Navigating through life can be difficult, and I’ll be honest, sometimes I let that affect me more than it should. It’s inevitable that on the road to any goal, there will be challenging moments, but accepting that fact hasn’t always been the easiest for me.
As I grow older, I’m learning how to transcend pressure into trust. I know I can get through the worst because I already have, and the accomplishments I’ve made thus far have made me realize I can do anything I set my mind to. Even when I feel trapped in self-doubt, I never allow myself to give up. Why? Because I am a god damn champion. Well, that’s how Queen makes me feel, at least!
I love the spirit of Queen. Empowerment beams through their music like sunshine rising upon a brand new day. Their music has inspired me, and they’ve never failed to energize my mood. There is no better feeling than finding a band that you not only enjoy listening to, but one that also helps you understand yourself a little bit more. I am especially grateful for Queen’s 1977 album, News of the World. It seems they created it for someone who really needed to hear it; not for themselves, not for me alone, but for you, too.
It’s fitting that News of the World blasts off with We Will Rock You, and if you can’t sing and stomp along to this supercharged anthem, I don’t think we can be friends. That song, along with quite possibly their most famous, We Are The Champions, gives the album its own strong identity right off the bat. It overflows the listener with confidence, and makes us believe that we too can come out on top, if we possess the persistence.
The rebellious tone at the start of News of the World continues throughout. Sheer Heart Attack is sheer punk rock. I can see myself at 17, kicking out my bedroom window with this song blasting through my headphones; running away from family drama to mess around with my neighborhood friends. It’s fast, spontaneous and loud. Freddie Mercury sings like Elvis, and Brian May plays like Ace Frehley. It’s a different kind of Queen vibe that I really love.
I appreciate the simplicity of the songs on this album. It doesn’t overcompensate. I not only like every song, I think each one is spectacular. Spread Your Wings is definitely my favorite song off News of the World. I love a good story within a song, and it reminds me of the narrative expressed in Bad Company’s Shooting Star. Oh, and you MUST watch the music video below. It has total Minnesota winter vibes.
News of the World has one of the most recognizable album artwork of all time. It’s scary but cool, and the giant fire-eyed robot brings to mind a sci-fi type Godzilla who REALLY hates rock and roll for some dumb reason. The boys of Queen had no chance, as their bodies and their fans were captured and ripped to shreds by the heartless monster named Frank. To me, the depiction doesn’t seem to correlate with what the album is all about, but I don’t think that matters much. I care about what’s inside most of all.
From It’s Late, Queen’s rockin’ take on a love ballad, to the bluesy Sleepin’ on the Sidewalk, it’s clear that their greatest talent as a band is transforming the most depressing occurrences into ones that appear cheerful and fun. Each member is to thank for this, as they all contributed to the writing of News of the World. I love the team player attitude of that; they are a true collaborative band. All Dead, All Dead was written and even sung by Brian May. It took me a few listens to realize it wasn’t Freddie!
If I could see anybody live in concert who has since passed away, it would be Freddie Mercury. It blows my mind that people actually got to see him perform. Referring back to my emotions I was alluring to earlier, I do believe Freddie felt the same sort of insecurities at times. My Melancholy Blues is a song of vulnerability and confusion. I don’t really know how he felt when he composed this song, but I know I’ve felt the same way. His voice is so beautiful that I literally get chills every time I listen to this song.
Get Down Make Love is such a great song. Given these times of societal distress, love often seems far from reach. If you start to focus your attention on the people in your immediate life, instead of preoccupying your time so heavily on things in the world you can’t control, you should begin to feel naturally enlightened. You’ll realize giving love is actually much easier than it appears to be. It’s really the only thing that makes a difference in this world.
It’s no accident that News of the World came to me at this point in my life. I truly believe I needed to hear this album at this time, and it’s my responsibility to appreciate the sense of escapism it brought upon me. The entire album made me feel really happy, and its songs inspired me to trust myself more. If something as simple as music can do that, I can rest assured that I will always be okay, no matter how difficult things get.
Checkin’ out evil Frank on the inside of Queen’s “News of the World” pic.twitter.com/vETWpC7QRe
— Candice Wheeler (@TheDiceler) August 9, 2019
