Ok, I know this shouldnt belong in this forum (the GD board is full of shit all the time anymore it seems like).
Anyways, Im listening to this song....and all I have to say is; its brilliant. Seriously it is.
The way the song starts, you wouldnt expect it to sound the way it does when it gets to the first verse. I love how dark the lyrics are - plus the way Freddie sings fits the melody of the song very well - then it picks back up. It all fits nicely together.
I know eveyone has their opinion on what Queens best song is etc, etc..... but honestly I think this is their best song. It may not be as (trying to think of a word....)complex as most (BoRhap, MOTBQ, etc....) but I see it as a masterpiece in the Queen catologe
It is a great song. Probably one of my top 10 or so of their whole catalog. The way it comes out of Tenement Funster into the piano intro and then drops into the first verse is still exciting to hear even after all the years I've been listening. Then after the big solo section I practically get chills when everything stops and Brian does that slinky little guitar passage whichs jumps back into the last verse and then does that freaking incredible "still make no IMMMMMMMM-pression" moment....jeezus! I often have to back the cd up and hear that part twice..seriously. I wonder how many takes they did to get stuff like that to sound so perfect? It really is truly amazing and highly doubtable that many rock bands could ever pull off something like that quite so well. Brilliant song all around
Lyrically I feel it was pretty much the prequel to Death on Two Legs. Flick of the Wrist being about signing a bad deal with the wrong person and DoTL being about that person. Definitely sounds like a very pissed off dark tone to the whole thing. I'm almost surprised that it was allowed to be put on the record with those lyrics when it seemed kind of like a slap in the face to the people they were working for at the time. I wonder if there was ever any arguements between the band and the manager/record company about that or if maybe no one thought anything about it and just said, "sounds great...put in on the record"
Stangely enough, as much as I love the song it's never been one of my favorites live. I'm not sure why. They do a good job of it but it just never quite has that certain something that the studio cut has.
billycat wrote:
Lyrically I feel it was pretty much the prequel to Death on Two Legs. Flick of the Wrist being about signing a bad deal with the wrong person and DoTL being about that person. Definitely sounds like a very pissed off dark tone to the whole thing. I'm almost surprised that it was allowed to be put on the record with those lyrics when it seemed kind of like a slap in the face to the people they were working for at the time. I wonder if there was ever any arguements between the band and the manager/record company about that or if maybe no one thought anything about it and just said, "sounds great...put in on the record"
Its interesting that you compare the two. I never though of it that way. The foul lyrics (if you want to call them that) compares to what was done on DOTL. Id take this one over DOTL anyday
of course I could be completely wrong but from what I've read about their frustrating issues with record companies and managers from around the time these songs were recorded it just strikes me that this song was possibly inspired by that sort of thought.
DOTL is of course musically very different although still with that same dark and sinister feel to it. I read somewhere (maybe the band bio here at QZ) that their old manager tried to sue them with the claim that the song was a slanderous assault against him, which it most likely was. I'm not sure what the final verdict was though. Anyone have any info to about this? I'd be curious to know more about it...or if it's even true.
Awesome song, not their best imo. The best, the beast, and the perfection, is Innuendo. The BoRhap and Prophet's Song, and the March OF The Black Queen.
i've always thought that this was freddie's dig at the management while they were still joined at the hip...."a sly one" if you will
DOTL was a bit more open...but both share the same sentiments and both are incredibly acidic in content
Its a brilliant song. And i too felt it was the prequel to DOTL.
I want to play them back to back one day just for the hell of it!
Its a great biting song with kick ass guitar work. All around a fantastic song, definatly one of Queen's crown jewels!