Album: Hot Space (1982)

Charted: 25 11

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Songfacts®:

• This song is blatantly about sex, featuring lots of groaning by Freddie Mercury and a video that was so racy that MTV wouldn't play it. The song was quite a departure for Queen, as it contained very little guitar and a disco feel. Queen was always experimenting with different sounds, but this was a pretty drastic departure even by their standards. >>>

  Suggestion credit:
  Donovan Berry - El Dorado, AR
• This song appeared to be a source of contention within the band, as were the bulk of the Hot Space album recording sessions. Freddie Mercury had recently hooked up with a new assistant, Paul Prenter, who was putting pressure on Freddie to cut loose from the rest of the band and radically change his sound. He was generally cited as a bad influence on Freddie, and later leaked controversial stories about Freddie's love life to the press. Roger Taylor summed it up in the Days of our Lives documentary: "He wanted our music to sound like you had just walked into a gay club. And I didn't!"
  
  Also in the documentary, a lot was made of the debauchery surrounding the sessions - producer Mack and roadie Peter "Ratty" Hince both hinted that drugs, drink and loose women were involved, and Brian May went as far to say, "we all got into deep emotional trouble in Munich - Freddie more so."
  
  Such a debauched attitude surely contributed to the sleazy feel both musically and lyrically of "Body Language."
• The more disco-orientated sound on Hot Space, and particularly this song, did not go down well with hardcore Queen fans, with the new songs sometimes being booed at concerts - some went as far as making signs saying "Disco Sucks!"
  
  Freddie Mercury hinted at this negative reaction during a 1982 Milton Keynes show that is seen on the On Fire: Live At The Bowl DVD. He announces: "We're gonna do some songs in the funk, black category - whatever you call it" before dismissing the haters - "I mean it's only a bloody record, people get so excited about these things!"
• The instrumentation was almost entirely recorded by Freddie Mercury using drum machines, with John Deacon supplying the bassline on synth keyboards. Live keyboardist Spike Edney would play the synth bass on this and "Staying Power" (also from Hot Space) during performances, while John would play guitar - a rarity.

Comments: 11

• Mary from ArizonaI wasn't too thrilled with Hot Space when it was released back in 1982, but I just love this album now! Over the years my taste in music has expanded to include everything EXCEPT rap and hip hop. So I really love all the songs on Hot Space and enjoy a wide variety of music in my old age. LOL! I even love Freddie's collaboration with Montserrat Caballe on the Barcelona album! IMHO, their Hot Space album was highly underrated because it was such a departure from their previous albums and people weren't too keen on disco or the likes at that time. But nowadays, music is so diverse and I'd be willing to bet some old Queen fans like myself might actually embrace this one. :-)
• Karen from Manchester, NhMatthew in Milford, I believe it's "SEX in your eyes", not "snakes in your eyes".
• Steve from Hockessin, , DeIt's a pretty good song. Yes it was a major departure for them. But it still was unique. It's a lot of fun to play on guitar. Dropped-D tunning & playing the bass on guitar sounds awesome! Like or hate it, Freddie does a great vocal job on it!
• Jessie Steele from Bartlett, Tnthis is a realy risque video.and bess an dmonty,there are some horrid songs played at school dances.hence why i dont go to them lol.
  they wont play and classics but they play explicit rap .meh
  But this song is pretty cool.especialy the bass line
  But the video is just.....*shrugs*eh
  Smile.God loves you
• Elizabeth from Syracuse, NyFreddie Mercury played the synthesizers, synth bass, and syndrums on this song and Brian May played the guitar at the end.
• Matt from All Over The Shop, --oh god i hate this entire album except "las palabras" and bits of other songs especially "put out the fire".
  i think MTV wouldn't play this cos they listened to it. nothing to do with the video.
  i'm a big queen fan but not of this.
  hot space almost ended them.
• Meredith from Wauwatosa, WiThis song is okay. Sara and Pasha did a jazz dance to this song on So You Think You Can Dance wearing some of the craziest outfits ever, but they did a great job!
• Bess from San Diego, Ca"Dream On" is listed as "Explicit" on iTunes, but this ISN'T??!! Jeez, if "Walk This Way" is explicit, then this song surely is. Weird.
  I completely agree, Monty. You should hear some of the crap that's played at school dances. SCHOOL DANCES, for crying out loud!
• Monty from Georgetown, South AmericaSO MTV wouldn't play this song back in the 80's...hmm but look at the thrash they are playing now.
• Matthew from Milford, MaArgh, of all people, I had to be the one to supply the lyrics! In other words, I had to listen to this lust-infused song over and over again in order to get the lyrics just right, and there were still a few that I couldn't quite get right (at the "long legs" part.) If you ask me, it's a wonder that I didn't ejaculate while scribing the lyrics!
• Matthew from Milford, MaSo, MTV wouldn't play this song? Heh, I can't blame them!

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