Queen is Not Just Another Pretty Face

A Day At Races, released in 1976, was an album whose title was inspired by an old Marx Brothers Movie (just like the album A Night At The Opera). Although Queen typified the "glam" rock bands of the 1970's, complete with outrageous costumes, makeup, elaborate production and sexually oriented themes, they were more than just another pretty face. Queen was a rock n' roll band with substance--most, if not all, of their members had formal musical training, and they used these influences to create a unique sound that ran the gamut from classical to hard rock.

The members of this band, and their contributions to this album, are as follows:

Freddie Mercury, vocals, piano, choir meister, tantrums
Brian May, guitars, vocals, leader of the orchestra
Roger Taylor, drums, vocals, percussion, pandemonium
John Deacon, bass guitar

The tracks on this album and my comments about each follow.

1. Tie Your Mother Down--A big gong and an overwhelming guitar riff open this one, and when the band kicks up, you're treated to some of the hardest rock n' roll that you'll ever hear. The guitar riff is infectious and the song is pushed along by a bouncy drum beat. The message is blatantly sexual--"Tie your mother down, tie your mother down, and lock your daddy outdoors, we don't need him nosing around" and "it's gotta be tonight, my little schoolbabe". Brian May's guitar solo is intensely moving and the slide lick he adds is just the right nasty adornment. Freddie Mercury completes his sexual message by intoning "Give me every inch of your love."