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Rating: November 1st, 1974: Pure heart attack!!
After two albums of decent success, filled with fairy tale characters and dark echoes, Queen decisively change direction with 'Sheer Heart Attack', laying the foundations of rock and the Queen style that would make the group famous worldwide!
A complete, mature work, marking a turning point in the conception of the tracks and the development of themes linked to them, rich with ideas that would be revisited by the British group in the years to come. It starts strong right from the first track, which takes us directly to a merry British fair, where children happily clamor and someone whistles a cheerful tune, while Brian's captivating riff gradually rises... "Brighton Rock" is undoubtedly a broad demonstration of Brian May's solo prowess—in this case superb—offering a thrilling performance, where the Red Special seems to converse with itself, the melodies skillfully crafted by Brian intertwine and mesh sublimely! Exhilarating! Excellent Roger Taylor.
More tranquil and delicate is "Killer Queen"—extraordinary as always Freddie—the dizzying harmonies and distortion at the end (a typical Queen effect) make this piece an authentic and absolute glam pearl. The usual vocal performance by Taylor, "Tenement Funster", is more convincing than the previous ones, thanks to a more refined and incisive instrumental part. What can be said about "Flick Of The Wrist"? Meowing guitar, sudden rhythm changes, relaxing and intense... Simply splendid. And yet again Freddie, surpassing himself in "Lily Of The Valley", where his voice becomes incredibly high and unattainable, almost angelic!
Immediately a change of register, decidedly more rock, with the beautiful "Now I’m Here", where Brian May finds ample space (once again splendid the initial riff, later copied by many other artists) and Freddie seems to play hide and seek with the listener! The next track, however, starts with a lovely shout from one of the chorus (what pleasure these choruses!), and a driving piano, culminating in Freddie's distorted and lowered voice, which creates a very strange effect... Certainly, "In The Laps Of The Gods" is an atypical piece, but interesting.
Like "Stone Cold Crazy", an angry precursor of heavy metal (once again May!). At this point, I prefer to skip the brief interlude "Dear Friends" to move on to John Deacon's cheerful composition, "Misfire", a true dose of lightheartedness! After that, Queen put on tails and white gloves and take us back to the '30s with "Bring Back That Leroy Brown", crazy but delightful! Brian May then wants to sing and does so with "She Makes Me", becoming a bit boring and melancholic, but the piece is supported by a majestic and distant drum. The album closes beautifully with "In The Laps Of The Gods... Revisited", a true liberating anthem, entrusting us to the hands of the Gods.
What an album! Absolutely unmissable and to be reassessed as one of the peaks of Queen's output. Magnificent!!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Killer Queen (03:01)
So sad her eyes
Smiling dark eyes
So sad her eyes
As it began
On such a breathless night as this
Upon my brow the lightest kiss
I walked alone
And all around the air did say
My lady soon will stir this way
In sorrow known
The White Queen walks and the night grows pale
Stars of lovingness in her hair
Needing - unheard
Pleading - one word
So sad my eyes
She cannot see
How did thee fare, what have thee seen
The mother of the willow green
I call her name
And 'neath her window have I stayed
I loved the footsteps that she made
And when…
My Goddess, hear my darkest fear
I speak too late
It's for evermore that I wait
Dear friend goodbye
No tears in my eyes
So sad it ends
As it began
03 Tenement Funster (02:47)
My new purple shoes
Bein' amazin' the people next door
And my rock'n'roll forty fives
Bein' enragin' the folks on the lower floor
I got a way with the girls on my block
Try my best to be a real individual
And when we go down to smokies and rock
They line up like it's some kind of ritual
Oh give me a good guitar
And you can say that my hair's a disgrace
Or just find me an open car
I'll make the speed of light outa this place
I like the good things in life
But most of the best things ain't free
It's the same situation just cuts like a knife
When you're young and you're poor and you're crazy
Young and you're crazy...
Oh give me a good guitar
And you can say that my hair's a disgrace
Or just find me an open car
I'll make the speed of light outa this place
04 Flick of the Wrist (03:18)
Dislocate your spine if you don't sign
He says I'll have you seeing double
Mesmerize you when he's tongue tied
Simply with those eyes ooh
Synchronize your minds and see
The beast within him rise
Don't look back don't look back
It's a rip off
Flick of the wrist and you're dead baby
Blow him a kiss and you're mad
Flick of the wrist he'll eat your heart out
A dig in the ribs and then a kick in the head
He's taken an arm and taken a leg
All this time honey baby you've been had
Intoxicate your brain with what I'm sayin'
If not you'll lie in knee deep trouble
Prostitute yourself he says
Castrate your human pride ooh
Sacrifice your leisure days
Let me squeeze you 'till you've dried
Don't look back don't look back
It's a rip off
Work my fingers to my bones
I scream with pain I still make no impression
Seduce you with his money make machine
Cross collateralise big time money money
Reduce you to a muzak fake machine
Then the last goodbye
Flick of the wrist and you're dead baby
Blow him a kiss and you're mad
Flick of the wrist he'll eat your heart out
A dig in the ribs and then a kick in the head
He's taken an arm and taken a leg
All this time honey baby you've been had
05 Lily of the Valley (01:45)
Words and music by Freddie Mercury
I am forever searching high and low
But why does everybody tell me no
Neptune of the seas an answer for me please
The lily of the valley doesn't know
I lie in wait with open eyes
I carry on thru' stormy skies
I follow ev'ry course my kingdom for a horse
But each time I grow old
Serpent of the Nile relieve me for a while
And cast me from your spell and let me go
Messenger from seven seas has flown
To tell the king of Rhye he's lost his throne
Wars will never cease
Is there time enough for peace?
The lily of the valley doesn't know
10 Misfire (01:50)
Words and music by John Deacon
Don't you misfire fill me up
With the desire to carry on
Don't you know honey that love's a game
It's always a hit or miss
So take your aim
Got to hold on tight
Shoot me out of sight
Don't you misfire fill me up
With the desire to carry on
Don't you misfire fill me up
With the desire to carry on
Your gun is loaded
And pointing my way
There's only one bullet
So don't delay
Got to time it right
Fire me through the night
Come on take a shot
Fire me higher
Don't you miss this time
Please don't misfire
Misfire
11 Bring Back That Leroy Brown (02:16)
Words and music by Freddie Mercury
Bring back bring back bring back that Leroy Brown Yeah!
Bring back bring back gotta ring that Leroy Brown Yeah!
Bet your bottom dollar bill you're a playboy Yeah Yeah!
Daddy cool with a ninety dollar smile (ooh Yeah)
Took my money out of gratitude
And he git right out of town
Well I gotta getty up steady up shoot him down
Gotta hit that latitude babe
Bring back bring back bring back that Leroy Brown Yeah!
Bring back bring back gotta ring that Leroy Brown Yeah!
Big bad Leroy Brown he got no common sense
No no he got no brains but he sure gotta lotta style
Can't stand no more in this here jail
I gotta rid myself of this sentence
Gotta get out of the heat step into the shade
Gotta get me there dead or alive babe
Wooh wooh big bad Leroy
Wooh wooh wooh wooh
Big bad Leroy Brown
Bring back bring back bring back that Leroy Brown Yeah!
Bring back bring back gotta bring back Leroy Brown Yeah!
Big mama Lulu Belle she had a nervous breakdown
She had a nervous breakdown
Leroy's taken her honey chile away
But she met him down at the station Oohoo
Put a shotgun to his head and unless I be mistaken
This is what she said
Big bad big boy big bad Leroy Brown
I'm gonna get that cutie pie
Bring back bring back bring back that Leroy Brown Yeah!
Big bad caused a mighty fine sensation Yeah Yeah!
Gone and got himself elected President
We want Leroy for President
Next time you gotta hit a bitty baddy weather
This time like a shimmy shammy leather
He's a big boy bad boy Leroy
I don't care where you get him from
Bring that big bad Leroy back
Want him back
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Other reviews
By francis
"Sheer Heart Attack takes me back to my 14 years, entering high school, my first awkward attempts with girls, the first youthful identity crises."
"If there's an example to best describe what rock'n'roll was in 1974 and what was happening in London in those years, nothing works better than Sheer Heart Attack."
By frank1979
This remains, in my opinion, the album marking the first real turning point for Queen towards the rock that would truly make them famous.
Sheer Heart Attack is characterized by very powerful and melodic Hard Rock tracks at the same time, allowing them to be classified as precursors of future Heavy Metal.
By Walterstarman1
"Sheer Heart Attack remains nevertheless a beautiful album that... relies on its 'team player,' that is 'Killer Queen' and its assist-man 'Now I'm Here.'"
"It's a somewhat controversial album... made of high peaks but hallucinating style slides."
By Workhorse
Live at the Rainbow ’74 is a powerful double album that collects two concerts by the early Queen at London’s Rainbow Theatre.
Fans of early Queen or seventies hard rock in general will find a treat for their ears.
