Although some dislike Brian May and Roger Taylor using the Queen moniker when the late Freddie Mercury and former bassist John Deacon aren't involved, many of their songs remain timeless classics that demand to be played live.
Yet, there's much more to the band than monster hit singles. With former American Idol contestant Adam Lambert currently fronting the group on their UK tour, it's perhaps time for some lesser known bijous to feature alongside the familiar anthems.
From Tolkien-inspired progressive folk tales to music hall romps, proto-metal thumpers and beyond, Queen painted on the broadest of canvases with the most exquisite of strokes. Here, we look at the deep cuts that made the royal rockers one of the most delightfully entertaining, experimental and unique acts in history.
Liar (‘Queen’, 1973)
One of the highlights of their hard rocking and underrated debut, this was written by Mercury but built on the back of snarling May riffage and contrasting folk flavoured verses. At a time when the band didn't give a shit about hit singles, the song built to a rhythmically exotic brew of tribal drums, balls-out metal grinding and an almost nursery rhyme chant of liar liar - but without the pants on fire bit. In their early years Queen would often turn this gem into a 10 minute monster, and it would be great to see if they could still pull that off today.
Father To Son (‘Queen II’, 1974)
This early track highlights how deliciously overblown Queen would get as they were becoming increasingly adventurous when let loose in a recording studio. Father To Son sits on an album beloved by fans – but largely ignored by the general public due to its heavily experimental and progressive dynamic - and epitomises their creativity as twinkling balladry detonates into burnt-to-a-crisp riffage and backing vocal breeziness.
The Prophet’s Song (‘A Night At The Opera’, 1975)
Bohemian Rhapsody would be the peak of ambition for most bands, but for Queen it was merely foreplay. The other epic on 'A Night At The Opera' is this prog rock colossus that, at just over eight minutes, ranks as one of the longest songs the band ever recorded. Composed by May after a dream about The Great Flood, it's full of biblical references as acoustic passages, chugging metal guitars and Freddie's catchy, repeated hook find the band gleefully maximising the possibilities of studio technology. We'd like to hear this performed just to see how they pull off the echoing a capella vocal that lasts for nearly two minutes in the middle.
You Take My Breath Away (‘A Day At The Races’, 1976)
Predominantly Mercury alone on the piano, his minor classical notes and melancholy croon are haunting as he delivers a counter-intuitive love song that seems surprisingly sad in its declaration of affection. Rumoured to have been written by Freddie about Mary Austin, the pain, confusion and struggle at its heart makes it a genuinely tortured tear jerker. If played live, expect lighters and phones to be held aloft by weeping audience members.
Spread Your Wings (‘News Of The World’, 1977)
A typically wonderful John Deacon composition, this was also a single but only grazed the top 40 of the UK charts. Its parent album’s big hits – We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions – carried more anthemic heft, but this is still a charming and uplifting tale that encourages Sammy - who sweeps the floor at The Emerald Bar - to 'fly away' and pursue his lifelong dreams. With its rousing chorus, Spread Your Wings is tailor-made for huge arenas, and following his pre-American Idol struggle for fame, Lambert could certainly give it the requisite emotional conviction.
It’s Late (‘News Of The World’, 1977)
A big favourite with die-hards, on the surface this is just a cracking hard rock anthem replete with customary double tracked guitars, loud quiet dynamics and a gigantic hook. But May actually based the song around a theatrical concept, structuring its narrative like a three act play as it chronicles a relationship in crisis, leading to an affair, and eventual reconciliation. Sounds heavy and pretentious, but is thoroughly uplifting, hopeful and perfect for drunken audience singalongs. The permed guitar god even pre-empted Eddie Van Halen's use of the tapping technique on his solo to boot.
One Year Of Love (‘A Kind Of Magic’, 1986)
The songs on 'A Kind Of Magic' were written for the film Highlander, but tracks like this stand on their own two feet as Queen's ability to express elemental human feelings shines through. Another gorgeous Deacon effort, this is one of the most romantic love songs they recorded and features a mellifluous saxophone solo that perfectly complements Mercury's surrender to the pain and pleasure of a finite love affair. Long overdue a live airing.
Scandal (‘The Miracle’, 1989)
Although a single, this didn't chart highly, and even Roger Taylor admits it's not one of his favourites. He should really revisit it, because Scandal is actually a brooding rocker with lightning strike electro touches and lyrics that that bite back at the vicious press attacks May and Mercury endured in the late ‘80s. Riding a thunderstorm of bass, moody snynths and howling guitars, lines like 'no one ever really knows the truth from the lies' feel more relevant than ever.
Was It All Worth It? (‘The Miracle’, 1989)
By 1989, Mercury's health was declining and Was It All Worth It? remains a poignant and triumphant semi-autobiographical rocker that meditates upon the troubled, but rewarding, rock ‘n' roll lifestyle. From its adversity-crushing guitars to a bombastic midsection that dovetails into an orchestral passage, the music is a microcosm of Queen's career, blending contradictory styles with fluency and grace. As Freddie kisses off with 'yes, it was a worthwhile experience, ha ha ha', it's impossible not to get a little choked up.
The Hitman (‘Innuendo’, 1991)
Otherwise known as 'the heaviest motherfucker Queen ever recorded', The Hitman unleashes an explosion of crashing guitars and ruthless shredding that suggests it was solely May's baby. In truth, it evolved from a Mercury idea before May took the riff and injected it with a gallon of unstable rocket fuel. It's doubtful Lambert could match the venomous cool of Mercury's vocal, but we want to hear this one just so we can start a pit at a Queen show.
Queen and Adam Lambert Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sat January 17 2015 - LONDON O2
Sun January 18 2015 - LONDON O2 arena
Tue January 20 2015 - LEEDS first direct Arena
Wed January 21 2015 - MANCHESTER Arena
Fri January 23 2015 - BIRMINGHAM Barclaycard Arena
Sat January 24 2015 - NOTTINGHAM Capital FM Arena
Tue February 24 2015 - LONDON SSE Arena Wembley
Thu February 26 2015 - LIVERPOOL Liverpool Echo Arena
Fri February 27 2015 - SHEFFIELD Motorpoint Arena Sheffield
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