Queen. I assume everybody has heard the name before.

Queen is a 70s and 80s rock band, consisting the members of Freddie Mercury (vocal/piano), Brian May (guitar/vocal), Roger Taylor (drums/vocal), and John Deacon (bass).

Queen is one of my favorite bands of all time, and so with the hope that people will be interested after the massive success of the 2018 Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, I decided to make a recommendation list of some Queen songs for this blog post.

I’ll divide the songs into 3 sections; a guide for ①beginners, ②people who only know the biggest hits, and ③a deeper dive.

To make it interesting, I’ll try to write things that I think are cool about the song, or some random facts and rumors regarding it.

Let us begin.

1. Starter’s Pack

For the people who have been living under a rock for their entire lives, these are a few of Queen’s biggest hits that everybody knows, Queen fan or not. (However, I will exclude We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions since I believe we are all born knowing them.)

Bohemian Rhapsody   

Bohemian Rhapsody is the song that defined Queen’s status once and forever, and has been one of the world’s most beloved song for over 40 years. This six minute, mind-blowing piece is one of those rare songs that when you first heard it, you hadn’t heard anything like it before. It crosses genres with an acapella introduction, a ballad, a mock-opera, hard rock, and a reflective coda. With over 160 overdubs, harmonies performed by Freddie, Roger, and Brian, crowded around a single microphone (and yes, it is just the three of them, not a roomful of choir), the operatic sections took 70 hours to record. As for the lyrics, there are many interesting theories, but Freddie, the father of the song, never disclosed the meaning of it. The song is timeless. It’s intoxicating, liberating, memorable, and powerful.

Another One Bites The Dust

With one of the most recognizable bass lines in rock history, this funky, cool and iconic John Deacon song did exceptionally well on the charts. Interestingly, it was their good friend Michael Jackson’s idea to release the song as a single. The band members, especially Roger didn’t think it was a good idea, but the song turned out to be Queen’s biggest ever hit in America. Roger later laughingly admits, “He [Michael] was right, and I was wrong. We were wrong. Thank you, Michael”.

Don’t Stop Me Now

Although it wasn’t a great hit on its initial release, Don’t Stop Me Now is one of the most popular Queen songs today. This highly energetic song was voted the ‘best driving song of all time’, and was named by scientists as “the world’s most effective song to make you feel good”. However as a side story, it is well known among fans that guitarist Brian May isn’t a fan. The pop sound was “very much a Freddie thing” he says. He also disliked the lyrics since they referred to Freddie’s exhilarating, but ultimately self-destructive high he was going through at the time. It seems like Brian has mixed feelings towards the song until this day, but still. It’s a great one.

Killer Queen

I would describe this as Freddie’s most loveable song. After the first two albums that were a very heavy rock sound, the band took a turn on their third album mixing pop elements, and this song became Queen’s first international hit. The lyrics are witty and playful, and Brian’s guitar solo is immaculate. It’s one of the songs that initially got me into Queen.

Under Pressure

Queen with David Bowie, this has to be one of the best collaborations ever to be made. Starting when John came up with the iconic bass riff, and after many spontaneous vocal sessions and Bowie eventually piecing it together, this masterpiece was born. My personal favorite part is how they divided the vocal lines. While Bowie plays the one on the verge of surrender, grinning through the pain with his rough, beaten down tone, Freddie plays the other end who imagines a better world where pressure doesn’t exist, offering hope, with his penetrating voice that can effortlessly glide through unlimited vocal range.

Ok. You had a listen, you liked them, and you want to know more. I would suggest to go watch the movie Bohemian Rhapsody. It’s not flawless and it’s not entirely accurate, but it’s still a brilliant film that will give you a good insight of the band.

 

2. The Overshadowed Ones

So you watched the film. You loved it (obviously). The soundtrack is on repeat. You want to dig in more but have no idea where to start with.

These are a few songs that failed to make it to the movie, but are still well-known.

These Are The Days Of Our Lives

The only reason why this famous Roger Taylor song didn’t make it to the movie was because the film only depicts up until 1985, and this song was released in 1989. This beautiful song was originally written about Roger looking at his kids and reflecting on his own life, but with the emotional lyrics, it obviously has a different meaning within the context that Freddie was very ill at the time. The music video for this song became Freddie’s last one.

’39

I love this one. It’s probably Queen’s most famous non-single work. This folk influenced song about taking a space trip was written by Brian May, or rather Dr. Brian May who is a rock legend, but also a genius who has a PhD in astrophysics. I think lyrically, this is the most Brian song out there. It’s about men who sail out to a year long journey into ‘the milky seas’, but when they come back, a whole century has passed on earth. The live versions with Freddie on lead vocals are especially my favorite.

Save Me

A traditional Queen sound I would say, with all the elements you would expect from a song by Queen, and is one of my all-time favorites. Lucy Boynton, the actress in Bohemian Rhapsody, describes the magic of the song perfectly. “It’s such a beautiful marriage between the poetry of Brian’s lyrics and that full Mercury voice－you get the full impact and power of it.”

Innuendo

Everybody knows and loves Bohemian Rhapsody, but so many people are missing out on this piece. In my opinion, Innuendo, and a song called March Of The Black Queen from the album Queen Ⅱ are the brothers and sisters of Bohemian Rhapsody. It’s epic. It’s brilliantly complex, bizarre, and takes you on a whole emotional journey. You will either hate it or love it, no in between. But if you think Bohemian Rhapsody is a work of genius, I’m pretty sure you’ll love this one as well.

Teo Toriatte (Let Us Cling Together)

As a Japanese, there is no way I’m not going to mention this song. Freddie Mercury is known for his love for Japan, and that’s why until this day I assumed he wrote it―― except I just found out that it’s in fact Brian May’s writing. This beautiful ballad famously has a chorus sung entirely in Japanese, with a bridge that serves as a brilliant build up, and exceptionally angelic vocals by Freddie.

For more songs like this, I would suggest the compilation albums ‘Jewels II’ or ‘Greatest Hits II’. (‘Greatest Hits III’ too if you want to know some of their solo singles.)

 

3. Hidden Gems

Now welcome, to the fan zone.

I’ll list a few songs that you probably wouldn’t know unless you’re a fan, but are some of my personal favorites, with just short comments.

My Melancholy Blues

This bluesy song with jazz inspired piano is one of my favorites, and is yet another stroke of genius by Queen. Beautiful vocals as well.

Liar

I hardly listen to hard rock with the exception of Queen. This is one of my top 3 tracks from their debut album.

Is This The World We Created…?

Inspired by the African famine, this ballad was written by the unorthodox pair of Freddie and Brian. The performance on Live Aid, the massive benefit concert that was depicted in the movie Bohemian Rhapsody, is worth checking out.

You And I

John Deacon always writes such light-spirited songs, and alongside Who Needs You and Need Your Loving Tonight, this is one of my favorite sweet gems by him.

White Queen (As It Began)

This delicately crafted piece with its exquisite lyrics is one of my all-time favorites. Particularly the live version from A Night At The Odeon with the instrumental middle section is in every way perfect, in my opinion.

Heaven For Everyone

This was originally Roger’s solo track, but Freddie sang it when he came to visit, and after his passing it was remixed as a Queen song.

In The Lap Of The Gods

Both the original and the revisited version of this epic song are good. I would have to say the original is my favorite though, with Roger’s beautiful, ridiculously high falsetto included.

 

If you made it till the end, I thank you sincerely for bearing with me and reading through this way too long post.

Are you a fan of Queen? Have you heard of the songs I mentioned? What are your favorite Queen songs? I’d love to know your thoughts!