Queen, We Will Rock You - A Classical Musician’s First Listen and Reaction
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- čas přidán 5. 01. 2024
- #queen #freddiemercury #johndeacon #rogertaylor #brianmay
What a wonderful crowd-involving piece of music! It’s perfectly designed to get maximum audience participation, plus it sounds great! I also think they made a good choice to set it as the opening song on the album.
Here’s the link to the original song by Queen:
• Queen - All Dead, All ...
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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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Your reaction and assessment of "We will rock you" is spot on, and you bringing up the protest chant angle was something I hadn't ever thought of before, even though I have participated in many protest marches in my years. Thank you for bringing that up. Now, after watching that video of this song which does not do it justice, have Vlad show you the Live Aid performance. That, truly shows the power of this song over an audience. I keep telling my fellow musicians and songwriters about your channel and the value it has for understanding music. Vlad, I want to compliment you on your recognition of Amy's glowing personality when she is discussing her favorite subject (music), and her ability to convey that understanding of any song or tune to an audience. Then realizing the value of channeling that ability/gift along with her never having heard rock music before into this wonderful channel. Well, done Vlad!
The biggest song at live aid for queen was radio Gaga I think it would have been amazing for the band to see a see of people putting there arms up and clapping in radio Gaga
What kind of protest marches did you attend?
@@CelticSpiritsCoven Well, in the 70's I marched against the war in Vietnam. I protested the war in Afganistan. Marched for womans rights many times. I've marched for the environment several times. Marched with BLM during the George Floyd protests. Tell the truth, I can't keep track.
In 1977, I was nine, in the back seat, ignoring and ignored by my parents as usual, when I heard "clump, clump, CLAP, clump, clump CLAP" and I felt a surge of power and energy so intense it felt like I was going to rip through the roof...I heard, I FELT "We Will Rock You" for the first time, followed of course, by "We Are the Champions". The first song felt like a shot of raw power and the second KEPT me suspended in that blissful state. I'd never felt anything like it, never felt more alive. It was kind of like a dream where you're flying and you realize you have to come down...but you don't, at least not right away. I knew the "we" meant ME, I was one of the champions. That guy didn't sound like a liar or a wimp, and he wasn't talking DOWN to me, he was waking me up. ❤🙂
Beautifully put.
In 1977, I was fortunate to have seen Queen's 'A Day at the Races' tour show in January. In December we caught 'The News of the World' tour show. What a great year that was start to finish. Amy, these songs are sublime on record. They are life changing live on stage!
Normally the next song, "We Are the Champions" is played on the radio immediately after "We Will Rock You", in effect creating a single song with a hard break on the middle. The contrast in style between the two is what makes the combination of the two so compelling.
Yes The Contrast. Great comment !
That mixture of phase pedal and distortion boost though
i've never heard "we will rock you" on the radio played by itself. it's always paired with "we are the champions" much the same way as led zeppelin's "the song remains the same" is always paired with "the rain song".
I don't think I've ever heard "We Will Rock You" without "We Are the Champions" except maybe a sporting event. For most of my life, I thought they were one song.
I advised this before as both are often played together.
It raises a smile to hear you describe Brian May songs as loud and aggressive because that's the exact opposite of what he is as a human being. He is a softly-spoken, humble, courteous, modest man albeit with an enormous musical talent, deeply-held social conscience, compassion, and a PhD to top it all off. In a vast, vast ocean of music reacters you are the tropical, lush, fruitful desert island. I really enjoy your videos :)
But he did write most of the straight up rockers.
Absolutely :) He's a man of some great depth, as were they all.@@grahamokeefe9406
Maybe his inner personality was a different world to what you saw 😊
He also wrote some of the more thought provoking songs: '39 (time travel from Einstein's perspective) Good Company (read the lyrics for this) and White Man (the Native American's experience of European immigrants and what they did...)
@@penderyn8794 Playing rock guitar is just fun. You can be the most easygoing guy in the world but when you hit a power chord through a nice big amp it just makes you want to rock out.
Hi Amy. Some time ago I saw in an interview with Brian May, that to create the impression of multiplicity, taking advantage of his knowledge in Astrophysics, he deduced that if when recording he repeated the sound of stamping and clapping, at different distances from the microphones, measurements in prime numbers, it would achieve an auditory third-dimensional effect, but without echo. Interesting fact. Needless to say, we are very pleased with your reactions. I'm sure Queen fans enjoy it.
Having been at a Queen concert in the crowd the feeling of collective power are immense and everyone I hear it the same feelings come back
I think the word Amy was looking for was anthemic
Queens performance at Live Aid 1985 was in my opinion one of their best in my opinion.
i have been in a football stadium with 65000 people where this was loudly played , the stadium erupted and came alive . i will never forget.
This song is usually used as an intro for "We Are the Champions".
I love hearing Freddie sing Dr. May's tunes, because as amazing as Freddie is with the operatic stuff, he's also a HELL of a rock singer. When he puts that edge on his voice, it just raises the energy level tremendously.
Just imagine a stadium full of people doing the stomp-stomp-clap!
I would've loved him to sing 'Love Token' or 'Business'.
Considering the number of times Queen performed in football stadiums, it’s truly a sight to see!
I was lucky enough to see Queen live in 1986, they where absolutely brilliant and I have fond memories of stamping and clapping along with this.😊
I was never a fan of this song, but when you are in a crowd, with everyone stamping, clapping and singing it draws you in. When a band marries WITH the audience instead of playing AT the audience magic happens. When you are ready (Vlad will know when that is) watch the Live Aid show and let us watch you do so! Freddy's vocal chords werent at his best in that show (his doctor advised him against it) but it really illustrates the energy Queen had and how the band worked with the crowd. Freddy was a master singer, song writer and top notch showman.
Amy, you're a young gal, hard gal
Shouting on the web, gonna take on the world someday
😅
🥰✌🏼
🤘🤘
I would love to see your reaction to the Queen Live Aid performance, to see their crowd control and of an audience that were not necessarily their fans.
To see Queen control a crowd without being there, any Green Day concert. The Hyde Park one is eerie, but there are a lot of stadia across the world Bo-Rapping away on Green Day's tab.
Yes yes yes, not just great music but the most compelling performance ever. How to get a huge crowd engaged, rocking and fixated
I must admit that I NEVER expected to hear "We Will Rock You" on the harp. I LOVE it and gives me yet another reason why I LOVE your commentary, Amy!!
This song is most definitely best listened to live ❤
We Will Rock You for me is a fantastic introduction to We Are The Champions 😂 It is iconic in that it grabs you from the first bar !! It’s proof that sound can give us energy. It’s a song that makes us feel ‘ one with the world’ …… like we’re all in ‘ this’ together !
I'd love to see Amy in conversation with Brian May.
That'd be absolutely brilliant!
This song is the intro to We Are the Champions, one without the other is really not a thing.
Brian wanted to create a song that the audience could participate in with them, hence the "stomp, stomp clap"! 😃
Don´t forget "My melancholic Blues" From the same album!!!
Music plays with the brain in interesting ways. For instance, past studies have shown listening to a familiar, favorite song causes our brain to release dopamine, a chemical associated with pleasure and reward. However, some researchers believe music could be utilized to boost cognition in unconscious minds. Thank you.
Stomp!! Stomp!! CLAP, Stomp!! Stomp!! CLAP and luscious, glorious harmonies.
That Rio performance was kinda cool, but I admit I kinda wish you'd done either the Live Aid '85 concert (where one can see the speed of sound on the claps of the upstretched hands in the crowd) or else the Wembley '86 performance (where you can hear the crowd doing the ostinato better, as well as singing even the verses).
Either way, cool to see Amy's reaction to it all, as usual, and I look forward to watching the We Are The Champions vid tomorrow. :)
We are the Champions after!
I hope so.
How is it possible to not have heard this one before?!😮
IKR? I mean that's one of the really fascinating things about this channel - The. What? You've *never* heard X?!?
Whether she has or hasn’t, her analysis is worth hearing. “First time reaction” is a bit of term of art among CZcams reactors. Reactors pretend they haven’t heard a song; the audience pretends they believe the reactors. What distinguishes Amy from the vast majority of reactors is she speaks so fluently and competently about why songs work the way they do. And for these master-class lectures, it may even be preferable if she has heard something before. This form of analysis is much more worthwhile than just sitting there making faces and declaring something a “banger.”
Apparently not a sports fan, either... 🤷♀ But yeah, she has probably heard it chanted somewhere but thought nothing of it at the time.
The song lets the crowd participate with the band and amplifies the power of the chant. Such a feeling when played in a massive crowd.
Queen will rock you!
Great video as usual! You have this gift of bringing light to my day when I watch these! Your knowledge, expressiveness, love of music, and charming disposition all shine through and make your videos such a novel and great experience to partake in!
Please, you need to listen to "My Melancholy Blues" it's unlike any other Queen song ever recorded and absolutely amazing at that.
Although I first heard it when it first came out in the late 70's, I will always associate it with the NY Mets' magical 1986 world championship season when they played it at every single home game, some of which I'd attended in person, to get the crowd going. Of course many other teams have also adopted it as it naturally lends itself to that, but to me it will always be first and foremost about that. Not their best song but certainly one of their most anthemic.
I also heard it when first released and thought it had been cut off by the radio station. It was just a band making sure they wanted to leave you wanting more.
Growing up in the 80s I always thought that "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" were one song as the radio ALWAYS played them together. It wasn't until I bought the album that I realized.
Amy, tks again fot this excellent video.
Yay! I’ve been looking forward to your Queen review. This is not my favorite Queen song but I do love the energy and the follow up by Freddie: We are the Champions. And both are known all over the world. It’s kind of incredible how Queen was able to make so many anthems that made the audience feel included. Your observations are amazing as usual. Thank you Amy!
Funny that the band initially hated performing to a singing audience that refused to admire their performance. Once they hit Stafford, the band realised how special and magical the sensation was AND is; they suddenly encouraged it with hits like this one.
Oh Amy, you made me laugh every time you're saying "will" in this video, for the accent/prononciation contrast with Freddy's.
We've already talked about the magic of playing together. This is the perfect song for me to expose a kind of theory I have about music played in groups.
First, you may be right to say rock/pop concerts ain't for you, as long as you ain't a fan. But now, imagine hundreds of people who are fans of the artist, so they all know the music and lyrics by heart. They will experience something totally different than singing alone in their bedrooms, being together with other fans AND the artist.
And then, as well as when musicians play together, there are multiple minds that are experiencing and acting "in concert" the same thing for a certain period of time. In human activities, only the prayer does the same. And for me, this synchronisation of minds is an open gate to the spiritual realm, the true one that no one can really tell. Maybe that's why arts were always linked to religions. And we can guess it is a very old practice for human kind to try to think and act "in concert".
That's why I used the vague term of "magic" last time, not being religious myself. This "theory" can expand and is part of a larger spiritual frame.
Best regards.
Great reaction! Loved it! I'm glad you focused on the intent of the song (audience participation) and those elements that makes this song so powerful as an anthem. Interesting how you related it to the rhythm of protest chants. It really works well combined with "We Are the Champions". I'm glad you got to see a live performance to see the massive size of the audiences they performed in front of. The downside with the Rio performance was that I think the crowd was too big and noisy for the song to work as intended. Although the Live Aid concert was also a big audience that I thought worked better, since the crowd seemed to be more in sync with the beat and chants.
Hey Lee, I just posted that she should watch the Live Aid concert video of this song. Great minds think alike!
@terrykennedy-lares8840 Wembley 1986 Saturday concert is also very powerful (and complete in contrast to Live Aid) version - czcams.com/video/QF7cL2KGMWs/video.html.
Rio is unfortunately quite week execution for their standard. Sound quality also could have been better.
@@terrykennedy-lares8840 Yeah for sure, I hope she checks it out. If I remember correctly, I think she and Vlad watched the Bohemian Rhapsody movie way back when she reacted to the song Bohemian Rhapsody. She would have seen the parts dealing with this concert (in its dramatized and not completely accurate way), including this song. Although Vlad may have muted the volume to prevent her being spoiled by hearing the song itself. The movie depiction is certainly no substitute for the real thing .
No matter the song, Amy brings fresh insights to the music that often seem intuitive, but which I’ve maybe never articulated for myself. Or considered even. And she does it with such charm. I think Amy and Vlad are building one of the best channels of it’s type and I’ve enjoyed watching them develop it. Watching her become more comfortable, not only with the various genres, but also with being in front of the camera has been a delight. Meanwhile, Vlad has clearly become very good at how he handles his side of things from guiding the music selections, to filming, and cutting videos together. The fact that she has also come to enjoy much of what her audience has loved for so long, and can explain exactly why, is just icing on the cake. Considering her conspicuous knowledge of music in general, complex or otherwise, I often end up feeling vindicated in my personal favorites.
I agree. Amy helps me to realize why I like the music I like!
Hi Amy. I am following your channel for a while now, and i am so glad that I find you. Your content is so refreshing in vast majority of videos on social media in general. You are a person with such great knowledge paired with unusual sensitivity and feel for all the nuances in music that we love, and in general a wonderful human being.
I'm curious about concept or context of your videos... there is a person named Vlad who is some kind of guide for you (i guess he is your partner or husband)... I understand that rock in general wasn't "your thing" and it was completely unknown to you. But Vlad seems pretty funded in knowledge about various rock artists... I am sure that I am not only one who wants to hear how your journey with rock began, and what is context behind the scenes 😁. Amy, thank you so much!
You can hear this at almost any team sporting event in the US. (I'd wager everywhere but don't know) It's amazing when 70,000 people are all in sync with the beat and singing the chorus.
Such as the four times Queen filled up Wembley Stadium within 7 years.
I love when you demonstrate your point on the harp. More please.
Yes! No one has ever broken this song down in so much detail, especially the things that make it so universal. 😊😊😊 There is a slight change in format from when I last watched. But, I think this is a good move. Please keep innovating and refining! Hats off to the "producer" and the talent! 😂 Still waiting for you to plug into a Marshall! 🎸
I prefer the live performance at Live Aid but I guess you will view that in full one day.
I know it sounds better in a reaction video to say "I hear this for the first time" but I don't know which secluded part of the world you have to live not to know We Will Rock You. Basically impossible. Someone may not know which band it is or doesn't pay attention to the structure of the song or whatever, but I don't think it's possible not to know it. It's not an All Dead kind of song that only fans know. It's everywhere. Brian said once though that a lot of people don't know that he wrote it. They don't know it was witten. They think it's a kind of a folk song that has always been around.
That said, I enjoy the videos. You bring up interesting points.
This was the first song i ever remember hearing from Queen
What a great reaction!!!!!! ❤️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I always imagined there guitar solo to be an imitation of bag pipes. I lone piper at the end of the song.
Hearing this for the first time as a teenager was revelatory. An immediate adrenaline surge.
The voice in the beginning is Brian's end of the "one-two-three-four" countdown. I guess you're right that it is left in to give a more live feel.
Yes, I wanted to mention this too. Brian explained once how they had an intro, but then created a loop for the song body, and the "Aw" is actually the trailing end of the count of "Four", right at the start of a splice.
A boy (take on the world), young man (blood on your face), old man (mud on your face)...great song, all around...KISS...Keep it simple.
One of the things I absolutely LOVE about the guitar solo is the way at the very end, he uses the fingers squeaking on the strings as a rhythmic element.
I wish you had also listened to the so-called 'fast version' from their 1981 concert in Montreal. The album version of "Rock You" is (intentionally) quite monotonous, but its '81 concert intro performance is one of Queen's most gloriously high-energy moments. Plus it's fun to see the confused expressions on the audience faces. 😄
This is an interesting song just because it was designed to be played in a stadium of thousands. The audience is definitely the fifth member of the band on this one.
Stadium rock has an interesting evolution from the Who, Led Zeppelin, Queen, U2, and beyond.
A lot of these bands made serious changes to their equipment (Page switched from Fender to Les Paul) or to their song-writing (in songs like this) to ensure they engaged with those big crowds better.
When you finally watch some of the live performances, you’ll see how Freddie just belongs in front of thousands. The crowd loved his engagement and he seemed to thrive on it.
When I was in high school in the late 1970s our band used to play this at football games and we would stomp on the bleachers just exactly like you were doing. :D It's just the perfect fight song. lol. Probably been played by high school bands at football games ever since.
When may come up with this song he said I want a song the audience will join in with hence boom boom clap
This song and the next are perfect for sporting events also because the negativity of this first part can be directed at the opposing team, while the positivity of "We Are The Champions" is something that reinforces the communal feeling of cheering for your own team. The notes of the solo are chosen probably so the guitarist can continue fretting the lower rhythm part using mostly his index finger, while he can reach the higher melody notes with his other fingers, using typical bluesy bends, without having to move his hand to a different position. He seems to be using what they call the B.B.King Box - a pattern incorporating both major and minor pentatonic scales in different spots as a typical 12 bar blues progresses.
Thank you for this insight!!!
About the guitar, it's just a D major scale played over the A major chord. That is, it's the mixolydian mode, quite common in rock.
The reason I'm saying this is not to act like a smartass but because I think it is wrong to think of something quite simple as a mix of major and minor pentatonic scales, guitarists have a tendency to relate everything to a pentatonic scale making stuff difficult for no reason.
This solo is classic Brian, he loves his A major and D/A major chord.
The best audience participation song ever!
So glad you picked up on the "Awh" right at the start. I've often wondered if that was intentional or not.
I think it was a case of 'let's leave it there!' when they mixed it.
Another everday classic she never heard before -- that kills me! (in a good way). 😅
And breaks it down and tells us why we all like it so much. Hasn't she heard this at a sports event also?? What planet is she from?😅😅😅
I still love her.
This song is so nostalgic to me.
Massachusetts mid 2010s. I was in elementary and rode bus 20 home everyday. Fridays were especially nostalgic. The older kids always sat in the back and kicked off the rhythm with the rest following soon behind. All of us younger kids could never wait until we were old enough to be considered "cool". Such a timeless anthem.
Hi Amy! I have say, I was disappointed that you were not able to play the guitar solo on your harp, that would have been fascinating! Great video as always, I love learning new ways to appreciate music.
ps When Brian’s guitar comes in THAT makes it incredible and not just a great stadium anthem ! I WAIT FOR THE GUITAR !
in 1977, my college dorm mate had the baddest Yamaha stereo system in town, probably. he needle-dropped a fresh vinyl and we waited for the guitar as it's feedbacks in- guitarists will always claim that vibrato-y section [the triad shape-y riff] is THE emotional hook of the song imo...we were floored by May's simple guitar phrase - pulled u in deep.
This might be my favourite of your reactions, because now I begin to understand why it hits on such a visceral level, and why it is such a great crowd pleaser. And it made me realise once again what incredible composrs/songwriters Queen were. And the fact it is so simple makes it even better as somnetimes making something that is simple into something great is not easy.
18:15 That's the tail end of Brian's count in that was edited out. It's the "or" part of the word "four".
Perhaps my favourite of your Queen analyses so far; nice job!
Normally, as in Tie Your Mother Down, the song does a lengthy build up to the chorus (via the verse and riff), where the slow chant at the end feels like an epic pay-off.
However, with this song, it is mostly a capella, featuring the ostinato and vocals. Plus, since the song’s “chorus” is exclusively the loud chant, the song has a sense of direction but not a clear destination, so it only encourages the crowd to keep on clapping and singing.
Once May’s sustained guitar note slowly emerges, there is an ambiguous sense of change that leads to a distorted C note right when “Rock You” is uttered one final time.
The solo that follows (along with the continuing beat) feels like a satisfying pay-off that the crowd has got prepared for since they started stomping and clapping. The final melody that repeats seems to be in the key of A major, and the last note played alongside the final clap is the root, which allows the song to abruptly end right at home.
A very wise move by Dr. May that a lot of us seem to overlook. Like you said, he absolutely NAILED it!
We will rock you was a ubiquitous school cheer at school sports events in South Africa. We used to nearly collapse the stands stamping feet on plank and steel frame stands Americans call bleachers.
a key song to perform with great audience participation. as a song it really isnt great but as a performance it is spectacular
I thought for a moment that Vlad would show you the Live Aid sequence "We will Rock you" + "We are the Champions" after you had reacted to the last one - the view of the crowd from the stage is much better. At least I think so. Great reaction as always, obviously! ❤
Good that you are doing "We Are The Champions" next. It usually is played directly after "We Will Rock You" making one big song.
The kick drum is really one hundred thousand angry people stamping, the clap, well they are angry, taking a swing and connecting. Then it goes full riot ( Brian playing )
Another call for the song "Travel" by The Gathering, the TG25 live version. "I wish you knew your music was to stay forever".
SO TIMELESS SONG EVER ❤❤
The guitar slowly creeping into the song is also reminiscent of a similar intro, in Foxey Lady. Brian's approach on his song was fresh, true to his signature style, but you can sense his quiet admiration for Hendrix, whom he may count as an inspiration for his craft.
I agree with you that "Brian nailed it" with the beat pattern, in this song.
Where Queen was already big, this song conjoin (We Will Rock You + We Are The Champions) only consolidated the band's popularity. Many people (who might have previously niched them as a fringy, art-pop band) felt intrigued by them in a new way, all of a sudden:
Trade unions, inflation, and street protests and riots were common during the seventies. In a way, Queen captured this atmosphere of the times which, ultimately, led to the downfall of the then Labour government in the Spring of '79 but, fittingly, not of Queen.
What a great analysis. Thank you (as always) for putting the music I know and love into perspective and giving me a clear understanding of what I’ve been listening to for the past 40-50 years. You are a true gem, Amy, and I deeply admire your willingness to share a lifetime of professional musicianship, musical instruction and insight with us. Vlad also is a Champion and so excellent at choosing the perfect tunes. That live performance is a great one. Now, I can’t wait until I get to watch you react to the Queen set at Live Aid! That is one for the ages. Please keep helping me to learn a new appreciation for all this wonderful music.
You just got rocked by Queen
Probably the simplest song ever written. The key change/modulation toward the beginning of the guitar solo is one of the great pivots in music.
Um, playing the guitar solo is far from simple. Simple rhythm, sure. But simple solo? Hell no!
The voice at the onset, is the trailing end of the 1 2 3 4 count in.
Please give us your reaction to the Queen live performance at Live Aid! It is widely considered to be the greatest live performance ever.
Anthemic.
Amy you are so funny!😂❤✌🏽
This with the associated Freddie Mercury penned We are the Champions, obviously became a duo of songs that are / were played at Queenn Concerts and became crowd favourites because of the participation aspect especially We Will Rock You. Brian May has a solo album being the Starfleet project, which was recorded and the artists included includes Eddie Vann Halen..
The most sung rock anthem.
This was released as a double A-side single with We Are the Champions.
WE had this 45 growing up. This was the A side and the B side was We are the Champions. I played it often but always like WE are the Champions better. Both great.
I don't know if you've covered the concept of the 'rock anthem' on this channel yet. This one may be the textbook definition of an anthem.
Another anthem you've already heard is Pink Floyd's 'Another Brick In The Wall - Part II'. The driving beat, the simple sing-along quality, as memorable as a lullaby. It urges everyone in a room or, more often, a sports arena, to jive together briefly as if united in destiny. Like national anthems do for citizens.
Someone should compile a list of rock anthems. I'm sure commenters here could list off their favourites. AC/DC was almost an anthem band, they produced them as easily as the rest of us produce lint LOL!
Yes. Exhibit #1: "Thunderstruck"...
Slightly off topic, but I'm curious if you've listened to Dark Side of the Moon yet? The main reason I ask is because if you haven't already listened, it really should be heard as a whole, in my own and many others' opinions. I think it would be a really exciting thing to see on this channel.
Sorry for the departure from queen... Excellent video as usual.
It's a valid point. It's probably the best album ever so it's definitely worth checking out. Moreover, Mercury used to listen to Pink Floyd all the time while being driven around from A to B (his chauffeur confirmed so), and one of the last public photos he ever posed for was chatting with David Gilmour (whom May collaborated with at least twice). I'd say it's not off-topic!
@@basstian cool! I didn't know any of those things.
Queen, namely Freddy, makes you feel “PART OF” for the whole show! I saw them in Portland, OR at the Rose Garden with Billy Squire in the 80’s. At the time, I felt that Freddy was just kinda warming up/showing off when he ad-li’d the skat “Ee-Dee-Doah-Day.” And had us sing/shout it back. He did this for a good 4-5 minutes, then Tie your mother down, I believe. GREAT SHOW!!!! Oh yeah, Billy Squire was awesome too!
We Will Rock You was never released as a single in the group's home territory. So, it never entered the UK charts.
The 5ive cover (featuring Batman and Robin... I mean, Brian and Roger!) did get released as a single and, funnily enough, hit the top of the charts, something 'Champions' narrowly missed out on back in 77.
No better way to describe what you hear.
English/Britain it is so..Would love to whisk you two up & show you a bloody good time! Love what yous are doing ❤xxx
Great album wonderful analysis love you
As always, thank you Amy.
I use the guitar break as my ringtone. Brings a lot of smiles to people
It is now a law all over the world that when Brian May launches into the final riff that you must play your Air Guitar.
.....I've paid my dues.....
Hi Amy,
As far as I'm concerned, you missed the BIG surprise. I'm talking about the entrance of the first clear guitar chord. This chord changes all our expectations, and as a result gives the listener a real kick. So far, we heard the tonic as being the note of the words "(Bud)DY YOU'RE (a) BOY, MAKE (a) BIG NOISE" and "(We will, we will) ROCK YOU!". But when the guitar comes in, suddenly this note is the major third! Brian May flips everything around. It's a subtel game he plays with the harmony.
It was only somewhere at the end of his solo that you started to notice he played some different notes. Well, his f i r s t chord was different already!
Neither did you talk about the absense of a bass guitar. But that's a rare feat in Rock.
Another thing. Why do you never move your hands right in synchronisation with the music when you're trying to point something out for your viewers? You want to draw their attention to something, but then you're moving inbetween the beats. But (most) Rock goes steady and is not in need of a conductor who needs to impose the rhythm/tempo on the musicians. Rock drummers are (mostly) expected to play dead tight. The tighter, the better! That's why there are no conductors in Rock. So, since there usually are no termpo changes in Rock, everybody already knows where the beginning and end of all the coming bars will be. Therefore you can simply move your hands right along with the beat. That way pointing out where something is happening is much clearer for the viewer.
Have fun with your exposure to Rock,
Micha
Interesting that you caught the fleeting voice at the beginning. Some comments suggest he's saying, "awwwww," I hear it as "ahhhhhhh..."
Briam May wanted a song the crowd could participate in. The hand clap and stomp rhythm track are now a staple at sports events along with the followup song We are the Champions.
Yeah Amy, so how is that for musical sophistication?
I have a slight different take on the "a hit song by any means" comment. Yes it is an incredibly accessible song. But it is also so over the top simple that others who hypothetically would have published this recording possibly would not get the recognition, it could be viewed as High school kids musical production and therefor be written off completely. It may take some brand name like Queen, with the attentions that their work garners to have a song like this get "air-time" and commercial promotion efforts.
Having spoken about the song's simplicity I do have to say that Freddie Mercury's performance is perfect. As Amy said he delivers an enormous presence. I imagine Freddie looking at this song as just a song written on paper or a few verbal discussions with Brian, what choices does he make to conceptualize the song, to create something from just an idea and, yes, he nails it, as does Brian with his bit of guitar work at the end.
It is also quite a feat for Queen, a band with such a breath and commercial capital, a band that the record label is looking at for a next commercial hit, to present the label with such a song; "this is what we're going to do, Guys!" And they pull it off.
Amy, this is such a fine video you created, your ability to create an enormous amount of joyful enthusiasm for a song so below the musical substance that your knowledge would be able to critique and as simple as it is i still gained some insights from you about this song that I hadn't thought of.
Thank you.
Thank you very much Amy. For me this is the best rock song ever. ❤
For those, who missed the concert for Queen Elizabeth 's jubilee 2022, please watch this:
czcams.com/video/7UfiCa244XE/video.htmlfeature=shared
czcams.com/video/j3guQ2Ufbxw/video.htmlsi=ORgqauw6955AM28w
Interesting fact, Brian May made his guitar with his dad when a kid and uses an old English sixpence as a pick rather than a plectrum
Great Reaction vid to a classic track. @Vlad - seeing the live performance reminded me - does Amy know the story of Brian's guitar - the Red Special? I'm sure she would be fascinated at this further unique aspect of Queen. One of the biggest and best bands ever to grace the planet and that unique guitar sound of Brian May is all done on his home-made guitar!