Queen guitarist Brian May wrote this, and claimed the idea for the song came in a dream. He told Mojo magazine October 2008 that he wanted to "create a song that the audience could participate in."
In the Days of Our Lives documentary, he remembered a gig where the crowd chanted the Liverpool Football Club anthem, "You'll Never Walk Alone" at the band as they left the stage. "I went to bed thinking, 'What could you ask them to do?' They're all squeezed in there, but they can clap their hands, they can stamp their feet, and they can sing," he noted. "In the morning I woke up and had the idea in my head for 'We Will Rock You."
Freddie Mercury wrote the song that follows on the album, "We Are The Champions." Although Queen did not intend it this way, the two songs are usually played together. The songs segue together on the album, so disc jockeys would let them play, which is how listeners got used to hearing it.
"We Will Rock You" was released as a double A-side single with "We Are The Champions." Since the single's release, the band has almost always used "Rock You" and "Champions" as a back-to-back encore, with "Champions" closing the show and segueing into a tape playing Queen's version of "God Save The Queen."
A funny story emerged from the sessions surrounding "We Will Rock You." The Punk band Sex Pistols were recording at Wessex studios around the same time, and bassist Sid Vicious drunkenly interrupted the Queen sessions to berate Mercury and ask if he'd "brought ballet to the masses" yet, as he'd been quoted as wanting to do in an earlier NME interview.
"I called him, I dunno, Simon Ferocious or something, and just pushed him out. I think... yeah, I think we passed that test" noted Freddie with a wink in one interview, whilst drummer Taylor noted in the Days of our Lives documentary that Vicious was "a moron... an idiot!"
Perhaps this all explains the lyrics to 'We Will Rock You'?
Incidentally, it was Queen who accidentally gave the Sex Pistols their big break - they pulled out of an appearance on the Grundy TV show, so label EMI sent the Sex Pistols on in their place in what turned out to be the infamous "filth and the fury" interview.
This was featured in the 1990 episode of Cheers, "Severe Crane Damage," where patrons in the bar gradually form the famous drumbeat with glasses, pool cues, and whatever items are handy.
The song was used in a similar manner in the 2015 episode of The Big Bang Theory, "The Bachelor Party Corrosion," where the scientist main characters are attempting to change a tire. As one of them bangs on it, another adds the beat to create the rhythm to the song and another sings the first verse.
The remaining members of Queen performed this at their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. Brian May and Roger Taylor took turns on the vocals.
On Queen's next album, they had another set of songs disc jockeys played together. "Bicycle Race" and "Fat Bottomed Girls" were segued together on their album Jazz. Those songs were also released as a double A-side single.
In the US, this is often played at sporting events in an effort to intimidate the opposing team. It plays well in stadiums where fans are encouraged to stomp their feet and make a lot of noise.
In London, a Queen musical called We Will Rock You opened in 2002. The show is about a futuristic world where there are no musical instruments and a lack of creativity, but with the help of Queen's music, a bunch of renegades liberate the planet. It was panned by critics, but became a very popular show. In 2004, the show opened in Las Vegas.
This was featured in the 2001 movie A Knight's Tale.
This was featured in a episode of Full House where Lori Loughlin's character was giving birth and doing Lamaze breathing exercises and Bob Saget's character was humming the melody to the song.
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Suggestion credit: Britney - Calabasas, CA
In 2004, this was used in a lavish commercial for Pepsi that ran in the UK. The ad featured Brian May, Roger Taylor, Britney Spears, Beyoncé and Pink dressed up as ancient Romans.
In a similarly anachronistic 2018 Super Bowl spot, a Ram truck tows a Viking ship to Minneapolis, where the Vikings are confronted with the bad news: the Minnesota Vikings didn't make the big game (they lost in the playoffs to the Philadelphia Eagles, who beat the New England Patriots to take the title).
Queen recites a passage from Hermann Hesse's novel Siddhartha in their 1977 BBC re-take of the song.
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Suggestion credit: Kaity - Harrisburg, PA
Queen often performed a faster version of the song at their concerts, since they wanted an up-tempo song to start the show and get the crowd going. In the late '70s and early '80s, they would often open their shows with this version. This can be heard on their 1979 Live Killers album, as well as the 1981 Rock Montreal DVD and the 1982 On Fire Live at the Bowl DVD. It was replaced in the setlist as the opener by "One Vision" in 1986.
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Suggestion credit: Bertrand - Paris, France
The band noted that for the News of the World album in 1977, they wanted to go for a more simple, stripped-down sound. Roger Taylor notes in several interviews that perhaps this was a response to the Punk explosion, which actively encouraged stripped-down instrumentation. "We knew we couldn't reinvent ourselves into a punk band, but perhaps maybe we could make it a bit more simple... to keep more in tune with what was going on at the time" notes the drummer. The band (except for Brian May, of course) even got shorter haircuts around this time.
May said in Q magazine, March 2008: "At the opposite extreme stylistically (referring to the musical excess of "The Millionaire Waltz"), there's almost nothing in this. It's our 'three ages of man' anthem."
Queen never released this as a single in the UK. However in 2000 the boy band Five decided they wanted to cover the track and they approached the remaining members of Queen. Not only did they say yes, but also Brian May and Roger Taylor agreed to play on it. This version, which was credited to Five and Queen, spent one week at the top of the UK singles chart.
In an interview with National Public Radio's Terry Gross, Brian May said that his degree in astrophysics helped in the recording of the crucial 'stomp-stomp-clap!" rhythm of the song. He explained: "Being a physicist, I said, 'Suppose there were 1,000 people doing this; what would be happening?' And I thought, Well, you would be hearing them stamping. You would also be hearing a little bit of an effect, which is due to the distance that they are from you. So I put lots of individual repeats on them. Not an echo but a single repeat at various distances. And the distances were all prime numbers." May continued: "Now, much later on, people designed a machine to do this. But that's what we did. When we recorded each track, we put a delay of a certain length on it. And none of the delays were harmonically related. So there's no echo on it whatsoever, but the clapped sound - they spread around the stereo, but they also kind of spread from a distance from you - so you just feel like you're in the middle of a large number of people stamping and clapping."
Brian May told NPR how recording the song in a church helped with its sound. "We were very lucky," he said. "We were working in an old, disused church in North London, and it already had a nice sound. And there were some old boards lying around, but they just seemed ideal to stamp on."
He expanded on this in the Days of our Lives documentary: "I found some old boards under the stairs, and thought - well, what does this sound like? And the rest is history."
According to a survey by royalty-distribution service BMI, based off data from MLB, NFL and NHL games in 2009-2010, this is the most-played song at sporting events. The #2 song was Kevin Rudolf's "Let It Rock," followed by Nickelback's "Burn It To The Ground."
At the 2012 London Olympics Closing Ceremony, Queen - represented by Taylor and May - appeared, and performed this song with the British Pop star Jessie J.
At the 2012 Reading Festival, headliners My Chemical Romance invited Brian May onstage with them for their encore, and he was welcomed on to the stage by the "We Will Rock You" beat. May accordingly performed his signature solo, then played on MCR's song "Welcome To The Black Parade" to close the show. For MCR the show was significant - the previous time they had appeared at Reading Festival they had been booed and bottled, and so had refused to appear ever since. Queen was similarly scorned at a French festival in the early 1980s, hence why MCR singer Gerard Way wanted Brian May to appear with the band.
The song does not contain any actual drums. That famous rhythm came from the sound of the band, roadies, engineers - and even their tea lady, Betty - stamping their feet in London's Wessex Studios.
In 1995, Domino's used this in commercials to introduce their new buffalo wings, changing the lyric to: "Gotta be, gotta be Domino's... buffalo wings."
Linda Ronstadt transformed this into a quiet lullaby for her 1996 children's album, Dedicated To The One I Love. The beat is held by Ronstadt's daughter sucking on a pacifier and a sample of a heartbeat. The singer got the idea when she was rocking her infant son to sleep.
Queen (with Adam Lambert on lead vocals) performed this, followed by "We Are The Champions," to open the Oscars in 2019. The Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody was nominated for five awards, including Best Picture.
James from BedworthI love all comments and are great reading. Unfortunately most are tales passed down. The true meaning to this song is about Johnny Cash....he and Freddie Mercury once crossed paths in a club and Cash bluntly told him his new songs were rubbish and only hit top ratings for who they were. So Freddie originally wrote the words "Johnny you're a hard man"...not buddy. Even queen as arrogant as they were at the top knew they couldn't make the song stand the test of time against a legend like Cash and the lyrics were quickly changed. But Mercury did make his statement and rocked the best of the best. Check cash's reply to it a year later... awesome battle but both respected each other impeccably.
George from Vancouver, CanadaStandard in elementary school in Canada, when this came out, was for a group of boys to wander the schoolyard & halls accosting girls & serenading with, "We will, we will, f*** you!"
Robert from Kintore OntThis one I forget the order. Was "we will we will f--k you" couldn't say that back then. Pretty simple. The beat was Motzart "dun dun dun da. "But I couldn't think of it quickly for the handler. Boom boom bang boom boom bang. Guess that's why my sister hated it when the boys said boom boom bang. Poseidon
Howard from Wakefield, United KingdomWithout 'Give Peace a Chance' this song would never have been written. Freddie admitted that they were heavily influenced by The Beatles. You just have to listen to 'Flash' to hear the influence of The Beatles.
Nikita from Drogheda, IrelandOne of the best song's ever, absolute genius, great beat, great sound, great lyrics, just completely perfect!
Heather from Los Angeles, CaIn the beginning is it really people stomping their feet on boards? That's what it sounds like but I've always wondered how they got that effect. Is it synthesized?
Alec Thorp from Yorktown Heights, NyRemember that episode of "Drake & Josh" where the boys and most of their friends are stranded at the boys' during a storm while they were about to head to one of Drake's concerts? Well, this is the song that everybody sings at the very end.
Irfan from Bekasi, Indonesiaoriginally these released as a single a-side without double a-side "we are the champions" only. Radio always played them back-to-back, which explains why they were sometimes referred to as a Double A-sided single.
Cooper from North Salt Lake, Utall you did was say how it was made and stuff you didnt say wat it ment waa
Brandon from Philadelphia, PaThis is one of my favorite guitar solos of all time. I've always loved Brian May's solos, there fun and with a lil practice, easy to play. But this is by far one of the most awesome...est...er...ever!
Andrew from Birmingham, United StatesWe will rock you sounds like a song about a rock band intending to make a rock star out of an old, scruffy, uneducated hillbilly. This song is not old enough to play on "The Andy Griffith Show", but if it were, it could very well be referring to Earnest T. Bass. Barney and Andy tried to make a gentleman out of Earnest T. I just had to say sarcastically in my mind "Good luck with that!" I say in my mind the same thing to anyone who tries to make a rock star out of that same kind of scruffy guy. Well actually, I wouldn't intend to discourage anyone from trying that, because God can help us do anything - whatever complies with God's will, that is. Oh by the way, why is this band called "Queen"?
Russ from Richmond, VaActually, Joey is "somewhat" right... See my comments to "We are the champions". Another "fist-pumping, rally cry" for the gay community to wake up and fight for the right.
Many didn't want to believe that Rob Halford of Judas Priest wrote 85% of the songs with gay overtones until Halford came out and said so.
Maybe it's fans that refuse to believe but as a canvas is to a painter to express his/her feelings so is the microphone to the singer.
Rachel from Cleveland, AlI love the song but the beat is a little repeatitive
Matthew from Milford, MaThis song is playable in Donkey Konga for the Nintendo Gamecube.
Lucy from London, EnglandI think the musical of the same name has to be one of the most embarrassing, excruciating cash-ins of all time.
Stefano from Rome, ItalyJoey, are you in NY so homophobic that you feel the need to relate everything about Queen to homosexuality? First, Freddie Mercury (can you remember this name now?) was bisexual. Second: the song was written by Brian May, who has never been gay or bi. Third: Freddie didn't "came out of the closet" until the second half of the 80s, and the song was released in 1977. Fourth: it has become a gay anthem, but it was not intended to be such a thing at all, exactly like We Are the Champions was not intended to be a sport anthem.
Jasen from Milford, MiBy far their best? Are you kidding me? There is so much wrong with you saying that.
Mike from Hueytown , AlGreat Song.....By far their best
Joey from New York , Nythis song is ironically as stated played at many sports events, they play it at my schools football games etc. but this song was actually originally a gay anthem, that was written when the lead singer of queen (dont know his name off the top of my head) came out of the closet
Jonathan from Johnstown, PaCharles, you're right, Jonathon, you're wrong(I think), a Double a-side means that there are two sides, sides 1 and 2, one song on each side. So say side 1 is Bycicle Race and Side 2 is Fat Bottomed Girls.
Jonathon from Clermont, FlDude, the edited double A-side "Fat Bottomed Girls/Bicycle Race" are segued together, not the ones on the album.
Charles from Acworth, GaFat Bottomed Girls did not segue into Bicycle Race, Jealousy was in between them
Headbanger1 from Orangeville, CanadaI dont like this song very much even though im a really big Queen fan. i would probably like it if it wasnt so overplayed
Jeff from Toronto, Canadathis is one of the great rock anthems of all time
Fyodor from Denver, CoHilarious cover/parody by the Evolution Control Committee.
Amy from Dallas, TxLacey, Brian May wrote wrote the song
Nathan from Insomeplace, Kythis was played in A Knight's Tale (2001) and The Mighty Ducks(1992)
Jo from Oak Harbor, WaGreat in this award-winning commercial... if listening at work, don't have volume up too loud! Live young! http://www.epica-awards.org/assets/epica/2004/winners/film/flv/06037.htm
Jo, Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island, WA
Lacey from Slippery Rock, Pa...Has anyone thought about the lyrics? I've heard that they're about a boy who's coming to terms with his sexuality and standing up for himself against his father and his peers. Whether that's true or not, I don't know, but who knows? I wouldn't be surprised it was, nor if it wasn't.
Alicia from Tamaqua, PaDid anyone know, Freddie was smashed while making this video? They filmed it in Rogers garden and Freddie got drunk on Brandy. They actually filmed 2 songs at the same spot "Spread your Wings" and "We Will Rock You". You can actually see the footage on the DVD "Queen : Champions of the World". Freddie is stumbling all over himself. Its quite funny!! The crew filming were getting annoyed because Freddie couldn't consentrate on the words... lol.. Poor Freddie!!!
Amy from Dallas, TxThey will, they will rock you. Best band in the world.
Galina from New London, Ctthe song is infamous, and every time i hear it its almost to hard not to sing along or pound the rhythm. Anyway, i love the song.
Johnny from Los Angeles, CaWhen I "Graduated' from Pre-school they played this song and we all sang along. The first two groups that turned me on to Classic Rock... Again were Pink Floyd and Queen.
The Darkness Rock from Millmerran, AustraliaThis song is so overplayed. It is a good song though. It's a great way to shut people up. Like this time when me and my friends went to the tavern at Millmerran called the Mill Inn. It used to be called Blandys but the new owners changed the title. Anyways evryone in the tavern were just shouting and making heaps of noise. So I put this song on the jukebox and everyone clapped along. We got in trouble for hitting the walls and banging pool sticks. Good song.
Brian from Fullerton (the Paris Of Oc), CaMariko from London noted the run-in that Queen had with Sid Vicious. His response was utter genius Freddie (and I'm gonna paraphrase here): "Ah, my dear Mr. Ferocious, but we try."
And Karl from Preston: Green Day has been playing We Will Rock You over the PA before they go on, and encoring with We Are The Champions.
Jake from Newport, NhI love Freddie's glasses in the video to this song. The video is also filmed on the same day as 'Spread Your Wings', and he has the same glasses in it, so I love the glasses to both. LoL
Freddie from Orlando, FlQueen spoils the crap out of you because they were nearly perfect in... yes, every aspect I can think of, and so everything and everyone else dulls in comparision. it almost becomes a problem for me. But not really. lol Its like complaining: Freddie Mercurya nd teh Gang... they were too perfect
Alicia from Tamaqua, PaDULL? This song is one of the best head banging songs ever!! Well, in my opinion, but I still can't see it in your perspective..I mean how can a Dull song get my cousins 3y/o son pumped up to sing all of the lyrics, jump and dance... Quite entertaining I should think.. SAME FOR ME Janette!!! Queen turned me into a classic rock babe!!! I love all classic rock. Mainly Queen, but they are all in my book! And I envy you Jamie!!!
Jeanette from Irvine, Caqueen is what turned me to classic rock...ah...i still love the band for not only hooking me to queen, but also to led zeppelin, pink floyd, and other bands that i like. come to think of it...those are pretty much my favorites.
Jeanette from Irvine, Cajamie from bethesda: i am insanely jealous!!!!!!
Danny from Sydney, AustraliaI love queen, but this is one hell of a dull song
Jeanette from Irvine, Caalicia you're just like me!!!!! those are the two songs i know all the words to and sing all the time! my friend marianne and i have special fun with we will rock you...unfortunately she doesn't like don't stop me now that much so she doesn't know all the words. :(
Daniel Roberto DÃ?az from Panama City, Other"News of the World", This album produced the anthemic "We Will Rock You" and the famous rock ballad "We Are The Champions" (both of which combined together reached number 4 in the U.S.), as well as the punchy, near-punk sound of "Sheer Heart Attack" (not to be confused with the album of the same name released three years earlier) - and possibly an influence on Queens Of The Stone Age's "Feelgood Hit of the Summer" which features an alarmingly similar guitar riff.
Alicia from Tamaqua, PaLOL, I know I do it all the time to ppl in my house. "We Will Rock You" and "Don't Stop Me Now". I know all the words to both of those songs plus many more, but those 2 I sing the most and it drives my family crazy if they don't feel like joining in .....lol
Jeanette from Irvine, Cathis is the best song to sing to people to annoy them! great song! when you sing it to people, they either join you in song or stare at you strangely...
Alicia from Tamaqua, PaLove this SONG!!!! I agree if anyone doesn't know the words to this song does have serious problems..... atleast every Queen fan should know em'. :-)
Ross from Independence, MoThis was #330 in rolling stone's list of 500 greatest songs.
Karl Topping from Preston, EnglandI do beleive Greenday Proformed this on July 2nd
Rob from St Davids, WalesIf you dont know the words to this song, you have a serious problem!
Jude from Thomasville, GaThis was the song that turned me on to Queen, all the way back in the dark ages when I was a freshman in high school. I have never regretted a single moment. I think what really hooked me was Brian's solo guitar at the end of the song. It just soars higher and higher. Thank you, Brian, John, Roger and of course Freddie for all the great music you have given me.
Jamie from Bethesda, MdWhen I was in High School...one of those motivational tours came bye and we were all in the auditorium. Before the Curtain came up..they asked everyone to stop their Feet and then clap their hands (nobody knew what was going on) until We will Rock you started being played in the Background....It did indeed get everyone pumped up and I still remember the experience 23 years later....WOW
Freddie from Orlando, FlTruley a great one. Its funny, people think that songs like this one and "we are the champions" have just been around forever, that they werent written by anyone. "Its really the best complimaent you can have" Brian said to roger once, and after a bit of rememberance and a smile added, "I suppose I'm quite....quite proud of it." aawww
Billy from Oakland, CaGreat rock song. Associated with sporting events in the U.S. What pleases me is to see little kindergarten kids respond to the beat as well. A classic.
Mariko from London, EnglandI have a Rolling Stones mag. special 500 best rock music and it appears that Sid Vicious told Freddy Mercury that he's music was ballet for rockers, that's why he wrote we will rock you... You can comment what you want, personally it could be possible 'cause Freddy Mercury was often in england.
Jazzz from Frankfurt, GermanyProbably one of the most aggressive songs- only subtle enough for most people not to notice. But I am loving it for the energy that it sets free- Jazzz, Germany
Kent Lyle from Palo Alto, CaThe first Queen album, incidentally, which did not says "no synthesizers". Probably due to the fact that Brian used synthesized guitar during "Get Down Make Love".
Tim from Liverpool, EnglandThis is such an inspirational song! Queen rock!
Jonathan Horgan from Cork, Irelandsome people think that the music on this track wasn't actually hands and feet and that it was objects being hit against walls in an old church. But if you listen to Roger Taylor's Interview On the "Live at Wembley" DVD he clearly says it Was hands and feet. If you dont beleive me check it yourself its on the bonus features disk
Nate from Buffalo, NyIn his 92 campaign, Pat Buchanon sometimes entered to this song, ironic.
Ashley from Watts, PaI luv this song it is soooo cool... and at my school it is such a big hit at pep-rallies
Raja from Austin, TxFor my money, one of the greatest guitar solos in the history of rock. Complete with the Brian May trademark of turning the treble all the way up.
Dave from Cardiff, WalesOn Five's cover version of "We Will Rock You", they purloined the dance to "Radio Ga-Ga". Their cover of "We Will Rock You" became Five's biggest hit when it made No.1 in 2000, but also destroyed their career as it provoked a huge backlash from critics and Queen fans alike - many of whom also turned against Roger Taylor and Brian May for contributing to the remake, accusing them of doing it to line their own pockets.
Ken from Yorkton, CanadaAlthough everyone thinks that song was recorded by stomping their feet and clapping their hands it was actually them banging pieces of wood and other items against a wall in a old church but the hand claps were just that.
Sandra from Tel Aviv, IsraelIn 1999 Brian May & Roger Taylor did a re-make of the song with the successful, at the time, boy band 5ive. No comment...
Janet from Perth, AustraliaThis has to be one of the best motivational songs ever written along with We Are the Champions.
Pete from Nowra, Australiathe song also gets played alot at basketball games in Australia
