Sir Brian May’s We Will Rock You is one of Queen’s most iconic tracks, but did you know the band played varied versions of the classic in their shows?
Check out the alternative speedy take in this week’s episode of Queen The Greatest Live below with Freddie Mercury singing in full flow.
An accompanying caption reads: “Played live on 1977’s News Of The World tour, and rapidly earning its enduring status as a must-play setlist highlight (usually followed by We Are The Champions), We Will Rock You has shed its skin countless times.
“Now, rare archive footage reveals how the band reimagined We Will Rock You through the eras, toying with tempo, instrumentation and many other variables.”
The caption continued: “Opening with the famous show at Budapest’s Népstadion on 27 July 1986, we watch the performance that cleaves closest to the studio original, with Roger Taylor driving the iconic rhythm at a leisurely pace on his floor toms and snare.
“But a speedier version of We Will Rock You always existed in parallel, and the song becomes a very different beast at a 1977 show in Houston, as Brian attacks his Red Special guitar with an almost punky aggression while a leather-jacketed Freddie shoots his vocal from the lip.
“The song flexes its muscles once again at Queen’s fabled 1982 show at the Milton Keynes Bowl, while the band’s four-way vocal harmonies seemed more prominent than ever when they chose We Will Rock You as the opener at Montreal’s Forum in November 1981.”
Next week’s episode looks back at Another One Bites The Dust live.
