Headlong (song)
"Headlong" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Queen | ||||
from the album Innuendo | ||||
B-side |
| |||
Released | 14 January 1991 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:38 | |||
Label |
| |||
Songwriter(s) | Queen (Brian May) | |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Queen singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Alternative cover | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Headlong" on YouTube |
"Headlong" is a song by British rock band Queen, released as the third single from their fourteenth studio album, Innuendo (1991). The song was written by Queen guitarist Brian May, who intended to record it for his then-upcoming solo album Back to the Light (1992), but when he heard Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury sing the track, he allowed it to become a Queen song. As with all the songs on Innuendo, the track was promptly credited to the entire band.
The song was the first single to be released in the United States under their contract with
The cover of one of the CD singles is inspired by Grandville illustrations, as are all of the other singles from the album.
Critical reception
Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "Third single from the highly successful album Innuendo, is the kind of hard rock that Van Halen would be jealous of. EHR programmers shouldn't be afraid: it's loud but it's also melodic."[4]
Chart performance
"Headlong" was the third single release from the album Innuendo in the band's native UK. Released in May 1991, it entered the UK singles chart at number 28 in its first week and peaked at number 14 during the following week. In total the song spent 3 weeks within the UK top 40.[5] It was the second highest-charting song, off of the album, after the song "Innuendo", which had reached the top of the charts.[6]
Promotional video
The accompanying
The performance footage (Mercury wearing a yellow sweater) was shot in December 1990 and the studio footage (of Mercury wearing two different blue shirts) in November 1990, both at
Like all other videos for the Innuendo album, the "Headlong" clip was directed by Austrian director team DoRo, consisting of Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rossacher, who had been regularly working for Queen since the video for the 1986 single "Friends Will Be Friends".
B-sides
"All God's People" and "Mad the Swine" accompanied "Headlong" on the flip side. The former alone, on the UK 7-inch single release and both tracks on the UK 12-inch release. "All God's People" is taken from the album Innuendo, where as "Mad the Swine" is a very early, previously unreleased song from 1972.
Track listings
- 7-inch single
- A. "Headlong" – 4:38
- B. "All God's People" – 4:21[7]
- 12-inch and CD single
- "Headlong" – 4:38
- "All God's People" – 4:21
- "Mad the Swine" – 3:19[8]
Personnel
- Freddie Mercury – lead and backing vocals
- Brian May – electric guitar, piano, keyboard, drum programming, backing vocals
- Roger Taylor – drums, backing vocals
- John Deacon – bass guitar
Charts
Chart (1991) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[9] | 119 |
Canada[10] | 25 |
Ireland (IRMA)[11] | 25 |
Netherlands (Dutch Tipparade 40)[12] | 4 |
Netherlands ( Single Top 100)[13]
|
43 |
14 | |
US Mainstream Rock Chart (Billboard)[15] | 3 |
US AOR Track Chart (Radio & Records)[16] | 2 |
References
- ^ "Queen UK Singles Discography 1984-1991". ultimatequeen.co.uk.
- ISBN 9781440803406.
Innuendo also contain powerful hard rock energy with 'Headlong' and 'The Show Must Go On,'
- ^ Dave Simpson (26 October 2018). "Queen's 50 UK singles — ranked!". theguardian.com. The Guardian. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- ^ "Review: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 8 June 1991. p. 12. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ "Queen | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
- ^ "Queen". Official Charts. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Queen "Innuendo" album and song lyrics". ultimatequeen.co.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- ^ "Queen "Queen" album and song lyrics". ultimatequeen.co.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- ^ "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 15 April 1991". Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Bienvenue au site Web BIBLIOTHÈQUE ET ARCHIVES CANADA | Welcome to the LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA website". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
- ^ Jaclyn Ward (1 October 1962). "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
- ^ "Queen - Headlong". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Queen - Headlong". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
- ^ "UK Singles & Albums Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
- ^ "AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
- ^ "AOR Tracks" (PDF). Radio & Records. 15 February 1991. p. 4. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
External links
- Official music video on YouTube
- "Queen - Headlong (single) (1991)". Paulmcgarry.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2007.