Queen “Body Language” released

Body Language Queen

Writer(s): Freddie Mercury (see lyrics here) Released: April 19, 1982 First Charted: May 1, 1982 Peak: 11 US, 11 CB, 15 RR, 30 RB, 19 AR, 25 UK, 3 CN, 23 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 6.6 video, -- streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: With their 1980 album The Game, Queen landed two #1 hits in the United States with “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “Another One Bites the Dust.” The latter “inspired Queen to temporarily abandon their glam roots in the early 1980s, and experiment with disco, funk and soul music.” WK 1982’s Hot Space reflected that change. “Body Language” “is notable for its near lack of guitar…[and] a ‘slinky’ synth bass” WK supplied by John Deacon. It was “a source of contentions within the band.” SF Drummer Roger Taylor said singer Freddie Mercury “wanted our music to sound like you had just walked into a gay club. And I didn’t!” SF He probably wasn’t thrilled that most of the instrumentation was recorded by Mercury with drum machines. SF The song is “blatantly about sex” SF with “suggestive lyrics…and writer Freddie Mercury’s moans and groans.” WK The video was banned from MTV for “its erotic undertones plus plentifiul skin and sweat.” WK On a personal note, the song was in my top ten on the first chart I ever did on September 18, 1982. I put together that first list after hearing a local radio station’s countdown of the best songs of all time. The original intent was my own best-of-all-time list, but it became a weekly endeavor which I maintained for more than a decade. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Queen SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 9/7/2022.