A Queen Retrospective: 1973-1992

Queen A Retrospective: 1973-1992

Overview: Glam-rock/classic rock group formed in England in 1972. After lead singer Freddie Mercury’s death from AIDS in 1992, the group continued to tour and record with other singers, including Paul Rodgers (best known for his work with Bad Company) and American Idol contestant Adam Lambert. Otherwise, the band’s lineup stayed consistent throughout. The Players: Freddie Mercury (vocals: 1972-91) Brian May (guitar: 1972-95+) John Deacon (bass: 1972-95+) Roger Taylor (drums: 1972-95+) Links: QueenOnline.com (official site) Facebook Wikipedia Dave’s Music Database: Queen’s Top 50 Songs

Awards:

The Studio Albums: Hover over an album cover to see its title and year of release. Click on the album to go to its dedicated DMDB page. Compilations: UK1 Greatest Hits (UK version, 1974-1980) US1 Greatest Hits (US version, 1973-1981) US2 Greatest Hits II (1981-1991) CQ Classic Queen (1973-1991) Under each album snapshot, songs featured on the anthologies are noted. If the song charted, the date of the song’s release or first chart appearance and its chart peaks are noted in parentheses. Click for codes to charts.

Queen I Queen

Released: July 13, 1973 Peak: 83 US, 24 UK, -- CN, 77 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.1 UK, 2.5 world (includes US + UK) Genre: glam rock/classic rock Rating: 3.043 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Tracks: Keep Yourself Alive (May) [3:32] (7/6/73, 89 CB, 6 CL) US1,CQ Doing All Right Great King Rat My Fairy King Liar (2/14/74, --) The Night Comes Down Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll Son and Daughter Jesus Seven Seas of Rhye (instrumental) Total Running Time: 38:46

Queen II Queen

Released: March 8, 1974 Peak: 49 US, 5 UK, -- CN, 79 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.1 UK, 2.5 world (includes US + UK) Genre: glam rock/classic rock Rating: 2.924 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: Procession Father to Son White Queen (As It Began) Some Day One Day The Loser in the End Ogre Battle The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke Nevermore The March of the Black Queen Funny How Love Is Seven Seas of Rhye (Mercury) [2:47] (2/25/74, 40 CL, 10 UK) UK1 Total Running Time: 40:42

Sheer Heart Attack Queen

Released: November 8, 1974 Peak: 12 US, 2 UK, -- CN, 19 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.3 UK, 3.5 world, 12.02 EAS Genre: glam rock/classic rock Rating: 3.685 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: Brighton Rock Killer Queen (Mercury) [2:57] (10/11/74, 12 US, 12 CB, 11 HR, 10 RR, 2 CL, 2 UK, 15 CN, 24 AU, sales: 0.6 million) UK1,US1 Tenement Funster Flick of the Wrist Lily of the Valley Now I’m Here (May) [4:10] (1/17/75, 34 CL, 11 UK) UK1 In the Lap of the Gods Stone Cold Crazy (Queen) [2:15] (40 CL) CQ Dear Friends Misfire Bring Back That Leroy Brown She Makes Me (Stormtrooper in Stillettoes) In the Lap of the Gods…Revisited Total Running Time: 38:41

A Night at the Opera Queen

Released: November 21, 1975 Peak: 4 US, 14 UK, 2 CN, 12 AU Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.3 UK, 10.0 world, 43.5 EAS Genre: glam rock/classic rock Rating: 4.436 out of 5.00 (average of 23 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: Death on Two Legs Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon I’m in Love with My Car (13 CL) You’re My Best Friend (Deacon) [2:52] (5/22/76, 16 US, 9 CB, 15 HR, 7 RR, 2 CL, 7 UK, 2 CN, 40 AU) UK1,US1 39 (18 CL) Sweet Lady Seaside Rendezvous The Prophet’s Song Love of My Life (7/14/79, 30 CL) Good Company Bohemian Rhapsody (Mercury) [5:57] (10/31/75, 2 US, 1 CB, 4 HR, 3 RR, 1 CL, 16 AR, 1 UK, 1 CN, 1 AU) UK1,US1,CQ God Save the Queen (instrumental) Total Running Time: 43:08 About the Album: Go to the DMDB page for this album.

A Day at the Races Queen

Released: December 10, 1976 Peak: 5 US, 11 UK, 4 CN, 8 AU Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.1 UK, 4.0 world, 18.73 EAS Genre: glam rock/classic rock Rating: 3.531 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: Tie Your Mother Down (May) [3:45] (3/4/77, 49 US, 54 CB, 64 HR, 6 CL, 13 UK, 68 CN, 47 AU) CQ You Take My Breath Away Long Away (6/7/77) The Millionaire Waltz You and I Somebody to Love (Mercury) [4:56] (11/12/76, 13 US, 9 CB, 18 HR, 15 RR, 2 CL, 2 UK, 5 CN, 15 AU) UK1,US1 White Man Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy (Mercury) [2:54] (5/20/77, 41 CL, 17 UK) UK1 Drowse Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) (3/25/77) Total Running Time: 44:24

News of the World Queen

Released: October 28, 1977 Peak: 3 US, 4 UK, 2 CN, 8 AU Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, 0.6 UK, 9.0 world, 32.47 EAS Genre: glam rock/classic rock Rating: 3.768 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: We Will Rock You (May) [2:01] (10/7/77, 4 US, 44 CB, 1 HR, 4 RR, 1 CL, 1 UK, 3 CN, 8 AU, sales: 7.5 million) UK1,US1 We Are the Champions (Mercury) [3:00] (10/7/77, 4 US, 3 CB, 1 HR, 4 RR, 1 CL, 2 UK, 3 CN, 8 AU, sales: 6.84 million) UK1,US1 Sheer Heart Attack All Dead, All Dead Spread Your Wings (2/10/78, 12 CL, 34 UK) Fight from the Inside Get Down, Make Love (21 CL) Sleeping on the Sidewalk Who Needs You It’s Late (4/25/78, 74 BB, 66 CB, 80 HR, 25 CL) My Melancholy Blues Total Running Time: 39:10

Jazz Queen

Released: November 10, 1978 Peak: 6 US, 2 UK, 13 CN, 15 AU Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.3 UK, 4.5 world, 23.43 EAS Genre: glam rock/classic rock Rating: 3.637 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: Mustapha (4/79) Fat Bottomed Girls (May) [3:22] (10/13/78, 24 US, 18 CB, 31 HR, 2 CL, 11 UK, 17 CN, 25 AU) UK1,US1 Jealousy (4/27/79) Bicycle Race (Mercury) [3:01] (10/13/78, 24 US, 18 CB, 31 HR, 9 CL, 11 UK, 17 CN, 25 AU) UK1,US1 If You Can’t Beat Them Let Me Entertain You Dead on Time In Only Seven Days Dreamer’s Ball Fun It Leaving Home Ain’t Easy Don’t Stop Me Now (Mercury) [3:29] (1/26/79, 86 US, 77 CB, 84 HR, 7 CL, 9 UK, 53 AU) UK1 More of That Jazz Total Running Time: 44:39

The Game Queen

Released: June 30, 1980 Peak: 15 US, 12 UK, 15 CN, 11 AU Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, 0.1 UK, 8.0 world, 34.74 EAS Genre: glam rock/classic rock Rating: 4.136 out of 5.00 (average of 18 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: Play the Game (Mercury) [3:33] (5/30/80, 42 US, 38 CB, 44 HR, 15 CL, 14 UK, 22 CN, 85 AU) UK1,US1 Dragon Attack Another One Bites the Dust (Deacon) [3:36] (8/8/80, 1 US, 1 CB, 1 HR, 2 RR, 1 CL, 7 UK, 1 CN, 5 AU) UK1,US1 Need Your Loving Tonight (11/18/80, 44 BB, 66 CB, 63 HR, 36 CL) Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Mercury) [2:42] (10/5/79, 1 US, 1 CB, 1 HR, 1 RR, 17 AC, 1 CL, 2 UK, 1 CN, 1 AU) UK1,US1 Rock It (Prime Jive) Don’t Try Suicide (25 CL) Sail Away Sweet Sister Coming Soon Save Me (May) [3:48] (1/25/80, 41 CL, 11 UK, 76 AU) UK1 Total Running Time: 35:42 About the Album: Go to the DMDB page for this album.

Flash Gordon (soundtrack) Queen

Released: December 8, 1980 Peak: 23 US, 10 UK, -- CN, 29 AU Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.1 UK, 2.5 world (includes US + UK) Genre: glam rock/classic rock Rating: 2.396 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Tracks: Flash’s Theme (May) [2:48] (10/6/80, 42 US, 39 CB, 53 HR, 22 CL, 10 UK, 24 CN, 16 AU) UK1,US1 In the Space Capsule (The Love Theme) Ming’s Theme (In the Court of Ming the Merciless) The Ring (Hypnotic Seduction of Dale) Football Fight In the Death Cell (Love Theme Reprise) Execution of Flash The Kiss (Aura Resurrects Flash) Arboria (Planet of the Tree Men) Escape from the Swamp Flash to the Rescue Vultan’s Theme (Attack of the Hawk Men) Battle Theme The Wedding March Marriage of Dale and Ming (And Flash Approaching) Crash Dive on Mingo City Flash’s Theme Reprise (Victory Celebrations) The Hero Total Running Time: 35:11

Greatest Hits Queen

Released: November 3, 1981 Recorded: 1973-1981 Peak: 11 US, 14 UK, 4 CN, 2 AU Sales (in millions): 8.0 US, 6.0 UK, 27.6 world (includes US and UK) Genre: glam rock/classic rock

Tracks (UK version): (1) Bohemian Rhapsody (2) Another One Bites the Dust (3) Killer Queen (4) Fat Bottomed Girls (5) Bicycle Race (6) You’re My Best Friend (7) Don’t Stop Me Now (8) Save Me (9) Crazy Little Thing Called Love (10) Somebody to Love (11) Now I’m Here (12) Good-Old Fashioned Lover Boy (13) Play the Game 914) Flash (15) Seven Seas of Rhye (16) We Will Rock You (17) We Are the Champions Tracks (US version): (1) Another One Bites the Dust (2) Bohemian Rhapsody (3) Crazy Little Thing Called Love (4) Killer Queen (5) Fat Bottomed Girls (6) Bicycle Race (7) Under Pressure (with David Bowie) (8) We Will Rock You (9) We Are the Champions (10) Flash (11) Somebody to Love (12) You’re My Best Friend (13) Keep Yourself Alive (14) Play the Game Total Running Time: 58:19 (UK version), 47:48 (US version)

Rating: 4.561 out of 5.00 (average of 17 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About Greatest Hits: The UK and U.S. versions of Queen’s first compilation differed with the former highlighting 17 songs and the latter including only 14. The U.S. version includes twelve of the songs featured on the UK version plus “Under Pressure” and “Keep Yourself Alive.” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Save Me,” “Now I’m Here,” “Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy,” and “Seven Seas of Rhye” are unique to the UK edition. In 2004, the UK version was released in the U.S. as Greatest Hits: We Will Rock You with “I’m in Love with My Car” and live versions of “Under Pressure” and “Tie Your Mother Down” from 2004.

Hot Space Queen

Released: May 3, 1982 Peak: 22 US, 4 UK, -- CN, 15 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.1 UK, 3.5 world, 22.8 EAS Genre: glam rock/classic rock Rating: 3.309 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Tracks: Staying Power (7/82) Dancer Back Chat (8/9/82, 40 UK) Body Language (4/19/82, 11 BB, 11 CB, 15 RR, 30 RB, 19 AR, 25 UK, 3 CN, 23 AU) Action This Day Put Out the Fire (5/29/82, 15 AR) Life Is Real (Song for Lennon) (6/19/82, 57 AR) Calling All Girls (7/19/82, 60 BB, 61 CB, 40 AR, 33 CN) Las Palabras de Amor (The Words of Love) (6/1/82, 17 UK) Cool Cat Under Pressure (Queen, David Bowie) [4:05] (with David Bowie, 10/26/81, 29 US, 22 CB, 26 HR, 23 RR, 7 AR, 1 CO, 1 UK, 3 CN, 6 AU) US1,UK2,CQ Total Running Time: 43:29

The Works Queen

Released: February 27, 1984 Peak: 23 US, 2 UK, -- CN, 12 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.3 UK, 4.5 world, 28.28 EAS Genre: glam rock/classic rock Rating: 3.469 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

Tracks: Radio Ga Ga (Taylor) [5:43] (1/16/84, 16 US, 14 CB, 22 RR, 22 AR, 2 UK, 11 CB, 2 AU) UK2,CQ Tear It Up (3/31/84, 52 AR) It’s a Hard Life (Mercury) [4:09] (7/16/84, 72 US, 79 CB, 6 UK, 65 AU) UK2 Man on the Prowl Machines (Or “Back to Humans”) I Want to Break Free (Deacon) [4:18] (4/2/84, 45 US, 53 CB, 3 UK, 26 CN, 8 AU) UK2 Keep Passing the Open Windows Hammer to Fall (May) [3:40] (4/7/84, 35 AR, 13 UK, 69 AU) UK2,CQ Is This the World We Created…? Total Running Time: 37:15

A Kind of Magic Queen

Released: June 3, 1986 Peak: 46 US, 11 UK, -- CN, 12 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.6 UK, 6.0 world, 14.74 EAS Genre: glam rock/classic rock Rating: 3.486 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

Tracks: One Vision (Taylor) [4:02] (11/4/85, 61 US, 52 CB, 19 AR, 7 UK, 76 CN, 35 AU) UK2,CQ A Kind of Magic (Taylor) [4:22] (3/17/86, 42 US, 42 CB, 3 UK, 64 CN, 25 AU) UK2,CQ One Year of Love (Deacon) [4:28] (9/86, --) CQ Pain Is So Close to Pleasure (8/20/86) Friends Will Be Friends (Mercury, Deacon) [4:08] (6/21/86, 14 UK) UK2 Who Wants to Live Forever (May) [5:16] (9/15/86, 24 UK) UK2,CQ Gimme the Prize (Kurgan’s Theme) Don’t Lose Your Head Princes of the Universe (3/12/86, 32 AU) Total Running Time: -- About the Album: Go to the DMDB page for this album.

The Miracle Queen

Released: May 22, 1989 Peak: 24 US, 11 UK, -- CN, 4 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.3 UK, 4.5 world, 8.68 EAS Genre: glam rock/classic rock Rating: 3.062 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Tracks: Party Khashoggi’s Ship The Miracle (Mercury, Deacon) [5:01] (11/27/89, 21 UK) UK2,CQ I Want It All (May) [4:01] (5/2/89, 50 US, 3 AR, 3 UK, 34 CN, 10 AU, sales: 0.2 million) UK2,CQ The Invisible Man (Taylor) [3:58] (8/7/89, 12 UK) UK2 Breakthru (Mercury, Taylor) [4:09] (6/19/89, 7 UK, 45 AU) UK2 Rain Must Fall Scandal (10/9/89, 25 UK) My Baby Does Me Was It All Worth It Total Running Time: 41:22

Innuendo Queen

Released: February 4, 1991 Peak: 30 US, 12 UK, -- CN, 6 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.3 UK, 5.5 world, 14.12 EAS Genre: glam rock/classic rock Rating: 3.652 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

Tracks: Innuendo (Mercury, Taylor) [6:27] (1/14/91, 17 AR, 1 UK, 28 AU) UK2 I’m Going Slightly Mad (Mercury) [4:22] (3/4/91, 22 UK) UK2,CQ Headlong (May) [4:37] (1/26/91, 3 AR, 14 UK) UK2,CQ I Can’t Live with You (6/8/91, 28 AR) Don’t Try So Hard Ride the Wild Wind All God’s People These Are the Days of Our Lives (Taylor) [4:14] (9/5/91, 1 UK, 18 CN) CQ Delilah The Hitman Bijou The Show Must Go On (May) [4:37] (10/14/91, 40 AR, 16 UK, 75 AU) UK2,CQ Total Running Time: 53:48

Greatest Hits II Queen

Released: October 30, 1991 Recorded: 1981-1991 Peak: -- US, 15 UK, -- CN, 4 AU Sales (in millions): -- US, 3.64 UK, 22.3 world (includes US and UK) Genre: glam rock/classic rock

Tracks: (1) A Kind of Magic (2) Under Pressure (with David Bowie) (3) Radio Ga Ga (4) I Want It All (5) I Want to Break Free (6) Innuendo (7) It’s a Hard Life (8) Breakthru (9) Who Wants to Live Forever (10) Headlong (11) The Miracle (12) I’m Going Slightly Mad (13) The Invisible Man (14) Hammer to Fall (15) Friends Will Be Friends (16) The Show Must Go On (17) One Vision Total Running Time: 76:32

Rating: 4.253 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About Greatest Hits II: Queen’s second compilation was released just weeks before lead singer Freddie Mercury’s death. It picks up where the first set left off, covering from 1981’s “Under Pressure” to the Innuendo, released earlier in 1991. The album wasn’t released in the United States where Classic Queen was released instead. The two compilations share eleven songs. Unique to this collection are “I Want to Break Free,” “It’s a Hard Life,” “Friends Will Be Friends,” “Breakthru,” “The Invisible Man,” and “Innuendo.”

Classic Queen Queen

Released: March 10, 1992 Recorded: 1973-1991 Peak: 4 US, -- UK, 113 CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, -- UK, 3.5 world (includes US and UK) Genre: glam rock/classic rock

Tracks: (1) A Kind of Magic (2) Bohemian Rhapsody (3) Under Pressure (with David Bowie) (4) Hammer to Fall (5) Stone Cold Crazy (6) One Year of Love (7) Radio Ga Ga (8) I’m Going Slightly Mad (9) I Want It All (10) Tie Your Mother Down (11) The Miracle (12) These Are the Days of Our Lives (13) One Vision (14) Keep Yourself Alive (15) Headlong (16) Who Wants to Live Forever (17) The Show Must Go On Total Running Time: 75:10

Rating: 4.465 out of 5.00 (average of 6 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About Classic Queen: This was the North American version of Queen’s Greatest Hits II. It shares eleven songs from that compilation. Five songs from 1973-1981 are included here: “Keep Yourself Alive,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Stone Cold Crazy,” and “Tie Your Mother Down.” The first two were on the U.S. Greatest Hits. “Bohemian Rhapsody” was included here because of its revival in the movie Wayne’s World. This collection also includes two songs from the 1981-1991 era which weren’t on Greatest Hits II: “One Year of Love” and “These Are the Days of Our Lives.” Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Queen Wikipedia page for Greatest Hits Wikipedia page for Greatest Hits II Wikipedia page for Classic Queen First posted 3/26/2008; last updated 9/20/2024.