SOP - ANTHEMS: Queen We Are The Champions

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Artist: Bob Tozier
School: North Allegheny

Notes:

Freddie Mercury and team made one of the most unusual anthems of all time. “We Are The Champions” has a somber beginning, an uncertain ending and a sprinkling of operatic allusions. Yet more than 40 years after this slow burners debut, it continues to be a staple at sporting events. In the first episode in a four part series, ANTHEMS, Nate and Charlie break down the song’s fundamental elements that place this song in the anthemic pantheon.

What do you think?

-half cadences

-alternate endings

-major and minor verse/chorus

-balanced/unbalenced phrass

Comments

Sarah Feick from: North Allegheny - posted: December 3, 2020
After watching the movie Bohemian Rhapsody I was very interested in Queen. I really liked that this podcast tied in music theory with the bands personal life. I learned a lot

Kassi Barry from: North Allegheny - posted: January 11, 2021
Queen has been something I have grown up listening too. This really showed my the music behind the music and peaked my interest in Queen even more! I love how they incorporated everything, even peoples personal lives! 10/10 podcast

Julia Maletta from: North Allegheny - posted: January 13, 2021
Queen's ability to use small details to make a song stand out is insanely impressive. One of my favorite songs by them, Seven Seas of Rhye, has these really cool details that you wouldn't necessarily hear if you weren't listening for them, but those details can change the entire feel of the song.

Reka Gotz from: North Allegheny - posted: January 15, 2021
Queen is exceptionally good at making catchy, yet unusual songs that stick in your head! "We are the Champions" is a perfect example of this. I also think that Bohemian Rhapsody, despite its nonstandard nature, has proven itself to be a pop-culture staple, which is particularly impressive considering how far it deviates from the average rock song.

Nicholas Palermo from: North Allegheny - posted: January 22, 2021
I think Queen's music style is very unique and interesting. I think the sheer talent and unorthodox style of music produced by Queen is what makes the group so succesful.

Luke Hartle from: North Allegheny - posted: January 22, 2021
Queen is one of my all time favorite bands. I really liked how this episode focused so much on how they play all of the songs and what ties all of their songs toghether.

Vaishnavee Sundararaman from: North Allegheny - posted: January 22, 2021
It was very interesting to learn about how the famous We Are the Champions was even made. It was really cool to know the threory behind that song. I reawlly enjoyed him analyzing the most famouse parts of the song.

Olivia Belcher from: North Allegheny - posted: January 23, 2021
Queen is such a unique band that has managed to make music with a lasting impact. I grew up listening to their music, but I never knew "We Are the Champions" had so many different endings!

Rohan Puri from: North Allegheny - posted: January 23, 2021
Queen will forever be a legendary group because of their risk taking and their highly unique style; I am glad that all future generation will know of their success and amazing music.

Nick Brar from: North Allegheny - posted: January 23, 2021
As a group. Queen took many risks that made them very unique. They developed a large fanbase throughout their career.

Eric schaefer from: North Allegheny - posted: January 25, 2021
Queen is one of my favorite bands and the risks they took and their extrermly unique sound alloud them to be as successful as they were.

Erik Bloomquist from: North Allegheny - posted: January 26, 2021
Queen's music has revolutionized rock forever. Their unique style and effect has fundamentally shaped the genre even today.

Grace Elliott from: North Allegheny - posted: January 26, 2021
Queen is iconic and incredible. So many musical elements and great concepts for songs/albums. Love it.

Nick Faber from: North Allegheny - posted: January 26, 2021
Queen revolutionized music with their unconventional style, cementing themselves in our memories with exciting tunes to sing along with. They also had their fair share of memes which I find hilarious

Hunter Badamo from: North Allegheny - posted: January 27, 2021
I'm not a huge Queen fan, but I have to recognize everything they did for rock music. Also, their background vocals are always on point.

Bri Cobbey from: North Allegheny - posted: January 27, 2021
I've always loved how Queen had such a unique sound and now knowing how they played and tied thier songs together, makes it even cooler to listen to.

Josi Pietrzyk from: - posted: January 27, 2021
I think it's like completly bonkers that Freddie Mercurys last name is a mental AND a planet!! Dude wrote some pretty good anthems tho, whatta queen.

Cassandra Pultorak from: North Allegheny - posted: January 27, 2021
I've always listened to Queen, but never made the connections behind their music. One thing I love and would hope to add to my music some day is their ideas behind alternate endings. I admire musicians who step out of the box and switch things up, especially when it occurs similarly to how Queen wrote theirs. It makes sense that they have written so many anthems.

Kai Su from: North Allegheny - posted: January 27, 2021
I have not listened to much of Queen's work, but I can how his harmonic and melodic structures help make "We are the Champions" one of the most powerful musical anthems.

Nathan Lam from: North Allegheny - posted: January 28, 2021
We are the champions is such an iconic song and Queen is such an iconic name

Hyunjun Chang from: North Allegheny - posted: January 28, 2021
I consider Queen a sort of musical epoch. They were legends that engraved their title to the current age, and their rock genre is simply unique to their own. They truly are champions :).

Sophia Elliott from: North Allegheny - posted: January 28, 2021
Queen is so unique and set apart from most rock groups of that era. They are iconic and are very influential for music today.