Innuendo

Album: Innuendo (1991)
Charted: 1
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Songfacts®:

  • Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor wrote the lyrics to this song as a tribute to Led Zeppelin. When Robert Plant joined the three surviving members of Queen at Freddie Mercury's memorial concert at Wembley Stadium, they played a full version of this song, which included parts of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" and "Thank You."
  • The music was started off by Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon jamming in the studio in Montreux. From then on Freddie Mercury composed the song and added the long interlude. The melody is Mercury's as well. Lyrics were started off by Mercury but completed by drummer Roger Taylor.
  • The orchestra in the middle part was completely done with synthesizers; by Freddie Mercury and the producer David Richards.
  • Yes guitarist Steve Howe played the Spanish guitar solo in the middle because, admittedly, Brian May couldn't do it. Steve dropped by in the studio to say hi to producer David Richards, then Freddie invited him to join them on the track. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    sebas - Tokyo, Japan, for all above
  • This was Queen's third #1 in the UK after "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Under Pressure." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Paul - Redditch, England
  • Chris Daughtry performed this song on the fifth season of American Idol. Simon Cowell called his performance "indulgent" and asked why he didn't sing one of the great Queen songs instead. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jonathon - Clermont, FL

Comments: 25

  • Dan Gillespy from Courtenay BcA very good hard rocking Queen song.
  • Jay from UkAn absolute classic. One of the best of the last 4 albums. Would have loved to have see may, deacon, mercury and taylor blasting the to sell out stadiums. Ultimately my favourite queen is spread your wings off news of the world.
  • Chris from Germany this song is awesome but does not work without the video. The video had massive airplay on MTV Europe then. Great video. A masterpiece and directed by DoRo (Austrian directors-duo).

    In the USA the band was on a blacklist since I WANT TO BREAK THROUGH. It was too gay for MTV then.

    And this video didn't help either. It was banned immediately by MTV and other outlets because of the scene where you can see WAR. 1991 it was Iraq war.

    ,,if there is a god or any kind of justice under the sky...'' greatest lyric ever.
  • Vlad from Bulgaria@Luke from Manchester
    What makes a song "a hit", anyway? The single reached #1 in the UK charts. Isn't that a hit? Granted, it's not one of their best-known songs, but it's up there.
  • Maristella from PhilippinesI recently re-discovered Queen and I've been reading up on them widely particularly on Freddie Mercury whom I absolutely love. Listening to the song by earbuds, I wondered whose voice it was in the intro of the song at the drum roll faintly slow counting 1 2 3 4. After some research (queensongs.info), I found out it was Freddie's.
  • Luke from Manchester, UkSimon Cowell slates this song as "indulgent" and asks why Daughtry didn't sing one of the great Queen songs?
    That shows exactly how much of a toss he gives about real music if he believes the "hits" are the only great songs Queen ever did...
    and Ken - Yorkton, Canada - a Flamingo is a bird, you mean Flamenco.
  • Beth Koskoski from Wake Forest, NcI grew up listening to David Bowie, Lou Reed and Rod Stewart but by far Freddie and Queen are my favorite. I never had the pleasure of seeing them in the states--I regret this decision now but I do remember where I was when I heard that dreadful and sad day in November 1991. Love all you Queen fans.
  • Patrick from Naarden, NetherlandsFreddie sings "surrender your ego, be free, be free to your Self". To me this is a very spiritual song, a proof that Freddie knew true peace and happiness can't be found in gaining a lot of stuff
  • Paul from Rothesay, Nb, CanadaIt truly is amazing that Queen could keep on writing fresh complex songs like this after 20 years. I can remember hearing this for the first time and thinking "How do they keep coming up with songs this good". They really were in a league of their own in many respects. Chris from Perth, I agree, this is a "Desert Island Classic".
  • Alexandra from Zagreb, CroatiaI really have a hard time figuring out why most people don't include this song in the category of 'best Queen songs'. It's certainly my favourite, with its complexity and the use of different sounds. Plus, the lyrics are excellent.
  • Becky from Locust Grove, GaI think this song is as awesome as Bohemian Rhapsody in the aspect of performing several styles of music and pulling them back together.
  • Stefano from Rome, ItalyKatie, Robert Plant asked to remove his performance for this song from the video, because he wasn't satisfied. Actually the performance wasn't that good, and he even forgot the lyrics. It came immediately before he sang Crazy Little Thing Called Love, along with the Kashmir interlude.
  • Alex from Moscow, EuropeMost amazing song I've ever heard in my life and it's my favourite for many years already. My favourite song of Queen too, even better than Bohemian Rhapsody but not so many people heard it. And I'm more into metal music! Every metalhead I know loves this song. Very good and thought-provoking lyrics. Musically I think this is the best rock song by far. Kashmir is miles away from it. "We'll keep on tryin'.. Just passing our time.."
  • Jonathon from Clermont, FlActually Robert Plant did sing this song with the surviving members of Queen in concert. However, Brian May can't play flamenco guitar, so they took out the middle section and added part of "Kashmir" to the song. You can see the video at YouTube, if you're not too lazy to find it.
  • Joanna from Kielcemy favourite:D
  • Paul from Redditch, EnglandThis Was Queen's 3rd number one in the UK after Bohemian Rhapsody & Under Pressure. 3 number 1's in 16 years is scandalous as this is the 2nd greatest band of all time (after the Beatles). Killer Queen was kept of the top spot by David Essex for heavens sake. What was wrong with record consumers of the seventies!!
  • Katie from Somewhere, NjWhen did they perform this at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert? I downloaded the concert and the only songs Robert Plant did were "Thank You" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." Also, Queen said on American Idol recently that they've never performed Innuendo live.
  • Amy from Dallas, TxAmazing song! I love the clay little figures in the video :]
  • Jeanette from Irvine, Cayeah you can totally tell it was inspired by Kashmir, and that song is freakin awesome.
  • Robert from Los Angeles, CaI have to say this has got to be one of Queen's best songs especially considering it was made in 1991, which was their much later year.
  • Dan from Parsippany, NjFittingly, when Queen played this song at the "Concert for Life" (the Freddie tribute concert at Wembley Stadium in early 1992), Robert Plant provided a superb lead vocal.
  • Ken from Yorkton, CanadaTo Chris in Perth:

    It wasn't the solo that Steve played, it was the "flamingo" spanish guitar part in which Brian played his solo over.
  • Chris from Perth, AustraliaSomehow only two comments doesn't seem to do justice to this truly amazing song. So I decided to add my own.

    If I was to write a list of what are in my opinion the top ten greatest songs of all time, Innuendo would probably be in it, along with the song it was inspired by, Led Zeppelin's Kashmir. Can't exactly blame Brian May for having trouble with the guitar solo. As a guitar player myself I know how hard solos like that are to play. It's just a pity so many people have never heard this song.
  • Jeanette from Irvine, Cathis song is really good. i love it. cool that its a tribute to led zeppelin...my other favorite band.
  • Bryan from Melbourne, Fl*Hums Guitar Solo*
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