You're My Best Friend (Queen song)

"You're My Best Friend" is a song by the British rock band Queen, written by the band's bass player, John Deacon, who wrote it for and about his wife. It was first included on the 1975 album A Night at the Opera, and later released as a single. The ballad[3] also appeared on the Live Killers (1979) live album, and on the compilation albums Greatest Hits (1981), Absolute Greatest (2009) and Queen Forever (2014).

"You're My Best Friend"
Artwork for Yugoslavian vinyl single
Single by Queen
from the album A Night at the Opera
B-side"'39"
Released18 June 1976
Recorded1975
Genre
Length2:52
Label
Songwriter(s)John Deacon
Producer(s)
Queen singles chronology
"Bohemian Rhapsody"
(1975)		 "You're My Best Friend"
(1976)		 "Somebody to Love"
(1976)
Music video
"You're My Best Friend" on YouTube

The song reached number seven in the UK Singles Chart and number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[4] It is certified platinum by the RIAA in the US with over one million copies sold. The song has since featured in television, film and other media, such as The Simpsons and Family Guy.

History

Deacon wrote the song for his wife, Veronica Tetzlaff. In this song, he plays a Wurlitzer electric piano in addition to his bass guitar work.[5] The characteristic "bark" of the Wurlitzer's bass notes plays a prominent role in the song. During live performances, a Grand Piano was used rather than an electric, and it would be played by Freddie Mercury, while Deacon played the bass guitar just like in the original recording. The song would be performed live by the band from the Summer Gigs 1976 Tour up to the end of the North American leg of The Game Tour in 1980. It was then dropped from the rest of the tour, and would not be played live again until after the death of Mercury.

The song was used in several TV shows and films such as Hot in Cleveland, Will & Grace, EastEnders, My Name is Earl, The King of Queens, Good Omens,The Break-Up the end credits of I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, The Simpsons,[6] Shaun of the Dead, Peter's Friends, The Secret Life of Pets, and in the Family Guy episode "Farmer Guy".[7]

Music video

The music video, directed by Bruce Gowers, shows the band in a huge ballroom surrounded by over one thousand candles, including a huge chandelier hung from the ceiling.[8] The video was filmed in April 1976 [8] at Elstree Studios, London. Additionally, Deacon is seen playing a grand piano rather than the Wurlitzer he used on the recording.[9]

Composition

The song was composed by John Deacon in the key of C major with a meter of 4/4, in swing feel.[10]

The album A Night at the Opera features songs of numerous styles, including this three-minute pop song.[1] Very unusual for the genre, there is no section appearing more than twice; characteristic of many Queen songs, as affirmed by Brian May.[11] On the other hand, in terms of phrases and measures, there are numerous repetitions or variants. The form is cyclic and very similar to that of "Spread Your Wings" (1977). Another similarity between the two songs is the lack of (real) modulation. The arrangement features 3 and 4-part vocal and guitar harmonies, bass (melodic approach), drums, and electric piano. This is Deacon's second recorded song and the first one released on single, some six months after the album-release. Mercury hits two sustained C5s in the lead vocal track.

Queen comments on the song

The band answered Tom Browne on 24 December 1977 in a live BBC Radio One interview, regarding Deacon's control of the piano for the recording:

Well, Freddie didn't like the electric piano, so I took it home and I started to learn on the electric piano and basically that's the song that came out you know when I was learning to play piano. It was written on that instrument and it sounds best on that. You know, often on the instrument that you wrote the song on.

— John Deacon[12]

I refused to play the damn thing [the Wurlitzer]. It's tinny and horrible and I don't like them. Why play those things when you've got a lovely superb grand piano? No, I think, basically what he [John] is trying to say is it was the desired effect.

— Freddie Mercury[5]

Charts and certifications

Personnel

Information is taken from the Queen Songs website[26]

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References
  1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (n.d.). "Queen – A Night at the Opera". AllMusic. TiVo Corporation. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  2. https://www.loudersound.com/features/every-song-on-queens-a-night-at-the-opera-ranked-from-worst-to-best
  3. "The best songs about friendship". 22 December 2017.
  4. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 513.
  5. "You're My Best Friend by Queen". songfacts.com. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
  6. "Queen". IMDb.com. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  7. McFarland, Kevin. ""Farmer Guy" | Family Guy | TV Club | TV". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  8. Promo Videos: You're My Best Friend. Ultimate Queen. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  9. You're My Best Friend. Ultimate Queen. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  10. title=Queen Songs: You're My Best Friend Archived 17 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Queen Songs. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  11. "The Making Of The Prophet Song (Classic Albums)". YouTube. 12 March 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  12. "You're My Best Friend". queenpedia.com. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
  13. "Ultratop.be – Queen – You're My Best Friend" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  14. "Ultratop.be – Queen – You're My Best Friend" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  15. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  16. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – You're My Best Friend". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  17. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Queen" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  18. "Dutchcharts.nl – Queen – You're My Best Friend" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  19. "you%27re+my+best+friend | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  20. "Top 100 1976-07-31". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2015-03-20.
  21. "Queen Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  22. "British single certifications – Queen – You're My Best Friend". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  23. "American single certifications – Queen – You're My Best Friend". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  24. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  25. "Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  26. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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