Another One Bites the Dust

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"Another One Bites the Dust"
Single by Queen
from the album The Game
B-side "Dragon Attack"
Released 22 August 1980
Format 7" vinyl
Recorded 1980
Genre Funk rock
Length 3:36
Label EMI, Elektra (US)
Writer(s) John Deacon
Producer Queen, Mack
Queen singles chronology
"Play the Game"
(1980)		 "Another One Bites The Dust"
(1980)		 "Need Your Loving Tonight"
(1980)

"Another One Bites the Dust" is a song by the English rock band Queen. Written by bassist John Deacon, the song featured on the group's eighth studio album The Game (1980).

"Another One Bites the Dust" was a worldwide crossover hit. It hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, number two on the R&B charts and the Disco Top 100, and number seven in the UK Singles Chart. The song is credited as Queen's best selling single, with sales of over 7 million copies. This version was ranked at number 34 on Billboard's All Time Top 100.[1]

In 1998, it was covered by Wyclef Jean, Pras Michel and featured Free's rap vocals. "Weird Al" Yankovic parodied the song as "Another One Rides the Bus".

The song was also remixed by eurodance Captain Jack.

Contents

[edit] History

The bass line was inspired by the song "Good Times" by the Disco group Chic.[1][2] In an interview with New Musical Express, Chic co-founder Bernard Edwards stated, "...that Queen record came about because that Queen bass player... spent some time hanging out with us at our studio".[3]

Recording sessions were produced by Reinhold Mack at Musicland Studios in Munich (West Germany) and consisted of Deacon playing almost all the instruments: bass, piano, rhythm and lead guitars and handclap percussion. Roger Taylor added a drum loop and Brian May contributed some noises with his guitar and an Eventide Harmoniser. There are no synthesizers used in the song: all effects are created with pianos, guitars, and drums, with subsequent tape playback performed in reverse at various speeds. Finally, some sound effects were run through the Harmoniser for further processing. The effect of the Harmoniser can be heard clearly in the "swirling" nature of the sound immediately before the first lyric. During the mix the road crew suggested it as a single but the band did not like the idea until Michael Jackson recommended it after a concert (this anecdote was confirmed by Roger Taylor and Brian May on the U.S. radio show In the Studio with Redbeard that spotlighted the album The Game on one episode). Freddie Mercury loved this track. Brian May recalled to Mojo magazine: "Freddie sung until his throat bled on Another One Bites The Dust. He was so into it. He wanted to make that song something special." [4]

The song garnered Queen its only Grammy nomination, for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The band lost to Bob Seger's album Against the Wind. The "Another One Bites the Dust" music video was filmed at Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas.

[edit] Alleged backmasking

A common urban legend surrounding the chorus is that, when played in reverse,[5] will be heard as, "It's fun to smoke marijuana." A spokeswoman for Hollywood Records (Queen's current US label) has denied that the song contains a backward message.[6] In 2008, DJ Lobsterdust released a mix of the song called "It's Fun to Smoke Dust" that combines the original with a recording of Gary Greenwald's 1982 rant about the alleged subliminal message in the song.

[edit] Setting the tempo for CPR

During the administration of chest compressions during CPR, it can be difficult to achieve and maintain the recommended rate of 100 compressions per minute[7]. The bass line of this song is at such a rate; thus it is possible to think or hum this song during CPR, to maintain the correct rate[8].

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Charts

Country Peak position Certification
Argentina 1
Canada 1
Guatemala 1
Spain 1
U.S. 1 platinum[9]
New Zealand 2
U.S. R&B 2
Ireland 4
Australia 5
Austria 6
Germany 6
UK 7
Switzerland 8
Italy 10
Netherlands 14
France 22
Finland 4

[edit] Cover versions

[edit] 1998 single

"Another One Bites the Dust"
Single by Queen featuring Free, Wyclef Jean, Pras and Canibus
from the album Ghetto Supastar and Greatest Hits III
Released 1 November 1998
Format CD single, 12" single, cassette
Recorded 1998
Genre Hip-hop
Length 4:20
Label Dreamworks
Writer(s) John Deacon
Producer Queen, Wyclef Jean, Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis

In 1998, Wyclef Jean along with Pras Michel, Canibus, and Free remixed the song using a new instrumental track and samples from the actual song for the 1998 movie Small Soldiers. This version also appeared on Queen's compilation Greatest Hits III released in 1999. It enjoyed the most success in the UK, where it entered the chart at #5, its highest chart position, going on to spend six weeks on the chart. It also reached the top ten in Finland. It charted #18, #23, #50 and #62 in New Zealand, Austria, Sweden and France, respectively.

It was Pras' third top-10 UK hit as a solo artist following Ghetto Supastar and Blue Angels.

[edit] Tracklists and formats

US 5-inch single
  1. "Another One Bites the Dust" (Radio edit) (4:00)
  2. "Another One Bites the Dust" (LP version) (4:20)
  3. "Another One Bites the Dust" (Instrumental) (4:17)
  4. "Another One Bites the Dust" (A cappella) (4:45)
UK 5-inch single
  1. "Another One Bites the Dust" (New LP version) (4:20)
  2. "Another One Bites the Dust" (Team 1 Black Rock Star Main Pass Mix) (4:46)
  3. "Another One Bites the Dust" (Team 1 Black Rock Star Radio Edit) (4:17)
Italy 12-inch single

A-side

  1. "Another One Bites the Dust" (LP version) (4:20)
  2. "Another One Bites the Dust" (Small Soldiers Video Mix) (4:00)
  3. "Another One Bites the Dust" (Instrumental) (4:17)
  4. "Another One Bites the Dust" (A cappella) (4:45)

B-side

  1. "Another One Bites the Dust" (Team 1 Black Rock Star Main Pass) (4:48)
  2. "Another One Bites the Dust" (Team 1 Black Rock Star Radio Edit) (4:17)
  3. "Another One Bites the Dust" (Team 1 Black Rock Star Remix Instrumental) (4:46)

[edit] 2002 version

The song was covered by Queen Factory, a French project of Stéphane Durand who was inspired by Mad'House (house covers of Madonna) and King of House (house covers of Michael Jackson).

[edit] 2004 version

The song was remixed and covered by Greek-American singer Kalomoira for her debut self titled album released in Greece and Cyprus in September 2004. The album reached number 1 in both countries and was certified gold.

[edit] 2006 version

The song was remixed again in 2006 by The Miami Project.

  1. "Another One Bites the Dust" (Cedric Gervais & Second Sun Radio Edit) - 3:22
  2. "Another One Bites the Dust" (Cedric Gervais & Second Sun Vocal Mix) - 7:17
  3. "Another One Bites the Dust" (Oliver Koletzki Remix) - 6:14
  4. "Another One Bites the Dust" (A Skillz Remix) - 5:34
  5. "Another One Bites the Dust" (Soul Avengerz Remix) - 7:12
  6. "Another One Bites the Dust" (DJ Pedro & Olivier Berger Mix) - 6:29

In 1997, the song appears in Tributo Latino a Queen album and covered by Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas Rap Band. Considering this is another version of Queen but in rap and funk version similar the first song.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Queen biography Rolling Stone magazine
  2. ^ Billboard.com - Biography - Chic
  3. ^ "Good Times"
  4. ^ Another One Bites The Dust Songfacts
  5. ^ www.albinoblacksheep.com
  6. ^ Behind the Music: Sleuths Seek Messages In Lyrical Backspin. The Wall Street Journal. 9 January 2006.
  7. ^ Support Forums: How quickly should chest compressions be given?
  8. ^ Believe it or not, this could be a life or death question | Ask Metafilter
  9. ^ RIAA. Gold & Platinum.

[edit] External links

Preceded by
"Upside Down" by Diana Ross		 Billboard Hot 100 number one single
4 October 1980- 18 October 1980

(3 Weeks)

 Succeeded by
"Woman in Love" by Barbra Streisand
v • d • e
Queen singles discography
1970s
1980s
1990s
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Another_One_Bites_the_Dust"