Queen is Not Just Another Pretty Face

A Day At Races, released in 1976, was an album whose title was inspired by an old Marx Brothers Movie (just like the album A Night At The Opera). Although Queen typified the "glam" rock bands of the 1970's, complete with outrageous costumes, makeup, elaborate production and sexually oriented themes, they were more than just another pretty face. Queen was a rock n' roll band with substance--most, if not all, of their members had formal musical training, and they used these influences to create a unique sound that ran the gamut from classical to hard rock.

The members of this band, and their contributions to this album, are as follows:

Freddie Mercury, vocals, piano, choir meister, tantrums
Brian May, guitars, vocals, leader of the orchestra
Roger Taylor, drums, vocals, percussion, pandemonium
John Deacon, bass guitar

The tracks on this album and my comments about each follow.

1. Tie Your Mother Down--A big gong and an overwhelming guitar riff open this one, and when the band kicks up, you're treated to some of the hardest rock n' roll that you'll ever hear. The guitar riff is infectious and the song is pushed along by a bouncy drum beat. The message is blatantly sexual--"Tie your mother down, tie your mother down, and lock your daddy outdoors, we don't need him nosing around" and "it's gotta be tonight, my little schoolbabe". Brian May's guitar solo is intensely moving and the slide lick he adds is just the right nasty adornment. Freddie Mercury completes his sexual message by intoning "Give me every inch of your love."

2. You Take My Breath Away--As they say, from the ridiculous to the sublime. This is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard in my life, and I mean that. A classical sounding piano is the focus of the song musically, and Freddie Mercury's vocals are gorgeous. The harmonies are richly layered and create an operatic feel, which is a trademark of this band. I can't say enough about Freddie as a vocalist; he's a crooner at heart (You should hear Queen's version of New York, New York) but he can sneer a rock n' roll song in a punk style with the best of them. Brian May's quadrupled (at least) guitar solo sounds like a string ensemble.

3. Long Away--An electric twelve-string guitars provides the musical basis for this song. Brian May provides the lead vocals in this song, which is atypical of the style of this band. Maybe one of my least favorite songs by this band, although the vocal harmonies are again rich, textured and thoroughly gorgeous.

4. The Millionaire Waltz--This song has many movements, but it's basically a classical song in waltz time. Freddie Mercury's piano kicks it off, with John Deacon's bass assuming the role of a lead instrument--his playing on this song is really amazing. Freddie really croons again, but the mood of the song changes before Brian May's Waltz of The Blue Danube guitar solo. The whole band gets heavy, with Freddie showing his rock n' roll edge, before the beautiful guitar solo--the perfect meld of rock n' roll and classical music.

5. You And I--This song is not very characteristic of the Queen style--it's really one of the most tame, commercial-sounding songs they ever did, although I don't recall it getting any air play. The song does feature a driving piano and an incredible guitar solo by Brian May, but the trademark Queen textured harmonies aren't overwhelming here, although we do get a tiny, tiny taste.

6. Somebody To Love--An almost Southern-gospel sounding piano is up front here, and perhaps the outstanding part of this song is how the background vocals mock the lead vocal by Freddie Mercury. The vocal intro is fabulous and you can tell that a lot of effort went into the production of the vocal overdubs on this song. Brian May's guitar solo is exquisite, and provides a nice contrast to the piano. The acapella vocals that build at the end are fantastic.

7. White Man--This song decries the domination of one culture by another--could Queen be referring to the atrocities committed by the white settlers upon the North American Indians? I don't know, but it makes sense to me. Musically, the song is ponderous and about as heavy as Queen ever gets. Brian May provides another fine guitar solo, and the trademark Queen vocals are there.

8. Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy--This is a tip of the hat to the 1920's--its got that feel, both musically and lyrically. The piano is an integral part of this song, and Brian May's guitar sounds like a violin. Freddie Mercury really croons on this one, in the style of the old crooners. Queen is very successful in creating the mood on this one. The guitar solo is incredible.

9. Drowse--Brian May's slide guitar is up front on this song, which features drummer Roger Taylor on lead vocals. The effect that Queen creates is in keeping with the song's title. I've never really cared much for this song, but it does have some good qualities.

10. Teo Torriate (Let Us Cling Together)--A melancholy piano opens this song, which features Freddie Mercury's soulful vocals. Brian May is really adept at making his guitar sound like a string ensemble and it works well here. I'm not sure what language the title is, but the melody is really pretty. Brian May sings lead on the refrain, and although he is not as strong a vocalist as Freddie Mercury, he does have a style all his own.

A friend once asked me to describe Queen's music in one phrase. I thought about it for a moment and replied "Thinking man's rock n' roll", and I think that sums it up perfectly. This band had substance, even though they were a product of the "glam" movement.