We Will Rock You (video)
Encyclopedia
We Will Rock You is a concert film
by English
band Queen
. It was filmed in Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
at the Montreal Forum
on November 24 and 25, 1981.
A new official release of the concert (Retitled Queen Rock Montreal
) digitally remastered by Queen was released on October 29, 2007 on DVD (by Eaglevision) double CD (by Hollywood Records
for the U.S. and Canada and by Parlophone Records for Europe and EMI
for the rest of the world) and triple vinyl LP.http://queenonline.com/news_item.php?article=1672377
A special double DVD ('Queen Rock Montreal & Live Aid') included Queen's performance at Live Aid
as well as never before seen interviews and rehearsal footage. It is unclear if the royalties from the Live Aid section went to charity. HD-DVD and Blu-Ray versions were released on December 4, 2007.
The tracks "Flash's Theme
" and "The Hero" (both written by May) were also performed at these concerts but were deleted from the film. However, the tracks do appear on the CD and vinyl issues of Queen Rock Montreal. A commentary by Roger Taylor and Brian May is an optional feature of "Queen Rock Montreal" whereas a commentary by Saul Swimmer (the director/producer) was an optional feature of the DVD re-release of "We Will Rock You".
screen, and told him to imagine himself five stories tall. Having convinced Freddie, the rest of the band followed suit.
When Queen eventually acquired the rights to the video, Brian May and Roger Taylor recorded a new commentary track, on which they discuss their feelings about the original process of making the concert video. May describes Swimmer's behaviour in trying to get the band to agree to the project in very negative terms. He says the director effectively hounded them and that when they relented, he was not easy to work with during the actual two nights of recording. Unlike Swimmer's earlier commentary track, which paints a generous picture of the relationship between himself and the band, May and Taylor's commentary track indicates very directly that this was not the case.
Concert film
A concert movie, or concert film, is a type of documentary film, the subject of which is an extended live performance or concert by a musician ....
by English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
band Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
. It was filmed in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
at the Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum
The Montreal Forum was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by Sporting News, it was home of the National Hockey League's Montreal Maroons from 1924 to 1938 and the Montreal Canadiens from 1926 to 1996...
on November 24 and 25, 1981.
A new official release of the concert (Retitled Queen Rock Montreal
Queen Rock Montreal
Queen Rock Montreal is a live album by English rock band Queen. It was released in 2007 as a double CD / triple vinyl on 28 October in Australia, 29 October in Europe, and 30 October in the US....
) digitally remastered by Queen was released on October 29, 2007 on DVD (by Eaglevision) double CD (by Hollywood Records
Hollywood Records
Hollywood Records is an American record label owned by Disney Music Group, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.-History:Hollywood Records was founded in 1989 by then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner with the idea of expanding the music operations of the company and to develop and promote...
for the U.S. and Canada and by Parlophone Records for Europe and EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
for the rest of the world) and triple vinyl LP.http://queenonline.com/news_item.php?article=1672377
A special double DVD ('Queen Rock Montreal & Live Aid') included Queen's performance at Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
as well as never before seen interviews and rehearsal footage. It is unclear if the royalties from the Live Aid section went to charity. HD-DVD and Blu-Ray versions were released on December 4, 2007.
List of songs
- We Will Rock YouWe Will Rock You"We Will Rock You" is a song written by Brian May and recorded and performed by Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. Rolling Stone ranked it #330 of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004, and the RIAA placed it at #146 on its list of Songs of the Century...
(fast) (May) - Let Me Entertain You (Mercury)
- Play the Game (Mercury)
- Somebody to LoveSomebody to Love (Queen song)"Somebody to Love" is a song by British rock band Queen. Written by lead vocalist and pianist Freddie Mercury, the track featured on their 1976 album A Day at the Races, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits...
(Mercury) - Killer QueenKiller Queen (song)"Killer Queen" is a song by British rock band Queen. Written by pianist and lead singer Freddie Mercury, it featured on their 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits. When released as a single, "Killer Queen" was Queen's breakthrough hit,...
(Mercury) - I'm in Love With My Car (Taylor)
- Get Down, Make Love (Mercury)
- Save MeSave Me (Queen song)"Save Me" is a rock ballad by English rock band Queen from their 1980 album The Game. Written by guitarist Brian May, it was recorded in 1979, and released in the UK on January 25, 1980, nearly six months prior to the release of the album. "Save Me" spent six weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking...
(May) - Now I'm HereNow I'm Here"Now I'm Here" is a song by the English rock band Queen. The sixth song on their third album, Sheer Heart Attack, it was written by lead guitarist Brian May while he was in hospital with hepatitis. The song is noted for its hard riff and vocal harmonies. In the UK, the song hit #11 on the charts...
(May) - Dragon Attack (May)
- Now I'm Here (reprise) (May)
- Love of My Life (Mercury)
- Under PressureUnder Pressure"Under Pressure" is a 1981 song recorded by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Bowie's first released collaboration with another recording artist as a performer, and is featured on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also number 31 on VH1's 100 Greatest...
(Queen/BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
) - Keep Yourself AliveKeep Yourself Alive"Keep Yourself Alive" is a song by English rock group Queen. Written by guitarist Brian May, it is the opening track on the band's debut album Queen . It was released as Queen's first single along with "Son and Daughter" as the B-side...
(with impromptu jam before the song) (May) - Drum Solo/Tympani Solo (Queen/Taylor)
- Guitar Solo/Guitar and Drum Duel (May)
- Crazy Little Thing Called LoveCrazy Little Thing Called Love"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is a song by the rock band Queen. Written by Freddie Mercury in 1979, the track featured on their 1980 album The Game, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits...
(Mercury) - Jailhouse RockJailhouse Rock (song)"Jailhouse Rock" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller that first became a hit for Elvis Presley. The song was released as a 45rpm single on September 24, 1957, to coincide with the release of Presley's motion picture, Jailhouse Rock...
(Leiber, Stoller) - Bohemian RhapsodyBohemian Rhapsody"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera...
(Mercury) - Tie Your Mother DownTie Your Mother Down"Tie Your Mother Down" is a song by the English rock group Queen, written by guitarist Brian May. It is the opening track and the second single from their 1976 album A Day at the Races...
(May) - Another One Bites the DustAnother One Bites the Dust"Another One Bites the Dust" is a song by the English rock band Queen. Written by bass guitarist John Deacon, the song featured on the group's eighth studio album The Game . The song was a worldwide hit, charting number one on the United States Billboard Hot 100, number two on the R&B charts and...
(Deacon) - Sheer Heart Attack (Taylor)
- We Will Rock YouWe Will Rock You"We Will Rock You" is a song written by Brian May and recorded and performed by Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. Rolling Stone ranked it #330 of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004, and the RIAA placed it at #146 on its list of Songs of the Century...
(May) - We Are the ChampionsWe Are the Champions"We Are the Champions" is a power ballad written by Freddie Mercury, recorded and performed by British rock band Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. One of their most famous and popular songs, it remains among rock's most recognisable anthems...
(Mercury) - God Save the Queen (tape) (arr. May)
The tracks "Flash's Theme
Flash (song)
"Flash" is a song by British rock group Queen. Written by guitarist Brian May, "Flash" is the theme song of the 1980 film Flash Gordon. The soundtrack released to coincide with the film contained only the music composed and performed by Queen....
" and "The Hero" (both written by May) were also performed at these concerts but were deleted from the film. However, the tracks do appear on the CD and vinyl issues of Queen Rock Montreal. A commentary by Roger Taylor and Brian May is an optional feature of "Queen Rock Montreal" whereas a commentary by Saul Swimmer (the director/producer) was an optional feature of the DVD re-release of "We Will Rock You".
Live Aid
- "Bohemian Rhapsody"
- "Radio Ga Ga"
- "Hammer To Fall"
- "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"
- "We Will Rock You"
- "We Are The Champions"
- "Is This The World We Created"
- all tracks recorded live at Wembley Stadium, 13 July 1985.
Commentaries
Director Saul Swimmer recorded a commentary for the original laserdisc release of the concert. In it, he describes the process by which he and the band went about organizing and recording the concerts which eventually became this video. He is complimentary of the band and spoke positively about the experience. Specifically, he talked about the lengths he went to in order to convince the band to make the video at the end of their then-current tour. Swimmer said the deciding moment came when he took Freddie Mercury to the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. and showed him the three-storey IMAXIMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
screen, and told him to imagine himself five stories tall. Having convinced Freddie, the rest of the band followed suit.
When Queen eventually acquired the rights to the video, Brian May and Roger Taylor recorded a new commentary track, on which they discuss their feelings about the original process of making the concert video. May describes Swimmer's behaviour in trying to get the band to agree to the project in very negative terms. He says the director effectively hounded them and that when they relented, he was not easy to work with during the actual two nights of recording. Unlike Swimmer's earlier commentary track, which paints a generous picture of the relationship between himself and the band, May and Taylor's commentary track indicates very directly that this was not the case.
Charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Top 40 Music DVDs | 9 |
| Austrian Top 10 Music DVDs | 4 |
| Belgium (Flanders) Top 10 Music DVDs | 3 |
| Belgium (Wallonia) Top 10 Music DVDs | 4 |
| Danish Top 10 Music DVDs | 3 |
| Finnish Top 5 Music DVDs | 4 |
| Italian Top 20 Music DVDs | 1 |
| New Zealand Top 10 Music DVDs | 8 |
| Portuguese Top 30 Music DVDs | 1 |
| Swedish Top 20 DVDs | 1 |
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Norwegian Top 10 DVDs | 2 |