Sail Away Sweet Sister

Album: The Game (1980)
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Songfacts®:

  • Subtitled "To The Sister I Never Had," this song finds a young lady coming of age and leaving the nest. It's not clear if the song is written from the perspective of a lover or a relative.
  • Queen guitarist Brian May wrote this, and though he usually played piano on his own songs, this time he asked Freddie Mercury do record it because of his perfect timing and rhythm sense. Mercury sings the middle eight of the song as well, while Brian sings the verses and choruses. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Sebas - Tokyo, Japan

Comments: 6

  • Aline from Brasilia, --Yeah Jamie, and also, Axl used to sing the chorus of Grand Funk Railroad's "Bad Time", following "Sail Away Sweet Sister" during the Use Your Illusion Tour.
  • Nikki from Perth, AustraliaThe full title of this song is "Sail Away Sweet Sister (To The Sister I Never Had)" So yeah, it's Brian writing a song... to the sister he never had. And it's so sweet =)
  • Anna from Ann Arbor, MiThis song always makes my heart say, "Awwww..."
    It's so sweet,
    Brian seems like such a sweetheart.
  • Stefano from Rome, ItalyPay attention to the acoustic guitar part (an Ovation?): it's great!
  • Freddie from Orlando, FlBrian likes to write those kind of tragic love songs. very often if you pay attention. Bless his sad little heart.
  • Jamie from CambridgeIncidentally, this song inspired Guns n' Roses' song "Sweet Child of Mine", which was, in turn, a song to Axle's then-fiance (daughter of an Everly Brother).
    Sometimes, in concert, Axle would begin Sweet Child of Mine by singing a few lines of Sail Away Sweet Sister acapella.
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