies and I would go on long "Bike Hikes". Our longest one was about 15 miles out and 15 back on a trip to Six Flags St. Louis. Parts were peaceful, but it got a little hairy sometimes, with cars and trucks whizzing by on the highway. Even the back road we took to get to the highway was scary at one point. We had accelerated to 50 miles an hour on a steep downhill stretch. A sharp curve to the left came up and my brakes were a bit too worn. I almost went flying off that curve into the trees. And this was in the 70's, when kids didn't wear bike helmets. I don't see how we 70's kids survived. 😬😅
Great take on a quirky song. Jazz was the last recording I ever bought by the band. After that, they had changed so much their music was almost unrecognizable to me.
I believe Jazz was the album that Queen went a bit to pop to try and get some radio hits. The songs arent bad but they are much less "Queeny" and artistic than the previous albums. But I prefer Queen II (March of the Black Queen!) so there is that
Yep!!!! Queen 2 just turned 50 yesterday!!!!! GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!!!
this song has been written because during their recording of this album, the band had seen the france tour 1978 that passed thrug the place where they had the recording studios... so nice and researched song... pretty near to their old style..the other one, cool song of this album, for sure is 'dreamers ball'..
To celebrate fat bottom girls on bicycles a poster was included with the Jazz album of the starting gate of a nude women’s bicycle race. The seventies were a special time!
I don't recall any fat bottoms on that poster.
My dad actually cut and folded those posters at his bindery. So he brought a couple home for me and my brother, before we even knew the album would be coming out. 😳🤪😎
@@mr.knowitall6440 I don’t recall any skinny bottoms on that poster either! 🚴♀️🚴🚴♂️🚴♀️🚴🚴♂️
I see it as being more of a child-like expression of simply wanting to do what you want to do in the moment, being carefree and not concerned with anything else - not really necessarily about a love of bike-riding in general.
I love your reactions & evaluations of the music you listen to. You're the most articulate reactor on YT. As a music lover myself I'm surprised at how often your insights inspire me to think about pieces of music I've heard dozens of times in new ways. I truly appreciate your content & hope you'll be around for years to come. PLEASE revisit Van Halen & U2 someday 🙂
I love this channel.
No brushes, just a pair of hi-hats played in 16th-notes 😉
An interesting trademark of Roger Taylor's around this is the fact that he often opens the hi-hats slightly on the 2 and 4 counts (in a 4/4 rhythm) together with hitting the snare drum with his other (left) hand; He does this to help emphasize those snare hits = the complete opposite to The Rolling Stones' Charlie Watts who had _omitted_ the 2 and 4 beats on the hi-hats, but for the same reason! 😄
They did something similar with the songs "Party" and "Khashoggi's ship".....The second song is part of the first song so would have to listen to them together as it tells what happens during and after a party, it has always been one of my favourites of queen as well as "Rain must fall".
15:03 As a drummer, and a Roger Taylor critique, I can safely say that brushes were probably not used in his drum groove. Knowing Roger, I think he would be playing 16ths with his right hand on the partially closed hi-hat cymbals, and then opening the hi-hats at the end of every phrase. I may be wrong, but that is what I expect of 1970’s Roger drumming 😁🥁🤘
When Freddie saw the Tour de France, I'm sure he especially liked seeing men riding bikes... more than the idea of riding a bike himself 😉
Riding a bike was back then also a saying for tripping on LSD.
The inventor of LSD was known for riding a bike to work.
I love to ride my bike, I love to ride my bike to this song.
I just want to ride my bicycle.
Great reaction
We must have a straight full version Live Aid performance reaction from Ms. Amy Vlad. Seriously that one would be the best. No analysis just full on reaction. Bet she would enjoy it as much as we all would love to see her reaction! Pls Vlad pls!!!
Brian May has a really cheeky sense of humour!
This is a Freddie song, but it's true that the guitar solo is great fun.
@@clintonsmith5163 You're right! I keep getting the writing credits for FBG & Bicycle Race reversed for some reason.
If you saw the poster that came with the album you would see things in an entirely different way.
Amy,
Ian Hamilton wrote about (but wasn't very specific about) an event that over 200 women showed up for. The event was a nude bicycle race. All females. A poster from the event was included with the purchase of the LP (Jazz) when it was first released. I don't know if the event inspired the song, or if the event was conjured to promote the song. I'm pretty certain I read, tho, that it was Queen who put the event together.
one look at the original poster from album says it all
Another great reaction and laugh at the end-lol. Can't wait for you to react to Flash Gordon.