I am sure your appreciation of Brian will increase further. His human voice is beautiful and his guitar voice is superb. The playing of the instrument, interpreting Freddie’s meaning of the song, accompanying Fred’s voice, it is all so great. On a guitar he and his father made themselves. A unique sound, a voice that is as much the Queen sound as Freddie’s voice is.
Deacy just knew what to play, very much like Ringo did in drums for the Beatles he did in Bass with Queen. Played for the song. Perfect part for the song….Without Deacy there would have been no Queen
Adding to the above, Brian, Freddie and Roger never made it on their own like they did as a group, proof they it was the sum of the four that made them who they were.
Brian would be so pleased to hear your complements. As others have said he wanted his guitar to sing so you have acknowledged that he has achieved this. Apart from his solos when he is alone on stage I always feel that his contributions to each song are pitched exactly right. He never shows off and tries to take over. His playing always enhances the songs perfectly. Another great critique Amy thank you.
One of Brian's many virtues is that he's both clever and sensitive, and it shows through his work. Solos such as this one are so well-crafted and so full of beauty and attention to detail. In one word: May-estic!
The word that describes this song for me is "charming." And not just in the more modern sense of "delightful," but also referencing the older idea of "enchanting" or "casting a charm" on someone. Maybe that's the nostalgia talking, but it's a damned good tune and lots of fun to listen to! 😊
What I love about this song is how it shows off Queen's effortless swing from style to style. It opens with a piano-voice arrangement reminiscent of something from the Romantic Period, then twists itself into a sublime Ragtime, then into an almost lullaby-like section, then back to Ragtime. Queen is possibly the greatest rock band of all time, simply for their ability to sonically transform themselves from one style to another and the sheer breadth of their musical vocabulary. The fact that they can shift from Ragtime to proto-thrash metal on the same album and have it work is a stunning feat. Freddie Mercury was very heavily influenced by the Vaudeville era and it shows all throughout Queen's catalogue. Love seeing your reactions to where the music goes and your analysis. Vicarious enjoyment for the win!
A tribute to Groucho Marx and the Marx brothers with A Night at the he Opera and A Day at th he Races. Groucho Marx was honored in pictures with Queen.
this for me is what makes queen and freddie so special it dose not matter what kind of music you listen to you can allways listen to and find enjoyment in a song done by them !!!
Another composition that sits alongside this song, seaside rendezvous and their ilk is, ‘Big Bad Leroy Brown’ from Sheer Heart Attack - Really fun and funny track.
Sheer Heart Attack is probably the only Queen album that could even be hinted at as being underrated. Most of their catalogue is completely known but this album from *1974*, that's 48 years ago, was an absolute masterpiece. A 40 minute romp of musical styles, A-list song-writing, lyrical poetry together with fantastic guitar and bass playing loveliness that still remains my favorite Queen album. If I had to listen to only one album in the world for the rest of my life, this might be it.
According to Freddie's friends he really was an old-fashioned lover boy, very romantic (like Valentino, the Rudolf 😁), by sending postcards, flowers, buying small and great presents, btw. he wrote this song about the relationship with David Minns. Listening to Queen's music makes people happy by bringing The Fun. Thank you Amy, hardly waiting for the next experience.
Only Freddie could write this, and come up with the title! I have always loved this song, his songs, their songs!! And I also have to say, Brian Mays guitar is just fantastic!!! Great reaction!!!!
I grew up on Queen. I was a young teen in the seventies, and played guitar then , and with many bands over the years , also doing studio and other work, I Idolized Brian Mays style. We played many of the Rock songs of the day . AC -DC, The Stones , The Animals , Zeppelin , etc.. But for all the Mainstream rock . Every Guitarist of that era, would secretly go home and pick apart Brian Mays ingeniously , superbly crafted Guitar parts , just as every rock singer would go home and try to emulate Freddie Mercury by attempting to recreate the nuances and depth of his vocals. These guys influenced MANY Genres of artists going forward from County to Pop , rock, and even R&B , and rap. There was no one who was not influenced in some way by these trailblazers who molded a new way of thinking of Rock -Pop music.Lady GaGa was such a huge fan , that she took her name from their song Radio GaGa (true story)!
Hi Amy. I like this song because it makes me happy! Sometimes that’s enough for me. The critics jumped all over Queen and especially Freddie for their ‘ music hall songs’ There are so many Queen songs …why is it a problem for a highly skilled band to play around with every type of music ??
Don't forget the sheer discomfort that so many persons felt in the 1970s with things that diverged from limited macho heterosexual norms of masculinity.
Amy! This is such a beautiful, insightful interpretation of this classic Freddie song! Thank you for this and for all your reaction videos, in particular your Queen reaction videos! I have so enjoyed your thoughtful, intelligent takes! Especially enjoy your exceptional musical ear, hearing things that many of us perhaps don't, and breaking it all down for us. Thank you! I feel that it's hard NOT to fall in love with Freddie, he shares his whole heart and soul in his music, and in his voice. I love that these 4 exceptional individuals called QUEEN found each other in life. Such a democracy, which allowed them to flourish, share their individuality, branch out into so many different directions and styles, and create so many musical masterpieces. I think they were destined to meet! Take good care Amy, Happy Holidays from Toronto, Canada! xo
@@chergui77 thank you very much! I speak the truth, especially regarding my words for Amy! She offers so much more than mere reactions (which are delightful in themselves)...I really feel as if I've been educated after watching her videos. She's
Amy describes attributes of a "Great Gatsby" type party entertainment. As a country club Chef I have worked many great Gatsby parties and they include all the things Amy describes. The thing is that I recognize musical elements in this song that I also find in Queen's "Killer Queen" song which can be viewed as their "break through" song into massive markets. This is turning out to be a great series.
A really fun and enjoyable reaction. I am glad you made the association with "Seaside Rendezvous" ("Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon" also works) since my initial thought was that it sounds like Freddie's 1920s/30s vaudeville/music hall voice. As you show its not just his voice and lyrics, but the music itself that takes us back to that time. Loved your commentary on Brian May's guitar, and how it serves as another voice working with Freddie. Brian has such a unique style(s) and tone(s) so that you always know it is him. He uses a wide variety of guitar tones and voices, often within the same song. At least in the studio versions where he is able to overdub multiple guitar parts.
Hey Lee! Aren't you also glad that I made the association with HONEY PIE and YOUR MOTHER SHOULD KNOW since my initial thought that it sounds like Paul's 1920s/30s vaudeville/music hall voice? As I would like to show, it's not just Paul's voice and lyrics, but it's the music itself that takes us back to that time of gaiety and material excess born of an unregulated speculative stock market that everyone else paid for in the following two decades? Or, did I just ruin it by putting some of your own words back into your mouth and twisting them around simply because it pleases my very weird sense of humor? Hmmmm ;)
@@victormarian7889 "Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon" is a Queen song, and Amy has already reacted to it back on August 26th. But now that you mention the Kink's "Sunny Afternoon" that would be a great one for Amy to do. I wonder if the lyric "Lazing on a sunny afternoon" inspired the name of the Queen song.
@@splitimage137. Yeah, that is another good association. A nice link between the Queen and Beatles series. Can't wait until Amy gets to those songs in the Beatles 150. I think the link is more obvious in "Honey Pie" as far as the voice style, whereas "Your Mother Should Know" maybe from the lyrics. Interesting interpretation on the lyrics. I guess your sense of humor is so weird that I didn't even realize you were twisting my words.😉
Brian May solos are fantastic like always, it gets the song to other level. But you need to remember that Freddie in his own writing songs wanted to take care of everything from the start to the recording. In some of Brian guitar solo’s Freddie play in piano how he wants Brian to play it.
It's so fun watching you clearly enjoy this piece of music. This is one of my (many) favourite Queen songs for feeling child-like, innocent, playful and freeing. Amy you also show those qualities when you're interpreting this piece 🥰
Bands at this time had a lot of leeway to be able to experiment and use varied styles and sounds, I think, because the audience/individual listeners were VERY open minded and willing to accept /embrace the variety. 😊
What else they have? 😅... Caribean music at "Who needs you", ragtime at "Bring back that leroy brown", rockabilly at "Crazy little thing called love" or " Man on the prowl", Blues at "Dreamers Ball" , Heavy metal at "Princess of the universe", Flamenco at "Innuendo"...... Queen was a genre on his own.
I love when Queen and The Beatles re-created the 1940's motif. " Dining at The Ritz we'll meet at (one two three four five six seven eight) Nine" - just brilliant.
A Day at the Races and A Night at the Opera ... Very cool album set and Brian May is amazing. He wanted to play guitar so his dad took him in the shop and they built one. Then he got classical lessens. After the group he went back to school and has a Ph.D. in Astrophysics. He sang what to me is one of the most powerful songwriters and singers. "39" was his song and it makes me cry every time ...
Thanks once again, Amy, for taking us to school!! I wish all of my teachers had been as great at what they do as you are! It is good you are going through their different styles of music, and will hit the hits later, so to speak, but please don't forget there are many more great songs on their first three albums that you have missed that are not hits, but wonderful examples of their music, including "White Queen", "The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke", "Nevermore", "March of the Black Queen", "in The Lap of the Gods", "Bring Back That Leroy Brown" and "She Makes Me" among many others!!
"The Fairy Feller's Master Stoke" story on how it was written was hilarious. The other band members gave Freddie a lot of flak for going out to art museums on a whim while doing recording sessions. Freddie's retort was to write a song about a painting in an art gallery to justify his "whim". "The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke" is a real art piece that is on display in Tate Britian gallery in London.
A very vibrant and entertaining reaction Amy. It’s obvious Queen/Freddy Mercury has kept your attention and you genuinely seem to enjoy them. Thank you for the great content. 😊
The day after Freddie died, Nicky Campbell on Radio One played this at the start of his show as part of a tribute, I got to "Let me feel your heart beat" and I was bawling, crying my eyes out.
As someone with no musical training and a bad ear, i love finding out why the songs i like deserve to be enjoyed and the deeper levels that i do not have access to through you. Thank you!
The band got a lot of flak from the criticis of the day, who complained that Freddie’s cabaret-period took up valuable vinyl space, that would have been better used for rock n’ roll songs. But they missed the point entirely, as that wouldn’t have been Queen in the mid 1970’s. His Music Hall songs beautifully put on display their wide diversity of styles and genres. Just as the Beatles before them, their music was informed by many influences.
Part of it was that hard rock was "safely" masculine. Many people weren't comfortable with this kind of flamboyance, under the gender norms of the 1970s.
i always liked this song from the first time i heard it, and its sooo freddie. the next album will be my favourite queen album and spread your wings my favourite song. will be a tough choice for you ami, because who needs you, its late and my melancholy blues deserves to be listened too.
Thanks Amy , glad you enjoyed this song. Please watch the performance of it on TH-cam titled at (Top of the Pops 1977 )to see Queen coming into the height of their success. It's a good close up of seeing them doing it . Many Thanks! 😊🕘🍾🎩❤
Seaside, Seven Seas. This and others were always such a nice bit of fun in their albums. Always a great mix of genres when listening to Queen. Thanks for another great show!!!
Wow, I've been listening to Queen for almost 40 years, and I always thought the additional vocal was Brian! To find out it's Mike Stone blew my mind. Brian credited Mike with teaching them all the studio tricks they would need to pull off this album. He said if there ever was a fifth member, it was Mike. As usual, you're reactions are the most informative.👍
At the start of this vid, I could not remember the tune to this song, in fact, I was thinking of "Lazing on a sunday afternoon", but as soon as the music started I was singing along to every other line, it all just suddenly came back to me, all those cheerful little touches- "there he goes again", and counting up the hours to 9 o'clock ding! I first heard this song on the album, pretty much played the grooves out of it back in the early 1980's, so much so that when the song ended I pretty much started singing the next song on the album :) Good times :)
What was in the water in the UK in the early to mid 70s that produced the greatest era of (prog) rock music with Queen, Floyd, and Genesis. It’s mind boggling.
It's just another phase in the evolution of contemporary pop/rock etc ....not mind boggling at all!! ...people attach themselves to a particular musical style at a particular time in their life.......and then believe that's the best music ever.....! It never is ......
I get the impression of the clock counting upward to 9 o'clock as a form of anticipation. Where they're doing a, 'count-up', to the time they've arranged to meet. Obviously, sped-up quite a bit in the song! I do believe this being a single back in 1976-7, as I remember hearing it several times on the radio, and instantly recognising it as being by Queen. Something that was quite common, back in the day. You could tell which group of band you were listening to almost immediately, as they each had their own signature sound, even if the songs themselves were completely different. And that was generally even before the singer started to sing. In this case, the song starts off with Freddie singing, but the overall sound told you immediately that it was Queen. Songs by bands in later years seemed to lose their individuality, with them becoming more homogenised, I feel. But maybe that's just me getting a bit older and less enamoured by the incumbent styles in music.
I love the timing near the end where one track is going, "There he goes again, he's my good..." And the second track is going, "Oooo love, oooo lover booooy" and the two join up at "boy".
Panache! Thank you, I could not think of a better word to describe Freddie and this song. I think of art deco posters of early air travel and sea liners when I hear this.
Great song, quite underrated in the context of their singles I think. As you say, it's almost Seaside Rendezvous cranked up to 11, and the bridge transition really makes the song which as a whole is gloriously bonkers. Another underrated track on the album is John Deacon's You and I, a fantastically uplifting pop song with echoes of Freddie's later Don't Stop Me Now, especially in terms of Freddie's vocal delivery. Probably my joint-favourite song on A Day at the Races, alongside Somebody to Love.
I loved this video. Great insights into an amazing song and recording. Queen embraced the emerging studio technology and took their songs to another level, I’m in awe honestly. Thank you Virgin Rock
I’ve been recommending you to every one of my musician friends. You really have such a good ear! I adore this song! It’s so Freddie isn’t it? Playfully brilliant, fun and he is using his fellow Queen band mates’ talents to create, unafraid and try new ways of expressing themselves by taking us back in time. I love the heart beat comment. With Freddie’s gorgeous voice and charisma it’s easy to overlook the talents of the others. I’m glad you hear how beautifully Brian was able to pair his guitar playing with Freddie’s voice. It’s part of what makes Queen so special. Each member was incredibly talented. This song just makes me feel like smiling. Thanks ❤
Rick Beato has a nice talk with Brian on his channel. Brian doesn't tell about his overall thinking, but do tell about the special sound of his solo guitar: It's played through a little cheap table-speaker giving it this vocal-like timbre. However, most of his soli are made of phrases like the lines of a singer, which certainly gives a distinctive impression compared to other guitarists.
The great things about Queens is that every song has different singing style. There are also songs for different mood. "Living on my own" became one of my favourite when listening to it by accident when I was very sad and lonely.
good evening Mrs Amy, this song is masterful in every nuance and Brian's guitar has a unique tone in the world: sometimes it recalls the finest arch instruments, whose sound coincidentally is the transfiguration of the human voice. When I was a boy I listened to this song hundreds of times and each time I discovered a small, perhaps tiny detail. If there was a sound museum of music, Brian's solos would certainly be on full display in the main hall. that man is a genius. When he improvises in the recording studio on the riff of Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water, David Gilmour "takes his hat off" in amazement. You can find the video on TH-cam. Thanks for your amazing review
A night at the opera , A day at the races. 2 Of the best albums ever created , Would be cool if you did both of them back to back with a fine toothcomb, like you do , Thank you
I think you would enjoy the song Good Company from A Night At The Opera. Brian May does an amazing job of turning his guitar into a Dixieland jazz performance. He makes his guitar sound like a clarinet, the gliss of a trombone etc.
i propose you the very last one of Freddie about this type of music. The thema is very different. Here in the mid '70s he's about love basically, but the next one i propose for you is onne of the 1984, called 'It's a hard life', where basically his thema is about all the mistakes he did that ended with his sieropositiveness. He did'nt know it at that time but his counsciousness knows it and you can discover it exactly in this song... try it, if you like ok, if you don't, fine. I anyway appreciate your fabolous job
I hope they do White Man. News of the World is incredible with the one-two punch of the start of the album. Spread You Wings and It's Late are good too. I like to think that Brian May would see one off these videos
Her explanations of the guitar solo, GETS what Queen were often all about. Doing all they could to evoke a feeling…and of course May’s mini opera just in the solo, is classic May at his best. But it’s notable, that May never did any bit like this, post Queen. After Freddie died, I figured Brian would do at least a few tunes like Good Company, Leaving Home Ain’t Easy, 39, She Makes Me, etc. Post Freddie for the most part, it’s all bang your head rock tunes….Yes, there were a few instrumental ballad tunes, (w that soft touch playing ala Jeff Beck) But post Freddie, there simply are zero guitar orchestrations. Just noting that.
this song is one of my absolute favorites. i am only 13, but queen is my all time favorite band EVERRR and i just love the music so much, i guess i am old soul lol
I know there are Queen songs that are better, but this one is possibly my favorite. I can't communicate the feeling I get from the first 8 measures. All I can do is ramble about the amateur analysis I just did, feel free to ignore. The melody of "I can dim the lights and sing you" starts on the 1st degree and climbs to the major 3rd on "dim" and outlines the major I chord. Sounds pretty cheery so far, but the note on "songs" is the 6th scale degree. 6 is very important, it's a sad note and vi is a sad chord. Second measure. "Songs full of sad things" almost feels like we're establishing the relative minor with Freddie's melody walking down to the 6th over the strong IV-iii-vi motion (I to vi by itself is very weak motion, the chords share two of the same notes). "Sing you songs full of sad things" while subverting my expectations of harmonic movement to make it sound sad is good stuff, very satisfying, love it. The 6th over the vi, same note, a small amount of resolution but we're clearly not done with this phrase. Third measure. "We can do the tango" melody calls back to "I can dim the lights" but it starts on the root note of the the minor ii chord so when it reaches the 3rd of the chord it's minor as well, it climbs to the 6th again and lingers there. Harmonically we're about to pull a ii-V7-I maneuver (usually something that sounds VERY final) into the fourth measure but Freddie is going to sing the 3rd scale degree over the I chord (the "two" in "just for two") and the pitch is lower than where we started in the first measure. It's all very melancholy, we don't sound QUITE finished, these first 4 measures need an answer. Measures 5-8. Do it over again but go up in pitch instead of down, hit the 1st scale degree instead of the sad 6th so much, throw a minor iv chord in there before the big V7 to I resolution (chromatic voice leading, 6, b6, 5, this chord progression is EXTRA resolved) and finish the melody with the subtonic leading tone resolving to the same 1st scale degree we started on. Meanwhile Brian May is doing whatever he does with his guitar counter-melody, nearly makes me cry, no big deal business as usual. Nothing here is groundbreaking, it follows established conventions, but it's perfect anyway.
Great review! One important aspect of this songs is that it references a homosexual relation. Even thought he's a old-fashioned lover boy, the traditional roles of the male and female partners in the courtship are been shared by both boys. One pays the bill the other chooses the wine. One drives but is taken to the other's. Great lyrics.
Amy this type of song reminds me of early Genesis with songs like Harold the Barrel, or a middle section of Supper's Ready (Willow Farm from about 11:00 to 16:00)
Amy, you have to do 'Drowse' which is the next track which also follows immediately on from the end of GOFLB half a beat break. Sung by Roger Taylor, the drummer. One of my favs. Cheers ✌
There is a reason why Al chose Brian May when showing Sam Beckett the ropes on playing guitar .. (Quantum Leap reference) Very interesting in-depth. I believe we the audience are enjoying this series as much as Amy herself.
Loving following this journey, when someone talks about music as passionately as she does you need to stop and listen with all your attention
This song sounds inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald lore. The roaring 20s.
I am sure your appreciation of Brian will increase further. His human voice is beautiful and his guitar voice is superb. The playing of the instrument, interpreting Freddie’s meaning of the song, accompanying Fred’s voice, it is all so great. On a guitar he and his father made themselves. A unique sound, a voice that is as much the Queen sound as Freddie’s voice is.
Especially if she hears Bijou
Red Special + Deacy Amp, impossible to replicate
Yes. I can't wait for her to do '39! I really hope she will.
The great performance by John Deacon on bass also deserves some love.
He wrote ,another one bites the dust, that's a serious jam. I agree!!
Deacy just knew what to play, very much like Ringo did in drums for the Beatles he did in Bass with Queen. Played for the song. Perfect part for the song….Without Deacy there would have been no Queen
Adding to the above, Brian, Freddie and Roger never made it on their own like they did as a group, proof they it was the sum of the four that made them who they were.
Isn't this perhaps the best Queen song?
@@gregsmith1070 Impossible to choose one.
Brian would be so pleased to hear your complements. As others have said he wanted his guitar to sing so you have acknowledged that he has achieved this. Apart from his solos when he is alone on stage I always feel that his contributions to each song are pitched exactly right. He never shows off and tries to take over. His playing always enhances the songs perfectly. Another great critique Amy thank you.
the ticking of the hours passing, the single loud sound indicating that it is 9 o'clock... they were simply having fun creating little masterpieces!
Such a playfull and merry little ,,cappo d' opera" - absolute perfection, but it's not serious !
For all you bass players this is how a bass is to be played. He knows his instrument and just knows where to go and what to play.
One of Brian's many virtues is that he's both clever and sensitive, and it shows through his work. Solos such as this one are so well-crafted and so full of beauty and attention to detail. In one word: May-estic!
The word that describes this song for me is "charming." And not just in the more modern sense of "delightful," but also referencing the older idea of "enchanting" or "casting a charm" on someone. Maybe that's the nostalgia talking, but it's a damned good tune and lots of fun to listen to! 😊
What I love about this song is how it shows off Queen's effortless swing from style to style.
It opens with a piano-voice arrangement reminiscent of something from the Romantic Period, then twists itself into a sublime Ragtime, then into an almost lullaby-like section, then back to Ragtime.
Queen is possibly the greatest rock band of all time, simply for their ability to sonically transform themselves from one style to another and the sheer breadth of their musical vocabulary. The fact that they can shift from Ragtime to proto-thrash metal on the same album and have it work is a stunning feat.
Freddie Mercury was very heavily influenced by the Vaudeville era and it shows all throughout Queen's catalogue.
Love seeing your reactions to where the music goes and your analysis. Vicarious enjoyment for the win!
Queen from Night Opera Good company is Brian May most intensive guitar track playing sounds like a whole brass section w trombone & flutes.
A tribute to Groucho Marx and the Marx brothers with A Night at the he Opera and A Day at th he Races. Groucho Marx was honored in pictures with Queen.
That is what Brian always wanted, to be a voice that carries the song from one place to the next part.
this for me is what makes queen and freddie so special it dose not matter what kind of music you listen to you can allways listen to and find enjoyment in a song done by them !!!
Another composition that sits alongside this song, seaside rendezvous and their ilk is, ‘Big Bad Leroy Brown’ from Sheer Heart Attack - Really fun and funny track.
Sheer Heart Attack is probably the only Queen album that could even be hinted at as being underrated. Most of their catalogue is completely known but this album from *1974*, that's 48 years ago, was an absolute masterpiece. A 40 minute romp of musical styles, A-list song-writing, lyrical poetry together with fantastic guitar and bass playing loveliness that still remains my favorite Queen album.
If I had to listen to only one album in the world for the rest of my life, this might be it.
@@fountains4268 I’m with you on everything. Yup my fave too. ✌️
Big Bad Leroy Brown is the ultimate ragtime tune... I'm surprised it wasn't included in the Queen 50.
According to Freddie's friends he really was an old-fashioned lover boy, very romantic (like Valentino, the Rudolf 😁), by sending postcards, flowers, buying small and great presents, btw. he wrote this song about the relationship with David Minns.
Listening to Queen's music makes people happy by bringing The Fun. Thank you Amy, hardly waiting for the next experience.
The guitar solo in this number is seriously one of the best arranged guitar playing I heard in my life. It's a real gem!
Only Freddie could write this, and come up with the title! I have always loved this song, his songs, their songs!! And I also have to say, Brian Mays guitar is just fantastic!!! Great reaction!!!!
I grew up on Queen. I was a young teen in the seventies, and played guitar then , and with many bands over the years , also doing studio and other work,
I Idolized Brian Mays style.
We played many of the Rock songs of the day . AC -DC, The Stones , The Animals , Zeppelin , etc.. But for all the Mainstream rock . Every Guitarist of that era, would secretly go home and pick apart Brian Mays ingeniously , superbly crafted Guitar parts , just as every rock singer would go home and try to emulate Freddie Mercury by attempting to recreate the nuances and depth of his vocals. These guys influenced MANY Genres of artists going forward from County to Pop , rock, and even R&B , and rap. There was no one who was not influenced in some way by these trailblazers who molded a new way of thinking of Rock -Pop music.Lady GaGa was such a huge fan , that she took her name from their song Radio GaGa (true story)!
Hi Amy. I like this song because it makes me happy! Sometimes that’s enough for me. The critics jumped all over Queen and especially Freddie for their ‘ music hall songs’ There are so many Queen songs …why is it a problem for a highly skilled band to play around with every type of music ??
Don't forget the sheer discomfort that so many persons felt in the 1970s with things that diverged from limited macho heterosexual norms of masculinity.
I'd love it if you could sit down with Brian and talk about the technical issues in their music.
Amy! This is such a beautiful, insightful interpretation of this classic Freddie song! Thank you for this and for all your reaction videos, in particular your Queen reaction videos! I have so enjoyed your thoughtful, intelligent takes! Especially enjoy your exceptional musical ear, hearing things that many of us perhaps don't, and breaking it all down for us. Thank you! I feel that it's hard NOT to fall in love with Freddie, he shares his whole heart and soul in his music, and in his voice. I love that these 4 exceptional individuals called QUEEN found each other in life. Such a democracy, which allowed them to flourish, share their individuality, branch out into so many different directions and styles, and create so many musical masterpieces. I think they were destined to meet! Take good care Amy, Happy Holidays from Toronto, Canada! xo
Excellently stated, Wendy!
@@chergui77 thank you very much! I speak the truth, especially regarding my words for Amy! She offers so much more than mere reactions (which are delightful in themselves)...I really feel as if I've been educated after watching her videos. She's
@@chergui77...she's a Gem! Take good care! ❤🎵🎶
Everything about this song sounds so perfect, the harmonies and key changes are beautiful.
Amy describes attributes of a "Great Gatsby" type party entertainment. As a country club Chef I have worked many great Gatsby parties and they include all the things Amy describes.
The thing is that I recognize musical elements in this song that I also find in Queen's "Killer Queen" song which can be viewed as their "break through" song into massive markets.
This is turning out to be a great series.
A really fun and enjoyable reaction. I am glad you made the association with "Seaside Rendezvous" ("Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon" also works) since my initial thought was that it sounds like Freddie's 1920s/30s vaudeville/music hall voice. As you show its not just his voice and lyrics, but the music itself that takes us back to that time. Loved your commentary on Brian May's guitar, and how it serves as another voice working with Freddie. Brian has such a unique style(s) and tone(s) so that you always know it is him. He uses a wide variety of guitar tones and voices, often within the same song. At least in the studio versions where he is able to overdub multiple guitar parts.
But ,,Lazing on a sunny ..." it's not Queen, they were The Kinks, but it's true, these pieces are somehow kindred !
Hey Lee! Aren't you also glad that I made the association with HONEY PIE and YOUR MOTHER SHOULD KNOW since my initial thought that it sounds like Paul's 1920s/30s vaudeville/music hall voice? As I would like to show, it's not just Paul's voice and lyrics, but it's the music itself that takes us back to that time of gaiety and material excess born of an unregulated speculative stock market that everyone else paid for in the following two decades? Or, did I just ruin it by putting some of your own words back into your mouth and twisting them around simply because it pleases my very weird sense of humor? Hmmmm ;)
@@victormarian7889 "Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon" is a Queen song, and Amy has already reacted to it back on August 26th. But now that you mention the Kink's "Sunny Afternoon" that would be a great one for Amy to do. I wonder if the lyric "Lazing on a sunny afternoon" inspired the name of the Queen song.
@@splitimage137. Yeah, that is another good association. A nice link between the Queen and Beatles series. Can't wait until Amy gets to those songs in the Beatles 150. I think the link is more obvious in "Honey Pie" as far as the voice style, whereas "Your Mother Should Know" maybe from the lyrics. Interesting interpretation on the lyrics. I guess your sense of humor is so weird that I didn't even realize you were twisting my words.😉
@@LeeKennison Thanks, my friend, you ' re right ... fridays I go painting at the Louvre ...
Brian May solos are fantastic like always, it gets the song to other level. But you need to remember that Freddie in his own writing songs wanted to take care of everything from the start to the recording. In some of Brian guitar solo’s Freddie play in piano how he wants Brian to play it.
I suggest you listen to My Melancholy Blues, by Queen. Great piano, great vocals and very jazzy. You'll be surprised 😊
always pleased to see queen!!!
One of my favorite Queen songs, excellent 👍
It's so fun watching you clearly enjoy this piece of music. This is one of my (many) favourite Queen songs for feeling child-like, innocent, playful and freeing. Amy you also show those qualities when you're interpreting this piece 🥰
Ditto 🥰
This is a beautiful song. Very melodic and dynamic one
Bands at this time had a lot of leeway to be able to experiment and use varied styles and sounds, I think, because the audience/individual listeners were VERY open minded and willing to accept /embrace the variety. 😊
Yes, those '70 - ies were exceptionall, especially in music, it was a period of creativity and efervescence !
Composer extraordinar. So much fun, chord and harmony changes in an almost forgotten gem.
Ad it´s so good 🙂
What else they have? 😅... Caribean music at "Who needs you", ragtime at "Bring back that leroy brown", rockabilly at "Crazy little thing called love" or " Man on the prowl", Blues at "Dreamers Ball" , Heavy metal at "Princess of the universe", Flamenco at "Innuendo"...... Queen was a genre on his own.
Innuendo still touches me every time I hear it !
Calypso with Rain Must Fall in the Miracle album.
I felt it's in the style of the 20's and quite flirtatious! It's the joy of new love!
Beautiful harmonies from Brian May alone singing 'I miss those long hot summer nights '
There is no end to his talent
What a fucking song! Freddie was a genius!
this is probably my favourite queen song! thanks for featuring it :) big love to all people :)
I love when Queen and The Beatles re-created the 1940's motif. " Dining at The Ritz we'll meet at (one two three four five six seven eight) Nine" - just brilliant.
this is a fun song to play on any instrument
Defo!
A Day at the Races and A Night at the Opera ... Very cool album set and Brian May is amazing. He wanted to play guitar so his dad took him in the shop and they built one. Then he got classical lessens. After the group he went back to school and has a Ph.D. in Astrophysics. He sang what to me is one of the most powerful songwriters and singers. "39" was his song and it makes me cry every time ...
Grouch Marx and the Marx brothers.
@@ManChan-w5p nice how that worked out. Like "Schools Out" by Alice.
Thanks once again, Amy, for taking us to school!! I wish all of my teachers had been as great at what they do as you are! It is good you are going through their different styles of music, and will hit the hits later, so to speak, but please don't forget there are many more great songs on their first three albums that you have missed that are not hits, but wonderful examples of their music, including "White Queen", "The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke", "Nevermore", "March of the Black Queen", "in The Lap of the Gods", "Bring Back That Leroy Brown" and "She Makes Me" among many others!!
"The Fairy Feller's Master Stoke" story on how it was written was hilarious. The other band members gave Freddie a lot of flak for going out to art museums on a whim while doing recording sessions. Freddie's retort was to write a song about a painting in an art gallery to justify his "whim". "The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke" is a real art piece that is on display in Tate Britian gallery in London.
A very vibrant and entertaining reaction Amy. It’s obvious Queen/Freddy Mercury has kept your attention and you genuinely seem to enjoy them. Thank you for the great content. 😊
The day after Freddie died, Nicky Campbell on Radio One played this at the start of his show as part of a tribute, I got to "Let me feel your heart beat" and I was bawling, crying my eyes out.
As someone with no musical training and a bad ear, i love finding out why the songs i like deserve to be enjoyed and the deeper levels that i do not have access to through you. Thank you!
The band got a lot of flak from the criticis of the day, who complained that Freddie’s cabaret-period took up valuable vinyl space, that would have been better used for rock n’ roll songs.
But they missed the point entirely, as that wouldn’t have been Queen in the mid 1970’s. His Music Hall songs beautifully put on display their wide diversity of styles and genres. Just as the Beatles before them, their music was informed by many influences.
Part of it was that hard rock was "safely" masculine. Many people weren't comfortable with this kind of flamboyance, under the gender norms of the 1970s.
i always liked this song from the first time i heard it, and its sooo freddie. the next album will be my favourite queen album and spread your wings my favourite song. will be a tough choice for you ami, because who needs you, its late and my melancholy blues deserves to be listened too.
Thanks Amy , glad you enjoyed this song. Please watch the performance of it on TH-cam titled at (Top of the Pops 1977 )to see Queen coming into the height of their success. It's a good close up of seeing them doing it . Many Thanks! 😊🕘🍾🎩❤
Seaside, Seven Seas. This and others were always such a nice bit of fun in their albums. Always a great mix of genres when listening to Queen. Thanks for another great show!!!
Wow, I've been listening to Queen for almost 40 years, and I always thought the additional vocal was Brian! To find out it's Mike Stone blew my mind. Brian credited Mike with teaching them all the studio tricks they would need to pull off this album. He said if there ever was a fifth member, it was Mike. As usual, you're reactions are the most informative.👍
Great reaction and breakdown. This is indeed a fun song. I love how you describe Brian's guitar as another voice, it fits perfectly.
At the start of this vid, I could not remember the tune to this song, in fact, I was thinking of "Lazing on a sunday afternoon", but as soon as the music started I was singing along to every other line, it all just suddenly came back to me, all those cheerful little touches- "there he goes again", and counting up the hours to 9 o'clock ding!
I first heard this song on the album, pretty much played the grooves out of it back in the early 1980's, so much so that when the song ended I pretty much started singing the next song on the album :)
Good times :)
What was in the water in the UK in the early to mid 70s that produced the greatest era of (prog) rock music with Queen, Floyd, and Genesis. It’s mind boggling.
It's just another phase in the evolution of contemporary pop/rock etc ....not mind boggling at all!!
...people attach themselves to a particular musical style at a particular time in their life.......and then believe that's the best music ever.....!
It never is ......
I hope she does '39 at some point , that is such an underrated song from Queen!
Vlad didn't rate it. 🙄
Yes, Queen’s contribution to folk.
That's my favourite one!
I want this one right now! Love you
I get the impression of the clock counting upward to 9 o'clock as a form of anticipation. Where they're doing a, 'count-up', to the time they've arranged to meet. Obviously, sped-up quite a bit in the song! I do believe this being a single back in 1976-7, as I remember hearing it several times on the radio, and instantly recognising it as being by Queen. Something that was quite common, back in the day. You could tell which group of band you were listening to almost immediately, as they each had their own signature sound, even if the songs themselves were completely different. And that was generally even before the singer started to sing. In this case, the song starts off with Freddie singing, but the overall sound told you immediately that it was Queen. Songs by bands in later years seemed to lose their individuality, with them becoming more homogenised, I feel. But maybe that's just me getting a bit older and less enamoured by the incumbent styles in music.
I love the timing near the end where one track is going, "There he goes again, he's my good..."
And the second track is going, "Oooo love, oooo lover booooy" and the two join up at "boy".
Panache! Thank you, I could not think of a better word to describe Freddie and this song. I think of art deco posters of early air travel and sea liners when I hear this.
Town hall pastiche.
I love your videos! I'm waiting for The Show Must Go On, though I'm pretty sure it will be one of the, if not the last song from the 50 series.
The date night song you play twice - once when getting ready to go out and once when you get your date home on the sofa
Great song, quite underrated in the context of their singles I think. As you say, it's almost Seaside Rendezvous cranked up to 11, and the bridge transition really makes the song which as a whole is gloriously bonkers. Another underrated track on the album is John Deacon's You and I, a fantastically uplifting pop song with echoes of Freddie's later Don't Stop Me Now, especially in terms of Freddie's vocal delivery. Probably my joint-favourite song on A Day at the Races, alongside Somebody to Love.
Thanks for mentioning "You and I" by John. I had to go and listen again, and again, and again. ❤
I loved this video. Great insights into an amazing song and recording. Queen embraced the emerging studio technology and took their songs to another level, I’m in awe honestly. Thank you Virgin Rock
I’ve been recommending you to every one of my musician friends. You really have such a good ear! I adore this song! It’s so Freddie isn’t it? Playfully brilliant, fun and he is using his fellow Queen band mates’ talents to create, unafraid and try new ways of expressing themselves by taking us back in time. I love the heart beat comment. With Freddie’s gorgeous voice and charisma it’s easy to overlook the talents of the others. I’m glad you hear how beautifully Brian was able to pair his guitar playing with Freddie’s voice. It’s part of what makes Queen so special. Each member was incredibly talented. This song just makes me feel like smiling. Thanks ❤
It's hard not to imagine this as a 1930's Radio Crooner's Melody. At least, that's what I get from it.☺
Rick Beato has a nice talk with Brian on his channel. Brian doesn't tell about his overall thinking, but do tell about the
special sound of his solo guitar: It's played through a little cheap table-speaker giving it this vocal-like timbre.
However, most of his soli are made of phrases like the lines of a singer, which certainly gives a distinctive
impression compared to other guitarists.
The Deacy bass work always enlighten me.
The great things about Queens is that every song has different singing style. There are also songs for different mood. "Living on my own" became one of my favourite when listening to it by accident when I was very sad and lonely.
good evening Mrs Amy, this song is masterful in every nuance and Brian's guitar has a unique tone in the world: sometimes it recalls the finest arch instruments, whose sound coincidentally is the transfiguration of the human voice. When I was a boy I listened to this song hundreds of times and each time I discovered a small, perhaps tiny detail. If there was a sound museum of music, Brian's solos would certainly be on full display in the main hall. that man is a genius. When he improvises in the recording studio on the riff of Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water, David Gilmour "takes his hat off" in amazement. You can find the video on TH-cam.
Thanks for your amazing review
A night at the opera , A day at the races. 2 Of the best albums ever created , Would be cool if you did both of them back to back with a fine toothcomb, like you do , Thank you
great Freedie song
Still got my original vinyl I bought when I was 11😁
I can hear these style Queen songs in the adaptation of P G Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster, excellently portrayed by Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie.
Such a journey that we're having with you, thank you
This song is so much fun I can’t wait to hear it and Amy’s reaction!
RAGTIME 🎉I just love the entire Album.❤
Love this song ❤
I completely agree, I've been a queen fan since the mid 70's, and Brian's unique sounding guitar approach and execution was the main reason.
I think you would enjoy the song Good Company from A Night At The Opera. Brian May does an amazing job of turning his guitar into a Dixieland jazz performance. He makes his guitar sound like a clarinet, the gliss of a trombone etc.
The next one should be Teo Torriate, is beautiful.
Evidently, Vlad doesn't think so. Strange man!
Love the Queen reactions. Might be time for a Queensryche reaction !!!
Always a deep dive analysis love you
Queen gemius😅😅😅
Freddies Noel Coward phase.
i propose you the very last one of Freddie about this type of music. The thema is very different. Here in the mid '70s he's about love basically, but the next one i propose for you is onne of the 1984, called 'It's a hard life', where basically his thema is about all the mistakes he did that ended with his sieropositiveness. He did'nt know it at that time but his counsciousness knows it and you can discover it exactly in this song... try it, if you like ok, if you don't, fine. I anyway appreciate your fabolous job
I hope they do White Man. News of the World is incredible with the one-two punch of the start of the album. Spread You Wings and It's Late are good too.
I like to think that Brian May would see one off these videos
The character is like Cary Grant in one of his Madcap Romances: Bringing up Baby, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Philadelphia Story and so on
Noel Coward.
Her explanations of the guitar solo, GETS what Queen were often all about. Doing all they could to evoke a feeling…and of course May’s mini opera just in the solo, is classic May at his best. But it’s notable, that May never did any bit like this, post Queen. After Freddie died, I figured Brian would do at least a few tunes like Good Company, Leaving Home Ain’t Easy, 39, She Makes Me, etc. Post Freddie for the most part, it’s all bang your head rock tunes….Yes, there were a few instrumental ballad tunes, (w that soft touch playing ala Jeff Beck) But post Freddie, there simply are zero guitar orchestrations. Just noting that.
A very sweet song.
"A Night at the Opera" and "A Day at the Races" are companion albums. This is the companion song to "Seaside Rendezvous". 🙂
Grouch Marx and his brothers. Queen was inspired by them.
It’s very much the same feeling as Seaside Rendezvous. Whimsical. ❤️
This is a pastiche, but brilliantly done..., and the instruments and arrangement are SO well done...
Oh my god, anxious
Me too.
Well?
@@heartoftherose perdão, não entendi a expressão
this song is one of my absolute favorites. i am only 13, but queen is my all time favorite band EVERRR and i just love the music so much, i guess i am old soul lol
Não consigo parar de voltar nessa análise
If you dig around on TH-cam, you can find the conversation where Brian May explains/shows how he accomplished that guitar solo.
This was released as a single in 1977 - it was on their album "A Day at the Races" released at the end of 1976.
I know there are Queen songs that are better, but this one is possibly my favorite. I can't communicate the feeling I get from the first 8 measures. All I can do is ramble about the amateur analysis I just did, feel free to ignore.
The melody of "I can dim the lights and sing you" starts on the 1st degree and climbs to the major 3rd on "dim" and outlines the major I chord. Sounds pretty cheery so far, but the note on "songs" is the 6th scale degree. 6 is very important, it's a sad note and vi is a sad chord. Second measure. "Songs full of sad things" almost feels like we're establishing the relative minor with Freddie's melody walking down to the 6th over the strong IV-iii-vi motion (I to vi by itself is very weak motion, the chords share two of the same notes). "Sing you songs full of sad things" while subverting my expectations of harmonic movement to make it sound sad is good stuff, very satisfying, love it. The 6th over the vi, same note, a small amount of resolution but we're clearly not done with this phrase.
Third measure. "We can do the tango" melody calls back to "I can dim the lights" but it starts on the root note of the the minor ii chord so when it reaches the 3rd of the chord it's minor as well, it climbs to the 6th again and lingers there. Harmonically we're about to pull a ii-V7-I maneuver (usually something that sounds VERY final) into the fourth measure but Freddie is going to sing the 3rd scale degree over the I chord (the "two" in "just for two") and the pitch is lower than where we started in the first measure. It's all very melancholy, we don't sound QUITE finished, these first 4 measures need an answer.
Measures 5-8. Do it over again but go up in pitch instead of down, hit the 1st scale degree instead of the sad 6th so much, throw a minor iv chord in there before the big V7 to I resolution (chromatic voice leading, 6, b6, 5, this chord progression is EXTRA resolved) and finish the melody with the subtonic leading tone resolving to the same 1st scale degree we started on. Meanwhile Brian May is doing whatever he does with his guitar counter-melody, nearly makes me cry, no big deal business as usual.
Nothing here is groundbreaking, it follows established conventions, but it's perfect anyway.
In its own way it's genius
Great review! One important aspect of this songs is that it references a homosexual relation. Even thought he's a old-fashioned lover boy, the traditional roles of the male and female partners in the courtship are been shared by both boys. One pays the bill the other chooses the wine. One drives but is taken to the other's. Great lyrics.
The bassline is so pretty. It is great!
Amy this type of song reminds me of early Genesis with songs like Harold the Barrel, or a middle section of Supper's Ready (Willow Farm from about 11:00 to 16:00)
Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells uses a heart beat rhythm during the mainframe of the piece.
Amy, you have to do 'Drowse' which is the next track which also follows immediately on from the end of GOFLB half a beat break. Sung by Roger Taylor, the drummer. One of my favs. Cheers ✌
There is a reason why Al chose Brian May when showing Sam Beckett the ropes on playing guitar ..
(Quantum Leap reference)
Very interesting in-depth. I believe we the audience are enjoying this series as much as Amy herself.