great album...albums were a real thing at one time emerson lake and palmer...traffic...david bowie...yes...genesis...supertramp. car songs..lol..baby you can drive my car...highway star...trampled underfoot...love your work, crystal

‘39 is my favorite Queen song. Brian May wanted to write a science fiction folk song - it’s about a crew of astronauts traveling to another planet to colonize while the Earth is dying. When they return, because of the time dilation effect due to traveling at relativistic speeds, only a year has passed for them but a hundred years have passed on Earth and everyone they knew is dead for decades. “Write your letters in the sand for the day I take your hand in the land that our grandchildren knew.” Breaks my heart every time. And Roger Taylor’s high falsetto during the bridge is meant to evoke a theremin, an early electronic instrument used in a lot of classic ‘50s scifi movie soundtracks. And Queen was always very open and vocal about their love of the Beatles and their influence on Queen’s music. That’s one of the reasons why I love this album so much - it does have a very Beatley feel to it.

This ranks slightly ahead of A Day at the Races as my favorite Queen album, mainly because of The Prophet's Song, my favorite song by Queen.

A few random comments: 1. Love how Freddie Mercury is credited on the album with “Bechstein Debauchery” instead of simply saying piano. 😄 2. "You're My Best Friend" is to me like a perfect pop song. I love the lower register timbre of the Wurlitzer electric piano, that soft buzz to it. 3. It took me a while to figure out "'39." You mention its 'folk tale' quality, and I agree. I think what is quite inventive about the song is that in a way it 'tricks' the listener with its mood and lyrics into envisioning something from the past--because of that folkloric quality, the vocals sound a bit melancholic and world-weary, and one can easily gather in the lyrics the song concerns a theme of separation. I initially thought the song might be about someone separated from their love by the call of WWII (e.g., 1939) or somewhere at sea ("came a ship in from the blue," "write your letters in the sand"). As it turns out, the song is a sci-fi tale about explorers who travel in space, and when they return from their journey, find that no time has passed for them but 100 years have passed for their loved ones who are now all dead--so, a very crafty use of ambiguity with the phrase "In the year of '39'..." Brian May (who wrote the song) was studying astrophysics but pursued Queen instead--I think he later went back and finished his Ph.D.

Crystal, I don't think you realize how good you are at analyzing and interpreting music. You always provide me with so much insight into the structure of songs. Most of all, your enthusiasm always makes me feel so good. Thank you for sharing yourself through music. 🤗✌️❤️

It occurs to me that "I'm in Love with My Car" is something of a spoof of early 60s surf songs about 409s and Deuce Coupes and so forth.

Thanks for you being you! :-) Be a happy girl!

Oh yes, Queen is one of my fav bands, nice Crystal ❤️

Hey Crystal, when it comes to music reactions...you're our best friend!

I've never been a big fan of Queen but your review has opened my eyes to them! I hear some Beatles' White Album and Abbey Road influences in this. I really like their use of layered harmonies in their songs. David Bowie/Ziggy Stardust influences, too, maybe? Every song sounds like an epic statement with a parable or story. The Who may have made the first Rock Opera with Tommy. But Queen seems to really have perfected the whole Rock - story/song genre. Thanks for turning me on to this band! 🙌

It's funny, I read that this album had mixed reviews when it was released. Today it's considered to be brilliant by most people including myself. Brian May is such an underrated guitarist. "You're My Best Friend" was written by bassist John Deacon for his wife, which I think is pretty awesome. You've been killing it with the reactions this week Crystal, keep up the great work.

Crystal you are precious!! I love watching your presentations.

Again I'm simply amazed by You. I spent much of my adult life in search of a perfectly recorded album thus I never really enjoyed being screamed at. However now you have me actually listening to Led Zeppelin and Queen. You've shown me so much in their music that I had never seen. Still, I am eagerly awaiting your reaction to Steely Dan's album "Aja ". Have a joyful and productive week.

🎶🎶🎶🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️👌👌👌👏👏👏

My best friend (who passed away in 2015) went to see Queen/Billy Squire live at the Capitol Center in Landover on July 25th 1982 and he told me that was one of his best concerts he ever attended.He told me Brian May (Lead Guitarist) for Queen played the guitar behind his back on the song We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions ".

Great album 👌 ❤😊😊😮

The truth is that I didn’t care for Queen at first, but then this album came out and that changed in a big way. It may be my biggest rock’n roll regret that I didn’t go see Queen while Freddie was still with us. It has seemed for a while now that all the focus has been on Bohemian Rhapsody, so thanks for the reminder that the whole album is pretty damn good! I’ve said it before but it bears repeating, your reactions are just wonderful. I feel like I’m hearing the music with new ears (which compared to mine yours are).

So tres charmant, my dear! Such a classic album!! So many great tunes on this one…

Great reaction for great album 👍

If you love Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon. You need to hear "Good Old Fashioned Lover-boy" from the next Album "Day at the Races" which also has one of Freddies best love songs -"You Take My Breath Away"

I'm always impressed by how you can find great things to say about every song. Most people just accept that there are 1 or 2 throw aways per album. But you love them all! Well done! 👏 👏 👏

Brilliantly recorded...

Haha so you DID do Night at the Opera! Loved seeing your reactions and your analysis! I definitely shared your sentiments on each song. Love how Queen gracefully blends melodic pop-opera with soaring rock. Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon and Seaside Rendezvous have the whimsy of McCartney, while '39 reminds me of Rubber Soul era Lennon. And the first two tracks are pure musical genius. So glad you enjoyed it so far! And thanks so much for the gracious acknowledgment, though the donation was just a small token of thanks for the hard work you dedicate to this and to your community. Your videos and your passion for the music are a much-needed bright light in today's world.

The tap-dancing on "Seaside Rendezvous" is a recording of Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor with thimbles on their fingers. They are also the 20s jazz "horn section," without horns.

Thanks so much for your thoughtful, considered reaction to this! This was the first vinyl album I ever bought back in 1975 - I had to buy it after hearing Bohemian Rhapsody when it was first released!

This album really shows how much this was a full band. Drummer Roger Taylor wrote and sang "I'm in Love With My Car." John Deacon bought a Feder Rhodes and wrote and played that on "You're My Best Friend." Both were hit singles. Brian wrote several songs and sang a couple. Then Freddie was Freddie.

Thanks!

Its great to hear you analyzing all these albums I've owned for 45 to 50 years. Most of these I still have on the original vinyl!

39 was actually about a future spaceship leaving earth to find a new home out in the galaxy. I was gobsmacked when I read this as I thought it was about going away to war in a foreign land.

‘39 is set in the future. It is about a space mission. The payoff is when the narrator - one of the volunteers - gets back to Earth and sees his grandchild but, because of the nature of space travel, the narrator has only aged a year: “Oh, so many years have gone though I'm older but a year Your mother's eyes, from your eyes, cry to me.” Brian May, Queen’s guitarist, wrote the song. He has a doctorate in astrophysics.

This was s my favorite Queen album which is saying a lot because they have so many great albums. Thank you, thank you, thank you. ✌️❤️🌹

This album is so massive. Truly a groundbreaking album none of which have ever been repeated. They were given all the time they needed to make this album right. Put them on the map worldwide, and out of Bankruptcy and toll break up. As soon as we had heard Bohemian Rhapsody for the first time on radio every one of us were saving our money to buy this album.

Spoiler alert...... Side 2 of this album is amazing :)

Oohhh! One of my fav LPs... looking forward to your reaction... that piano opening is something else..

Another great reaction. I Don't know how you do it, but you have a gift letting people feel connected to you while listening in with you. I guess part of it is because let your emotions show. And you commentary and analysis of musical elements are great, you know how to express yourself with words that hits the nail on the head very precisely. I think that A Night at the Opera was the album that catapulted Queen to become Superstars. Their first three albums were all amazing, but this one took it a step further up. It was also for me the album that introduced me to Queen in the 1970's, and since then they have become my favorite band (After the Beatles). I hope you will not deny yourself the pleasure of listening to Queen II and Shear Heart Attack someday. I think you will love them as well (especially Queen II I would guess)

The thing with the three first songs is that they play as a kind of mini suite, with no pauses between them (I would’ve recommended to listen to it as a whole); “Lazing…” functions as a little ditty interluding between the two big rockers.

Oh wow now I can't wait for you to hear side 2, specifically the first two tracks!!

This album hit me like a brick. “Death on Two Legs” with its edginess and drama is part of what flipped my switch into my eventual gothdom.

My high school years were in the 70s so I'm very familiar with all the albums you are taking us through. One difference I'm seeing now is that Pink Floyd and to a degree Led Zeppelin were making full concept ideas and sometimes when you hear one cut of theirs it's like a piece of a whole whereas with Queen and the Beatles they were writing incredible individual SONGS that could stand on their own. My favorite entire album to listen to in one sitting is Abbey Road. The funny thing is that you can't wait for it to end because the ending is so perfect! Thanks for listening and keep up the good work. (One more shout out to Crowder's "I Know a Ghost", probably not a good fit here but please find time to listen to it on your own).

Wonderful reaction to a classy almost prog rock genius! - Stay sweet, sweet lady!

Great reaction! Hopefully you’re planning the listen to the rest of Queen’s discography!

Took me a while to get around to it, but listening to this album was about as revelatory as it seems to have been for you. What a great Queen experience, this one is.

You're my best friend !

I think the connection you hear between The Beatles and Queen has more to do with their mutual appreciation of older forms of music, specifically music from Tin Pan Alley and Music Hall (the British version of Vaudeville) as well as traditional Jazz. It's most pronounced in the songs Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon, Seaside Rendezvous and Good Company.

Their biggest album and their opus in my eyes. What a journey, this album is a production miracle with the overdubs. One of the most expensive albums made ever to that point. It is well worth it.

Love your reviews Crystal. Keep up the good work. Would love to see you review Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. It’s an absolute classic.

I must admit I had to listen to this album today for the first time to appreciate your reaction. The crazy operatic style had never attracted me much but now I can appreciate the incredible originality of this music. What I like the most is how Queen can produce the hardest rock while still keeping it airy, light and melodic. This album takes us out of our comfort zone and it is the sign of talented and original artists. Thank you so much for your awesome videos. I like your musical choices and I love listening to your brilliant analysis and sharing your genuine emotions. Crystal you rock! 🤩

I don't want to get boring and repetitive, Crystal, but it needs to be said: you are such brilliant and intelligent and passionate music reactor with so much to teach us that the only true shame here is that you don't have hundreds of thousands more subscribers! One of the many great things about Queen is that every member of the band was a great songwriter in their own right. While Freddie is brilliant, on this side of music you have "I'm In Love With My Car" written and sung by drummer Roger Taylor, "You're My Best Friend" written by bassist John Deacon and ";39" written by guitarist Brian May. Please don't miss Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack. It's fine if you wait for months or years to react to them, but both are brilliant LP's in their own right, and I depend on you to bring them to the masses!

the instrumental passage in "Seaside Rendezvous" is done mostly with vocals imitating instruments.

I love this track! Great album opener. I totally agree with you that this song should get as much love as Bohemian Rhapsody.

Wow 🥰 loved your reaction liked subscribed 😁 more queen reactions please 😍❤️ Freddie Mercury ❤️

Death on Two Legs is actually about a manager that the band didn't like very much. :0)

Death on 2 legs has one of the best intro sequences. The guitar tone, edgy and acidic is just perfect.

Hey Crystal! When you respond, I am always appreciative. Thank you for this review. My wife comes home today after a long departure to deal with my brother-in-law's estate! Can't wait. Thank you for your prayers. You are one great person. Your dad I know is smiling and jumping for joy at the great person you have become! BTW, Death on Two Legs was written by Freddy basically screaming at the record company for ripping off Queen for the first three albums. This is my favorite Queen album. Not a bad song on there and every song IMHO is brilliant and what range of song styles from folk to hard rock to - well Opera!

Wow! Great! I hoped you would react to this one! :-D

Crystal, it's time to listen to some soul, please check out 'What's Going On' by Marvin Gaye... it's ranked #1 on the '500 Greatest Albums' by Rolling Stone for a reason!

The album's title was taken from a Marx Brothers movie. The same with "Day at the Races." Night at the Opera has a white background while Day at the Races is black. And I agree that this album best captures their love for The Beatles. I wonder if its eclectic sounds pay homage to that other White Album?

"39"is my favorite off of this album,by far.

I'm loving your reactions here to Queen; you're as passionate for them as you are to The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd. I do hope you'll continue on and get to other Queen albums like A Day at the Races, Jazz, News of the World, The Game, Hot Space, The Works, A Kind of Magic, The Miracle, Innuendo, and Made in Heaven.

Take It Easy on Seven Bridges Road:)

Hey Crystal, how are you? Even with everything you have been thorough you are still smiling away which is beautiful to see! I’m getting over my COVID now which is amazing as it was a horrible feeling to have! I hope to meet you in person someday, I live in the UK so if you ever visit there I would love to see you! Stay strong Crystal as you’ve always been doing! By the way my real name is Adam so you don’t have to call me Jim, you can if you want to though!!!😃👍☮️♥️

They presented their golden record to Groucho Marx when he was sill alive (There;'s a Marx Brother's movie with the same name) - some songs are really a tribute to the roaring twenties

Just got my piano fix for tonight, Close to Home - Keith Emerson, Ocean Breeze - Pablo Cruise (long version live 13 min). Had to share... LOVE Queen - I'm Going Slightly Mad, Under Pressure, The Show Must Go On and so many more.

I’ve never listened to this album all the way through and I grew up with Queen, I’m embarrassed to say.. I always loved their musical genius but something kept me away until recently…:but it really is nice to discover their lesser known music for the first time! WOW.

The drummer was the singer on love with my car.

Never heard this album before except for side 2 and it was pretty good, I have heard "Your My Best Friend" and it's one of my fav Queen songs, Freddy Mercury at his best and what an instrument he had, the control and levels of vulnerability and emotion he carried were unmatched.

Shout out to John Deacon, one of my ATF bassists.

Me encanta el estilo de tu belleza, tu simpatía, tu forma de analizar la música y sobre todo tu conocimiento de ella. Agregaría el buen gusto para haber elegido Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin y Queen. Eres la mejor en cómo sientes y analizas la música.

lol! I suggest you drive your car (going FAST) on the freeway while listening to Sweet Lady....only then, will you get it ;)

The amazing thing about "You're My Best Friend" is that it only exists because Freddie insisted that John Deacon write a song to include on the album. He wanted to avoid any jealousy regarding songwriter royalties. And Deacon came back with a song dedicated to his wife, and one of the most un-Queenlike songs they'd yet to record. And it was a massive hit for them, allowing Deacon to basically live off the residuals.

39 is about time travel.

This album has been one of my top favorites since it came out. They were genious and fantastic musicians. Queen were not only Freddie. Drummer Roger Taylor and gitarrist Brian May are also great singers as you can hear on ”I’m in love with my car” and ”39”. Bass player John Deacon wrote some of their best known songs such as ”You’re my best friend” on this album. Have you listen to Queen II ? If not, I recomend you to have a go at it. Thanks again for doing such Rich and spicy reactions and analysis . I agree on your view of ”Sweet Lady”. Otherwise an epic album.

Much of the Queen catalogue is reminiscent of music hall or musical theatre, rather than rock songs.

Well "I'm in Love With My Car" was written and sung by Drummer Roger Taylor so the intense drumming makes sense. He wrote about one of the band's roadies, Johnathan Harris, whose Triumph TR4 was evidently the "love of his life".

I really like this album, but I love love love Queen II and News of the World.

Roger Taylor sang I'm in love with my car. He also does the very high vocals. Brian May sang '39

Death on Two Legs is a great song , it's about their original manager and being ripped off !

"Seaside" sounds like a take on "Honey Pie"!

Thank you, Crystal! I left a comment earlier and a super thanks, but don’t see it. Please tell me you got it. 🙏

Death on Two Legs was a hit for Queen. Just isn't as well known now

Crystal, if you get a chance I highly recommend checking out the “Classic Albums” series because they featured this album and it’s great! I also hear the influence of The Beatles on this album and Queen said they were trying to make a record like an “Abbey Road”. “Death On Two Legs” could be considered one of the first diss tracks and Freddie wrote it about the bands former manager. “Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon” is a lovely homage to the 1920s and that vintage megaphone effect was achieved by putting a microphone up to a pair of headphones in the studio picking up Freddie’s vocal. “I’m In Love With My Car” is a great rocker from Roger Taylor with a very odd time signature. Great driving song. “You’re My Best Friend” was written by John Deacon for his wife and it’s probably the most poppy and commercial track on the album. “‘39” is just BEAUTIFUL. Brian May’s folksy tune about a man who leaves his loved ones behind for space travel light years into the future. I especially love that middle part with the high harmonies which sound like a 1950s sci fi movie. My favorite track on the album and, Crystal, it never fails to get me choked up, too. “Sweet Lady” is just a good old-fashioned rocker. Nothing more. Nothing less. “Seaside Rendezvous” is very quirky and cheeky fun. It’s “When I’m 64” on steroids. Paul McCartney and George Harrison both loved the music of the 1920s and Paul did a song the same year of this album called “You Gave Me The Answer” which also has a megaphone effect and is very reminiscent of his songs “Honey Pie” and “When I’m 64”. The next track, “Love Of My Life”, is beautiful but really hard to listen to because it makes me think of my ex, my soulmate. We were on and off for about 7 years and though we’re no longer together, we are best friends and she’s the best thing that ever happened to me. The most beautiful woman inside and out I’ve ever known. And Freddie wrote this song for his soulmate, Mary, and it’s so beautiful yet heartbreaking, you know? Speaking of best friends, you are also our best friend, Crystal. And, if you ever need a hug, a laugh, a smile, a song recommendation, I’m always here for you, my friend. 🙏❤️

No synthesizers were used on this album

Hey Crystal, I challenge you NOT to compare side II to The Beatles; Paul/John in the next vid.

A couple of ideas for you... Wishbone Ash “Argos”, Camel - “Mirage”, “The Snow Goose” (not critical but if you read Paul Gallico’s book of the same name it enhances the album), “Moonmadness” Uriah Heep - “Salisbury”, “Return To Fantasy”, “Demons and Wizards” Elton John - “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” The Carpenters - “Gold Album” Abba - (any of them) Moody Blues - “Days Of Future Passed” Alan Parsons Project - “Eye In The Sky” The Who - “Tommy” Focus - “In and Out of Focus”, “Moving Waves”, “Focus III” Pink Floyd - “Atom Heart Mother” ELP (Emerson Lake and Palmer) - “Pictures At An Exhibition” King Crimson - “In The Court Of The Crimson King” Jeff Wayne - “Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version Of The War Of The Worlds” Rick Wakeman (from Yes) - “The Six Wives Of Henry VIII”, “The Myths And Legends Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table” Slade - “Flame” (soundtrack for the film of the same name)

For me, all the good stuff is on side 2... Sure, there are some impressive moments on 1 but....

My opinion, is that Queen were a great singles band but as albums go, for me, they just didn’t have a stand out album that could cement them into my top fave bands. I should listen to this one more but again, some tracks I just don’t like

I was never in love with the drummer's car...

Am I allowed to say I hate this album since I purchased it when released? Queen was something to be experienced live. Their albums don't do them justice. If I can pick 3 listenable albums, I go with 1) News Of The World. 2)The Game, and 3)Hot Space. The rest are dispensable, other than a few good tracks per album.

This is another great reaction video, Crystal! BTW, forgive me for jumping on another topic, but now that you're building a whole new following with these sort of videos, would you ever consider doing a reaction video to your previous KZfaq claim to fame? (kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qbqPlbef0N2wpXk.html) I know you probably can't show the video, but you could provide a link to it and talk about it or just share a story or two about it. Also, don't forget the blooper reel! (kzfaq.info/get/bejne/asx1ktGbvpyXn2g.html)

A Night At The Opera is amazing, but A Day At The Races has slightly more great songs on it. Brian always said they should be looked at as a double album.

The cuts. No.

everyone reacts to queen. good hits but very overrated. syd barrett and nick drake are the real deal. they dont bring the views but they wrote the book.

Slightly disappointed that you cut the songs but nice reaction nevertheless