I feel compelled, since it isn't here, to write this review about the grand finale of a certain group, Queen.
Only Freddie Mercury's last efforts could have given us something like this. Yes, because torn apart by the disease, Freddie "squeezed" himself and found a way to carry on, to continue, to give everything he could until the very last moment. That's how this album, made even more compelling by the complete divergence of sound and style among the songs, came to be. Innuendo is a slow agony: it's almost as if you can see Freddie suffocating, at times falling, at times clinging to the other members of the group.
INNUENDO is a multifaceted and multistyle track of 6 minutes that, for this reason, closely resembles Bohemian Rhapsody and like the latter is an epic song. The powerful progression of the Title track suddenly breaks, generating the famous Spanish section, only to regenerate the initial movement of the piece. In I'M GOING SLIGHTLY MAD, it seems that Freddie enjoys mocking the journalists who have always attacked him with self-irony.
The next two tracks are two compelling rock pieces with the driving HEADLONG and the highly underrated I CAN'T LIVE WITH YOU with a great final part. The underlying melancholy of this album is hidden in the first four songs but emerges punctually in DON'T TRY SO HARD where Freddie makes an effort but still manages to play with his voice, especially in the chorus and the second verse. RIDE THE WILD WIND starts modestly, then reaches the level of the other songs. We then find a gospel motif, ALL GOD'S PEOPLE, which at least for the first two minutes is a unique masterpiece in its genre. Following is Roger Taylor's best piece, THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES, made even more emotional by the accompanying video clip. Here you can see Freddie for the last time, so reduced that he struggles to move his right arm in "When I look, and I find".
The song dedicated to his favorite cat is track number nine, DELILAH, where Brian manages to make the guitar "meow".
The last hard rock track of the Queen chapter is THE HITMAN, an almost standalone piece that "hides" the difficulties in fine-tuning this album. Brian May dedicates the last two songs to Freddie Mercury: in BIJOU, Brian seems to make the Red Special cry and gradually console it, THE SHOW MUST GO ON is one of those epic, "century-spanning" songs. Especially the second part of the song reaches stratospheric levels of pathos. THE SHOW MUST GO ON is one of those songs you never forget, just like the album, just like this great group. So let's give to Caesar what is Caesar's, let's give the Queen what they deserve.

Tracklist Lyrics and Videos

01   Innuendo (06:31)

While the sun hangs in the sky and the desert has sand
While the waves crash in the sea and meet the land
While there's a wind and the stars and the rainbow
Till the mountains crumble into the plain

Oh yes we'll keep on tryin'
Tread that fine line
Oh we'll keep on tryin' - yeah
Just passing our time

While we live according to race, colour or creed
While we rule by blind madness and pure greed
Our lives dictated by tradition, superstition, false religion
Through the eons, and on and on

Oh yes we'll keep on tryin'
We'll tread that fine line
Oh oh we'll keep on tryin'
Till the end of time
Till the end of time

Through the sorrow all through our splendour
Don't take offence at my innuendo

You can be anything you want to be
Just turn yourself into anything you think that you could ever be
Be free with your tempo be free be free
Surrender your ego - be free be free to yourself

Oooh, ooh -
If there's a God or any kind of justice under the sky
If there's a point, if there's a reason to live or die
If there's an answer to the questions we feel bound to ask
Show yourself - destroy our fears - release your mask

Oh yes we'll keep on trying
Hey tread that fine line
Yeah we'll keep on smiling yeah (yeah yeah yeah)
And whatever will be - will be
We'll just keep on trying
We'll just keep on trying
Till the end of time
Till the end of time
Till the end of time

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Other reviews

By AR (Anonima Recensori)

 Innuendo is undoubtedly a record destined to remain in the history of rock.

 'The Show Must Go On,' Freddie’s testament, is perfect and incredible.


By PIXELID

 Almost every lyric was influenced by the situation Freddie was going through, making the album very melancholic, and consequently moving.

 In the opinion of the reviewer, Innuendo is definitely the most beautiful Queen album since the 80s onwards.


By led&zep

 Innuendo emerges as a true masterpiece not only of the entire Queen discography but of the whole history of rock.

 'The Show Must Go On' delivers one of the most intense vocal performances that human ears have ever heard.


By Mercury82

 "The album is an exceptional mix of ballads, poetry, and rock."

 "The Show Must Go On – the testament of his death sung... fantastic!!!!!"


By C.H.A.R.L.I.E Nokia

 Innuendo is a journey within each of us, within our anxieties and weaknesses.

 The Show Must Go On being careful to have a tissue ready to dry the tears of your cathartic cry.