What Was Queens First Song?

Perhaps one of the most acclaimed rock bands in history left behind a lasting legacy. But where did it all begin?

British rock band Queen formed in 1970, releasing their debut eponymous studio album (“Queen”) in 1973. The album contains 10 tracks, 5 of which were written by lead singer Freddie Mercury. The opening track “Keep Yourself Alive,” also released as their first single, was written by guitarist Brian May.

Learn more below about Queen’s musical debut and its subsequent success.

The Story Behind The Album

The self-titled album was a youthful introduction to Queen’s legacy, setting the stage with Mercury’s brilliant vocals and May’s guitar enhancing the band’s distinguished theatrical sound in progressive rock.

The band did not initially like the re-recorded version of “Keep Yourself Alive,” which was the opening song and first song to be re-recorded with high-quality equipment. 

May recalls that it took several mixes for them to be satisfied with the result in Queen’s biography Is This The Real Life?

This song was first plucked into existence on May’s acoustic guitar during their practices at the Imperial College Garden where May studied. 

The demo version was recorded in 1971 at De Lane Lea Studios and includes May’s acoustic intro. May cites this as his favorite version of the song to date.

You can listen to this version below.

In a 1977 radio interview, May said that he initially meant for the lyrics to be ironic, but that once Mercury sang them, he found a deeper meaning to the song.

In 1973, De Lane Lea Studios offered Queen the opportunity to test their recording facilities, where they composed a demo tape of 5 songs (Keep Yourself Alive, The Night Comes Down, Great King Rat, Jesus, and Liar) which were sent to several record labels but rejected.

In 1972 they finally caught the attention of the famous Trident Studios, where they recorded in full and were allowed to use the facilities for free in the late hours of the night. 

Though the album was released in 1973, it was roughly finished in 1972. In “Is This The Real Life?” May recalls the difficulty of mixing the album in such a way that it displayed perfection while retaining the essence of performance.

The album finishes with the final instrumental track “Seven Seas of Rhye” which was later expanded into a full version on their internationally successful album Queen II. 

Initial Success

Rolling Stone magazine anticipated Queen’s success in a review of their first album, labeling them “the new Led Zeppelin.” They described the album as “superb”, calling the group a “funky, energetic English quartet.”

Still, Queen’s debut album did not chart, received mixed reviews from critics, and is largely considered underrated.

Their first single, “Keep Yourself Alive” also did not chart and was not given much attention.

With sounds inspired by Led Zeppelin, Queen’s initial work is categorized as progressive rock and heavy metal, though they later expanded into more mainstream pop-rock.

In an interview with Guitar Magazine, Brian May said that they “fell into a trap of over-arrangement” on the first album, as by spending so much time creating and restructuring the music, they had lost the original sound.

In his 2011 book 40 Years of Queen, May said that the album had a “youth and freshness that would never be regained” despite the “rough edges” and “bad production.” 

Leaving Behind A Legacy

Queen first charted on UK billboards in 1974 with their second album titled “Queen II.” 

Their 1975 album “A Night At The Opera” contained their most famous song “Bohemian Rhapsody”, which brought them international success.

They went on to sell over 90 million studio albums, making them one of the most successful bands of all time.

Despite their lack of prosperity on their first song, through anthems such as, “We Will Rock You,” the band hugely influenced rock music and went on to win prestigious awards.

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