Staying Power (Queen song)
"Staying Power" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Japanese single picture sleeve | ||||
Single by Queen | ||||
from the album Hot Space | ||||
B-side |
| |||
Released | July 1982 | |||
Recorded | 1981–1982 | |||
Genre | Post-disco | |||
Length |
| |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Songwriter(s) | Freddie Mercury | |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Queen singles chronology | ||||
|
"Staying Power" is the first track on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. It was written by lead singer Freddie Mercury and is notable as being the only Queen song to have a horn section, which was arranged by Arif Mardin. The song is driven by a funk-styled bass riff (played by Mercury) beginning in D minor and modulating to E minor throughout the song. John Deacon does not play bass guitar on this song—instead playing rhythm guitar on a Fender Telecaster. Roger Taylor programmed a Linn LM-1 drum machine for the track. Brian May is on his Red Special. In a Stylus review of the album, critic Anthony Miccio described the song's style as "an electro-disco track with frenetic horns."[1]
The song was released as a single in Japan.
Live performances
This song was played throughout the Hot Space Tour and on The Works Tour. The live version of "Staying Power" is slightly different from the album version. Morgan Fisher took over the keyboard parts and replaced the Oberheim with a Roland Jupiter 8. Taylor replaced the drum machine with acoustic and electric drums. Also of note is that it was the only song played live in which Deacon played rhythm guitar, as the bass was performed via keyboard. With the electronics scaled back on the live version, the song is transformed into a funk rock song—rather than a disco-influenced rock song that stays strong to its disco influences. The live version is on Queen on Fire: Live at the Bowl, Queen Greatest Video Hits 2 and on the Hot Space 2011 deluxe CD album.
Personnel
- Queen
- Freddie Mercury – lead and backing vocals, synthesizer, synth bass
- Brian May – electric guitar
- Roger Taylor – electronic drums, Linn LM-1
- John Deacon – electric guitar
- Additional
- Arif Mardin – "Hot and spacey" horn arrangement
References
- ^ Queen – Hot Space Stylus. Retrieved 7 April 2012
External links
- Live at The Bowl (official video) on YouTube
- Lyrics at Queen official website
- v
- t
- e
- "Keep Yourself Alive"
- "Liar"
- "Killer Queen"
- "Now I'm Here"
- "Flick of the Wrist"
- "Lily of the Valley"
- "Stone Cold Crazy"
- "Brighton Rock"
- "Bohemian Rhapsody"
- "You're My Best Friend"
- "Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to...)"
- "I'm in Love with My Car"
- "'39"
- "Sweet Lady"
- "The Prophet's Song"
- "Love of My Life"
- "Good Company"
- "God Save the Queen"
- "Somebody to Love"
- "Tie Your Mother Down"
- "Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)"
- "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy"
- "Long Away"
- "We Will Rock You"
- "We Are the Champions"
- "Spread Your Wings"
- "It's Late"
- "Sheer Heart Attack"
- "Bicycle Race"
- "Fat Bottomed Girls"
- "Don't Stop Me Now"
- "Mustapha"
- "Jealousy"
- "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"
- "Save Me"
- "Play the Game"
- "Another One Bites the Dust"
- "Need Your Loving Tonight"
- "Flash's Theme"
- "Under Pressure"
- "Body Language"
- "Las Palabras de Amor (The Words of Love)"
- "Calling All Girls"
- "Staying Power"
- "Back Chat"
- "One Vision"
- "A Kind of Magic"
- "Princes of the Universe"
- "Friends Will Be Friends"
- "Pain Is So Close to Pleasure"
- "Who Wants to Live Forever"
- "One Year of Love"
- "I Want It All"
- "Breakthru"
- "The Invisible Man"
- "Scandal"
- "The Miracle"
- "Innuendo"
- "I'm Going Slightly Mad"
- "Headlong"
- "These Are the Days of Our Lives"
- "The Show Must Go On"
- "I Can't Live with You"
- "Ride the Wild Wind"
- "Heaven for Everyone"
- "A Winter's Tale"
- "Too Much Love Will Kill You"
- "I Was Born to Love You"
- "Let Me Live"
- "You Don't Fool Me"
- "Made in Heaven"
- "Mother Love"
- "No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)"
- "Let Me in Your Heart Again"
- "Love Kills"
- "There Must Be More to Life Than This"
Category
![]() | This 1980s rock song–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- v
- t
- e