Killer Queen

For the Queen tribute album, see Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen.

"Killer Queen"
Song
A-side	"Flick of the Wrist"

"Killer Queen" is a song by British rock band Queen. Written by pianist and lead singer Freddie Mercury, it featured on their 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack. When released as a single, "Killer Queen" was Queen's breakthrough hit, reaching number two in the UK and number 11 in the United States. It was released as an AA-side in the UK, the US and Canada, with the song "Flick Of The Wrist", which failed to chart. In 1986, it was featured as the B-side to "Who Wants to Live Forever".

Mercury commented that he wrote the lyrics first before adding the musical arrangements. The recording features elaborate four-part harmonies (particularly in the choruses, and also providing backing parts in the verses), and also an elaborate multitracked guitar solo by Brian May, including use of the "bell effect".

Recording sessions

Besides using a grand piano as usual, Mercury overdubbed the song with an upright (credited as "jangle piano"), to give the track a vaudeville sound. At one point there are two bass guitars, one of which does a descending run. Contrary to songs for the first two Queen albums, this one was partly recorded outside England, at Rockfield Studios in Wales.

Queen on the record

Freddie Mercury:

People are used to hard rock, energy music from Queen, yet with this single you almost expect Noel Coward to sing it. It's one of those bowler hat, black suspender belt numbers – not that Coward would wear that. (...) It's about a high class call girl. I'm trying to say that classy people can be whores as well. That's what the song is about, though I'd prefer people to put their interpretation upon it – to read into it what they like.

Brian May:

'Killer Queen' was the turning point. It was the song that best summed up our kind of music, and a big hit, and we desperately needed it as a mark of something successful happening for us... I was always very happy with this song. The whole record was made in a very craftsman-like manner. I still enjoy listening to it because there's a lot to listen to, but it never gets cluttered. There's always space for all the little ideas to come through. And of course I like the solo, with that three-part section, where each part has its own voice. What can I say? It's vintage Queen. The first time I heard Freddie playing that song, I was lying in my room in Rockfield [a residential recording studio in Wales], feeling very sick. After Queen's first American tour I had hepatitis, and then I had very bad stomach problems and I had to be operated on. So I remember just lying there, hearing Freddie play this really great song and feeling sad, because I thought, 'I can't even get out of bed to participate in this. Maybe the group will have to go on without me.' No one could figure out what was wrong with me. But then I did go into the hospital and I got fixed up, thank God. And when I came out again, we were able to finish off 'Killer Queen.' They left some space for me and I did the solo. I had strong feelings about one of the harmony bits in the chorus, so we had another go at that too.

Live performances

The song was played from 1974–78 live in a medley. In 1974, the song was played following "In the Lap of the Gods", and in 1975–76, the song was played after "Bohemian Rhapsody". In 1977, the song was played as the introduction to a medley, followed by "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy", and in 1978, preceded "Bicycle Race". In 1979, the band played most of the song, and after the guitar solo ended, the opening bars of "I'm in Love With My Car" were played. This form was kept until 1982, when it was removed from the setlist. In 1984 and 1985, during The Works Tour, it was reintroduced in a medley following a truncated version of "Somebody to Love". The song would not make it past the Magic Tour cutting room floor.

In popular culture

• A cover version of the song is featured in the 2005 music video game Guitar Hero.
• The master recording is featured in the 2009 music video game Guitar Hero Smash Hits and downloadable content for Guitar Hero 5 and some installments of Rock Band.
• In the manga Jojo's Bizarre Adventure the main antagonist of part 4 Yoshikage Kira's stand is named Killer Queen.

Personnel

• Freddie Mercury: lead vocal, piano, jangle piano, backing vocals
• Brian May: electric guitar, backing vocals
• John Deacon: bass guitar, backing vocals (on stage only), triangle (on stage only)
• Roger Taylor: drums, backing vocals, triangle, chimes, and Falsetto