A comment I read on YouTube - "We Will Rock You" is Queen's put down of the Pistols and punk in general"
At first, I thought "Naaahh, it wasn't... it was just a participation song for the audience" - but then I went and had another look at the lyrics...
"Buddy you're a boy make a big noise
Playin' in the street gonna be a big man some day
You got mud on yo' face
You big disgrace
Kickin' your can all over the place
Singin'
We will we will rock you
We will we will rock you
Buddy you're a young man hard man
Shoutin' in the street gonna take on the world some day
You got blood on yo' face
You big disgrace
Wavin' your banner all over the place
We will we will rock you
(Sing it!)
We will we will rock you
Buddy you're an old man poor man
Pleadin' with your eyes gonna make you some peace some day
You got mud on your face
Big disgrace
Somebody better put you back into your place
We will we will rock you
(Sing it!)
We will we will rock you
(Everybody)
We will we will rock you
We will we will rock you"
And after another look, I figured it was plausible. Not only that, Sheer Heart Attack was apparently a dig at the punk movement.
From Wiki...
"During this time, the punk rock movement went into full effect, and this song was viewed as something of a jab at the musicians who felt bands like Queen were too self-indulgent. Of note is the lyric "I feel so inarticulate", and the fact that Taylor stated in interviews that he thought many of the 1970s punk bands had very little talent."
That has me thinking that the Will Rock You lyrics might've indeed also been a dig at the punk movement. Maybe I'm wrong.
Does anyone know anything about the story behind the lyrics?
Yeah. I'd always wondered about the subjects in that song (when I got the urge to think about it)...
Considering it's BRIAN (39') it just may very well be about the young punks, the old men punks, and the middle aged punks.
An existential rock music diatribe with each considering themselves to be superior (in perspective) yet all with "muddy faces".
Yet they "all have a time"
I really don't know.
Lots of thoughts going on in the 70's. Probably better weed and drugs.
;)
Or less abuse of weed and drugs. Cause comparably there really isn't shit going on publicly in terms of crafted goods like the old days. Even dream theater's last album showed all it's influences blatantly.
Would love to hear people's interpretations of that. Or possibly some quotations about it as well.
Apocalipsis_Darko wrote:
The most stupid interpretation Ive read.
Is about a person who wants to eat the world, and world eat him. Very universal thing.
Very hard to get what you're going at with two (deliberate) typographical errors?
Is it one continuous " the most stupid interpretation I've read is about a person who wants to eat the world.... etc?
Or
"The most. ... (period) IT'S about a person ... etc?
Very confusing making sense out of poor grammar.
Because is an universall thing....I mean, remember the first film by Orson Welles.
Or some literature books. Iliada for example or The Great Gatsby.
Im not sure, is only speculation to be honest.
Sorry if you feel insulted. I had a bad day and wrote it in bad mood...never like to write like so offensive. Please, accept my apologise.
If one day I talk with Brian, I will ask him the meaning of that song.
Brian has explained the meaning of this and Champions numerous times. They were both songs written to get the audience roused during gigs, like a football much but everyone supporting the same team. Its never been mentioned as an antithesis to the punk movement.