Innuendo

Scott_Mercury 24.02.2005 21:29	Obviously this was Queen's last album while Freddie was still here. By this time, Queen had started on the previous album (The Miracle) of crediting all writing to "Queen". Of course each song's idea had to start somewhere, however. I was wondering if anyone knows....not speculates...but KNOWS who wrote what on Innuendo??
dragonzflame 25.02.2005 03:26	Well...I think I may know some of them. All of this is open though becuase I can't necessarily remember where I heard it and it may be blatant misinformation. TSMGO was Brian's, as was ICLWY. Somehow I think TATDOOL was Roger, although feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Delilah was Freddie. So was Bijou. All God's People was John. IGSM was Freddie. I think I'll stop now to avoid accusations of complete idiocy. Please feel free to correct and add where necessary!
trustno1 25.02.2005 05:20	Perhaps a comprehensive Queenzone FAQ would be in order. Anyone up for compiling it?
We Are The Champions 25.02.2005 06:53	dragonzflame wrote: Well...I think I may know some of them. All of this is open though becuase I can't necessarily remember where I heard it and it may be blatant misinformation. TSMGO was Brian's, as was ICLWY. Somehow I think TATDOOL was Roger, although feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Delilah was Freddie. So was Bijou. All God's People was John. IGSM was Freddie. I think I'll stop now to avoid accusations of complete idiocy. Please feel free to correct and add where necessary! Innuendo credits as far as I know: Innuendo - lyrics by Roger music Freddie IGSM - Freddie Headlong - Brian (originally scheduled for solo album) IGLWY - Brian (originally scheduled for solo album) DTSH - Freddie lyrics with input from John RTWW - Roger All God's People - Freddie (originally scheduled for Barcelona album) TATDOOL - Roger Delilah - Freddie The Hitman - Freddie Bijou - Lyrics Freddie with Brian's guitar TSMGO - Brian Please correct if I'm wrong somewhere.
Leppar 25.02.2005 07:13	I always thought Headlong and The Hitman sounded like Brian songs ie hard rock. Whereas i would bet my pension that Delilah is a Freddie song. Apart from that, bah anyones guess.
Sebastian 25.02.2005 08:18	Innuendo - Fred started off he lyrics, Roger completed them. The melody is much more Freddie-esque. Music by Fred (with input from the others of course). Confirmed by the producer. Slightly Mad - Fred. Confirmed in several interviews by Brian (Guitar Magazine, Oct '94), Roger (QOL 2002) & the producer (Queel File book, right now available only in Japanese). Jim Hutton also confirmed it's Freddie's as in his book he comments how the lyrics came from a wild night with Peter Straker in which they begun to say camp one-liners a la Noel Coward. Headlong - Brian, he wrote it for Back To The Light, but gave it to the band as soon as he heard Fred singing it (he said so in a radio interview in '91, and similar story at Sunset Strip same year) I Can't Live With You - Brian, confirmed by the producer (Queen File) and himself (radio interview in '91). This song and Slightly Mad were the ones they showed to Steve Howe when he went visitting, he was very fond of ICLWY. Don't Try So Hard - Freddie (with some input from Brian). The whole John thing is just an urban legend. Cbtp (confirmed by the producer) Ride The Wild Wind - Roger. Cbtp All God's People - Brian told Nuno in Guitar Magazine '91 that Fred had written it for a solo project then he went in and played guitar, then John came and played bass, then Roger came and played drums, so it became a Queen thing. In Guitar Magazine '94 he said again that Fred wrote it for Barcelona, and in '01 the producer confirmed it as well. Delilah - In BBC Radio One '91 Brian was asked if Fred had written it and he said "yes". In the same year Nuno commented to Brian "it's all Fred" and Brian didn't deny it so he let silence speak. The producer confirmed that indeed it's Freddie's, as well as Jim Hutton Bijou - The title came from Freddie as well as the lyrics and the keyboard parts, as confirmed by the producer. As for the guitar parts, Brian himself said in his soapbox last year that they were written by Fred and himself and that Fred sang the first part of the melody, then he transferred it to guitar. Hitman - Brian commented at Sunset Strip that he wasn't even in the room when Fred wrote it. He re-arranged it for guitar and then John put some structure changes. In that case Brian & John are arrangers but not songwriters. When Macca wrote Yesterday it's George Martin who arranged the string quartet, but the song is still Paul's, same case here. Days Of Our Lives - In the interview with Nuno ('91) Brian commented that he did the solo in a first take and Roger was doubtful about it, but it finally grew on him. That way he suggested that Roger "owned" the song in a way. In '94 Rog was asked by the fan club about his favourite own composition for Queen, his solo career and The Cross and he answered "Days Of Our Lives, Happiness, Final Destination". The producer confirmed it's Roger's. Show Must Go On - As Brian said in Guitar Magazine '94, the chord sequence is John's & Roger's. Then Brian & Fred sat down, decided the theme of the song and wrote the first verse. From then on there's a lot of input by the four of them and the producer, but Brian was the one who conducted the operative and that's why the song is considered (more) his.
Scott_Mercury 25.02.2005 08:36	We-are-the-champions: You have just about what I have read/been told as well. My list is as follows- Innuendo- Freddie (all the music/most of the lyrics) Roger (help with the lyrics). I'm going slightly mad- All Freddie Headlong- All Brian I can't live with you-All Brian Don't try so hard- Mostly Freddie, with input from John. Ride the wild wind- All Roger All God's people- All Freddie These are the days of are lives- Mostly Roger, a key change/chord restructure by Brian, some lyrics changed by Freddie. Delilah- All Freddie The Hitman- All Freddie (this one everyone assumes is Brian, but Brian says "the riff and everything came from Freddie".) Bijou- Lyrics Freddie, music Brian The Show must Go on- 99% Brian A side note to the "Show must go on" is that Brian said in interview that Freddie was really excited about this song. Brian said one day "Freddie was having a bad day, health wise, and thats when I wrote the line "My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies...etc" when I showed it to him, I asked if he could sing that, he said he would sing with all his might, as he knew it came from my heart". Brian also said that the end of the song where Freddie sings "I'll face it with a grin, I'm never giving in, on with the show".....was not the lyrics that Brian had for that verse, but Freddie started rehearsing it with that line.....and none of the others nor he ever talked about it. Brian said "We knew what it was about, and it didn't need to be discussed".
john bodega 25.02.2005 11:54	Delilah's a giveaway though isn't it? It's named after Fred's cat. I can't see the others writing it. Hitman is a funny one - we all know Freddie was responsible for some of the hardest Queen material, yet it's funny he should write something slightly reminiscent of "Gimme the Prize", when he apparently didn't like that song (or so I heard).
Hitman 25.02.2005 13:41	Hitman is what?!?!??! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.... :P
Serry... 25.02.2005 18:19	Sebastian writes about who wrote Innuendo each week at least, but question is still alive...!
Joma 25.02.2005 18:26	Serry Funster wrote: Sebastian writes about who wrote Innuendo each week at least, but question is still alive...! That's true. FAQ I say!
Sebastian 25.02.2005 22:14	> Don't try so hard- Mostly Freddie, with input from John. No, it's Fred and Brian. No Roger or John. > All God's people- All Freddie And Mike Moran > These are the days of are lives- Mostly Roger, a key change/chord restructure by Brian, some lyrics changed by Freddie. There's no key change. The chord progression of the solo could have been suggested by John imo, but anyone of the four was capable of that. > The Hitman- All Freddie (this one everyone assumes is Brian, but Brian says "the riff and everything came from Freddie".) To be fair, the lyrics could have been by Brian, they haven't been confirmed or denied. Most people (inc me) are nearly sure that "hitman school" came from Freddie, but in the case it does, it still doesn't mean he wrote ALL of the lyrics. > Bijou- Lyrics Freddie, music Brian The music is Fred's as well since Brian's guitar parts (co-written by both of them) were dictated by the keyboard chords Fred had written and played before. > The Show must Go on- 99% Brian If we're getting into percentages, note that the sequence that John & Roger came up with is the musical base for all of the song except the bridge. That means that J&R effectively wrote the music for the intro, solos, choruses and verses. Hence, a good 80% of the music is by them.
Lady Cool Cat 26.02.2005 08:18	Leppar wrote: I always thought Headlong and The Hitman sounded like Brian songs ie hard rock. Whereas i would bet my pension that Delilah is a Freddie song. Apart from that, bah anyones guess. Leppar! Hiya!
Scott_Mercury 26.02.2005 18:42	Sebastian- I have heard from a number of sources (while it maybe completely bogus) that "The Hitman" is AIDS itself... Freddie was almost, through song, laughing at the illness.... So if you substitute AIDS for everytime he says "Hitman" in the song...you get what he was thinking at the time. Obviously, Freddie couldn't sing "I'm the AIDS, step aside, I'm the AIDS, I want your life....etc" as that would have been beyond stupid and distastful. So it was, masked behind this "Hitman" theme. Can you confirm either way if thats was the idea behind the song?? I am not one that reads into everything Freddie did from 1987-1991 as being Aids related.... but this story behind "Hitman" comes up a lot with people in the music biz. Any truth to this? Thanks
Sebastian 26.02.2005 20:45	No idea, I'd never heard about it, but it does make some sense considering the lyrics.
dragonzflame 26.02.2005 22:00	It does make sense. I'd be surprised if he didn't write something at least with AIDS in mind.
legends never die! 27.02.2005 14:22	aha when i heard hitman i thought that it was about aids, and a hitman is someone who kills people isnt it? but it must have been so hard for him to sing it I want your life Ain't no escaping i really admire him for still carrying on when he knew he couldnt do anything about it. but i have to say what really gets me is on DTSH when he sings its only fools they make these rules, those words are so beautiful, i dunno why, lol gets me everytime!
dave2005 27.02.2005 17:48	Well, every song in Innuendo is like a hidden hint, right ... Every song - the topic or some lines at least - have an innuendo, a hint to them ... Apart from the obvious ones - Innuendo, SMGO, IGSM, TATDOOL, even in songs like: I can't live with you - i just cant live, i just cant live Don't try so hard - dont try so hard Ride the wild wind - it ain't dangerous Hitman - i want your life, aint no escaping All God's People - look, touch and feel
Hitman 27.02.2005 18:19	i don't think that there are too many links between the Innuendo songs and Freddie's health. you can link everything to death or aids if you look for death in things...it is the end of everyone after all.
runy 28.02.2005 03:07	Strange thing, I don't like the Innuendo song... I do love the album, I mean, other songs, but Innuendo was always one of my least liked Queen songs. I know that many people say that it should be the same honoured as BoRha, but I myself never understood why it actually SHOULD be... Well, now I wonder, do you all love Innuendo and this is just me who thinks differently? :) I know, I know... I'm weird.. ;)
john bodega 28.02.2005 04:30	It's a beautiful song. But for some reason, when I listen to it (and Headlong and Hitman) I am uncomfortable. He is still a magnificent singer, but doesn't sound 'well'.
Martin Packer 28.02.2005 05:14	Well, I just got back into listening to Innuendo. I find the track very intricate with lots of nice ideas. But it is emotionally heavy. I think that's why I didn't like it. I wondered about the words in "Don't Try So Hard": Either it's easy for them on the top of the heap to come up with such sentiments. But actually I think the advice is sound. Certainly it resonates with me and my situation. I could never get into "All God's People". But the rest are very fine pieces of work.
iGSM 28.02.2005 06:26	And Delilah - 'pee all over my Chippendale suite' Can't anyone see it? Me either. Bugger off you crumby old tarts.
Scott_Mercury 28.02.2005 09:16	I love the song Innuendo.....I may...MAY ...like it just as much as Bohemian Rhapsody actually. I love "All Gods People" And "Don't try so hard" is one of my favorite Queen songs. WHILE FREDDIE'S VOICE SOUNDS AMAZING ON INNUENDO...HE SOUNDS...."THINNER"...IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE? You know how later in Elvis Presley's career, while he still had a great voice, he sounded like a heavier person?? Freddie is the exact opposite....I remember when I first heard the Innuendo album, I thought....his voice is amazing, but he sounds like he weighs 120lbs. The size of a person 9 times out of 10 comes to me by the way their singing voice sounds. An obscure reference to this is early 1980's singer Christopher Cross, who had several smash hits such as "Sailing"....when the rest of the world saw how heavy he was...his career was over. I always knew he was heavy, because i could hear it.

QueenZone discussion #481021

Innuendo