Seven Seas of Rhye
| "Seven Seas of Rhye" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | See What A Fool I've Been,
Funny How Love Is (UK 3" CD Single), The Loser In The End (7" single JAP) |
"Seven Seas of Rhye" is a song by British rock band Queen. It was co-written by Freddie Mercury and Brian May, but credited to Mercury only. An abbreviated instrumental version appears as the final track on the group's debut album Queen (1973),[1] with the full version on the follow-up Queen II (1974).[2] The completed version served as the band's third single, the earliest-released song to appear on their Greatest Hits album, with the exception of some versions where their first single, "Keep Yourself Alive", is included.
Initially Seven Seas of Rhye was simply an "instrumental musical sketch closing their first album".[3] An expanded rendition, planned for inclusion on the album Queen II, was publicly premiered when Queen were offered a sudden chance to appear on Top of the Pops in February 1974, and was rushed to vinyl a mere 2 days later on 23 February.[3] It became their first chart entry after gaining airtime on BBC Radio 1,[3] peaking at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart,[4] which in turn persuaded Freddie Mercury to take up Queen as his full time career.[3]
The song became a live favourite throughout the band's career.[1]
Style, construction and interpretation
The song features a distinctive arpeggiated piano introduction. The piano runs are sampled in "It's a Beautiful Day (reprise)", on the album Made In Heaven.[5]
The version on Queen II ends with a cross fade, instruments blending into several people singing "I Do Like to Be Beside the Seaside", accompanied by a stylophone played by producer Roy Thomas Baker.[1] Its inclusion here on the final track of Queen II is briefly mirrored via whistling during the first few seconds of "Brighton Rock", which opens their next album, Sheer Heart Attack.
In a 1977 radio interview, Freddie Mercury described the subject of the song as a "figment of his imagination". In the Queen musical We Will Rock You, the Seven Seas of Rhye is a place where the Bohemians are taken after they are brainstormed by Khashoggi.[6]
Personnel
- Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals, piano
- Brian May - electric guitar, backing vocals
- John Deacon - bass guitar
- Roger Taylor - drums, tambourine, backing vocals
References
- ^ a b c Queen II - Seven Seas Of Rhye Retrieved 5 July 2011
- ^ Seven Seas of Rhye Allmusic. Retrieved 5 July 2011
- ^ a b c d Rivadavia, Ed. "Seven Seas of Rhye: Review". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-10-03.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums. London: Guinness World Records Limited
- ^ M. Felsani, M. Primi, M. Saita, Queen. Tutti i testi con traduzione a fronte edited
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ We Will Rock You - Plot & Photo Gallery Ultimate Queen. Retrieved 5 July 2011
External links
- Lyrics of version from debut album Queen at Queen official website
- Queenpedia - detailed worldwide release information
- "Seven Seas of Rhye" Song Review at Allmusic
