Queen Singles Rated

After last weeks post about Queen I thought it would be a good idea to rate each of their UK Top 40 singles. I'm just going to look at the 39 hit singles prior to Freddie Mercury's death, which means 40 songs as it includes a double a side.

1. Seven Seas of Rhye
I saw a live performance of this before I heard the studio version. The live performance was great, the studio version less so but I still like it despite the dodgy ending.
Verdict - Good

2. Killer Queen
A bit cheesy in my opinion, but not a bad song.
Verdict - OK

3. Now I'm Here
Can't say this one has ever had an impact on me, sounds like its trying to be heavy without really being heavy, but I don't dislike it either.
Verdict - OK

4. Bohemian Rhapsody
I've often been critical of this song. It is nowhere near the best song ever, it's not as ground-breaking as it's made out to be. At the same time though it isn't a bad song, just not a great one. 
Verdict - OK

5. You're My Best Friend
Love the intro to this one, definitely one of their best ones and much better than its predecessor!
Verdict - Good

6. Somebody to Love
If we want to talk ground-breaking Queen songs look no further. This to me is a song that pulls into different directions whilst keeping you interested. It's nearly as long as Bohemian Rhapsody too. Love the backing vocals on this too.
Verdict - Good

7. Tie Your Mother Down
A bit like Now I'm Here, a bit of a filler song that's ok but nothing special.
Verdict - OK

8. Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy
The lead song from Queens First EP, this is rather cheesy but not bad enough to call crap
Verdict - OK

9. We Are the Champions
Nice little money maker here, get this played at the big sporting events and their set for life. I'm tempted to say this is crap, but its fun to sing along to.
Verdict - OK

10. Spread Your Wings
This is more like it, the second lowest charting Top 40 hit for them which reached number 40 is quite possible their best one.
Verdict - Good

11a. Bicycle Race
Maybe there's a message in there somewhere, but this is just silly and annoying.
Verdict - Rubbish

11aa. Fat Bottomed Girls
The other side is also silly and annoying, and a bit boring at the same time. Not for me.
Verdict - Rubbish

12. Don't Stop Me Now
Brian May apparently hates this song and I can see why. The fact I would hear this at pretty much every "Cheese Night" I went to in my student days says it all.
Verdict - Rubbish

13. Crazy Little Thing Called Love Even when I was a Queen fan I always hated this one. Just sounds like generic novelty 1950s crap.
Verdict - Rubbish

14. Save Me
An improvement over the last few hits, but a bit of a nothing filler song really.
Verdict - OK

15. Play the Game
It has it's moments, but not quite good enough to be considered good.
Verdict - OK

16. Another One Bites the Dust
It is basically a rip off of Good Times, but different enough to not be considered plagiarism. Still, I like it, good bass line and good sing-along music even if it did get played to death on the Gladiators in the 90s.
Verdict - Good

17. Flash
Can't say I like this one, this music just seems to repeat itself and the talking from the film is just irritating.
Verdict - Rubbish

18. Under Pressure
I remember hearing this for the first time and being particularly impressed with how the vocals came in. I do like the noises as opposed to words being sung throughout it too. This is definitely one of their better ones.
Verdict - Good

19. Body Language
When I was a Queen fan I didn't actually know this one as it never made it onto the Greatest Hits. I can see why, I think even the most die hard Queen fans think this is crap.
Verdict - Rubbish

20. Las Palabras De Amor
Another one which didn't make the Greatest Hits but I did know it when I was a Queen fan via some TV footage I'd seen. Can't say I like this one either.
Verdict - Rubbish

21. Backchat
This also didn't make the Greatest Hits so took a while for me to hear. This only just made the Top 40 but this was because it wasn't good enough rather than not commercial enough.
Verdict - Rubbish

22. Radio Gaga
Probably my least favourite Queen song of all time. I've never been able to tolerate this song, it's just awful.
Verdict - Rubbish

23. I Want to Break Free
A song that's better remembered for the video rather than the song itself. I quite like this song though, it has a certain groove to it.
Verdict - Good

24. It's A Hard Life
On paper this seems more of a filler, but I like it.
Verdict - Good

25. Hammer to Fall
This was one of my favourites back in the day, its dropped down the rankings since then but still good enough to be good.
Verdict - Good

26. Thank God Its Christmas
There are very few Christmas songs I can genuinely say I like and this is no exception. However its good to sing along to and as far as Christmas songs go it's one of the better ones.
Verdict - OK

27. One Vision
It has its moments, but just doesn't quite get there. Good build up to the intro, but that's about it.
Verdict - OK

28. A Kind of Magic
Can be a bit irritating but it's not too bad really.
Verdict - OK

29. Friends Will Be Friends
This was always one of my favourites and still is as far as Queen songs are concerned. I like the bit where he sings "its so easy now".
Verdict - Good

30. Who Wants to Live Forever
This is also one of the better ones, great build up and doesn't disappoint at the end.
Verdict - Good

31. I Want It All
Where it all began for me, good song. Once saw it on a karaoke list and decided to sing it, or should I say shout it. Unfortunately it wasn't available but the DJ offered me Bohemian Rhapsody instead... 
Verdict - Good

32. Breakthru
Not as good as I Want It All, but still good enough to be good. 
Verdict - Good

33. Invisible Man
A very odd one, but I like it. All about the groovy bass for me.
Verdict - Good

34. Scandal
This one never made the Greatest Hits but I remember it being a hit at the time. I like it.
Verdict - Good

35. The Miracle
Another good one, that's 7 in a row which I consider to be good. Seems like I discovered them at the right time.
Verdict - Good

36. Innuendo
Some say this is Bohemian Rhapsody part 2. I say this is miles better than Bohemian Rhapsody. They do seem to have gone for the same concept admittedly but I guess the "keep on trying" part of this is so much better than the "mama" part of Bohemian Rhapsody. 
Verdict - Good

37. I'm Going Slightly Mad
Big disappointment this one, the title suggests it should be much more than it is. Perhaps the most boring Queen song.
Verdict - Rubbish

38. Headlong
Can't say I like this one either.
Verdict - Rubbish

39. The Show Must Go On
I do like this one though, it had just left the charts when Freddie Mercury died so I must have considered this good enough to become a Queen fan for the next year or so.
Verdict - Good

So I consider 18 of the 40 hits to be good, 11 to be ok and 11 to be rubbish. That's not bad, take 40 random songs of anyone and there would be rubbish ones in there.

I've always found most bands/artists no matter how crap they are have at least one good song. To have 18 is quite an achievement. I guess the point is that they have a load of crap too, and its often the crap like "Don't Stop Me Now" which is celebrated rather than the good stuff like "Spread Your Wings".