Brian May: "Forget the video for a moment, just the track to me was very significant because it was Freddie trying to put his feelings quite directly into a song, which is unusual. You look at My Fairy King or Bohemian Rhapsody, or the March of the Black Queen, it’s all quite oblique. It’s not a direct conversation, but Hard Life is, and it looks like quite a light song, but actually there is a lot of pain. And there was a moment when Freddie and I sat down, and we were both in a lot of pain at the time. We were both dealing with relationship problems if you like, and we were writing this song in a way which united the feelings. Now, he had those feelings about a man. I had these feelings about a woman, but it was the same thing. It was the same story we were telling, so in that few moments I felt we communicated a lot about the pain we were dealing with. And to put it in a song is a good thing because it helps you, it liberates people who hear it and feel the song is about them, and it increases the understanding between people, I think."

@YourBeingParanoid

5 күн бұрын

I've had this pain in relationships, firstly a woman and then with a man. It's exactly the same. It's grief for the relationship but you eventually find the strength to rebuild and move forward. For me, Brian singing 'Leaving Home Ain't Easy' it the beginning of the process whereas this maybe is the end.

@Gaxinha

4 күн бұрын

Where did he say that? If there's an interview I'd love to watch it

@EmeraldWings90

4 күн бұрын

@@Gaxinha It's an article interview, I can't link it because yt eats my comment if I do. If you search for the first sentence, you should find it, though.

@gareththomas9806

3 күн бұрын

@@YourBeingParanoid Oooo I'd say Too much love will kill you might be the end of that process for Bri

What I love about Brian May's playing is that he may have a guitar solo but it is not to impress anyone with his virtuosity (which he had) but rather a part of the melody. He incorporated the music that leads up to the solo into his playing. You can almost sing along with it.

@iris67si

5 күн бұрын

I love that too. Brian said that when he was making his Red Special 🎸 with his dad as a teenager he really wanted a guitar being able to sing. And that he is doing with his 🎸... it is like fifth voice in Queen.

@binxbolling

5 күн бұрын

Bit like Mark Knopfler.

The build up before the guitar solo is one of the finest pieces of music ever written. And the actual guitar solo, another masterpiece. In other words, an epic song.

@gareththomas9806

3 күн бұрын

I'd have to agree... he repeats this in "These are the Days of our lives" I toss up between this and Days of our lives for most beautiful mainstream Bri (Bijou too but thats a deep cut).

Amy should watch the music video for this. It’s Freddie in all his theatrical, operatic glory. Often wondered how much persuasion Freddie had to do to Roger and John, especially John. The look on John’s face is priceless.

@basstian

5 күн бұрын

John wearing that horse. LOL!

@j0hnf_uk

5 күн бұрын

Seeing him roll his eyes at one point when he looks at the camera, said it all. 🤣

@bettybaby63

5 күн бұрын

Ha the story according to Brian ; “well we indulged Freddie as we often did.”

I love this journey, it almost takes me back to the nineties when I was a teenager buying all the Queen albums one by one... I'm looking forward to Innuendo... Greetings from the Czech Republic

@garybradshaw5118

5 күн бұрын

Yes I can’t wait for innuendo. The whole band felt different after Freddie’s illness took hold. I think they got better

@Shulypoo

3 күн бұрын

You and me both, one by one, digging for bsides in flea markets….

Queen is one of those bands that stayed intact until the end.

Imagine yourself back in 84 when hearing your favourite band was pretty much only an auditory experience. You don't have the following 40 years of music, KZread, Spotify, MTV or anything else grabbing your attention. This track comes out and it fully captures your senses and your musical soul. What I wouldn't give to be back in that moment.

@AlineDo

5 күн бұрын

I remember that feeling too.

@NickSBailey

5 күн бұрын

I still get that, definitely don't stop looking for new music and new (to you) old music

@spiritusinfinitus

5 күн бұрын

Back then it actually required some effort to aquire music that wasn't on the radio at that moment. You couldn't just turn on a device and download it. Music was more scarce and therefore, on a personal level at least, more valuable.

@dianecourtney2724

3 күн бұрын

Love your comment

Love this song! Freddie’s lyrics always intrigued me and his voice with the band’s musicianship made it so stunning. Such truth and emotion in this one. The operatic video is wild too. Love Queen.

@basstian

5 күн бұрын

There's so much attention to detail just for a four-minute track.

@Mrvictorfernandes

5 күн бұрын

The lyrics are so heartbreakingly relatable. ("I fell in love/ But now you say it's over/ And I'm falling apart") What's also remarkable is that Freddie never thought much of himself as a wordsmith when it came to his songwriting methods. He once told an interviewer that he wished he had a Bernie Taupin-type lyricist to help complement his melodies.

@gareththomas9806

3 күн бұрын

@@Mrvictorfernandes its ironic that the man who created Bohemian Rhapsody, never saw the power of his wordsmithery

This song is an emotional cry for help.

@ulrikealtmann4655

4 күн бұрын

So is Save me and Somebody to love....

“In a world that's filled with sorrow there are people searching for love in every way”. What a great line, what a great song. Freddie Mercury was one of a kind

Those powerful opening bars are almost Operatic. He really belts that out

This is in my top 3 Queen tracks. It just hits me every time.

Another great song from Freddie, and one of my favorites. Their songs are very elaborated and rich, full of emotion and feeling. This is the reason why they're so beautiful.

Yes please don't stop at 50🙏

The sound of Brian Mays guitarplay is always so unique and special - I fall in love with it in every Queen song

The musicianship of this band is amazing! What a beautiful piece of music. I have always loved it! Thanks so much for your analysis of this song. As always, you have highlighted elements I had not focused on before. Thanks for the music lesson! Always love your reactions.

Don't forget the little smile Freddie just manages to suppress near the end of the video around where he sings I did it for love.

The intro is magnifico, just like Fred himself... always. 😋

One of my favourite songs and guitar solos! Pure emotion.

For some reason this song always reminded me of Play The Game

@bluebell3720

5 күн бұрын

That was also Freddies

Ridi pagliaccio 🤡 Del tuo amore infranto 💔 Ridi del duol 🤕 Che t'avvelena il cor 💚 As an Italian, and opera lover, I’ve always admired when Freddie Mercury incorporated opera references into his work.

I never paid attention to the bass in this song. Thank you once again Amy for "opening my ears" to a song I THOUGHT I was more than familiar with!

@25:43 that part onto the guitar solo is exquisite... Freddie's voice has the royal quality and Brian's guitar tone is the same, a perfect match.

There is a version of the music video for this song with commentary by Brian May and Roger Taylor, which I recommend watching 😊

Thanks Amy - one of Freddie's best, and Brian's stellar guitar solo gets me every time, even after 40 years!

Hermosa reacción para una de las canciones mas lindas de Queen 🇦🇷

I think Amy will be pleasantly surprised and pleased by this one. Freddie hadn't given up on his bag of tricks yet.🙂

Your love for music, especially your love and appreciation of Queen, is simply infectious! Hearing Freddie's voice thru your ears gives me such a greater understanding and respect for their music, THANK YOU!!!

As you are into classic and Queen: "The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra" made some epic interpretaions of Queen songs! Even several times - and from other bands and songs, too, of course. But: Do yourself a favour and check out the reordings they did with the conductor Louis Clark!!! Give the "Killer Queen" version a listen! You don't have react to it, but for yourself! Easy, but outstading! :)

when Mercury uses F-A#-Dm-C-Gm.....you know it will be in Epic Ballad mode

@Trucoto

5 күн бұрын

There's no C in "It's a hard life", only Cm, and technically no A# but Bb

@Gatito938

5 күн бұрын

You're right, I wrote it quickly...what's more...a D# was more accurate...Borhap, we are, something about Play the Game I was thinking about some of those...there was a lack of elaboration...even in some moment I thought the first note of "Life is Real" was the same as the last note of "It's a Hard Life"...I checked and no...

@fromchomleystreet

5 күн бұрын

@@Trucoto Assuming you’re working within the context of 12 tone equal temperament (as all western music has for multiple centuries now), pitch spelling only matters when you’re reading a score. In any other context it’s just meaningless pedanticism to quibble over whether a note or the chord built on it should be named A# or Bb. Both terms name the same chord, and everybody knows what you mean either way.

Amy, thank you some much for this video. How a love this song. How I miss Freddie 😢.

It is such a joy to see a song of this quality appreciated like this and all the subtle nuances noticed. I really like Brian's understated clean guitar during the verses. They were just pure quality. Thanks Amy. I appreciate this song even more now.

@bluebell3720

5 күн бұрын

Brian has said Freddie wrote well for the guitar

@markydw2499

5 күн бұрын

@@bluebell3720 That's a very good point, yes he really did.

This album is the Apogeo by Queen in the 80s.. and i really love this song.

@fryke

5 күн бұрын

Id' consider it the inflexion by Queen in the 80s, if you need to put a Spanish word in your English sentence. ;)

@sigcola

5 күн бұрын

@@fryke I'm actually not interested in your opinion😅

@sigcola

5 күн бұрын

@@fryke by the way, being proudly -not British- I can allow myself to insert any word like Latin -Roman Imperial into my British sentences

I know that you are doing a Queen 50 hits but I do think you could probably double that 🤣🤣🤣

@tplouffe9226

5 күн бұрын

I've been thinking that from the beginning, when they announced only 50, i knew there would be a LOT of deserving tracks that will just be skipped over, was hoping for Queen 100 or 150 honestly. Its a lot, but its worth it because they never repeat themseleves, and only keep creating new, interesting, and unique music in each and every song

@chergui77

5 күн бұрын

Totally agree. Queen deserves 100 listens 🎶

@johnmccollum8501

5 күн бұрын

@@tplouffe9226I was so sad It’s Late was missed

@celt67

5 күн бұрын

My Fairy King, Liar, Great King Rat, White Queen, March Of The Black Queen, The Fairy Fellers Master Stroke, In The lap of the Gods ( both of them) , Bring Back That Leroy Brown, '39 , Good Company, The Prophets Song,,,,I could go on,, but that's just the overlooked stuff from their first 4 albums.

@tplouffe9226

5 күн бұрын

@@celt67 Yup, and if she heard those in order, it would have made this journey 10x better for her

As with "Radio Ga Ga" and (hopefully) "I Want to Break Free," you really, really should also watch the official music video for this piece. I was delighted on its release to hear a return to Freddie's classical romantic side. I actually went out and bought the single for someone who had just gone through a breakup; I guess I was young and foolish back then :)

The opening lyric and melody of "It's a Hard Life" is based on the line "Ridi, Pagliaccio, sul tuo amore infranto!" And the guitar work is phenomenal as always❤

I'm really enjoying becoming a Queen fan along with you. I have no idea how I missed Queen through the '80s and '90s. I really should have grown up loving this band. Oh well, no time like the present

U still have to listen to the March of the black Queen. A so complicated song!

Queen could be that band that along with the Beatles that will never go out of fashion? with them acknowledging so many strands of music from classical to Music Hall and everything in between.

Amy, do you mean the song "Somewhere" also from Barbara Streisand? It's from Westside Story, Tony and Maria's song Great reaction! ❤ "Freddie just hits us opera right in the face...." so true.

you bring me Happiness thankyou

Freddie was always looking for a long lasting relationship, but was hurt over and over. This song was during a time when Freddie thought he finally found that person, but that person decided to end it. Great reaction

introduction to a song from the opera Pagliacci.

Hi Mrs. Amy, you said “I love this part”, I think I cut the record listening and listening to this part. I was obsessed with this kind of “bridge”. Even the “Ridi, pagliaccio 🤡 “ as intro is pure genius. Brian’s sound is velvety and rough at the same time: it has the exact feeling of a bow that starts gripping on a cello strings. I could recognize it among 100 guitars/guitarists. Unbelievable musician. Art is something personal, but when I listen to shitty rap, trap, or something like that, I can’t avoid making comparisons. Anyway, I love them and your analysis

I've always thought this was one of Freddie's more under appreciated and fully realised compositions, both musically and lyrically. It's a logical extension of Play the Game, and genuinely gorgeous and affecting piece of work.

You just need to imagine the musical writing process: The lyrics are about struggle and a hard tough love life and the music instead of reflecting a depressed state of mind goes the opposite way and blasts us with another flamboyant uplifting mix of piano bass and guitar. The magic of Queen ❤

This song is ever in my top 10 from Queen. All their capacities are here mature: Freddie's voice is fantastic, chorus are out of this world, the solo is epic... that under guitar after the solo sounding in a violoncello way... Ever reminded me some movies from my childhood, like "the princess bride", "lady hawk"...those movies of magic, fairytales, love... And not casually the video is in the same way too. A real masterpiece.

Freddie was such a passionate and dramatic guy, just love him!

The guitar part at 10.59 - 11.05 is only a tiny part of a bigger piece, just a motif, but might be the most beautifully perfect thing Brian May ever played. It's sensational.

Excellent reaction, analysis and observations. I especially love the classical/operatic connections. Dr. Sir Brian never disappoints with his otherworldly guitar work. The music video is incredible: vibrant, dramatic (almost operatic) sets and costumes, which Dr. Sir Brian, Roger and John simply hated. Roger and Dr. Sir Brian did a funny, but insightful commentary on this song and music video kzread.info/dash/bejne/c5qYtdR6h6y8qc4.html. For future reference, I hope you decide to continue beyond just 50 and revisit and react to more songs from previous Queen albums (especially their earlier ones). Songs such as "my fairy King", "white queen as it began", "ogre battle" (both live at the odeon Hammersmith '75), "fairy feller's masterstroke", "march of the black queen," "nevermore", "lap of the gods", "lap of the gods revisited" and "39" (among so many others) are highly recommended.

Speaking of flamboyant, Freddie's costume in the video was ridiculously flamboyant.

It's a very good song, but with the quality of Queen, years ago, it was almost just another Queen song. If it was their first release, it would seem more brilliant. Hearing it with analysis makes it obvious how great it really is. If something as varied and clever as this came on to the charts today, it would be a miracle. How spoilt and complacent of quality we once were...

Such important Queen song for me. I played it on piano on my channel there's a video. The part that maybe the chorus reminds you of can be another song from Queen - "Play the game" that you also made reaction recently, there's parts that are so similar to chorus in "It's a hard life". Thank you for your analysis once again, I like them so much!

Queen Brasil❤❤❤

@dianecourtney2724

3 күн бұрын

Yes

I never would've came up with the West Side Story connection. This could be used in a pet food commercial with a dog running in slow-motion towards it's owner. ( I'm being silly ) I agree the bass ( and Roger's bass drum ) underpins nearly the entire tune. Amazing what only four musicians can create.

Best song off the album by far, lovely harmonies!

Thank you. I love your joy and enthusiasm so much. I think to myself, how much Freddie would love this, so much appreciation from somebody with your background.

West Side Story There’s a Place For Us ( love it 😔 ) but if you feel like really feeling Freddie’s song watch the video of this wonderful song LIVE at Rock in Rio 🥰 and I bet you laugh at the end when Freddie does his little last notes on the piano 💛

Wow... I look back on myself and say.... I did it for looove !!! 😍 Freddie's a genius. Mercury, messenger of the gods.☄️

Shows how amazing Queen are that a song of this quality is rarely in people top 10 fav Queen songs-

The song is amazing but it's also so sad ... Inspite of all success and welth Freddie was a lot of times really lonely and searching for a real love ... 😢 I just can't get of my head a 8 years old boy Faroukh sent alone on a weeks long boat ride from Zanzibar to a boarding scholl in India... 😢 Yes, it wasn't s bed of roses for Freddie, a lot of time it was a hard life ...

after this series is done, will you also listen to some of the best live performances?

According to Brian, he remembered Freddie struggling with the lyrics to get them just right. Brian helped write them, Musically, the song recreates the feel of “Play the Game” to update the story, utilizing Mercury’s piano playing and the band’s characteristic technique of layered harmonies. The opening is based on an aria from Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. For the first time in ages, no synthesizers were used to create this track.

I think the song it reminds you of is "Play The Game" by Queen.

When you already mention and notice during the listening, you can also take a listen Tom Waits singing "Somewhere" (From 'West Side Story') from his album 'Blue Valentine' it would be wonderful part of your famous covers list. This song by Queen was very personnel to Freddy, and it is one of his little masterpieces, great ballad, with great bas line, guitar solo, everything just seat right where it suppose to be, with little pieces and influence from all sides, but making it one of the greatest songs of 80's. Keep on good work Amy, you have become rock expert, not even noticing that lol kiss the kidd'o and greetings to Vlad

Queen were perfectionists and ultra talented too. When you look at the material they released, the vocals, harmonies, melodies, bass, drums and on and on... The posthumously released album Made In Heaven, is full of previously incomplete works from many years preceding Freddie's passing. Seeing the video of 'The Show Must Go On' (EDIT - These Are The Days Of Our Lives) is still hard to watch, knowing how ill Freddie was and it is plain for all to see too. There are parts where, and I forget the song, where Brian May sings the last line, the rest of the vocals being Freddie, as the last line hadn't been recorded, and was needed to finish the song. Freddie basically said he would spend as much time in the studio as possible, knowing he was dying, so that the band would be left with as much material for Queen to continue on after he was gone. Most poignant is the story that Monserrat Caballe tells when they were performing Barcelona. She said that with the Olympics due to be in Barcelona in 1992, that they should perform it as part of the Olympic events. Freddie basically said 'My darling, I won't be here'. He was a one of a kind, and I can still remember hearing the news that he had passed. Felt like we'd lost part of the family.

@iris67si

Күн бұрын

I think you were talking about the video "These Are The Days Of Our Lives' not "The Show Must Go On " ... 😢💔

@SeanHendy

Күн бұрын

@@iris67si you’re absolutely right. That is the one I meant. You can see he didn’t have long left 😢

@iris67si

Күн бұрын

@@SeanHendy It was Freddie's last appearance infront of the camera ... and his last goodbye to the fans whispering "I still love you." 😥💔 Freddie was enduring horrible pain because of his open wounds on his foot and calf that didn't heal because of his compromised immune system, he lost a lot of weight and was cold all the time 😞 ...but he was determined to perform for the last time ... 💔

@SeanHendy

Күн бұрын

@@iris67si He was certainly a special talent. Thinking of others, till the very end.

@iris67si

Күн бұрын

@@SeanHendy he was indeed... So strong and brave... Brian said that he never ever heard him complain or feel sorry for himself... I think Freddie sensed his destiny from the very beginning 💔 ... and he gave us all so much.

I hear elements of “the game” and some other queen songs.

@ulrikealtmann4655

5 күн бұрын

Yes, elements from "play the the game" and I also can "identify" Las palabras de amor....:)

I can hear the melody of ‘Sylvia’ by Focus in the 2nd part of May’s solo.

My piano teacher told me he liked to compose in B flat because it's on the lower limit so it gives you more amplitude. Freddie loved flat tones: Bohemian Rhapsody -> Bb, We Are The Champions -> Eb, Somebody To Love Ab. This song plays between Bb and Eb a lot so you have that constant up and down with beautiful arrangements and scale modulations.

'Barcelona' sounds a bit like 'Its a hard life' in some small ways too. Well, its in the same area I think.

The song it reminded you of was 'Play The Game'

Somehting about Queen seems to animate Amy! This is the most animated I've seen her, and its always a Queen song that brings the passion out.

@gareththomas9806

3 күн бұрын

Bri and Freddie always seem to have been able to weave their guitar and piano together.... White Queen 75 at the Hammersmith shows this in spades.

The song you were struggling to find that sounds similar in parts is "Play The Game." The "Open up your heart and let me step inside" portion sounds like it could fit into this equally fantastic song.

The short piano intro to the guitar solo reminds me of a section of Dire Straits Telegraph Road.

Freddie was extremely detail oriented

Fantastic analysis! This is a great song. I love the inclusion of Vesti La Giubba, I wish Freddie had recorded the whole aria. Everyone should check out an in-depth explanation of Vesti La Giubba, it is really a very tragic aria.The channel - OperaAnna - has a video is titled "Try not to cry.... | Corelli - Vesti la giubba | Opera Singer Reacts" she does a great job of explaining the aria. It's Hard Life is really like an extension of the aria. It is interesting because Freddie also references the opera, "I Pagliacci" in Bohemian Rhapsody well, with the line "Scaramouche, will you do the fandango". He really associated very closely with this theme, of the performer that has to go out perform, and make other people laugh, while they might be experiencing great pain on the inside.

@dianecourtney2724

3 күн бұрын

Great comment as always

A real rollercoaster of a song. One which is a recant of a lost love, but has a real optimistic feelings about it. A, 'no regrets', type of song that laments on how the love is lost, but doesn't wallow in self-pity, instead almost celebrating the acknowledgement of having fought through it and becoming stronger as a result. It doesn't stop the hurt from having happened, but it makes them wiser as a result of having gone through it. I suppose a summary of it would be that it was better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all. The video to this song is very theatrical. It's quite possibly the most theatrical of any video they did for a song, with Freddie obviously taking the lead and loving every moment of it. The others in the band weren't very keen at all on the idea, but did it for Mercury, anyway. John and Roger in particular weren't too enamoured with dressing up in the garb associated with it all. And, it kind of shows. Freddie's costume was described by the others as making him look like a giant prawn!

This one, and “Hammer to Fall” were real throwbacks to 70s Queen - no obvious synths, guitar orchestration and piano back to being front and centre.

25:37 - Amy,the bit you love is almost certainly influenced by (very recently deceased) Eric Carmen song "All By Myself." It has a it's a truly beautiful piano part at 2:30 in that song. This in-its-turn was a direct lift from Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor

Have you watched the live aid performance yet. Would love to hear your view on what is possibly all things considered…. The best live performance ever.

I really hope you watch the videos for the songs you've reacted too.

❤❤❤❤❤

My take is this song is all about freddies fears of hiv and aids which was just beginning to make the news at the time. His life was shaken to the core by this and hes expressing it through his music and songs.

Proud to say this was the first record I bought! Fantastic track.

Watch the video, you'll love it

10:42 sounds like brian is simulating the sound of brass instruments with his guitar, like several trumpets slurring notes up in unison.

Quite the contrast with Radio Gaga (just watched that one ) thats why their music was so much fun. An amazing track.

Nice Freddie dance move from you at 20:20 in the video :-)

Una mis canciones favoritas de Queen, deberias entrevistar a Brian May para cerrar esta epica revision del catalogo de Queen, seguramente si se entera de tus videos accedera a la entrevista. Saludos desde Argentina

Such a good, solid album by the band. Wish they had toured the states in support of it, but they were long done touring here by then. Thanks, Hot Space.

@davidmacfarlane1763

5 күн бұрын

Eh and thanks MTV for moralizing over drag ;) I mean MTV.... it certainly did not hold its own morals in the end ;)

Also Amy…… Queen made a costume video of It’s a Hard Life and I laugh at it along with many Queenies out here and if you ever decide to watch it you will see the hate on the guys faces 😂but who was going to say NO to Freddie when he was on a roll LOL

Band: Gentle Giant. Song: On Reflection

the last classic Queen song

@juttapopp1869

5 күн бұрын

Naaah, they went Back to their Boots in the last two albums and the posthumous "Made in heaven". Innuendo is March of the Black Queen and BoRhap's baby- sister.

Hi Amy. I always loved this Queen song. You should listen to Tom Waits version of There's a place for us. Wonderful as always.

West side Story is one of the few musicals Brian really likes. (At least before he met his Lady Wife)

It’s nice to see a reaction to this one sans video. I like and understand the video but as a first listen it overshadows the message of the song. Same with I Want To Break Free. “I heard it my radio!” best describes how songs should first be introduced to the ear.

Everything I write is only because I know very well that this particular and unique song represents Freddie's turning point.

@bluebell3720

Күн бұрын

Turning point in what sense?

The line, "It's a hard life..." is also reminiscent of the line, "It's your life..." from Queen's earlier song, Play The Game. I was wondering if that was one of the familiar things that you were trying to identify while listening to this song.

Just see the official clip and you understand the Theatre mood;) It's Hilarious!!! You've to see it;)

When I listened to "Prisoners in Paradise" from "Europe"... I felt that apart from the influence of rock ballads + a dose of "Let it Be" and as for the guitars there is something from "It's a Hard Life" there. ...and when I've heard "It's a Hard Life" I feel like there's an "All the Young Dudes" rise from "Mott the Hoople"