| queenUSA 13.07.2011 07:54 |
Lately, Sweet Lady has taken on a real roasting in two QZ threads: "7 Best/ 7 Worst Queen Songs" and "Songs that Mar an Otherwise Perfect Album." Has it been too harshly judged? I, for one, think it has some appeal. I certainly don't skip it, nor am I repulsed by it. Is Sweet Lady alright by you? |
| Djdownsy 13.07.2011 08:11 |
I like Sweet Lady, its not a favourite, nor is it the best song of all time, but it has some charm and appeal. I like the 3/4 beat, the riff, practically everything about it. The lyrics leave a little to be desired, I mean, they're no 'Save Me', but at the same time Brian has written worse,such as Flash(Im not saying I hate Flash, Im just saying Sweet Lady is a better song). But yeah, certainly doesn't deserve the lambasting it's getting. In the ANATO sense, I think that album needs the song, no way does it mar the album. |
| rhyeking 13.07.2011 08:38 |
I used to not care much for it, though never skipped it or "hated" it. One afternoon I heard it on the radio, when the local rock station had an hour-long show playing back-to-back album tracks (rather than hits) by different artists. They played this and "Liar". Maybe because I wasn't expecting it, or was just in exactly the right mood, but when "Sweet Lady" came on, it was like running into an old friend. It was familiar, the same song, but suddenly I appreciated all those things I'd once ignored. It's a reliable, solid rock song in the midst of an album full of dramatic ups and downs, quirks, gimmicks and production gags. In many ways, it's the anchor "Opera" needs, the normal song, the one that doesn't take itself seriously among songs that experiment with different styles. It does have a trick or two up its sleeve, though, with its odd time signature, that plays with the ear. It's an underrated song and definitely worthy of inclusion on the album. |
| brENsKi 13.07.2011 10:17 |
i hate it. firstly because of the like some kinda cheese" line...so sh*tty secondly, because the guitar parts and the melody are really derivative (note i didn't say plagiarism, but i meant it) of many early seventies rock/pop songs |
| dysan 13.07.2011 10:21 |
I definitely don't like it, but like almost everyone has said, I rarely skip it. It's a very unusual song though and holds dear memories for me. |
| qrock 13.07.2011 11:07 |
Sweet Lady is one of the best songs on A Night at the Opera. The riff is great, drums are great and vocals are powerful. The lyrics does not lower my rating on the song as musically I think it's great. |
| Sheer Brass Neck 13.07.2011 11:26 |
"i hate it. firstly because of the like some kinda cheese" line...so sh*tty." You're not the first to say that Brenski, but on the whole, that line would be better than virtually every line of AKOM, most of the Miracle, and great bits of MIH (Let me Live is cornball schmaltz supreme) so I don't understand why people give this line more stick than any other in the catalogue. "Secondly, because the guitar parts and the melody are really derivative (note i didn't say plagiarism, but i meant it) of many early seventies rock/pop songs." If you mean the main riff, sure, lots of bands used that power chord combination in the 70s. But the end! That is absolutely fantastic guitar writing and arranging, derivative of no one but Brian May. There are tons of things going on at the end of Sweet Lady from a guitar POV which make it stand out compared to other pieces of that era, not bring it closer. |
| paulosham 13.07.2011 12:36 |
I love Sweet Lady, it's a great song. |
| catqueen 13.07.2011 13:13 |
rhyeking wrote: when "Sweet Lady" came on, it was like running into an old friend. Exactly! I really like Sweet Lady, although if i'm not in the right mood i sometimes skip it, but usually i really like it. The cheese line always sticks in my head though -- i still don't know if i think its funny and cute or just wrong! |
| mike hunt 13.07.2011 13:18 |
My least favorite on A night At The Opera, but i don't hate it, a pretty decent rocker. better than most of brians rocker's of the 80's, like put out the fire and tear it up. Queen were never known for their lryics, so why judge this song for one line?...even some of their best songs have some silly lryics mixed in. |
| Your Fairy King 13.07.2011 17:05 |
When I bought ANATO in 1975 I didn't like SL, but over the years it has grown on me. I can't say it is one of my favorite tracks because I love every song on ANATO. But SL is one of my favorite tracks....it's the waltz time and that incredible ride-out. The live versions I've heard are pretty kick-ass as well. |
| Russian Headlong 13.07.2011 18:26 |
underated song, lyrics are a bit crap but good tune. love the riff. |
| Thistle 13.07.2011 19:20 |
Not my favourite, but again it never seems to get skipped....unlike Seaside Rendezvous and Prophet's Song lol |
| Robbieboy 14.07.2011 00:10 |
I really like SL, and I could never figure out just why so many fans either dislike it or are indifferent to it. Ok, so some dodgy lyrics, but you can find plenty of those in the Queen canon. I love the tricky time signature in the chorus, and I love the big "believe and we've got everything we need..." towards the end. And the end, with Brian and Roger 'duelling' is just spectacular. As another poster said it is much better than some of the dross in Queen's eighties catalogue, and probably much better than most of AKOM, The Miracle etc. In my mind it is superior to most of Brian's eighties/ nineties 'rockers' such as Put Out The Fire, Tear It Up, The Hitman et al. |
| ludwigs 14.07.2011 05:47 |
I totally agree with those that give it the positive nod. I've never been one to sit and ponder over the lyrics of a song. I just accept them as part of it. Maybe those that don't like the song know something I don't? The guitar has such a great tone and after listening to the 5.1's you can really appreciate how loud he ran the amps. AC's (in 'normal' channel) full, all tones down and the treble-booster. Brilliant!! Deacys bass lines are sensational , especially at the outro. The drumming is a favourite of mine to play as it has an almost 'laid-back' simplistic style to it (although it does sound very hard to play and impressive....the coda section is brilliant, the way he doubles up the 'feel' adding the double snare hits...I recall some people asking if this used a double-bass pedal. Definately not. The solo, although not 100 mph, is one of my favourite ones and I really feel that it is so highly under-rated. It is a classic piece of playing that he never really replicated during the live performances. So much more punch than loads of the 'rockier' more modern songs. Hitman/Headlong et al. |
| thomasquinn 32989 14.07.2011 07:17 |
I can't stand it. It ruins ANATO for me. The reasons? - as already mentioned: the lyrics. They are uninspired, nonsensical (which is not in itself a bad thing) and unfitting in the context of the album - the harmonies are dull, the melody is predictable and, much worse, the lyrics and the music clash. So much so that it appears almost as if the lyrics are from a different song. - the production sounds sloppy to me. The instruments seem thrown together rather than arranged, and I get the distinct impression that the whole think was made with the least amount of effort. |
| Pandy Legend 14.07.2011 07:40 |
ThomasQuinn wrote: - the harmonies are dull, the melody is predictable and, much worse, the lyrics and the music clash. So much so that it appears almost as if the lyrics are from a different song. I've been trying to get my head around what is wrong with the song, as it is a song that has kind of annoyed me for years, but I think ThomasQuinn has hit the nail on the head. If I heard an instrumental version, I'd love it and I'd probably feel the same about an a capella version too, but put the music and the lyrics together and it just doesn't work. IMO as a songwriter, and indeed a singer, Brian is not great - there are not many of his compositions I really like compared to F, J and R's, though I don't understand why people seem to dislike Tear It Up, I think it's one of his few really good tracks, alongside FBG, KYA, IL and TMLWKY. The tracks from the 70s, which he insisted on singing himself (mistake) rarely enter my playlist with the possible exception of '39 but even that would have been better with Freddie on vocals. |
| Tommilaiho 14.07.2011 11:51 |
I like Sweet Lady. I just think that it's in a wrong album |
| mooghead 14.07.2011 12:24 |
Wheres the poll? |
| Rotwang 14.07.2011 13:32 |
My dislike of this song has to do with the chorus. The main riff, verses, etc. are good and rockin' but the chorus does not fit the song at all. Nothing will convince me that it is a good chorus because it sounds like a jumbled mess, as much as I hate to say it. Because of that, it's a filler song on an otherwise genius album. |
| Micrówave 14.07.2011 13:47 |
Worst song ever. |
| mike hunt 14.07.2011 14:05 |
Rotwang wrote: My dislike of this song has to do with the chorus. The main riff, verses, etc. are good and rockin' but the chorus does not fit the song at all. Nothing will convince me that it is a good chorus because it sounds like a jumbled mess, as much as I hate to say it. Because of that, it's a filler song on an otherwise genius album. the chorus does sound messy, it's one of the things that bring the song down.... |
| Bo Rhap 14.07.2011 17:06 |
Aaaahhh shuddup I love the song.Brings back happy memories. |
| greaserkat 14.07.2011 17:56 |
Micrówave wrote: Worst song ever. Even worse than "Delilah"? |
| Bo Alex 14.07.2011 18:58 |
I think it's a good track. It's an average 70's rock song. But imagine Tie Your Mother Down instead of Sweet Lady in ANATO. That would be a perfect album! |
| queenUSA 12.08.2011 23:04 |
The results of the Sweet Lady poll on QZ: 13 in favor of Sweet Lady, 7 against. 2 comments were middle of the road (so were not counted either way) This compares to the 7 Best/7 Worst Queen Songs thread where SL was cited on worst lists 8 times and on a best list once. Thanks for your responses. |
| ole-the-first 13.08.2011 04:06 |
I never thought that Sweet Lady is a bad song. For me it sounds good. Of course, it ain't my fav from ANATO (and maybe this is one of weaker points of the album), but it still much better than songs like Don't Lose Your Head. |
| Hangman_96 13.08.2011 04:08 |
Great song. I've always liked it. |
| Hangman_96 13.08.2011 04:11 |
ole-the-first wrote: I never thought that Sweet Lady is a bad song. For me it sounds good. Of course, it ain't my fav from ANATO (and maybe this is one of weaker points of the album), but it still much better than songs like Don't Lose Your Head. =============================================== Don't Lose Your Head is also a great song. They could have even made a video to this song, but they didn't for some reason. It would be indeed great. Besides that all, it's just my personal opinion. |
| br5946 13.08.2011 18:07 |
Lostman - "Don't Lose Your Head is also a great song. They could have even made a video to this song, but they didn't for some reason. It would be indeed great. Besides that all, it's just my personal opinion." Isn't there a 40th anniversary contest to make videos for album tracks and send in the results to QPL? Maybe you could make a Don't Lose Your Head video. |
| br5946 13.08.2011 18:07 |
Lostman - "Don't Lose Your Head is also a great song. They could have even made a video to this song, but they didn't for some reason. It would be indeed great. Besides that all, it's just my personal opinion." Isn't there a 40th anniversary contest to make videos for album tracks and send in the results to QPL? Maybe you could make a Don't Lose Your Head video. |