Results: SL Poll

Lately, Sweet Lady has taken on a real roasting in two QZ threads:
"7 Best/ 7 Worst Queen Songs" and "Songs that Mar an Otherwise Perfect Album."
Has it been too harshly judged?

I, for one, think it has some appeal.  I certainly don't skip it, nor am I repulsed by it.

Is Sweet Lady alright by you?

I like Sweet Lady, its not a favourite, nor is it the best song of all time, but it has some charm and appeal.
I like the 3/4 beat, the riff, practically everything about it.
The lyrics leave a little to be desired, I mean, they're no 'Save Me', but at the same time Brian has written worse,such as Flash(Im not saying I hate Flash, Im just saying Sweet Lady is a better song).

But yeah, certainly doesn't deserve the lambasting it's getting. In the ANATO sense, I think that album needs the song, no way does it mar the album.

I used to not care much for it, though never skipped it or "hated" it.

One afternoon I heard it on the radio, when the local rock station had an hour-long show playing back-to-back album tracks (rather than hits) by different artists. They played this and "Liar". Maybe because I wasn't expecting it, or was just in exactly the right mood, but when "Sweet Lady" came on, it was like running into an old friend. It was familiar, the same song, but suddenly I appreciated all those things I'd once ignored.

It's a reliable, solid rock song in the midst of an album full of dramatic ups and downs, quirks, gimmicks and production gags. In many ways, it's the anchor "Opera" needs, the normal song, the one that doesn't take itself seriously among songs that experiment with different styles. It does have a trick or two up its sleeve, though, with its odd time signature, that plays with the ear.

It's an underrated song and definitely worthy of inclusion on the album.

i hate it. firstly because of the like some kinda cheese" line...so sh*tty

secondly, because  the guitar parts and the melody are really derivative (note i didn't say plagiarism, but i meant it)
of many early seventies rock/pop songs

I definitely don't like it, but like almost everyone has said, I rarely skip it. It's a very unusual song though and holds dear memories for me.

Sweet Lady is one of the best songs on A Night at the Opera. The riff is great, drums are great and vocals are powerful. The lyrics does not lower my rating on the song as musically I think it's great.

"i hate it. firstly because of the like some kinda cheese" line...so sh*tty."

You're not the first to say that Brenski, but on the whole, that line would be better than virtually every line of AKOM, most of the Miracle, and great bits of MIH (Let me Live is cornball schmaltz supreme) so I don't understand why people give this line more stick than any other in the catalogue.

"Secondly, because  the guitar parts and the melody are really derivative (note i didn't say plagiarism, but i meant it)
of many early seventies rock/pop songs."

If you mean the main riff, sure, lots of bands used that power chord combination in the 70s.  But the end!  That is absolutely fantastic guitar writing and arranging, derivative of no one but Brian May.  There are tons of things going on at the end of Sweet Lady from a guitar POV which make it stand out compared to other pieces of that era, not bring it closer.

I love Sweet Lady, it's a great song.

rhyeking wrote:

when "Sweet Lady" came on, it was like running into an old friend.

Exactly!  I really like Sweet Lady, although if i'm not in the right mood i sometimes skip it, but usually i really like it.  The cheese line always sticks in my head though -- i still don't know if i think its funny and cute or just wrong!

My least favorite on A night At The Opera,  but i don't hate it,  a pretty decent rocker. better than most of brians rocker's of the 80's, like put out the fire and tear it up.  Queen were never known for their lryics, so why judge this song for one line?...even some of their best songs have some silly lryics mixed in.

When I bought ANATO in 1975 I didn't like SL, but over the years it has grown on me. I can't say it is one of my favorite tracks because I love every song on ANATO. But SL is one of my favorite tracks....it's the waltz time and that incredible ride-out. The live versions I've heard are pretty kick-ass as well.

underated song, lyrics are a bit crap but good tune. love the riff.

Not my favourite, but again it never seems to get skipped....unlike Seaside Rendezvous and Prophet's Song lol

I really like SL, and I could never figure out just why so many fans either dislike it or are indifferent to it.
Ok, so some dodgy lyrics, but you can find plenty of those in the Queen canon. I love the tricky time signature in the chorus, and I love the big "believe and we've got everything we need..."  towards the end.  And the end, with Brian and Roger 'duelling' is just spectacular.

As another poster said it is much better than some of the dross in Queen's eighties catalogue, and probably much better than most of AKOM, The Miracle etc. In my mind it is superior to most of Brian's eighties/ nineties 'rockers' such as Put Out The Fire, Tear It Up, The Hitman et al.

I totally agree with those that give it the positive nod. I've never been one to sit and ponder over the lyrics of a song. I just accept them as part of it.
Maybe those that don't like the song know something I don't?

The guitar has such a great tone and after listening to the 5.1's you can really appreciate how loud he ran the amps. AC's (in 'normal' channel) full, all tones down and the treble-booster. Brilliant!!
Deacys bass lines are sensational , especially at the outro. The drumming is a favourite of mine to play as it has an almost 'laid-back' simplistic style to it (although it does sound very hard to play and impressive....the coda section is brilliant, the way he doubles up the 'feel' adding the double snare hits...I recall some people asking if this used a double-bass pedal. Definately not.
The solo, although not 100 mph, is one of my favourite ones and I really feel that it is so highly under-rated. It is a classic piece of playing that he never really replicated during the live performances. So much more punch than loads of the 'rockier' more modern songs. Hitman/Headlong et al.