(The) Queen and I Trivia Quiz

Answer: Keep Yourself Alive

I heard this song on a tiny, tinny transistor radio (under the bed sheets of course) on Radio Luxembourg as a new release in July 1973 and was instantly hooked on the band! The guitar, the vocals and even a drum solo! I knew that Queen was going to be a band I would like, and I never looked back.

The single failed to do anything in the charts in either the UK or the USA, but became a permanent fixture in the band's live set, often including a lengthy guitar solo from Brian May.

Answer: Seven Seas of Rhye

'Seven Seas of Rhye' was quite successful and made it into the Top Ten singles chart in the UK. The band also performed on the 'Top of the Pops' TV program, their first appearance of many on the show. A shorter, instrumental version of the song was featured at the end of the first album--a taste for what was to come.

Answer: Killer Queen

Killer Queen was a number two hit in the UK and reached number 11 in the USA on the Billboard Hot 100. It was released as a double-A side single with 'Flick of the Wrist' on the other side, which was another great song from the same album - 'Sheer Heart Attack'. 'Killer Queen' was difficult song to reproduce live, so they often included a section of it in a medley with several other songs.

It appeared on their first 'Greatest Hits' collection album, a must-have for all fans of rock music.

Answer: Now I'm Here

For many years, Queen opened their concerts with the song 'Now I'm Here'. The band would take the stage in total darkness and a single spotlight would pick out Freddie as he sang the opening lines. The spotlight would then go out and when it next came on, it would find him on the other side of the stage. Simple but effective! (There is some speculation that a double was used to make the illusion work. If that's the case, then it certainly fooled me!).

The single reach number 11 on the UK singles chart in early 1975.

Answer: Bohemian Rhapsody

'Bohemian Rhapsody' was quite unlike anything else heard before. Fusing pop, opera and hard rock in one six-minute track was a work of genius and it worked better than anyone could have expected. (With the exception of Freddie - it's creator - of course). It reached the top in the UK and stayed there for nine weeks and was taken from Queen's fourth album - 'A Night At The Opera'.

Shortly after Freddie's death in November 1991, the track was re-released as a double-A side along with 'These Are the Days of Our Lives'. The single reached number on for a further five weeks.

Answer: You're My Best Friend

'You're My Best Friend' reached number seven in the UK singles chart. The song featured an electric piano, played by John Deacon, who wrote the song for his wife Veronica. It proved to be a great live favourite with Freddie taking the keyboard parts on his grand piano.

The song on the 'B'-side was called '39', which was an acoustic track written and sung by Brian May.

Answer: Somebody to Love

'Somebody to Love' had an almost gospel feel with its multi-tracked backing vocals. It reached number two in the UK singles chart.

The song had a new lease of life after being performed to great effect by George Michael at the Freddie Mercury Tribute concert. The recording was released as part of a five-track EP afterward to raise funds towards the Mercury Phoenix Trust, which is dedicated to research into finding treatment for AIDS victims. The EP reached number one in the UK and several other countries.

Answer: Tie Your Mother Down

'Tie Your Mother Down' was somewhat of a miss in the UK charts, only reaching 31 on its short run. It was very popular in concert, though, and remained in the band's set-list for many years.

On the album, the song had a prelude consisting of a multi-tracked guitar piece which gradually rose up through the musical scale to great effect. This was also used to close the original album, being mixed onto the end of 'Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)' - a song sung partly in Japanese in recognition of the band's huge following in Japan.

Answer: Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy

The EP (Extended Play) got to number 17 in the UK charts in May/June of 1977.

'Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy' was taken from 'A Day At The Races' album.
'Death on Two Legs' came from 'A Night At The Opera'.
'Tenement Funster' first appeared on 'Sheer Heart Attack'.
'White Queen (As It Began)' was on the Queen II album.

Answer: We Will Rock You

'We Will Rock You' is a great favourite at sporting events around the world. It is mainly an a cappella song with drums and hand-claps until Brian May's guitar solo at the end.

'We Are The Champions' is also a great favourite at sporting events, though it was written as a thank you to the band's fans.

Both songs were included in the band's set list from 1977 onwards, usually following each other in the encore. (For a time they played 'Friends Will Be Friends' between the two songs - as can be heard on the 'Live Magic' album. It never really worked for me).

The single stalled at number two in the UK single chart.