Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon by Queen

Album: A Night At The Opera (1975)

Get the Sheet Music License This Song

Often an overlooked (probably due to it's length) song, this has a number of allusions to songs that Queen hadn't yet released. The lyrics, "On Tuesday I go off to honeymoon" can be seen as a reference to "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" and "Bicycling on every Wednesday evening" as a reference to "Bicycle Race."
This song, which essentially outlines a man's week and how much he loves his Sunday afternoon, contains a paradox halfway through when he claims to be an ordinary guy (from London town) but on Fridays goes painting at the Louvre. It should also be noted that Freddie Mercury technically never was from London. >>
Suggestion credit:
James - Vancouver, Canada, for above 2
Mercury explained the song in an interview to Record Mirror in 1976. "That's the way the mood takes me. Y'know... that's just one aspect of me, and I can really change. Everything on 'Sunday Afternoon' is something that... I'm really, I'm really sort of, I really... well, I love doing the vaudeville side of things. It's quite a sort of test... I love writing things like that and I'm sure I'm going to do more than that... It's quite a challenge."

So although the song was only a short interlude on the original album, it certainly pointed the way for the more flamboyant, theatrical direction Mercury and Queen's songwriting would take in the 1970s.

Please sign in or register to post comments.

Comments: 10

Bergamot Tree from Sydney, AustraliaI interpret this song as the life of a dandy. Thus, I keep hearing the first line as, "I go out to 'walk' on Monday mornings," rather than 'work'. The entire song is about enjoying the leisure of life (a dandy never works and practices the art of doing nothing). This is in tune with the persona of Killer Queen, enjoying champagne, cake, and making love. Freddie styles his stage persona as a dandy so....the word "work" just doesn't fit here.
Lawrence from Erie, PaI for one love this tune. Queen always did short diddleys thruoghout thier course of time. Find and listen to "Seven Seas Of Rhye" Queen(self titled) short medley; Queen II full version. Greatest Rock/POP? group of all times. I could listen to Brian May play guitar all day.. www.eldahs.com
Nishit from Mumbai, --This is a really happy, feel-good song.
Charles from Glenside, PaPure cabaret perhaps, but it is hardly the only non-rock song on 'A Night at the Opera'. Along with songs like Seaside Rendez-vous and God Save the Queen, I'd say it fits the mood of the album nicely. Perhaps a more appropiate title for the album would have been 'A Night at the Oper-etta'!
Jfv from Philadelphia, PaThe song's megaphone effect on Freddie Mercury's lead vocals was achieved by Mercury singing in the studio and feeding the vocals through a pair of headphones located in a different studio location which had been placed inside a metal can. Another microphone picked up the sound from the can, which created the intended megaphone effect. Also, despite its short length (1:07), the song features a guitar solo at its conclusion that has the classic and unique Brian May "red special" guitar sound. (4/21/08)
Ched - from La Union, Philippinesi LOVE it!
Anna from Ann Arbor, MiI think this is a wonderful song. I burst out laughing the first time I heard it, and love how it's just this short, cheerful and absurd little song. =]
Stefano from Rome, ItalyI think some Queen songs have been used to fill the album, or just as a joke. I could find no other reason why such a song is included between two great songs like Death on Two Legs and I'm in Love With My Car. Pure cabaret, having nothing to do with Rock.
Johnny from Los Angeles, CaThese sound like lyrics from The Kinks' song.
Daan from Tegelen, NetherlandsSuch a pity this great song by Queen appears to be so underrated because it's so short.

see more comments

Richie McDonald of LonestarSongwriter Interviews

Richie talks about the impact of "Amazed," and how his 4-year-old son inspired another Lonestar hit.

Dan ReedSongwriter Interviews

Dan cracked the Top 40 with "Ritual," then went to India and spent 2 hours with the Dalai Lama.

Janis IanSongwriter Interviews

One of the first successful female singer-songwriters, Janis had her first hit in 1967 at age 15.

Art Alexakis of EverclearSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer of Everclear, Art is also their primary songwriter.

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

Steely DanFact or Fiction

Did they really trade their guitarist to The Doobie Brothers? Are they named after something naughty? And what's up with the band name?