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It's A Hard Life
"It's a Hard Life" is a song by the British rock band Queen, written by lead singer Freddie Mercury. It was featured on their 1984 album '' The Works'', and it was the third single from that album. In 1991 it was included in the band’s second compilation album '' Greatest Hits II''. It reached number 6 in the UK Singles Chart and was their third consecutive Top 10 single from the album. It also reached number 2 in Ireland and number 20 in the Netherlands. It also came 19th in a poll, '' The Nation's Favourite Queen Song'' broadcast on ITV on 11 November 2014. Composition The opening lyric and melody of "It's a Hard Life" is based on the line "Ridi, Pagliaccio, sul tuo amore infranto!" (Laugh, clown, at your broken love!) from "Vesti la giubba", an aria from Ruggero Leoncavallo's opera '' Pagliacci''. The same melody is also quoted in the soundtrack of the movie '' A Night at the Opera'' after which Queen had named their 1975 album. Musically, the song recreates the feel of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1970 by Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals) and Roger Taylor (Queen drummer), Roger Taylor (drums, vocals), later joined by John Deacon (bass). Their earliest works were influenced by progressive rock, hard rock and Heavy metal music, heavy metal, but the band gradually ventured into more conventional and radio-friendly works by incorporating further styles, such as arena rock and pop rock. Before forming Queen, May and Taylor had played together in the band Smile (band), Smile. Mercury was a fan of Smile and encouraged them to experiment with more elaborate stage and recording techniques. He joined in 1970 and suggested the name "Queen". Deacon was recruited in February 1971, before the band released their Queen (Queen album), eponymous debut album in 1973. Queen first charted in the UK with their second album, ''Queen II'', in 1974. ''Sheer Heart Attack'' later that year and ''A Night at the Opera ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vesti La Giubba
"" (, "Put on the costume", often referred to as "On With the Motley", from the original 1893 translation by Frederic Edward Weatherly) is a tenor aria from Ruggero Leoncavallo's 1892 opera '' Pagliacci''. "" is sung at the conclusion of the first act, when Canio discovers his wife's infidelity, but must nevertheless prepare for his performance as Pagliaccio the clown because "the show must go on". The aria is often regarded as one of the most moving in the operatic repertoire of the time. The pain of Canio is portrayed in the aria and exemplifies the entire notion of the "tragic clown": smiling on the outside but crying on the inside. This is still displayed today, as the clown motif often features the painted-on tear running down the cheek of the performer. Enrico Caruso's recordings of the aria, from 1902, 1904 and 1907, were among the top selling records of the 78-rpm era and reached over a million sales.''The New Guinness Book of Records'', ed. Peter Matthews, Guinness P ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Greatest Video Hits 2
''Greatest Video Hits 2'' is the second DVD of music videos from the English band, Queen. It was released in November 2003, and included video hits of the band from 1981 to 1989. It was at number one in UK, in its first week. It also peaked at number 1 in Ireland. In that same year the DVD was number 2 in Spain, and number 4 in Italy. It was certified 2 platinum awards in UK, platinum in France and Australia, gold in Germany, Spain, Poland and other countries. It features an option for audio commentary from both Brian May and Roger Taylor on each music video, reflecting on their memories and opinions of each video. Music videos from ''Innuendo'' were not included on the DVD. Disc one # A Kind of Magic (from A Kind of Magic, 1986) # I Want It All (from The Miracle, 1989) # Radio Ga Ga (from The Works, 1984) # I Want to Break Free (from The Works, 1984) # Breakthru (from The Miracle, 1989) # Under Pressure (from Hot Space, 1982) # Scandal (from The Miracle, 1989) # Who Wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roger Taylor (Queen Drummer)
Roger Meddows Taylor (born 26 July 1949) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and the drummer for the rock band Queen. As a drummer, Taylor was recognised early in his career for his unique sound''Rolling Stone'' – Issue 149 – 12 June 1973 and was voted the eighth-greatest drummer in classic rock music history in a listener poll conducted by Planet Rock in 2005. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 as a member of Queen. As a songwriter, Taylor composed at least one track on every Queen album, and often sang lead vocals on his own compositions. He wrote or co-wrote three UK number ones ("These Are the Days of Our Lives", "Innuendo" and "Under Pressure") and wrote a further five major hits ("Radio Ga Ga", " A Kind of Magic", "Heaven for Everyone", " Breakthru", and "The Invisible Man"). He was also the main writer on the international top-ten hit "One Vision", although the track is credited to the whole band. He has collab ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brian May
Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and astrophysicist, who achieved worldwide fame as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen (band), Queen. May was a co-founder of Queen with lead singer Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Taylor (Queen drummer), Roger Taylor. His songwriting contributions helped Queen become among the most successful acts in music history. May previously performed with Taylor in the blues rock band Smile (band), Smile, which he had joined while he was at university. After Queen's formation in 1970, bass guitarist John Deacon joined to complete the line-up in 1971. They became one of the biggest rock bands in the world with the success of the album ''A Night at the Opera (Queen album), A Night at the Opera'' and its single "Bohemian Rhapsody". From the mid-1970s until the early 1990s, Queen played at some of the biggest venues in the world, including at Live Aid in 1985. As a member of Queen, May became regarded ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prawn
Prawn is a common name for small aquatic crustaceans with an exoskeleton and ten legs (which is a member of the order decapoda), some of which can be eaten. The term "prawn"Mortenson, Philip B (2010''This is not a weasel: a close look at nature's most confusing terms''Pages 106–109, John Wiley & Sons. . is used particularly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Commonwealth nations, for large swimming crustaceans or shrimp, especially those with commercial significance in the fishing industry. Shrimp that are present in this category often belong to the suborder Dendrobranchiata. In North America, the term is used less frequently, typically for freshwater shrimp. The terms shrimp and prawn themselves lack scientific standing. Over the years, the way they are used has changed, and in contemporary usage the terms are almost interchangeable. Shrimp'' vs. ''prawn Regional distinctions The terms shrimp and prawn originated in Britain. In the use of common names for species, shrim ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tim Pope
Timothy Michael Pope (born 12 February 1956) is a film director most known for his music videos, for having directed feature films, and for a brief pop career. Early life and career Pope grew up in the north London suburb of Enfield. Both his parents were bankers, and he has a sister, Amanda. He always knew that he wanted to make films, boasting in an interview once, "Even my dreams came with dirt on them, like my Standard-8 movies". He attended St Andrew's primary school, Cecil Road, Enfield, and then went to St Michael's boarding school in Otford, Kent, returning to north London to attend Latymer Grammar School, Haselbury Road. While still attending Latymer, he participated in the first ever Film Studies O-level and was featured in the ''Evening Standard'' as "Tim Pope, aged seventeen, who wants to be a film director". To achieve this aim, he began to attend Saturday morning film classes at Hornsey College of Art. Here he was able to experiment freely with cameras, spendin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Game (Queen Album)
''The Game'' is the eighth studio album by the British rock band Queen. It was released on 30 June 1980 by EMI Records in the UK and by Elektra Records in the US. ''The Game'' features a different sound from its predecessor, ''Jazz'' (1978). ''The Game'' was the first Queen album to use a synthesizer (an Oberheim OB-X). A critical and commercial success, ''The Game'' became the only Queen album to reach No. 1 in the US, and also became their best-selling studio album in the US, with four million copies sold to date, tying with the sales for ''News of the World''. Notable songs on the album include the bass-driven "Another One Bites the Dust" and the rock and roll "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", both of which reached No. 1 in the US. Reissued in May 2003 on DVD-Audio with Dolby 5.1 surround sound and DTS 5.1. The 5.1 mix of "Coming Soon" features an alternate backing track, as the final master tapes could not be found when mixing the album to 5.1. Songs Side one "Play the G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Synthesizers
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and frequency modulation synthesis. These sounds may be altered by components such as filters, which cut or boost frequencies; envelopes, which control articulation, or how notes begin and end; and low-frequency oscillators, which modulate parameters such as pitch, volume, or filter characteristics affecting timbre. Synthesizers are typically played with keyboards or controlled by sequencers, software or other instruments, and may be synchronized to other equipment via MIDI. Synthesizer-like instruments emerged in the United States in the mid-20th century with instruments such as the RCA Mark II, which was controlled with punch cards and used hundreds of vacuum tubes. The Moog synthesizer, developed by Robert Moog and first sold in 1964 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Play The Game (song)
"Play the Game" is a song by British rock band Queen, written by Freddie Mercury. It is the first track on the first side of their 1980 album '' The Game''. It also appears on their album ''Greatest Hits''. The single was a hit in the UK, reaching #14 in the charts, and in the US, peaking at #42. Composition The song commences with a series of overlapping rushing noises on an Oberheim OB-X synthesiser, heralding the band's acceptance of electronic instruments into their once explicitly "no synths" sonic repertoire. They played it in their live shows from 1980–82. The song features a soft vocal by Mercury, ending with a strong A4 rising in pitch all the way to C5 in chest voice (contrary to the other C5s being hit in falsetto). Mercury also played piano on the track. ''Billboard Magazine'' considered "Play the Game" to be a return to Queen's traditional "epic, rather grand sound" after deviating from that sound with the rockabilly of their prior single "Crazy Little Thing C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Night At The Opera (Queen Album)
''A Night at the Opera'' is the fourth studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 21 November 1975 by EMI Records in the United Kingdom and by Elektra Records in the United States. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker and Queen, it was reportedly the most expensive album ever recorded at the time of its release. Named after the Marx Brothers' film of the same name, ''A Night at the Opera'' was recorded at various studios across a four-month period in 1975. Due to management issues, Queen had received almost none of the money they earned for their previous albums. Subsequently, they ended their contract with Trident Studios and did not use their studios for the album (the sole exception being "God Save the Queen", which had been recorded the previous year). They employed a complex production that extensively used multitrack recording, and the songs incorporated a wide range of styles, such as ballads, music hall, dixieland, hard rock and progressive rock influences. A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Night At The Opera (film)
''A Night at the Opera'' is a 1935 American comedy film starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Chico Marx), and featuring Kitty Carlisle, Allan Jones, Margaret Dumont, Sig Ruman, and Walter Woolf King. It was the first of five films the Marx Brothers made under contract for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer after their departure from Paramount Pictures, and the first after Zeppo left the act. The film was written by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind from a story by James Kevin McGuinness, with additional uncredited dialogue by Al Boasberg. The film was directed by Sam Wood. One of MGM's biggest hits at the 1935 box office, ''A Night at the Opera'' was selected in 1993 for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
