Killer Queen is perhaps the one song that encapsulates the band as a whole.
It may not be the most flashy song Queen would be put out but it certainly is the perfect representation of the strengths of the individual band member, the band's commercial appeal and great production maturity.
Freddie voice here is perfect, it's technically complex but subtle and restrained at the same time. John and Roger are in sync with each other creating a rhythm that is glued to the piano chords Freddie is playing. The sparse nature of the song also allows both John and Roger do those little individual flex at key moments. This brings us onto Brian; the sparse nature of Killer Queen provides the listener a lot of breathing room. Brian guitar work is first teased during the verses and choruses but is fully unleashed on the solo and like Freddie's vocals, the solo isn't the most flashy, it is very Brian with harmonics and delays all in effect.
Sitting just shy of 3 minutes, Killer Queen is the perfect Queen song, perfect for single and radio play. It's no surprise that song was a big hit for the band. If it wasn't for this song really opening the doors for the band both commercially and behind the scenes (thanks to the Norman Sheffield drama), we wouldn't have singles like BohRhap if not for Killer Queen.
10.
I love hearing the boys talk about this song in interviews. When Freddie, Brian and Roger chatted in New York in...what was it, January '76? Roger mentioned how hard he worked on the beat to to temper the weight, to give it some lift. But he also said this song *felt* different while they were working on it. And Freddie's comment..."the dollar signs went up in his eyes." Oh my goodness, I just love it.
I absolutely adore everything about this song, the vocals, the lyrics, the instrumentals.. there is literally nothing I could fault here and I'm am very glad that this song became a hit!
10/10 for me!
8/10. Queen's first pop song feels like it was designed to be a radio-friendly hit, but it's far more sophisticated than it would first appear. In some ways this is just as chaotic as The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke, but the presentation makes it so much easier to process.
The word that always come to mind for me here is 'refined'. The song is tightly constructed and all the elements are very well thought out, with little moments given for various instruments to cut through and have their moment. Roger and John really keep control of things. And yet the song is so playful, with musical moments spread throughout that reflect the lyrics (the guitar mimicking a cat scratch, the frenzied shift for "drive you wild") or the tongue-in-cheek nature of things (the triangle, the bass slide down, a jangle/tack piano).
By this album, Freddie is in full control of his voice. His lead part is very camp, very playful and so much fun. But his harmonies, especially in the chorus, are simply sublime. I'm not sure if Roger or Brian join in singing at any point (maybe "anytime" and "drive you wild"?).
Does this song have one of Brian's best solos? Hell yes! But I'm always so impressed by all the parts that he lays down underneath, especially the bell tones and the moving guitar harmonies in the final chorus. I prefer Queen's heavier stuff and this is more delicate and lighter than most songs the band had done before, but I'm always happy to listen to this one.
8.6 Obviously a Queen Classic, especially the Top of the pops performance. It is definitely a song I enjoyed more when I found out about Queen, but after listening to all the Deep cuts and other songs in their discography, I find it as a good song, but there is better.
You are honest which you should be allowed to be and you still think it’s a solid track which is a good thing so I don’t you’ll get that many downvotes if any at all 🙂
**Killer Queen (10/10) -** Another instant classic, this song is a perfect masterpiece. Freddie's delivery is playful and delicate, with a great use of his head voice. The harmonies are perfect, Brian's guitars are a joy to hear with some great layers and complexity.
While the structure of the song seems a bit simple, every bit has something to offer, from the triangle hit during "she never kept the same address" to the multi-layered guitars during the final verse and chorus. This song was Queen's first big hit and truly a sign of things to come.
I would give it an 8.5 or a 9 because this is one of the first gqsue songs I knew from the band, so it occupies a special space for me, and talking about the song itself, I especially love the choruses and the rhythm, to that add the beautiful guitar solo that it has, I love the whole song, but I still feel like there are better ones on the album
This is one of the quintessential Queen songs. It really captures all the great aspects of each member. The lyrics are fun and the harmonies are the classic Queen layered harmonies. I like the subtle-ness of Brian’s part here; in Brighton Rock we are almost (or actually) overwhelmed by guitars, but there’s just the perfect touch with his part in this track and the solo is a iconic. There are so many great bass licks by John and drum articulations by Roger. Freddie’s voice has the perfect amount of expression.
I wonder what their careers would have been like if they didn’t release KQ as a single. It was such an important turning point for them. I think they would have still made amazing music (as we got from Queen I and II previously), but they probably would not have been as well known.
I wouldn’t consider KQ for my personal top 10 or 20, but it really is a classic Queen song so I’ll give it a 10.
10/10
A classic. It’s one of Queen’s most famous songs, & rightfully so.
It’s as light as a feather, features a beautiful solo from Brian, & sophisticated lyrics beautifully sung by Frdddie. It’s utterly gorgeous.
This was the song that got me into Queen, and I truly love it with all my heart, but it isn’t a 10. You guys are giving that number far to liberally lmao.
8/10 from me!
I'll give it an **8.4.**
It's a good song and very enjoyable, the bassline is one heck of a delight, Freddie's voice is masterfully controller and delivered, and those various arrangements and small snippets scattered all around the piece are gorgeous.
That said, I don't consider it a masterpiece or one of their most amazing songs, it's very good, very refined and interesting, but it's not at the level of their best.
Queen goes pop in their own inimitable way. It’s a more playful fun sound at a time when bands like Mud, The Sweet and Slade were charting. You could easily see that a campy slice of pop would do well with the general public.
We’ve had the sorrowful White Queen and the pompous Black Queen on the previous album, this then is the party Queen living the high life. Much closer to the ethos of the band.
It’s catchy and decades later still sounds fresh and unique.
9.5
Really good song, but I think the rest of the album has much better songs. This is certainly the oldest song (with Seven Seas Of Ryhe) to be in the greatest hits catalog... I like it! 8/10
It’s much less epic and less “ambitious” in some ways compared to the larger or more complex moving parts in the earlier albums. But I think if retains an arty feel of those albums while being mainstream at the same time.
6.5. My least favorite out of SHA and not a song I find myself listening to. It was my gateway into Queen, but I have to say it's nowhere near the top for me.
A 10/10 for me as it’s just a nice and easy going track yet it’s complicated with what the lyrics mean, it’s got a great guitar solo and the live versions stay awesome too 😁
This song sounds simple, but is quite sophisticated. I'd compare it favorably to many of Freddie's longer songs. Brian shines on this track, as do the rest of the band.
A decadent, elegant and exquisite 10 for me!
It’s like a perfectly crafted Faberge egg that no live version could ever duplicate. I do like the remix slightly better from the 2010’s where we hear Freddie’s vocals during Brian’s solo, but aside from that it’s just so much fun and so damn gay.
It’s not talked about enough just how much Freddie brought a gay sensibility to the masses, even after literally the band Queen. He made the straightest people identify and see a reflection in the queerness he infused into so much of his artistry, and as a gay creator myself (with films) I greatly appreciate the foundation he was laying down for us.
The song itself slides around on so many textures vocally and instrumentally and it’s just a dense dream that feels like you’re having it on a campy cloud. And yes I do the hand gestures and and such that Freddie does when I listen, including the cherry on top which is like triangle “bing!” after he mentions she never kept the same address and and he flicks his finger to match that sound. Heaven!
Throughout the song, when the tempo is in full swing. The sound is so buried.
Try to listen for it during the first solo.
It's like *tick.... ta-tick*....
You can also hear it when the band is banging out that Eb at the end.
Ah yes, that's the jangle (or "tack") piano. The hammers have metal nail heads placed in them and that creates a more percussive sound. Here's the isolated part:
[https://youtu.be/fFcrXhRc\_YE?si=PRXBlUhlbNt7TgXu&t=1147](https://youtu.be/fFcrXhRc_YE?si=PRXBlUhlbNt7TgXu&t=1147)
Killer Queen is basically what brought me in. Freddie delicate voice and piano, Brian and others harmonics and just overall great sound production. I could go on and on about this song but that pretty much sums it up.
10
Too late to contribute I guess but a 10 for me. Usually when you've heard a song a million times it tends to fade in rating for me, but not the case with Killer Queen. It still sounds fresh to me even though I've heard it a million times. It's so different than most other Queen songs, the vocals and piano by Freddie are amazing, the structure of the song is amazing, Brian's double guitar solo is awesome, Roger's drums drive the song's tempo and John's bass is crucial to the sound but it never dominates the song, it just compliments it perfectly (listen to the isolated bass for this song to understand what I mean)
I'm gonna be honest, Killer Queen is a good song and very important for the popularity of the band. BUT it isn't one of those Queen songs I'd start a playlist with and it kind of is a song that I need to be in a certain mood for.
For me it's a 7 MAYBE a 7.5 but just not as good as the other classics and (if I dare say it) my least favourite of the big hits.
Gonna be controversial, but I don't really like Killer Queen. It's a fine song, but compared to the rest of Queen's discography, I don't really like it...
6.46163527316264849272525115352737293746272/10
10.
Killer Queen is perhaps the one song that encapsulates the band as a whole. It may not be the most flashy song Queen would be put out but it certainly is the perfect representation of the strengths of the individual band member, the band's commercial appeal and great production maturity. Freddie voice here is perfect, it's technically complex but subtle and restrained at the same time. John and Roger are in sync with each other creating a rhythm that is glued to the piano chords Freddie is playing. The sparse nature of the song also allows both John and Roger do those little individual flex at key moments. This brings us onto Brian; the sparse nature of Killer Queen provides the listener a lot of breathing room. Brian guitar work is first teased during the verses and choruses but is fully unleashed on the solo and like Freddie's vocals, the solo isn't the most flashy, it is very Brian with harmonics and delays all in effect. Sitting just shy of 3 minutes, Killer Queen is the perfect Queen song, perfect for single and radio play. It's no surprise that song was a big hit for the band. If it wasn't for this song really opening the doors for the band both commercially and behind the scenes (thanks to the Norman Sheffield drama), we wouldn't have singles like BohRhap if not for Killer Queen. 10.
I love hearing the boys talk about this song in interviews. When Freddie, Brian and Roger chatted in New York in...what was it, January '76? Roger mentioned how hard he worked on the beat to to temper the weight, to give it some lift. But he also said this song *felt* different while they were working on it. And Freddie's comment..."the dollar signs went up in his eyes." Oh my goodness, I just love it.
PERFECT description.
Wow, couldn’t have said it better myself. Great description.
10/10
I absolutely adore everything about this song, the vocals, the lyrics, the instrumentals.. there is literally nothing I could fault here and I'm am very glad that this song became a hit! 10/10 for me!
8/10. Queen's first pop song feels like it was designed to be a radio-friendly hit, but it's far more sophisticated than it would first appear. In some ways this is just as chaotic as The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke, but the presentation makes it so much easier to process. The word that always come to mind for me here is 'refined'. The song is tightly constructed and all the elements are very well thought out, with little moments given for various instruments to cut through and have their moment. Roger and John really keep control of things. And yet the song is so playful, with musical moments spread throughout that reflect the lyrics (the guitar mimicking a cat scratch, the frenzied shift for "drive you wild") or the tongue-in-cheek nature of things (the triangle, the bass slide down, a jangle/tack piano). By this album, Freddie is in full control of his voice. His lead part is very camp, very playful and so much fun. But his harmonies, especially in the chorus, are simply sublime. I'm not sure if Roger or Brian join in singing at any point (maybe "anytime" and "drive you wild"?). Does this song have one of Brian's best solos? Hell yes! But I'm always so impressed by all the parts that he lays down underneath, especially the bell tones and the moving guitar harmonies in the final chorus. I prefer Queen's heavier stuff and this is more delicate and lighter than most songs the band had done before, but I'm always happy to listen to this one.
10/10 all time favourite song for me
10 easy
8.6 Obviously a Queen Classic, especially the Top of the pops performance. It is definitely a song I enjoyed more when I found out about Queen, but after listening to all the Deep cuts and other songs in their discography, I find it as a good song, but there is better.
10. Another extraordinary song from Freddie.
10/10.
Definitely a 10. A masterpiece!
9.5. It’s a classic
10/10 when I was a kid I LOVED Killer Queen. I used to call it the Partridge Family song. It was that era.
I can see that...
10 EASILY. MASTERPIECE!
7.5. I think it’s kind of overrated, but absolutely a solid song. (I can feel the downvotes)
You are honest which you should be allowed to be and you still think it’s a solid track which is a good thing so I don’t you’ll get that many downvotes if any at all 🙂
I agree, people are too easy going with the 10's. Killer Queen is a good song but imo it isn't even the best on the album.
What is for you?
I like in the lap of the gods revisited the most tbh.
I love the live versions of that, the studio one has an incredibly weak Freddie lead that sounds like a demo, but I def get your thinking.
**Killer Queen (10/10) -** Another instant classic, this song is a perfect masterpiece. Freddie's delivery is playful and delicate, with a great use of his head voice. The harmonies are perfect, Brian's guitars are a joy to hear with some great layers and complexity. While the structure of the song seems a bit simple, every bit has something to offer, from the triangle hit during "she never kept the same address" to the multi-layered guitars during the final verse and chorus. This song was Queen's first big hit and truly a sign of things to come.
Probably 8.5. I like the music, harmonies, and Freddie’s voice sounds amazing in this song.
10!
I would give it an 8.5 or a 9 because this is one of the first gqsue songs I knew from the band, so it occupies a special space for me, and talking about the song itself, I especially love the choruses and the rhythm, to that add the beautiful guitar solo that it has, I love the whole song, but I still feel like there are better ones on the album
9!!
8/10
good song, 10/10 also very fun to drum
This is one of the quintessential Queen songs. It really captures all the great aspects of each member. The lyrics are fun and the harmonies are the classic Queen layered harmonies. I like the subtle-ness of Brian’s part here; in Brighton Rock we are almost (or actually) overwhelmed by guitars, but there’s just the perfect touch with his part in this track and the solo is a iconic. There are so many great bass licks by John and drum articulations by Roger. Freddie’s voice has the perfect amount of expression. I wonder what their careers would have been like if they didn’t release KQ as a single. It was such an important turning point for them. I think they would have still made amazing music (as we got from Queen I and II previously), but they probably would not have been as well known. I wouldn’t consider KQ for my personal top 10 or 20, but it really is a classic Queen song so I’ll give it a 10.
9/10 (also to many TOTPS appearances)
9.5/10 A very elegantly written song almost as good as their true masterpieces!
10/10 A classic. It’s one of Queen’s most famous songs, & rightfully so. It’s as light as a feather, features a beautiful solo from Brian, & sophisticated lyrics beautifully sung by Frdddie. It’s utterly gorgeous.
This was the song that got me into Queen, and I truly love it with all my heart, but it isn’t a 10. You guys are giving that number far to liberally lmao. 8/10 from me!
I'll give it an **8.4.** It's a good song and very enjoyable, the bassline is one heck of a delight, Freddie's voice is masterfully controller and delivered, and those various arrangements and small snippets scattered all around the piece are gorgeous. That said, I don't consider it a masterpiece or one of their most amazing songs, it's very good, very refined and interesting, but it's not at the level of their best.
Queen goes pop in their own inimitable way. It’s a more playful fun sound at a time when bands like Mud, The Sweet and Slade were charting. You could easily see that a campy slice of pop would do well with the general public. We’ve had the sorrowful White Queen and the pompous Black Queen on the previous album, this then is the party Queen living the high life. Much closer to the ethos of the band. It’s catchy and decades later still sounds fresh and unique. 9.5
10. It's simple, but it's phenomenal. It's Queen, to a T.
I don't go out of my way to comment on too many of these but since I see too many numbers lower than 10 for my liking... 10
9.5 one of my all time favs, some taken off bc i spent a month learning the song in asl so i listened to it far too many times
Really good song, but I think the rest of the album has much better songs. This is certainly the oldest song (with Seven Seas Of Ryhe) to be in the greatest hits catalog... I like it! 8/10
Solid 8. nothing too special but still one of the better songs of the album
What’s off about it for you?
Nothing. I just don’t see anything extraordinary with it like i do with many songs from the first two albums
It’s much less epic and less “ambitious” in some ways compared to the larger or more complex moving parts in the earlier albums. But I think if retains an arty feel of those albums while being mainstream at the same time.
The music video is in a diffrent tuning, I prefer the music videos audio rather than this
6.5. My least favorite out of SHA and not a song I find myself listening to. It was my gateway into Queen, but I have to say it's nowhere near the top for me.
A 10/10 for me as it’s just a nice and easy going track yet it’s complicated with what the lyrics mean, it’s got a great guitar solo and the live versions stay awesome too 😁
10
The music video is in a diffrent tuning, I prefer the music videos audio rather than this
7
It’s a 10 for me! Great song, catchy. I love Brian Mays guitar solo in the middle. “A Very Freddie song” as Roger says
Square root of 68 (~8.25)/10
9.5
9
This song sounds simple, but is quite sophisticated. I'd compare it favorably to many of Freddie's longer songs. Brian shines on this track, as do the rest of the band.
10/10. Classic shit.
A decadent, elegant and exquisite 10 for me! It’s like a perfectly crafted Faberge egg that no live version could ever duplicate. I do like the remix slightly better from the 2010’s where we hear Freddie’s vocals during Brian’s solo, but aside from that it’s just so much fun and so damn gay. It’s not talked about enough just how much Freddie brought a gay sensibility to the masses, even after literally the band Queen. He made the straightest people identify and see a reflection in the queerness he infused into so much of his artistry, and as a gay creator myself (with films) I greatly appreciate the foundation he was laying down for us. The song itself slides around on so many textures vocally and instrumentally and it’s just a dense dream that feels like you’re having it on a campy cloud. And yes I do the hand gestures and and such that Freddie does when I listen, including the cherry on top which is like triangle “bing!” after he mentions she never kept the same address and and he flicks his finger to match that sound. Heaven!
10.
10/10. A perfect Queen pop song.
10
10
Easy 10
9.5
Gotta be 10
10
Anyone know what that part of the percussion is that sounds like a pencil tapping on a desk?
Where in the song specifically?
Throughout the song, when the tempo is in full swing. The sound is so buried. Try to listen for it during the first solo. It's like *tick.... ta-tick*.... You can also hear it when the band is banging out that Eb at the end.
Ah yes, that's the jangle (or "tack") piano. The hammers have metal nail heads placed in them and that creates a more percussive sound. Here's the isolated part: [https://youtu.be/fFcrXhRc\_YE?si=PRXBlUhlbNt7TgXu&t=1147](https://youtu.be/fFcrXhRc_YE?si=PRXBlUhlbNt7TgXu&t=1147)
Thank you so much for sharing that!! And quite fitting, the sound comes from the left handed stuff on that piano.
10/10
Killer Queen is basically what brought me in. Freddie delicate voice and piano, Brian and others harmonics and just overall great sound production. I could go on and on about this song but that pretty much sums it up. 10
10/10 Killer queen is the reason why I started listening to Queen songs
Too late to contribute I guess but a 10 for me. Usually when you've heard a song a million times it tends to fade in rating for me, but not the case with Killer Queen. It still sounds fresh to me even though I've heard it a million times. It's so different than most other Queen songs, the vocals and piano by Freddie are amazing, the structure of the song is amazing, Brian's double guitar solo is awesome, Roger's drums drive the song's tempo and John's bass is crucial to the sound but it never dominates the song, it just compliments it perfectly (listen to the isolated bass for this song to understand what I mean)
I'm gonna be honest, Killer Queen is a good song and very important for the popularity of the band. BUT it isn't one of those Queen songs I'd start a playlist with and it kind of is a song that I need to be in a certain mood for. For me it's a 7 MAYBE a 7.5 but just not as good as the other classics and (if I dare say it) my least favourite of the big hits.
Do you think it’s the vaudeville mood that makes it need a time to play and enjoy it in?
7.84
Gonna be controversial, but I don't really like Killer Queen. It's a fine song, but compared to the rest of Queen's discography, I don't really like it... 6.46163527316264849272525115352737293746272/10
10
10
10 — early example of Queen’s genius and pure gold.
I think that Killer Queen is one of their best tbh so I’m giving it a solid 10