| MadTheSwine73 10.06.2011 11:14 |
I always thought it was Freddie, but I remember reading somewhere that they said it was Roger. Any idea who truly wrote it? |
| Jazz 78 10.06.2011 11:51 |
Some people speculate that it was written before Queen in Freddie's band Wreckage or Sour Milk Sea. I'm sure other fans here will elaborate with what info they have on this topic. |
| The Real Wizard 10.06.2011 12:00 |
Indeed, apparently Freddie wrote it before Queen even formed. |
| Negative Creep 10.06.2011 12:03 |
But the song must have been radically re-worked for the the song to be credited to all the band members. |
| Djdownsy 10.06.2011 12:17 |
I believe the song was much slower in it's original form too. So one of them obviously changed that aspect. |
| Rick 10.06.2011 13:42 |
Djdownsy wrote: I believe the song was much slower in it's original form too. So one of them obviously changed that aspect. ==== Wasn't that just a rumour? Queen myths are fun though! |
| Djdownsy 10.06.2011 17:46 |
That's why I said i believe, I wouldn't be 100% sure. I have a book called 'Queen;Complete Works' (Not Official, I don't think, but detailed and concise) which lists more or less any song associated with Queen, solo projects or other bands involving the members, and provides a description about each song. Here is just the opening paragraph; Stone Cold Crazy: Originally written by Freddie in 1969 during his tenure as the lead singer of Wreakage, 'Stone Cold Crazy' was one of the first songs performed by Queen the following year, and underwent a series of transformations until it became the blistering rocker presented on Sheer Heart Attack. |
| MadTheSwine73 10.06.2011 19:22 |
Thanks guys! I guess I was right! I'm sure that they all had some input in the end, but it was written before Queen even formed. Thanks again! |
| Matheusms 10.06.2011 19:41 |
I can't imagine SCC in its original form, when Freddie wrote that to Wreckage, sounding like the speed metal Queen version. In my opinion, i think that Brian May may have been the one that worked more on it to become what we know, i remember to think that this song was written by him. |
| Sebastian 10.06.2011 22:50 |
The whole thing about it being slower in the beginning was debunked by former Queen bass player Barry Mitchell, who confirmed it was always that speed. |
| Negative Creep 11.06.2011 04:18 |
But it would be in his interest to say that. Didn't he also claim that John copied his bass parts for most of the first album, when it's far more likely than john wrote his own lines seeing as they seemingly didn't record anytthing with him as any kind of reference? I dont' see that Freddie would have shared the credits to the song if the the other 3 hadn't contributed quite heavily to it - ie, completely re-worked it. |
| Sebastian 11.06.2011 07:53 |
Most likely, the bass lines on the first album were written by each song's particular songwriter. I'm more than happy to stand corrected *if* a more reliable source than Barry (e.g. a recording) ever comes up and confirms if it was a slower version. But between the recollection of somebody who was there (unlike us) vs unfounded internet gossip, I'll always believe the former. |
| Negative Creep 11.06.2011 08:05 |
Sharing out the writing credit would suggest reworked lyrics and substantial changes to the music, regardless of tempo. The lyrics may have also been set to completely different chord sequences for all we know. Sebastian wrote: Most likely, the bass lines on the first album were written by each song's particular songwriter. I would imagine John's bass lines didn't copy Barry's attempts beyond the root notes and that John jammed with the band to learn the songs - which is fairly standard practise. They're not "composers" who could read and write music and would have the music written out for each part for others to play like a bloody musical or something. I also doubt there is much in the way of home demos from that period either. They were a rock band - whilst each member may have made suggestions to each other about what would suit each song and occasionally would have such a strong opinion on a part that they would actually play it themselves, they would have all contributed to most songs their own parts regardless of the end writing credit - hence why they eventually started sharing the writing credits. |
| Wiley 11.06.2011 11:49 |
Sebastian wrote: But between the recollection of somebody who was there (unlike us) vs unfounded internet gossip, I'll always believe the former. ... unless it's Brian May's recollection :) |
| Sheer Brass Neck 11.06.2011 12:35 |
Touche, Wiley :) |
| Sebastian 11.06.2011 16:42 |
Depending on the kind of Brian May recollection. Mostly, he's off by dates or stuff like that, not about tempi. If he says SCC was written in 1976, I don't believe him; if he says they never played it live, I don't believe him; if he says it was slower, I believe him unless there's stronger counterevidence (e.g. Roger's memory, which is not perfect but is positively eidetic compared to Brian's). Regarding who wrote what, the recent DOOL documentary includes a bit with Freddie saying he wrote the bits for the others too, and there's also a lot to confirm that was the standard practice for the four of them. While that's obviously got exceptions (e.g. the Bo Rhap solo), most of the time, the person who wrote the song also wrote all parts for all instruments. |
| BETA215 22.05.2014 11:47 |
And in the new documentary Freddie Mercury Saved My Life, you have the answer and a slower acoustic Stone Cold Crazy! |
| noorie 22.05.2014 11:58 |
According to Brian in the Freddie Saved My Life documentary, Freddie had come up with Stone Cold Crazy, but it was much slower. Then Brian quickened the tempo. Check out the documentary at around 16:39. link |
| mooghead 22.05.2014 15:48 |
"The whole thing about it being slower in the beginning was debunked by former Queen bass player Barry Mitchell, who confirmed it was always that speed. " |
| noorie 22.05.2014 16:30 |
So now we have two versions of the truth. Brian May's version, and Barry Mitchell's. Wonder what really happened! |
| mooghead 22.05.2014 17:25 |
Hmmm.... |
| Mr.QueenFan 23.05.2014 12:23 |
noorie wrote: So now we have two versions of the truth. Brian May's version, and Barry Mitchell's. Wonder what really happened!Maybe they are both right. I think that it's obvious that Brian is right because he even play the original riff on his guitar to make the point. If Barry Mitchell is right, then he was introduced to the song after Brian changed the riff and tempo. He may have never heard the original idea by Freddie and so thinks that the song was always the same. |
| Negative Creep 23.05.2014 12:41 |
Just because Freddie may have played it slowly on acoustic to Brian/Roger doesn't mean that's how it was always performed, for a start. Then there's the issue that you can't 100% believe anything Brian says. |
| mooghead 23.05.2014 14:28 |
But the thread is about who wrote it. Looks like Freddie's simple, slowish guitar part was bastardised and made into something utterly fucking ace :-) |
| Sebastian 23.05.2014 17:31 |
The slower version was the one that predated Queen. By the time the band formed and they re-arranged it, it became the version we know now. |
| Saint Jiub 23.05.2014 20:42 |
Mike Grose ... Doug Bogie ... Barry Mitchell ... John Deacon. Maybe SCC was slow when Queen was initially formed with Mike Gross, but evolved to being fast sometime before Barry Mitchell joined the group ??? |
| mooghead 24.05.2014 07:41 |
Well then Mike Gross has a claim.. surely the joint writing credit is for arrangement rather than writing? Or we can just speculate. Which is 98% of this whole website. |
| dragonfly.trumpeter 61319 25.05.2014 15:05 |
Well Stone Cold Crazy inspired people after it, although they might be better off in Burger King if they have an IQ of 100+. Hello mother fuckers I am a clone of Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson and also others and here is my bass qualification from Rock School. Yah Yah Yah Graham |