Freddie wrote this after watching the Tour de France. The riders were so focused on the race, that’s why in the lyrics he brings up many things in pop culture (at the time) and he doesn’t care about them - he just wants to ride
The entire CD "A Night At The Opera" by Queen is amazing. Lot's of their music has been used in movie soundtracks. Movies like Highlander and Flash Gordon
"Bicycle Race" and "Fat Bottomed Girls" were produced as A and B sides of a 45 rpm single. The two songs refer to each other; "Bicycle Race" has a line "Fat bottomed girls will be riding today" and "Fat Bottomed Girls" has a line "Get on your bikes and ride".
This was the B side to "Fat Bottomed Girls" (unless it was the other way around) when it was released as a vinyl single (one song on each side of the record). The two go well when listening to them together. Kinda like with "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions".
I believe it was considered a Double-A side single. Both songs reference the other in the lyrics. For all of you youngsters out there...musical artists used to release albums with maybe a dozen songs on an LP (long playing record). The best songs were released as a "single" on a smaller vinyl disk usually with a B-side throwaway song on the back side of the disk. Sometimes artists would give you two bangers on the same disk--A Double A-side.
@@alantidwell7889 Another point for the youngsters to know: LPs were played back at 33 RPM (rotations per minute) which is fairly slow, and let them put more music on a record. But the recording was not as high a quality as a 45, which spun at 45 RPM, the disk moving faster so more information could be sent to the record player's speakers. Even older were 75 RPM records. The size of a 33, they spun faster, so they only held as much music as a small 45 RPM record. The sound quality on a 75 was fairly low, a it was an older technology, and the machines 75s were played on didn't have the same quality playback as the 33 and 45 records that were made later. Before there were 45s and 33s, a record "album" would be a series of 75s, sold as a set. The entire set of 75s held as much music as a single 33 disk, and a single 75 disk held about as much music as a 45.
Guys, please do a tribute to Freddie on Wednesday. The 24th is the 30th anniversary of Freddie's death. I'd recommend the Live Aid performance if you have time.
"Theatrical" is actually a good word to describe Freddie. "Dramatic" is another one. Speaking of "theatrical", in the early 80s, Queen did the soundtrack for the movie "Flash Gordon". The soundtrack is sooooo much better than the movie. (My dad and I went to see it when it came out and we both left the theatre like "WTH did we just watch?")
If The Rob Squad would like to see a theatrical and dramatic video of Queen, 'It's A Hard Life' would be appropriate. Only Freddie liked doing the filming of the video (it was his idea too), the other band members didn't even bother to pretend. Great, this honesty. Their grumpy faces against Freddie's smile is so funny!
One time you guys really need to watch the live aid performance, the way Freddie has the crowd in the palm of his hand has got to be one of the all time greatest
Oh, yes! I sort of knew about Queen before that, but both my two year younger younger brother and I sat there watching Live Aid on TV, and our jaws dropped at the enormous performance by Freddie Mercury! Usually we agreed to hate most of what the other one loved... :P
Big hit in the late 70s. This was huge! from the Jazz Album along with Fat Bottom Girls. Queen never disappoints. if you want to hear a beautiful ballad that will make you cry. try Save Me’ by Queen. love you guys. good job making people smile. i remember buying this record album when it came out. rock n roll played along with my life. it can jar so many memories.
Queen is great. Freddy Mercury is a legend. Little fun fact. He refused to get his overbite fixed because he had said that its what gave him his unique sound
@@helenstewart2392 Yeah thats true. Thats what caused the overbite. Brian May the guitarist for queen had said that he asked him about fixing it now that he had the money to do so and Freddy refused
Probably would have. If I could sing like that, I wouldn't care if I had an overbite either. I have extra teeth, all I got was really crooked teeth. No justice...
Freddie had four extra teeth and was actually very self conscious about them, however he didn't want them removed as it gave him, not necessarily a different voice, but a bigger mouth so could do more with the notes he wanted to use
Queen didn't need Broadway, their own show was massive lighting and massive sound. Freddie Mercury said "We're the Cecile B DeMille of Rock n Roll"; Roger Taylor said "Blind 'em and deafen 'em in the first ten minutes!" I saw them live four times with Freddie, and can tell you these statements are true. Queen's concerts were full on, bigger and better and brasher even than Broadway! The more over the top Freddie could be in those gigs, the better.
This is a rabbit hole you want to go DEEP down, Queen's musicianship is like nothing you've ever heard, and of course there's Freddie's voice, which made every crazy vision they ever created a beautiful work of art.
This is my favorite Queen song. It's about a guy that wants to be left alone. Doesn't want to follow along with any fads, or become anyone important. He just wants to be free, left alone to ride his bicycle.
The Queen Live Aid performance is a must see for any Queen fan. It's like 23 minutes, but so worth it. It doesnt even seem like it's that long. They leave you wanting more.
Freddie was Broadway. He was talking about the 70s,and the times. Bicycles became huge,so did all of what he was saying. But it was what riding your bike does,it makes you forget about it all. I remember listening to queen on my boom box,and holding it by my head while I was riding my Raleigh 10 speed.
As a cyclist and a fan of bike racing, the song is not unlike a professional race. They often start with a neutralized section, slow, ramping up, then there are attacks, and times when the race settles down, for more attacks, or a big climb, fast descent, and of course a sprint to the finish.
For Female Friday: Ronnie Spector - ‘Be My Baby’ Toni Braxton - ‘Un-Break My Heart’ Sugarland (Jennifer Nettles) - ‘Stay’ Roberta Flack - ‘First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ Other notables: Christopher Cross - ‘Sailing,’ Kayne Brown - ‘Worship You,’ Kool and The Gang - ‘Celebration,’ Dan Fogelberg - ‘Same Old Lang Syne’ Luther Vandross - ‘Dance With My Father’
More Queen!!!! Yay! I’m so happy y’all are loving Freddie. I listen to his music at LEAST once a day. Enjoy! I love your reactions. You’re both sweet and so intelligent. Keep up the good work guys👍 Love from Alabama!!
My all time favorite band. I was fortunate enough to see them many times over the years ...twice with Freddie.( Also with Paul Rodgers and Adam Lambert) 1977 was the first time I went to a Queen concert and I paid $6.50 for my ticket while sitting alongside Freddie's piano about 4-5 rows up. How I miss those days!
Just think of all the bands that came out of the 70s QUEEN BOSTON TOTO VAN HELEN ACDC THE EAGLES AREOSMITH THE CARS THE POLICE BLONDIE BTO ELO Just a small amount here ,,
Today was the 30 year anniversary of his death. Rip Freddie. We love you. The whole night at the opera album is good. Hammer to fall is great, show must go on, love of my life( my favorite). The entire concert he does from Barcelona is so good. There is also a concert he did with an opera singer. I can’t remember her name off top of my head but it’s so powerful and wonderful.
Back in the day, on album-oriented rock (AOR) radio stations, the DJ would play "Bicycle Race" and "Fat-Bottomed Girls" back to back in a row. In "Bicycle Race," Freddie sings "Fat-bottomed girls, they'll be riding today. So look out for those beauties, oh yeah." And in "Fat-Bottomed Girls," near the end Freddie sings, "Get on your bikes and ride."
This was the B side to Fat Bottom Girls. They actually staged a topless bicycle race for the album shoot. Also, fun fact. Each city experienced a boost in sales of bike bells right before concerts, and people brought them to ring during the song.
It wasn't topless. It was totally nude! And it featured in the official video, with a lot of very artful camera angles to ensure you don't actually see as much as you feel you ought to.
as per your question, What's up with the bell? we had a small bell on the handlebars, which one could use index finger to pull/ strike it, so that we could let a pedestrian know when we were coming up alongside of them (it was a simple bell, nothing loud nor 'jarring') 😉🤷♀️😁👍
This song was performed in concert by Queen. During the part where the bicycle bells would come on, the audience would bring their own bicycle bells, and you'd have a whole stadium of people ringing their bicycle bells. One continuous drone of bicycle bells.
I still can't believe they haven't listened to "Don't Stop Me Now". You Google the worlds happiest song and it brings this song up. It's also one of their best.
I have to say Rest Peacefully Photographer Mick Rock who took the picture on the cover of Queen 2 that is being used for this video now. That picture inspired the beginning of "Bohemian Rhapsody" video. He took alot of the band posed pictures and the "Sheer Heart Attack" cover. A great British photographer and friend of Freddie and the band. Famous for his pictures of David Bowie too. He just passed away and should be remembered in music history. Seemed like a really nice guy in the interviews I've seen over the years.
Bicycle Race works better when paired with Fat Bottomed Girls, which is why they were a double single when they were originally released (Fat Bottomed Girls/Bicycle Race). You really should do "Show Must Go On" or "These Are the Days of Our Lives."
Queen is wonderful...even though this is a kind of silly song, I just love all the little weird things that are going on musically in it...it's hard to describe why I love it, but I love it!
I think that's the magic of Queen - they could make anything sound good (except for most of Hot Space). A silly song about riding a bicycle, paired with a song about loving girls with big butts, are among their greatest hits. Very few musicians could pull off something like that. Pure musical genius.
Radio Ga Ga, The Show Must Go On, Who Wants to Live Forever, Don't Stop Me Now, I Want It All, A Kind of Magic, One Vision (this song is ultra cool, and the video shows all their antics in the studio). They had so many good songs, I'd be here all day naming them.
And I believe that one was actually the flip side of the Bohemian Rhapsody single. I had that one growing up. Thank goodness I didn't actually understand the nuance until I got older!
They were both 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 for the movie Highlander....not just used in it! Queen wrote 9 songs in all specifically for this movie: A Kind Of Magic Princes of the Universe Who Wants To Live Forever One Year Of Love A Dozen Red Roses for my Darling Don’t Lose Your Head Hammer To Fall Gimme the Prize (Kurgan’s Theme) New York, New York
You also must try these otger hits : "Flash", "Princess of the Universe", "Tie your mother down", "innuendo", "The show must Go on", "Who wants to live forever", "Headlong"
Queen was all about audience participation and when they were going to be playing someplace, all the local bike shops would sell out of bicycle bells, and everyone would ring them at the bike bell ringing part of the song.
Amber, I've heard you say you like harmonizing. You must listen to "The Prophets Song" by Queen. This song was written by Brian May. It was from a fantastical dream he had.
Now that you have heard this song you will sing it anytime you or your kids are riding a bike. It’s one of those songs that will be etched into your brain.
My favorite Queen song will always be "Who Wants To Live Forever". It was used in part as the theme to my most favorite TV series The Highlander. The song is so haunting, and the lyrics so emotional...trust me, Amber will love it. ✌ Fun Fact: Joan Jett was in an episode of The Highlander. She is badass with a sword!! 😉👍
Here's a Queen tune that's VERY different from what you're used to ... It's called "39". From Wikipedia: "George Michael performed "'39" at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert on 20 April 1992.[45] Michael cited this song as his favourite Queen song, claiming he used to busk it on the London Underground.[46] Recently, Queen have included the song on the setlists of their recent tours with Adam Lambert[47] and before Lambert with Paul Rodgers;[48] for all these tours since 2005". You'll recognize Brian May's guitar, but it's Brian's wonderful voice, NOT Freddy's) that makes this a great listen
Everyone else tries to claim that Freddie Mercury wrote this song after seeing the Tour de'France, but it was actually inspired by a popular bicycle race held in a town in England where women would ride their bicycles around a course through town while they were naked. The album cover had a picture of one of these women on her bicycle, but the only way they could release that album cover was to paint a red bikini bottom on her.
This song was supposedly a favourite of bicycle shops because back in the day Queen fans would buy bicycle bells when they went to see them play live just so that they could ring them in the section of the song when there's a cacophony of bells.
Another good song on that album is fat bottomed girls a song pinned by Brian May, (Queen's guitarist), for Freddy. May said in the interview. "I wrote it with Freddy in mind because he likes fat bottom girls or boys"
One hidden gem from Queen is Princes of the Unuverse. It was the theme to the movie and TV show Highlander. Some other great songs; Fat Bottom Girls, It's a Kind of Magic (Live at Live Aid), Who Wants to Live Forever and, Hammer to Fall.
Many people say that Queen is too theatrical and not a real rock group. They obviously have never heard Stone Cold Crazy. Watch their version from Live at the Rainbow.
LOVE you guys! Found you by accident and both me and my husband are ADDICTED!!! You MUST play Freddie Mercury singing with opera star montserrat caballe and the song is called Barcelona! Gives me chills when I hear it and I know Amber is going to love it. Thank you for doing what you do, you are the best!!!
Having album titles like “A Night at the Opera” should tell you all you need to know about this period of Queens evolution, “Musical Theatre”? Hell yeah!!
We need a post for Christmas song suggestions! Here are mine; add to it in the comments: Bing Crosby, "White Christmas" (this is the best-selling single in the history of music) Bing Crosby and David Bowie, "Little Drummer Boy" Elvis Presley, "Blue Christmas" Roy Orbison, "Pretty Paper" (Willie Nelson wrote this song) Chris Cornell, "Ave Maria" Trans Siberian Orchestra, "Carol of the Bells" U2, "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" (or the 1963 Darlene Love original, for Female Friday) Paul McCartney and Wings, "Wonderful Christmastime"
For an example of Queen's pure musicianship of all their members, not to mention the songwriting, composition, arrangement, and sheer entertainment value, I cannot recommend highly enough you listen to The Millionaire Waltz from 1976's A Day at the Races. For a superior Queen ballad, from the same album I recommend You Take My Breath Away. In fact, just listen, back to back and every track, to both A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races. These are, hands down, the best albums ever written and recorded by anyone, ever. Fight me.
Queen was a great British group and this is one of their great songs. Please don’t forget The Beatles. A HUGE event is happening November 25. After more than 50 years, film from their 1969 recording sessions are being released. Please do some Beatle reaction in honor of this historic event. Disney+ is having a 6 hour mini series over November 25-27 showing the film.
A lot of British artists grew up with the tradition of music hall, which influenced a lot of their musical concepts. It’s sort of British cabaret - very theatrical!
Queen, like Led Zeppelin, have so many good songs in so many different forms in the rock idiom it will make your head spin! They have 3 greatest hits albums for good reason. To get off the beaten path someday try some stuff from their early albums that are often overlooked by reactors. Songs like Liar, Keep Yourself Alive and Ogre Battle need to also be heard. Enjoy! 🎸
