She Makes Me - lyrics

This is a song that is often forgotten about, and even dismissed by many Queen fans.

Myself, I see it as a piece of genius.

It's deep and introspective, which is nothing unusual for Brian.  But it's also minimalist - very unlike any other Queen track.  Like Radiohead, it's the subtleties that makes it.  The fact that it maintains the exact same vibe throughout creates a certain ethereal quality.  The only exception is the sudden burst of guitars at 1:35, which I think is one of the best moments in the entire Queen canon.

Lyrically it remains a mystery, like most of Brian's songs.  My interpretation is that "She" is his art, or maybe even the band... the song is about his devotion to his art and his insecurities while recovering from his illnesses.

Brian wrote this song while he was in the hospital.  It discusses his fears that the band may dump him because of his health (he has said that was a genuine thought in his head at the time).   "I know the day I leave her I'll love her still."  The "leave her" line may not necessarily mean leaving on his terms.

"And the world will surely heal my ills" - a single moment of optimism, although he is still uncertain if he will recover quickly enough - "And if I'm very slow she makes me so."  He's expressing his doubts that the band will want to keep him on board, as he knows they've already started this record without him.

Brighton Rock and Now I'm Here were about touring and cheating on his wife to be (he later admitted who "Peaches" was and what the "little holiday" entailed), and Dear Friends expresses a new-found optimism for life after his illness.  His songs on this record were very personal, so I think it makes sense that She Makes Me falls into the same category.  It could be about his wife to be and his guilt, as he expressed in Brighton Rock ... or even a combination of the above.  Only he knows.

Either way, this is one of the best examples of Brian using metaphors and ambiguous language to express something within himself.  He is criminally underrated as a songwriter.

As for the fx at the end (namely the sirens), Brian once called them the "New York nightmare."  And as we know, Brian fell ill in New York.  At the very least, the song is largely related to his illness.

Thoughts ... ?

Love the song, one of my favourite Queen ballads. 

I really like one line in particular: 

"...and if I'm very slow she makes me so!"

The way I understand it is: "If I'm a good lover it is because I'm making love to her."

Fantastic line, really. Lovely song (with an odd subtitle).

V.

I used to find it monotonous and boring, and to an extent I still do, but there are some moments that I do like. It's growing on me :P

It's a track I've skipped through for the past 30 years, as I've always thought it to be the weakest on the album, and a bit of a durge, but maybe I should give it another listen.  I may appreciate it more, now I'm older.  Lol!

Great topic Bob and wonderful interpretations of Brian's lyrics! Now I have to listen to these songs and think about what he must have been going through while recouperating. Kind of reminds me of ANATO being a personal collection of Freddie's songs reflecting his issues going on during that period.

Are you sure he wrote those songs while still in the hospital?

Myself, I don't think such a creative person spent all the period from July/August 1973 to July/August 1974 writing absolutely nothing.

Well, much of autumn 73 and winter/spring 74 was spent touring.  He has said numerous times that he wrote his Sheer Heart Attack material from the hospital bed, which was May through August 74, give or take.  Whether or not he's referring to *all* of the material is a different matter, and of course something we'll never know..

Really? D'you happen to have one of those 'numerous times' at hand? I'm not being an a*sehole, I'm really curious.

If you can provide convincing evidence, then that's a great way to turn this into a more professional and accurate dialogue. If not, then I think we could entertain the idea that a lot of the songwriting was done prior to his illness and hospitalisation and that, as such, it's a mere coincidence that you can apply the lyrics to whatever he may or may not have been feeling.

Coincidences, to paraphrase Alan Parsons, are sometimes just that: coincidences.

By the way, the famous interview on the eve of SNL (which you can read in full at http://www.pcpki.com/queen/articles/bhm8301.html) includes Brian saying he often wrote while on the road. Granted, that's from almost a decade after She Makes Me, so there's still a strong chance that he didn't write stuff on the road back in '74. Yet, 'it makes me wonder...'

At the end of the day (watch the latest Community episode for back-up), it's realtively easy to interpret anything to mean anything. Remember all those people who analyse Bo Rhap and find AIDS-related meanings there? Same could happen with She Makes Me and hepatitis. Or maybe not, maybe you do have a point. But in order to be sure, may you please provide further evidence that he wrote that song (or any other) while in bed?

Re: that interview, BRian says something about the 1st BoRap solo that contradicts what everyone has been saying before i.e. that Fred composed every bit of BoRap and told everyone else what to play:

Who came up with the idea for the vocal harmonies used in "Bohemian Rhapsody"?

"We always were keen on that kind of thing. That was something which we wanted to do from the beginning. We wanted to be a group that could do the heaviness of hard rock, but also have harmonies swooping around all over the place. We thought there was some real power and emotion in that combination."

Was the first solo in that song very difficult for you?

"No, that was pretty much off the cuff, except I think I had plenty of time to think about that one. I remember playing along with it in the studio for a while when other things were being done. I knew what kind of melody I wanted to play."

How sure are you that Brian played acoustic guitar on this song, Sebastian? I have always thought John played that part. The same goes for Tenement Funster.

I always hated this song. Typical bad Brian song

Sebastian wrote: Really? D'you happen to have one of those 'numerous times' at hand? I'm not being an a*sehole, I'm really curious.

If you can provide convincing evidence, then that's a great way to turn this into a more professional and accurate dialogue. If not, then I think we could entertain the idea that a lot of the songwriting was done prior to his illness and hospitalisation and that, as such, it's a mere coincidence that you can apply the lyrics to whatever he may or may not have been feeling.

Coincidences, to paraphrase Alan Parsons, are sometimes just that: coincidences.

By the way, the famous interview on the eve of SNL (which you can read in full at http://www.pcpki.com/queen/articles/bhm8301.html) includes Brian saying he often wrote while on the road. Granted, that's from almost a decade after She Makes Me, so there's still a strong chance that he didn't write stuff on the road back in '74. Yet, 'it makes me wonder...'

At the end of the day (watch the latest Community episode for back-up), it's realtively easy to interpret anything to mean anything. Remember all those people who analyse Bo Rhap and find AIDS-related meanings there? Same could happen with She Makes Me and hepatitis. Or maybe not, maybe you do have a point. But in order to be sure, may you please provide further evidence that he wrote that song (or any other) while in bed?
Unsure about the interpretation of the lyrics and wouldn't want to comment on that but I think more info /insight as to what was written and where/when could be gained by going back and looking at interviews done around that time. I am interested and have stuff from that period so will have a look thru it.

Sebastian wrote:

If you can provide convincing evidence, then that's a great way to turn this into a more professional and accurate dialogue. If not, then I think we could entertain the idea that a lot of the songwriting was done prior to his illness and hospitalisation and that, as such, it's a mere coincidence that you can apply the lyrics to whatever he may or may not have been feeling.

===================

Fair play.  Honestly, I recall reading such a thing numerous times, but I can't recall exactly which articles they were.  Hopefully they'll turn up, and I'll come back to this..

I am sorry Brian not a great effort most of us love women, although as some posters already stated boring beyond belief.
I also need to really listen to make out the lyrics Brian sings as he is not a very strong lead vocalist, but there again he is not alone, neither is Roger.

I have always loved this track...very atmospheric and agree with Bob that Brian's song writing is very underated. Leaving home aint easy, Sail away sweet sister, Another world and Dream of thee to name a few...all brilliant in my opinion.