Track Listing

1. Keep Yourself Alive
2. Doing Alright
3. Great King Rat
4. My Fairy King
5. Liar
6. Night Comes Down
7. Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll
8. Son And Daughter
9. Jesus
10. Seven Seas Of Rhye

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2644 in Music
• Released on: 1994-04-05
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered

CD Description
Queen's 1973 debut is definitely their most underrated album of that decade. Although most tracks aren't as well known as the band's later material, QUEEN proves to be an impressively consistent listen from beginning to end. It's extraordinary how many of the group's future musical trademarks were already detectable in their debut--Brian May's orchestrated guitar harmonies, multi-tracked vocal "choirs", imaginative songwriting and dynamics that could switch from head-bangingheavy metal to reflective balladry in the blink of an eye.
Although QUEEN was recorded off and on over a three-year period, the tracks still manage to be focused and unified. The rocker "Liar" contains a middle section that foreshadows Queen's future hits (1975's "Bohemian Rhapsody", 1976's "Somebody To Love", etc.) while "The Night Comes Down" and "Doing All Right" are two gorgeous ballads. But make no mistake: the majority of QUEEN is raucous hard rock--see "Great King Rat" and the grand Zeppelin groove of "Son & Daughter". Alsoincluded as a CD bonus track is the forgotten composition "Mad The Swine", and an instrumental version of their future hit "Seven Seas Of Rhye".

Customer Reviews

Fantastic Debut Album
Although this album did not storm through the charts and was critisized for not being accessible enough, I feel that it was a stepping stone in Queen going on to conquer the world. 'Keep Yourself Alive' is a great tune, unquestionably the best on the album with Brians strumming technique dictating the pace for the rest of the song. 'Doing Alright' is a slow paced biographical song with Brian May describing the life of a typical art student.(Die-Hard Queen fans should note that this is the only song on any official Queen album that is partly written by Tim Staffell, who was in Smile with Roger and Brian). 'Great King Rat' and 'My Fairy King' are songs created by the innovative and imaginative Mercury who writes about 'horses with eagles wings' and 'dragons that fly like sparrows thru the air' etc. 'Liar' is a song in which Freddie(or perhaps a fictional character) is begging for forgiveness and shows how Brian has the makings for a world-class guitar player. Brian then cultures a unique song in 'The Night Comes Down' which is slightly more progressive than the others because very little electric guitar work can be heard on it. Roger's contibution to the album is the 2-minute rocker 'Modern Times Rock'n'Roll' which leads into the heavy 'Son and Daughter' which is very much a twin to 'Sweet Lady' on 'A Night at the Opera'. Freddie shows his interest in religion in 'Jesus' and the album finishes with the original version of 'Seven Seas of Rhye' which is instrumental.

The only criticism of this album is that it only has one truely outstanding song and Freddies vocal range has clearly not developed to it's true potential. However I would highly recommend buying it and any Queen fan who does not own it should be ashamed of themselves!!!!

The first album - and the heaviest?
Ah, early Queen, the halcyon days before they went out and bought that synthesiser...

Queen's debut is often overlooked by casual fans, and those unfamiliar with their early output will find this album almost unrecognisable from their 80s hits. For fans of hard rock however, this is probably the most satisfying album of the band's output.

Kicking off with 'Keep Yourself Alive', with Brian May's phased guitar riff reminiscent of Led Zeppelin (their influence is apparent on several numbers here), we are then taken down a little with the slowie 'Doing All Right' (written with former 'Smile' colleague Tim Stafell). The Freddie epics arrive with 'Great King Rat' and 'My Fairy King', the latter of which is a precursor to much of what is found on Mercury's 'Side Black' of the next album. Roger Taylor's high-pitched shriek is introduced here, and is a feature of their early material.

The real meat of the album comes with 'Liar' and 'Son and Daughter', which will satisfy even the hardest rockers, but this album features plenty of good chunky guitar throughout. 'Liar' even has a bit you can play air bass to, along with 'Deacon John' (as he was credited here)!

Drummer Roger Taylor gets to exercise his voice with the fast paced 'Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll', which leads into 'Son and Daughter'. The album closes with the gospel inspired 'Jesus' and the unfinished 'Seven Seas of Rhye'.

Quibbles? Too short, no real need for a partially completed track to close the album, and the production does sound a little 'muddy' - but we are talking about a debut album that has passed its 30th birthday. Speaking as a fan of heavy rock in general however, this album is one I remain drawn to when reaching for the Queen section of my record collection and so I award it the full five stars.

absolutely marvelous debut album.
this album was realeased in 1973 but some songs are from earlier on when they formed in 1971. every song bar jesus and the unfinished 7 seas of rhye are exellent,my personal favorite and the one i cant seem to get out of my head is "the night comes down" with its neck tingling guitars and freddie`s soaring vocals. this album is an absolute must for rock fans out there. if this album came inbeetween say sheer heart attack and night at the opera,no one would have batted an eyelid,but because its a debut it gets top marks.