Queen, Killer Queen- A Classical Musician’s First Listen and Reaction
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- čas přidán 17. 05. 2024
- #queen #freddiemercury #brianmay #johndeacon #rogertaylor
I am beginning to fall in love with not only Queen’s music, but their lyrics as well. This song is a perfect marriage of the two and brilliantly portrays the personality and style of a wondrously sophisticated wild cat - the Killer Queen.
Here’s the link to the original song by Queen:
• Queen - Killer Queen (...
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Amy Shafer, LRSM, FRSM, RYC, is a classical harpist, pianist, and music teacher, Director of Piano Studies and Assistant Director of Harp Studies for The Harp School, Inc., holds multiple degrees in harp and piano performance and teaching, and is active as a solo and collaborative performer. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, she teaches privately, presents masterclasses and coaching sessions, and has performed and taught in Europe and USA.
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Credits: Music written and performed by Queen
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Here's a song guarenteed to blow your mind one of the 2 guitarists starts out playing Chopin revolutionary etude leading into the song and also does the piano outtro this is Lovebites masterpiece they are an all female power metal band but Miyako is also classically trained on piano.Swan Song with Chopin Piano Intro czcams.com/video/WBhtqgiXEA4/video.html
Brian May is an actual astrophysicist, I haven't heard you yet remark on his guitar tone. Are you finding his guitar tone as magical and sweet as I do, similar to an actual violin or viola? Do you think it would take an actual scientist to figure how to make such a great and unique sound?
My new purple shoes, are amazing the people next door...
@@YourBeingParanoid And my Rock-n-Roll 45's, Been enragin' the folks on the lower floor...
Since you are reviewing rock and popular music in this series why don't you do a video analysis on an Elton John Song. Like Freddie Elton is classically trained and he is one of the most popular songwriters, vocalist and recording artist ever. Also while he has had many hits, there are so many wonderful deep album tracks from his body of work to consider. My I suggest the song Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters from his 1972 album Honky Château.
Can we give a shout-out to John Deacon? What a great bass player. So intuitive. Always in the pocket. Not flashy but precise
Fastidious and precise?😂
Shout
Pete Trewavas from Marillion is pretty good also. Like, really good.
Yes, Deacon's bass part really makes this song flow.
didn't the bass player write this song?
Only Freddie could have written this, that genius understanding of a sophisticated manipulative modern vixen.
I've been obsessed with these lyrics since I was a little kid. I used to listen to the song with headphones on and with pen and paper in hand trying to make out what Freddy was saying and then once I did having no idea what he was talking about. 🙂
Absolutely BRILLIANT lyrics. It's not a cowbell - it's a triangle, meant to mimic an English doorbell.Queen's band members were highly educated college and masters graduates; Freddie's natural flamboyance easily fits the lyrics - he probably imagined himself in the role he's describing. Amy - you nailed this one!
I was just thinking that this might be one of Freddy's fantasies.
I think it may be a finger cymbal, rather than a triangle but thats how I hear it. Yes its flamboyance and affectedness like 1930s upper crust tea parties.
@@Payne2view Definitely a triangle. John Deacon used to play it live.
@@Payne2view I thought it was one of those bells like you find on a hotel desk
@@grahamokeefe9406 This is the correct answer. 👍
I've listened to this song a thousand times and yet, you pointed out nuances I never noticed before. I'm growing to love this channel more and more.
Vlad has a difficult task. 50 songs may seem a lot, but when it comes to Queen, it's barely scratching the surface. And not to mention their live performances, which is also an out of this world experience. How is Vlad going to manage this? I don't envy him in the slightest.
Yes, indeed. I already love the painting. Amy comes in and brings me a fresh appreciation for the brushstrokes.
Oh man, right? Like that little piano walk-up after "Wanna try"; there's so much going on there I never noticed it but it grabs her right away and she's right, it's extremely cool!
A Great song, and a great reaction and analysis.
I think 50 is an ok number.. if we wanna avoid being Hyperbolic...
but with this band and this singer/performer, hyperbole was part of the show..
Anywhomevers... let's hope the journey will be as great as it begun...
(of course for my personal favorite, I will be somewhat mesmerized seeing Amy do the same with Doors. After 50 songs of Morrison and the gang.. everything in this reality will seem so so different...)
Be well, mates.
I remember so well when I heard it the first time. It was so very different from all other rock or pop music at the time. So melodic, so much more elaborate use of changing harmonies, such variations in the instruments, such witty lyrics, the colourful and imaginative background vocals. All this made me realise that Queen was something out of the ordinary and very impressive.
I agree. Weren't we all growing tired of the twenty minute guitar solos?! This was sophisticated. To me (a guitar and bass player), Brian May's approach to the use of guitar was especially novel - multi-tracked, processed, highly composed and arranged; like the sax section in a big band.
I don't know how difficult it would be, but it might be worth a shot to reach out to Brian May about this project and seeing if he'd be willing to do an interview. He's one of the most interesting and down to Earth rock stars around. I feel like he'd love your deep-dive into their music, and would probably get a kick out of talking about his experience playing a harp! Thank you for the videos. I really have enjoyed all of them!
I second this. I'm sure if Brian gets to know about this channel, he would love what is being done and would surely agree to an interview.
That's a good idea. He would love it I think!
Yes!
I second this idea!
@@toddmathers5075 Rick has some amazing interviews. I've probably watched the Brian one a dozen times!
I don’t know if anyone has mentioned it, but Freddie Mercury won an Igor Novella Award for Songwriting for this song. Classic Queen.
Ivor Novello
@@bletheringfool ha ha thanks, Close enough :)
Queen used a triangle for the bell in this song. Please, please do not skip Fairy Feller’s Master Stroke. You will need to look at the painting of the same name by Richard Dadd. Freddie Mercury loved art, especially this painting and wrote the song about this painting.
He dares to deliver, the master stroke...
I actually bought a print of this painting because of Freddie … it’s in my laundry room 😊
I really wish she will do this one, as well as "March of the Black Queen" and "Nevermore" but the fact we are already on Sheer Heart Attack does not fill me with confidence. Oh well, she can always go back to it for #51 if we clamour loud enough!
Only song I know with a 6 syllable word in it is 'Fairy Feller's Master Stroke'! The word in question is tatterdemalion, I word I struggle to say let alone sing! The song itself is a glorious concatenation of concentrated lunacy- entirely lead by Paul Dadd's beautiful painting.
@@nickjoy8868 What about (from their song 'Machines' in 1984) which contains the word parahumanoidarianised.
I saw an interview with Roger Taylor a while back, in which he discussed the signature Queen sound. He said the key was in the combination of their voices--Roger's high and grinding, Brian's low and round, Freddie's flexible and powerful--and the fact that the three of them would all sing each part and then layer them together. So, you get these three different, but well-balanced voices built up into an entire chorus.
That is how they built with a ton of overdubs the big choir singing in B. Rhapsody.
@@treetopjones737 Somebody to Love, too
"Brighton rock" is my fav song of that album and Queen in general
Wait what? Vlad is just skipping all of Queen I and II? Those are where some of their best compositions are. My Fairy King, Great King Rat, March of The Black Queen, White Queen, Father to Son, The Fairy Fellers Master Stroke. All songs that should 1000% be in a top 50 to listen to ESPECIALLY for a classical musician
She did Keep Yourself Alive from Queen I and Seven Seas of Rhye from Queen II.
@@n.johanness7451 I am aware of those, which I thought were great, but those arent really anything like, groundbreaking, whereas the aformentioned tracks are extremely groundbreaking in music composition.
I think they're going through the singles in order
When I first heard this song I had just turned nine. It was one of the first songs that really shaped my taste in music. The other song that did this for me was Sebastian by Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel. Both songs have withstood the test of time perfectly, and I still love them to this day. It's wonderful how songs can totally captivate a nine year old as much as a 57 year old, which is a testament to both the simplicity and the complexity of the song. It's as much an ear worm as a delicate puzzle of contrasting voice, making it a love affair that has lasted for almost 50 years.
The song undeniably has a "jazzy" aspect to it, but I've personally always picked up a strong 60's French Pop flavor. Joe Dassin's "Les Champs-Elysées" automatically comes to mind when I hear Killer Queen. It has that same effortless, playful Parisian air of haughtiness.
A highly sophisticated wildcat... yes, that's our Freddie in a nutshell (among many other things). PLEASE don't skip over March of the Black Queen, it's part of their holy trifecta, the best they did along BoRhap and Innuendo.
Killer Queen is chock full of details that I knew you would enjoy analyzing. I would describe Freddie's vocal work as acrobatic -- it's not an easy song to sing! And Brian May had a talent for making his guitar sound like many things, and I hope you get to do Millionaire Waltz because you'll hear what a string orchestra sounds like if it's comprised entirely of Brian's guitars.
Freddie’s breath control in this song was insane.
You should react to Queen II in its entirety. It's truly an experience.
I love Brian May's solos..... he phrases them like a singer would. You can almost always "sing" his solos
as another reactor said - he is not a guitarist - - he is a singer - - he never learnt to play the guitar - he figured it out himself. He wanted it to sing.
I recomend you the march of the black queen or white queen of queen II
Queen II is probably my favourite Queen album.
I'm surprised match of the black Queen wasn't on the list a well
Yah, the entirety of Queen 2 is a must-listen.
Agreed!! Queen II is essential.
Without the march of the black queen bohemian rhapsody would not have been possible
Thank you Amy, you gave me so much fun with this reaction.
I love the song, the lyrics is so witty, though Freddie generally hated writing the lyrics. Roger said: “Killer Queen always felt a bit special. It was very sophisticated and it was very Freddie! It had a slightly Noël Coward…element in it.” Freddie said: "I wrote it in one night. I scribbled down the words in the dark one Saturday night and the next morning I got them all together and I worked all day Sunday and that was it."
I was in elementary school, 4th grade or so, and really noticed this song on the radio. My love of Queen began here. I wanted a poster of Freddie in the harlequin unitard he wore, because I thought he looked and sounded unlike anyone I had ever seen/heard in my 8 or 9 years. Mom said no. I still listened to the music!
Hello Virgin Rock, we are aware that you will not be able to analyze all of Queen's songs, but I suggest that on the next album, don't even stop listening to 39, a song written and sung by Brian May, where he tells the story of space travelers, typical of an astrophysicist. I also recommend You take my breath away, written by Freddie and sung by him alone, even the harmonies, which are also so perfect. Thank you for your contribution to all Queen fans.
I love 39. Aren't many scifi songs in the world.
When I first heard '39 I loved the music but the lyrics didn't make any sense. It wasn't until I learned he was an astrophysicist that I got it.
Agreed on both songs. I would suggest Long Away too, another May song.
Like I said Freddie Mercury was our last beethoven that world saw in this world
Queen's music kind of reminds me of Scott Joplin. It's not ragtime, per se, but there's just a tongue-in cheek quality to it. People also may give Brian May grief for not improvising and playing in a technical way, but there's a gift in being able to figure out and play the part that is supposed to be there and giving the song a chance to be a standard. Brian is always adding to and supporting the song, which sometimes doesn't involve the spotlight.
I love Brian May’s guitar. Music is more than technical brilliance or speed; the artistry and musicianship are far more important to me. Brian always adds to the song, rather than just trying to show off. I can’t imagine any Queen song without his guitar. They wouldn’t have anywhere near the same impact.
Was hoping you would do this song sooner rather than later . This song is Freddie all the way. As Brian said This is a perfect song. When I first heard this I was very young and I knew this was not your ‘ normal’ pop song. I used to wonder how a kid in his 20’s wrote such a song? Freddie was sent off to boarding school alone at age eight … which I’m sure you know. As you can imagine he was mercilessly teased about his teeth. Somehow Freddie had a lot of humility and ego all rolled up into one. I used to believe Freddie Mercury was his own creation but I no longer think that. I think Freddie IS Freddie . I love Queen and each member is the reason for the greatest Rock band of all time. … but Killer Queen would never have been written if not for Freddie.
At boarding school, Freddie put together a little band that covered rock songs of the period they heard on the radio.
Glad to see the bass-line get a mention. John Deacon was masterful at supporting a song.
18:34 I read the bell like a hotel concierge desk "To avoid complications/She never kept the same address" Love your videos!
Freddie's all strut, swag and wink in this song! Lol. 😘💋I remember hearing this for the first time when I was a teen in the 70s and wondering whose 'posh parlour' I stumbled into. Lol. Very risque even back then. ❤
This song is a proof that good music is timeless ... Queen is gonna last foverer
Thank you for explaining the glorious work of Queen, my favorite group hands down.
I've always liked the way in which Queen used stereo to shift their sound from left to right as part of the play of the music. Whilst not being unique with this, they were one of the best with its application. The back and forth as they play off the other, as well as conveying a sense of circularity within the music, literally making the tune go round and round in your head!
Note on early albums; " No synthesizers were used on these recordings ". Freddy was most of the voices, bounced many times.
Or in other cases, May’s Red Special or another foreign instrument.
Thank you for another brilliant reaction, Amy! There have been so many comments already I don't expect you will ever see this one, but if you do, please please please consider one day going back and reacting to more of the music on the first three of Queen's albums. There is so much richness and variety there that has already passed you by, and I hope that at some point in the distant future we can enjoy your reactions to so many hidden gems in the early work of this band! I look forward to EVERY Queen reaction still to come from you!!
Thank You Amy. Great analysis! Queen and the Beatles actually had very similar influences, they are just a few years apart in age. Brian May was also interested in classical music and jazz. Lord Sutch sounded and did what the Beatles did before they had their first hits. There was a massive music scene before the Beatles. The Shadows for example were massive in Brittan, they just never went to America. Or Lonnie Donegan and George Formby were extremely influential in the skiffle movement. There were many influences around in Britain. I don't think you can say that some artist would not have existed, if it was not for the other artist, Freddie was a born artists and entertainer, he would have been doing something. I hope you are not just doing the hits, Queen's best songs were not always the hits. Killer Queen is very Freddie Mercury type of song. Interestingly Killer Queen was used in British musical studies a while back, as a case study next to Beethoven. Every element is perfectly laid out to convey the message of the music. Queen were fantastic at dynamics and shifting ideas, even within just one song. Of course Freddie Mercury was a master at expressing exactly what was needed. It has a cabaret or a jazz feel as you noted.
Amy, I am really enjoying your channel! For your own enjoyment, after your analysis of these Queen songs, consider watching the official music videos. Queen's sense of showmanship took these songs to yet another level. I think you will appreciate what they accomplished on stage. Yes, Queen was always a bit quicker than everyone around them, LOL! 🙂
This being performed on the top pop show of the time was one of those key transformational moments in pop history. Once heard, it cannot be unheard
Brian May has such unique tone. He built the guitar he used his whole career with his dad out of wood from an old fireplace.
and still does😍
Another great review Amy. So glad you're enjoying Queen. I think you're right about Freddie _ he was on the next level from us. As well as writing the music, how could he think up those lyrics to fit perfectly. And the musicianship of the band ( they were only early to mid twenties) at the time . Am really enjoying you're channel. Looking forward to the next one. Thanks 😊
He could've been a Broadway performer ( as well as songwriter ). Music and acting performance combined.
By ‘74, Fred was 28, Bri was 27, Rog was 25, and John was 23.
Appreciation, as always, for a wonderful video. As one of the many long time Queen fans it brings back fond memories watching you discover these pieces of musical art. But I have concerns. Knowing your obvious appreciation for music and the details within each song I am worried you might not hear some of Queen's most impressive work. I may be off and the song choices may not be going chronologically. But if they are you are missing out on some of Queen's most important work. The Queen 2 album is far from one of Queen's best selling albums. It might actually be the album that sold the least. It also has very little in what might be referred to as singles. But it is also the favorite album of a large swath of Queen fans. The reason being is it is deep, complex and unique. It is Queen's most prog album.
The idea that you might not hear songs like March of the Black Queen, Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke, White Queen, Father to Son .... Well lets just say you will be missing out on much of Queen's most detailed early works. The band really focused of experimenting with sounds on this album. I call MotBQ Bohemian Rhapsody's older less refined sister as an example. Ogre Battle dabbles in thrash/speed metal before these styles were invented. Heck, even most Queen fans credit a song that comes on the next album (Stone Cold Crazy) as the roots of thrash. But it goes back even one album further. Most metal band at the time were playing Blues inspired riffs. Very few were doing stuff like Ogre Battle.
So I don't want to be pushy, or tell you how to run your channel. I am happy with whatever choices you make for song selection. I just want you to know as a long time fan of the band. Their best songs are not their singles. Don't be afraid to step from the singles inspired path and wander deep into the thick of it. You will be taken to a magical place.
Vlad, thank you so much for creating this journey. Please don't take my words as any kind of negative reflection on your song choices. The task of picking just 50 Queen songs is mammoth. You will never please everyone. So Just want to give you a thank you as well to appreciate your efforts.
Such a great and important comment … if Amy would do 100 songs I’d feel better… a little
That has to be the best interpretation of that song that I have ever heard ! I do not get a chance to get on line as much as I would like , but from this moment on I am going to immediately gravitate to your Chanel first . Just love it .Not many classical artists as yourself , take the time to appreciate the incredible talent, and sophistication in some of the bands of the past such as the untouchable Queen. In my eyes the greatest , and most influential pop rock band that ever existed. Thanks for your awesome reactions . You are a great teacher.
I had a smile on my face the entire video. So glad you enjoyed this. This song was my first introduction to Queen, back in 1975 (I was ten) on the radio. Queen became one of my musical foundations, along with David Bowie and Elton John. Can't wait for the journey to continue!
This song is still used as part of the uk GCSE music exams
Woah ! Really ?
The foundation of this song gave the producers an idea of what Queen was capable of.
Surprisingly, Freddie only listened to classical music when at home. 😊
To get a better sense of Freddie's exposure to "classical music" and the sophistication level of his understanding, use, and reworking of western music content and theory in his own compositions (without trying to find an authoritative source that will interpret it for you), you really do, imho, have to do an analysis of March of the Black Queen, a piece he was composing from before the band even became "Queen." Multiple themes in dialogue with each other, like the romantic composers telling a story; yet asserting the freedom to change the key and time signature in a sort of contained chaos...It's a tour de force, as is Faerie Feller's Master Stroke, a musical depiction of a painting that captures not only its content but its tone, structure, and creative contribution. I don't mean to be Freddie-focused, but in terms of this question I think Freddie was the band member with the broadest exposure/interest/engagement with western culture - literature, art, classical music - long before his time as well as contemporary to him. He seemed to enjoy pretending he didn't read and never meant anything by any of his lyrics - a la "nothing really matters to me" - but one simply cannot write and compose the way he did without a sophisticated and deep knowledge base and intentionality.
That’s an amazing song.
Another wonderful reaction to a classic Queen song! Looking forward to the next one! 👑
this song is to me perfection
like a full opera delivered in 3 min
You GOTTA listen to the ‘Prophet song’ ! GOTTA😄👍
I love this woman! Why couldn’t I have her is a music teacher in grade school? She’s brilliant! So animated and knowledgeable!
The notes John plays at 5:16 (this video) make a crown icon when played on the G/D/A string of the bass. This man was a genius.
His playing was as important to Queen’s music as was Brian’s playing imo
Also Roger's playing was essential to Queen's distinctive sound.
@@RichardLaurenceAll of them together were so important to create the magic of Queen.
This is my favorite Queen song, it's perfect to me.
queen arrangements are amazing.
Great observations about the Beatles laying the foundation so that Queen could begin their career at a higher level of sophistication. Also liked the analogy with the song about Maria from The Sound of Music II never connected those two songs. Also, I agree you should listen to the Fairy Fellers Master Stroke from Queen ll. I think that song showed 1st sigh of how sophisticated their music was becoming.
That has to be your best opening ever! "What?"
As for the music, Queen had the best harmonies ever. Not many bands came close.
How to interpret art: I saw an interview with Brian May of Queen where he mentioned that in the years since Freddie Mercury's passing he would have conversations and occasionally people would ask him what Bohemian Rhapsody really meant. He said he sincerely didn't know but if he did he would prefer not to tell them as he didn't want to take away what it meant to them. I guess the guys in Queen were on the same page regarding this topic.
Good reaction and analysis. My first Queen single bought in 1974 when it was first released. I've still got it!!
About the lyrics: Khrushchev and Kennedy were the most powerful men in the 1960s (Cuban Missile crisis etc.) but in 1974 reference to them would have been somewhat passé. So this is a high-class call girl whose age was increasing and currency was fading. She needed all her props to keep her mystique alive. Similarly, "she never kept the same address" not to "avoid complications" but because she hadn't got one!! Still one of my Queen favourites.
Amy: I note the distinction you draw between The Beatles and Queen but there were other great bands/composers around. I hear Ray Davies in these lyrics and the playfulness of "Happiness Stan" from the Small Faces, for instance. And Ziggy had only just been killed off.
32:05 : Queen is always like a look through a Kaleidoskop when you're hear a song of them.
Greetings from northern germany ♥️
One of their most iconic and a personal favorite of mine. Thank you.
My Story
Way back late 1974 I was snooping in my older brothers bedroom , I found Killer Queen/ Flick of the Wrist " single on his dresser , I put it on the turntable and I became an instant fan , I have been a loyal Queen fan since , Queen is my Religion and Brian is my God , it is the PERFECT SONG !
It's one of my favourite guitar solos of all time.
Hi Amy, thank you so much for this wonderful video where we got to share your joy. 💚
The feeling you had, the similarity between "Killer Queen" and "Bohemian Rhapsody", it has a name. We call it "Queen" ;-) ... The reason is that we measure Queen mainly in our favorite songs and their best songs are all versatile, tell a story and have a unique sound as only Queen could.
Freddy hit the mark with his comment about the intent and meaning of the song - he didn't deny (as some do) that there *is* an intent in what he wrote in the lyrics - but insists that the perceived meaning of the listener is valid, as well - Freddy refuses to place one above the other! Thus, lyrical communication can be both literal and mystical - with neither realm demanding pride of place!
I've always thought of the Killer Queen as involved in mercenary espionage (maybe with an assassination or two?) - Freddy never comes out and says it, but there are hints all through 🙂 Does she have something to hold over both Khrushchev and Kennedy - allowing her to make them both "At anytime an invitation - You can't decline" - in other words, "an offer you can't refuse"?
The tightness of the band in the repeated vocal glissando is a part of Queen's fascination, for me - getting everyone sliding up at exactly the same rate is no easy task (and this was recorded a year before the earliest commercial vocal processor - the Eventide Harmonizer was available).
Freddy obviously studied music - both formally for a time and informally, with many forms/styles getting represented in his own compositions - he was also clearly well-read outside of music, as shown by his lyrics - the number of little references (some rather veiled) that most modern listeners would have to look up just in this song and "Bohemian Rhapsody" is quite large 🙂
To me the repeating ending (but with a second guitar layer fading in) hints at one of those changes of address - the Killer Queen disappears from the scene ... where will she reappear to do it all again? Or was this her last appearance as a player on the stage of high society? We just have to wait and see!
I hope "who wants to live forever" is in this list of 50 songs! Such a beautiful song, and I know Amy will enjoy it greatly?
I love your passion and insight on these songs. You are obviously a very talented and sophisticated artist yourself, so your evaluation of these songs is incredibly in-depth and reliable, due to your expertise and technical knowledge of the music. This give you a level of credence that all of the other reaction channels can't provide. Beyond that, I am so impressed by your ability to bring the character of the song to life for us all. Nobody who has ever listened to this song - even if they've heard a number of times - ever got the character (this Killer Queen) fully explained and exposed for who she is, as well as you have been able to do. I'm going to listen to all of your reactions now. Thanks so much.
17:16 - I hear the guitar in these sections as sort of a trumpet fanfare.
18:27 - normally there would be a cymbal crash at the end of the drumroll, but the bell provides the same punctuation but keeps it light.
23:45 - the Beatles may not have had formal education but they George Martin as their producer and he did have a classical education, so he was able to guide them in the studio. He had the musical and technical knowledge to channel their creativity into something that could be captured.
28:55 - Dr. May was a genius at using variations on the melody in his solos. And he may have picked that up from listening to George Harrison, who was also really good at it.
Dr. May was right. This is a perfectly crafted and polished pop nugget.
I can’t believe you’re skipping Brighton Rock. It features the guitar solo Brian does in every concert. It’s an amazing and underplayed song.
They haven't included Brighton Rock in their gigs for a long time now, although I did think I heard a motif from that solo inserted ever so briefly into his current one on their last tour. What I wouldn't give to hear it in its entirety again one day!
To my mind, the key is the 'wanna try', because although you know she is dangerous, 'she's out to get you', she is also 'guaranteed to blow your mind', so you wanna try all the same.
This is the quintessential Queen song 🔥
The drum roll before "she spoke like a baronet"...plus the prior allusion to Marie Antoinette, made me think of The French Revolution, too.
I've been looking forward to your reaction to this classic. For myself, I think the judicious use of triplets was innovative for its time and contributed enormously to its success. You can't relax with this one!
"I'm in love with my car", best Queen song ever! Of course I'm an old car guy.
This great song got some major radio airplay in NYC at the time. However, as pointed out by some, we listened to music by album sides. I will never forget the first time listening to Brighton Rock... setting that needle down and hearing that was an experience.
Both Brian and Freddie took piano until Grade 4. Brian never took guitar lessons. His father played ukulele and Brian learned that first then built his own guitar with his father at age 16 because they didn't have the money to buy one and he wanted a specific sound. When I first heard this song on the radio I was about 13 and fell in love with the song. Everything about it was something I had never heard before, especially the guitar sound. After that I was hooked on Queen. Don't think that the Jazz album has anything to do with jazz music. It doesn't. It is named after Roger's song More of That Jazz. It does have some great songs on it, though. Dreamer's Ball is one of my favourite songs by Brian from that album. Thank you for a great reaction! I really enjoy your analysis. More of Queen II needs to be listened to, especially Fairy Fellers Master Stroke(with harpsichord), Nevermore,March of the Black Queen. They run into each other and should be listened to together. Freddie's masterpieces.
"Queen" is also slang for a transvestite/cross-dresser, something Freddy was no doubt familiar with at the time. 😉 I was in 4th grade when this came out and it was an immediate hit. Those were the days for superb pop music, especially from the Brits. The music hall bounce to this song was very prevalent in the glam scene of the early 70s. It almost became cliche in 70's Brit-pop to have that English music hall swing happening.
yes, that's always been my interpretation. "Killer" was also a slang term for "great". I think Amy's literal exploration about lethality is an honest mistake lost in translation. The whimsical melody & cabaret-like lyrics, I believe this song is really Freddie Mercury's musings about the "world's most fabulous drag queen".
The conversation between Mercury and May’s guitar is an example of the call-and-response that is a fundamental element of Blues and heard often in Rock.
In the USA, at that time of radio play; this is the song that first got them noticed. Your stuff is fascinating! Best.
I've known this song intimately for over 45 years. I've just realised the snapping fingers at the beginning of the song is akin to stilleto heels walking...
Such a great song. Great reaction as well. Queen has so many amazing songs.
Great job Amy! You nailed it,,, sophisticated and Intelligent! Those two words could easily describe pretty much all of Queens' music. A cut above most other rock ensembles, Rock on Amy!!
Masterpiece!
Although Queen songs were each attributed to one writer, I think it's fair to say that all members of the band very much had their own influence on every song. There would be the original writer who presented the song to the band but once recording began they floated ideas around, they argued, they pushed and pulled, and this always resulted in a better finished work. The rule was always that "the original writer gets final say", but I think the whole band was really integral to what we all eventually hear.
Her mention of an underlying jazz rhythmic element makes me think that Freddie must have been somewhat inspired by hearing Duke Ellington's Satin Doll (Johnny Mercer lyrics), even if unconsciously, which is thematically similar in the character described. "Speaks Latin, that Satin Doll."
There’s always a bit of British music hall in Queen’s music.
Definitely in Night at the Opera.
@@joegillam1497…and Races.
I sometimes hear a Victorian barrel organ in some bits of certain sounds too
Freddie got his first Ivor Novello award for writing Killer Queen. Brian was in hospital, adding his bits to this song and other Sheer Heart Attack tracks when he got out.
Love your analysis of these old songs. I never realized how complex they were.
Amy, you’ve painted a new picture in my mind with your excellent critique of “Killer Queen. “
Freddie always said that he wouldn’t tell the meaning of their songs. He wanted the listener to find their own meaning.
That being said, I do see this very beautiful and sophisticated “call-girl,” but she’s sooooo intelligent and cunning that she’s been recruited by MI-5 to be a spy during the Cold War era…a feminine “Bond, James Bond.”
Anxiously awaiting your next review 🎶
The lyrics of this song are so damn clever. Dynamite with a laser beam :) What you're identifying as a cowbell might well be Brian plucking his guitar string way down low at the very base of the string. He did this in Bohemian Rhapsody to indicate "shivers down my spine". That might be what he meant in the interview when he spoke about the return of the little bell. I'm not swearing to this, but I'm saying it's possible this is where the little bell sound came from.
I think Queen used tropes from English beach-side music players ffrom the 1920's and also Music Hall songs in England from their youth, they would know and remember the songs from their families listening to a piano on a Sunday, when everyone had a piano n a house in England, and everyone could play it (You used to be able to buy sheet music for 1/6)
If you look at documentaries about Queen, you will find out that this song has a dual meaning and that is that it's also about a boy he had a crush on =) I think his name is Eric
This and 'You're my best friend' are my favourite feelgood Queen songs.
You really should listen to "Lap of the Gods" off the same album as this one. One of my favorite Queen songs. Queen is my favorite band. They literally had no bad songs on their first 8 albums.
Such a great song and the first of theirs that you have done in the series that became a big hit (the other ones were also really good songs). Many more great ones to come. Queen has such a unique sound and some of the best harmonies in rock. Brian May and Roger Taylor are great singers, which is often lost since they have to share the stage with one of the greatest rock singers ever. As you have noticed, they are one of the more sophisticated rock bands, both in lyrics and musically. Loved your reaction and analysis. Lots of nice details you brought out. Your Beatles comparisons were interesting and insightful. I love your enthusiasm for their music.
Listening to Queen was everyday life in my teens but I realized how great they were music especially their first 10 albums when I was 25 years old.
queen...pink floyd....dire straits...les meilleurs groupes avec chacun leurs personnalités propres et un talent incroyable!
You mention the Beatles blazing the way, and yes they certainly were but I think it might help to listen to what the Rolling Stones were also doing at the same time. These two bands plush Motown and what was coming out of California, sum up UK musical development in the late sixties and early seventies. Obviously there were others in the pop, rock and prog rock scene, but this was the essence for many listeners. I would love to hear your analysis. Queen, especially early Quean are one of my all-time favourite band and would also love to hear your reaction to The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke. Another great influence of mine in the 70's was Kate Bush. Such a unique and interesting musical talent. I just discovered your channel a couple of days ago and I'm finding it very informative. Big Yes, Rush and Tool fan and loved your analysis of Lateralus. I'm 71 now and still get the same buzz when I hear great music, that I did when in my 20's. Have you listened to any of Rick Wakeman's solo albums? He was the keyboard player on Close To The Edge and classically trained. A favourite of mine in Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
Queen was one of those artists that were genuinely interested in exploring the zeitgeist of any given moment rather than trying to follow what was happening in order to keep up. All the while remaining true to themselves. Bowie was another example.
Especially with Sheer Heart Attack. The first two albums were full prog rock/heavy metal, whereas this one onwards shows the band’s signature versatility and diversity in genres and lyrical themes. I consider SHA the first true Queen album.
I've read that Freddie Mercury and Brain May were big Jimi Hendrix fans. Hendrix brought a flamboyance in performance which was founded in his soul routes and working on the Chitlin Circut. Brian May's soloing and fills are absolutely perfect. Nothing superfluous but great dynamics. But like the Beatles, Queen was a complete ensemble. This was the first Queen song that impressed me. If Elton John and Led Zeppelin weren't the top artist of the seventies then Queen could have really held the Crown. Ha
Quenn was definitely my 2nd favourite band of the 70s. The 1st was Deep Purple. Never cared much for Led Zep or Dame Elton.
I’m thinking that cowbell was actually a triangle. My son was an orchestral, jazz, and worship band percussionist in high school and college so he played all the toys.
Also, I heard Paul McCartney in an interview say that Buddy Holly was a big influence.
Yup Queen II esp. black queen and father to son, is the unassailable early high point. Black Queen touches on every key. I always thought Queen and Mercury epitomised the idea of wit as something clever,, pointed, sometimes cruel but also a bit flash. great channel.
The March Of The Black Queen is the title. I think it's the best song on the album, it changes like Bohemian Rhapsody does. It's also the only song I know that has the word n*gger in the lyrics, but not in an offensive way. He's actually meaning brown sugar.
21:00 Certainly there's a "on the shoulders of giants" aspect to Queen, who had heard the Beatles' later and more intricate works. But something that can't be forgotten is that the Beatles predate 24-track analog tape, which enabled Queen, Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, and all the rest of epic '70s rock acts to create far more complex tracks.
The early Beatles stuff was basically recorded live, with very minimal overdubbing, 'cause it's what existed at the time. That "Sgt. Pepper" - a musical game-changer - was recorded with only 4 tracks is even more impressive in retrospect.
The tech available to bands (both live and in the studio) increased unimaginably between 1964 and 1974.