This is a paper that I wrote last semester in my English class. We had to write an argumentative paper. I chose my topic to be that Queen is not properly recognized for their attributes to Rock 'n' Roll. So I wanted to share my paper with everyone. Now I have to say that the first BODY paragraph is suppose to be the oposing side. I do not agree with what I wrote in that paragraph. I just wanted everyone to know that. Also, some of the stuff in my paper might not be true because I did not do any research for this paper. I did it soley on my knowledge. It wasn't until after the semester was over and I began to read that book I realized that some of the stuff wasn't necessarily true. So I am SORRY if it like offends anyone or anything. If you have any sugguestions for my paper PLEEEASE tell me! I love writing and I love to improve. I hope you all enjoy all 10 and a half pages of it!
Lindsay Rice
English 098-116
Mrs. Baker
11/26/06
The Royalty of Rock ‘n’ Roll
During the nineteen seventies, there was a deafening roar of Rock ‘n’ Roll that swept over an entire nation. It infested high schools, stereos, teenager’s rooms, and basements that were clouded by smoke. With exceeding levels of volume, Rock ‘n’ Roll was the best thing that happened to the nineteen seventies. But what was the best thing that happened to Rock ‘n’ Roll? Birthed by England and tolerated by America, Queen came to claim its throne in the early 70’s with only four band members and infinite amounts of talent. Throughout Queen’s twenty year reign, the band has been recognized for smashing hits like “Bohemian Rhapsody” “We Are the Champions” “We Will Rock You” “Another One Bites The Dust” and “Bicycle Race”. But has Queen really been recognized as a legend or simply a “good band”? Queen should be recognized for it’s innovative attributes to the history of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
On average, the majority of people that seem to be familiar with Queen tend to surmise that Queen was just like any other flamboyant boy band that all the girls fell head over heals for. When Queen “performed” on stage, the band dressed up all gaudy and pranced around like fairies. The way Queen dressed obviously showed how gay the members really were. The lead singer even died from AIDS in 1991. Even their music was outlandishly queer. Their songs were nothing like traditional and classic Rock ‘n’ Roll like, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, The Doors or The Rolling Stones. They made a few good hits but that was all. They didn’t even sing on stage. They actually lip synced most of their concerts. How can a band be considered Rock ‘n’ Roll, if it can’t even sing on stage?
Unfortunately, most people do not seem to appreciate good music as I do, even if it is blasting in their ears. As it began, Freddie Mercury was into singing and music by the age of 12. Throughout his entire life he was fascinated by the art of music. Freddie had a voice that cannot be mimicked by any other human soul. His operatic style was what made him so astonishing. Brian May was the guitarist of Queen, and with out any doubts the greatest guitar hero in the history of guitarists. Brian was five years old when he was first introduced to the piano. Brian’s father saw that Brian had music potent ional, so he taught him how to play the ukulele at the age of six. Brian showed incredible talent and soon picked up the guitar. In 1963, Brian and his Father built Brian a guitar that became a legendary icon called “The Red Special”. Brian May’s guitar produced a sound and mastered it like nothing that was ever heard by mankind.
Roger Taylor posesses the singing voice heard at an impossibly high octave. Even though his voice is more rough and manly, he is able to hit those high notes while doing more dramatic songs. Johnny Deacon was sort of hidden amongst the more popular instruments in the band. But he was not forgotten in the very least. His bass was very exquisite and vibrant in “The Millionaire Waltz”, which is a song on their fifth album called “A Day at the Races”. Freddie sets the mood with the piano, letting the music simply flow from his finger tips. Then one hears this unusual sound happily intertwine with the piano notes. That was Johnny’s bass. In most songs, the bass is not always heard by the listener; however, in the “Millionaire Waltz” it is. It is good to hear something other than simply the guitar. Johnny’s bass is certainly the solid backbone to most of Quenn’s songs.
Most bands that produce their first album are not recognized immediately. This is because the people are not familiar with the band yet. Despite the extensive flow of talent, it takes time for a band to claim popularity. Queen was ignored because of its style of music. When Queen started out in the U.K, its music was an enormous hit. When Queen was introduced in the U.S, however, it was shunned for its “outlandish” styles. Queen started out its glorious legacy in 1973 with its first album “Queen I”. This was before they were a big hit in the U.S. The band’s talent was incredible though, and it showed blatantly on “Queen I” in the first track alone. “Keep Yourself Alive” starts out literally with a shredding guitar. The majority of American society didn’t appreciate Queen because they seemed so different. Did that stop Queen from performing? It most certainly did not.
Queen portrayed even more innovativeness with its second album “Queen II”. This album was cleverly pieced together as a story. It was a constant battle between the White Queen and the Black Queen, which portrayed good and evil. The third track is called “The White Queen”. This song takes on an impression of purity yet sadness. Freddie’s voice is calm and morose yet so beautiful. “The White Queen” is a very calming song. The words make the story seem like a Queen that is worried and trouble but must remain serene. There is a verse in this song, where Freddie’s voice becomes louder and powerful, showing that even though the White Queen is for the good, she even has some imperfections as well. It shows that not everyone must be reserved all the time.
Six tracks later, dwells “The March of the Black Queen”. This song starts out with the tranquil piano and guitar, and then literally plunges into a sequence with booming drums and harmonized voices. The song sounds like a ballad sung by followers of the Black Queen. During the whole song, singers are constantly asking themselves why they are following her. That notion clearly depicts that even though she is evil, there is still something charismatic about her. The sound of this track is very malicious and dark. Half way through the song, there is a short chorus where the mood is light and not so dark. The voices were calmer and sang that there is still a little love and joy in every person’s soul. Queen did this intentionally to show that unique contrast in songwriting and instrument style.
Within the entire album, the tracks all flow into one another. They flow lyrically and musically. When one song ends with a specific tune or instrument, the next track picks up in the same spot. That technique is so different and innovative. Queen had a knack for assembling its songs, so that it would flow or show severe contrast. In their third album “Sheer Heart Attack”, the first track “Brighton Rock”, has an introduction that sounds like a busy day at some carnival. Amidst all the laughter and talking, one would hear a man whistling a tune. The tune is “The Seven Seas of Rhye”, which was the last track on the previous album, “Queen II”. Further along in “Sheer Heart Attack”, the fourth track starts out with a delightful piano with hopes for a happy song. When the song starts the vocals; however, it turns out to be a song that portrays violence and angry voices. When the song ends, its tune flows into the following track, “The Lily of the Valley”. This song starts out with an austere piano that shows no signs of joy, until it starts the vocals and it becomes quite cheerful. Not only did these two tracks show extreme contrast, but also shows how Queen melded its songs together. It happens later on in the album with “Stone Cold Crazy”, which is a song about deliquesces and mayhem. The song is very, very fast and up beat. The following track called “Dear Friends” drops the energetic mood to a sad and beautiful song, about a friend who is either leaving or dying and saying good-bye to his or her friends. One other example of this talent is in the fourth album, “A Night at the Opera”, with the first song called “Death on Two Legs”. Freddie wrote this extremely bold song and dedicated it to all of the corporations and record labels that did not properly compensate for Queen’s work. The song starts out with an absolutely lovely piano and then it’s taken over by a machine-sounding guitar. The guitar sounds mean and angry. It sets the atmosphere quite nicely. The song is heavy and powerful with its words, vocals, and instruments. The song ends with a fast and cutting symbol. Track number two “Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon”, then starts out with a quiet and bubbly sounding piano that bounces into an innocent song about a London man who describes his leisurely activities during the week. “Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon”, was recorded with Freddie singing into a tin can. By doing this, it provided the voice a very far away sound that sounds very old fashioned. This song was meant to give off an “old fashioned” feel. Queen was very keen on trying out different ideas. It was all about making effects that would accommodate their desired theme. “Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon”, is one of the countless songs that Queen used different sounds in.
In the second album “Queen II”, there is one track that specifically shows how far ahead of its time Queen really was. “Ogre Battle”, was a song that reflected its title. At the beginning of the song everything is quiet for about 30 seconds, and then all of a sudden an ear blasting crescendo of falsetto voices reach the high heavens. After that, it sweeps into an almost “turn-table” sounding guitar which was wonderfully done by Brian. It almost sounds like today’s techno songs only using voice and the basic instruments used in a band. The 7th track on “Queen II”, “The Fairy Feller’s Master Stroke”, is a whimsical song about a community of magical people. Freddie actually based this song off of a painting. The song starts out with a clock ticking, and then an old-fashioned sounding piano joins in. The song really sounds like the type of song that would be played in the midst of a fantasyland. Queen played rock that was intertwined with classic music. It wasn’t just about the guitar, drums and bass. It was about harmony, lyrics, and producing unique sounds. There are so many songs that have been produced by the band that retain the most unusual sounds. On the album “A Night at the Opera”, the song “Seaside Rendezvous”, sings about a man who is in love with a girl, and he sings about a classic love affair that he wants to have with her. In the middle of the song, there is a sequence that has in place of a guitar solo, a “kazoo” solo. The kazoo leads into other sounds such as, a car motor, a car horn, and a high whistle. This music break in the song, demonstrates the man’s excitement and optimistic hopes of winning this girl over. The song after “Seaside Rendezvous”, “The Prophet’s Song” is very eerie and very dreamlike. Brian May wrote this song. It was inspired by a dream that he had, and because it was so powerful, he translated it into song. The song in a way resembles the events of Noah’s Arch. It has a very foreboding sensation that leads to a somewhat alarming truth. In the middle of the song, Freddie chants a phrase, and it echoes back to him about 4-7 times. While the series of reverberating lines takes place, there are no other sounds being made. It is complete and total silence, save for Freddie’s mimicking voice. It’s very haunting and yet so beautiful at the same time.
One of Queen’s most powerful assets was Brian May and his guitar. From the very beginning in “Queen I”, Brian May’s guitar was a maker of sounds. Not just the sounds a typical guitar would make, sounds that were produced by every day things. The main sound that his guitar generates sounds almost rich and thick. He plays the guitar and makes the notes sound as if it were a voice. The way he can vibrate the end of the notes resembles the way Freddie sings. Brian is also able to make the tunes sound as if there is more than one guitar playing at once. It is almost like the way Tibetan monks chant and make their voices double. Brian’s talent enables a person to literally visualize his music in a person’s mind. It actually allows a person to see what his notes look like. In “Queen II”, the very first song, “Procession” starts off with a slow and steady heart beat, and then all of a sudden this splash of guitar cuts through the beat and sounds almost exactly like the bag pipes. During “The Fairy Feller’s Master Stroke”, in the same album, there is a solo that swirls into the background. It sounds almost fluttery as it mixes in with the voices. One of the most notorious guitar solos performed by Brian May was in “Brighton Rock”, on Queen’s third album “Sheer Heart Attack”. This song portrays almost all of Brian’s sounds. The solo starts off with a blasting guitar and then gradually turns into this growl like noise. It sounds very deep and guttural as it moves faster and faster, tearing the notes in half. It is hard to breath when listening to it because of its high intensity. Further along in this album, comes a song called “Bring back that Leroy Brown”. In this song, Brian expresses his talent on the banjo and the ukulele. Even though it is played on different instruments, his talent is still distinguished. In the fourth album “A Night at the Opera”, the first track “Death on Two Legs”, illustrates Brian’s guitar as a machine-sounding instrument. It doesn’t sound like a regular guitar, it sounds mean and vicious. The noise almost sounds like a snarling animal. In “Love of My Life”, later in the album, Brian not only plays a glorious guitar, but he also plays the harp. This is such a beautiful song and Brian’s talent is such a vast contribution to that reality. There is one more solo that should be rightfully pointed out. That is not an implication that there are no more incredible solos done by Brian, but simply one of the most innovative solos. On Queen’s fifth album, “A Day at the Races” there is an exceedingly glorious song called “The Millionaire Waltz”. During the song, there is an upsurge of vocals that can only be described as powerful, and then it suddenly stops with only the piano playing in a “waltz” tune. Shortly after this miniscule pause, save for the piano, a noise lazily makes its way through the notes in an almost computerized sound. The sound of this guitar resembles very much the atmosphere of an old fashioned luncheon. It sounds so relaxing and calm. When one hears a guitar that sounds like a piano, a snarling beast, or a car motor, it has to be Brian May. Brian tackled individual notes in songs; he didn’t just play the same thing constantly. Brian played all the hard stuff that sounded easy to the ears of people. He was so very calm and laid back when he played his “Red Special”.
Queen introduced an entirely new twist to Rock ‘n’ Roll. With “Bohemian Rhapsody” as its key to fame in the U.S, Queen took on Rock ‘n’ Roll with an utterly inventive perspective. Queen not only wrought magic and passion from the heart and soul of every band member, Queen was also inspired by many components. Various types of musical genres and non-music related things influenced the band. For instance, Queen derived a lot of their styles from, gospel, 50’s rock, classical music, movies, dreams, paintings, and real life situations. Queen really enjoyed the Marx Brothers movies and dubbed its 4th and 5th albums after two Marx Brothers movies, “A Night at the Opera” and “A Day at the Races”. In the first album “Queen I”, there was a lot of gospel and praise related songs. Except with Queen, the songs were turned into a modern rock song, instead of a hymn. The band wrote songs about things that weren’t happening in the real world. Even though they sang songs relating to their own lives, they never sang about politics or current events. It was all about the music for Queen. Their early songs never once mentioned the protests in Vietnam, or mistakes made by politicians. It wasn’t until later on in the 80’s when Queen became more “modernized”. Queen sang about things that were whimsical, retro and romantic. It set them apart completely from the rest.
Every band is different from another. Performance is especially something that is very personal to the band. Queen was a studio band. That was just the way it was. Freddie even admitted that Queen was better to lip sync than to actually sing on stage. Not every band has to be the same. If things were really like that, then there would be no such thing as competition. Queen did spend most of the time singing in the studio, true, but in doing so it was able to conduct all of the unusual sounds that are heard in the songs. The boys may have dressed over the top, but that was just their style. They truly loved to perform. Freddie would prance around stage like he owned the place.He was so animated on stage and brought the music to life. He was so entertaining to watch and observe when he was singing. Brian, however, was quite contrasting to Freddie’s routine on stage. When playing the guitar, Brian would be tranquil and let his fingers work magic on the strings.
Everything about Queen was new and daring. It is a shame that society today does not see Queen past “We Are the Champions” or the fact that Freddie was gay and died from AIDS. People aren't as open minded these days about music and that is quite unfortunate. Queen should be remembered for its divine talent and animated concerts, rather than the lead singer's sexual orientation and overplayed songs. People really need to delve deeply and look at the band for who they really are. For instance, only one of the members was gay. Freddie was a flamboyant musician who happened to be gay. He; however, did not shove it in everyone’s face and dare everyone to ridicule him. He just was who he was and kept on singing. The other three members were straight. They got married to females and had children of their own. This is a huge misconception of the band’s status.
It is very despairing because people will do anything to attack a band that is so much higher than all the other Rock ‘n’ Roll bands. Society misapprehend Queen because it is blind by Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd. No doubt those are extremely talented bands, but there is no band out there that can beat Queen in any aspect of music. It just defies all laws of nature. People make such an astronomical deal about the band KISS. Why? Because they wore silly face paint? Because their lead singer had a grotesquely long tongue? Those are hardly things to be proud of by any means. They were popular for five years. Queen reigned for a twenty solid years. Even after Freddie died in 1991, the trio still kept on performing.
Queen obtained its throne in the early seventies, and it is now Queen’s right to be crowned in the eyes of Rock ‘n’ Roll fans. When a person does something great and outstanding, he or she are rewarded. Queen deserves this recognition, for it has made an enormous impact on Rock ‘n’ Roll. Four young men have introduced sounds that have never been heard before. They have taken Rock ‘n’ Roll down a path that no musician would dare to tread. So bow down and roll out the royal red carpet, for the time has come for Queen to have a proper coronation.