Description
“Now I’m Here” is a song by the English rock band Queen. The sixth song on their third album, Sheer Heart Attack, it was written by lead guitarist Brian May while he was in hospital with hepatitis. The song is noted for its hard riff and vocal harmonies. In the UK, the song hit #11 on the charts when released as a single in 1975. The song was a live favourite, performed at virtually every concert from late 1974 through 1986.
It was featured on the 1981 compilation album Greatest Hits and also on 1997 compilation album Queen Rocks. In March 2005, Q magazine placed “Now I’m Here” at number 29 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.
The lyric “Down in the city just Hoople and me” is a reference to when Queen was touring with the band Mott the Hoople earlier in their career. The “city” is “New york”. “Hoople” is “Mott The Hoople”.
Near the end, the lyrics “Go, go, go, little queenie” can be heard, a reference to the Chuck Berrys 1959 B-side “Little Queenie.”
In concert, a double was used with lighting cues to create the illusion that Mercury was disappearing from one side of the stage and reappearing on another. The double was actually their road manager, dressed with Mercurys outfit and a wig.
Personnel:
John Deacon: Bass guitar.
Brian May: Lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals and piano.
Roger Taylor: Drums, backing vocals.
Freddie Mercury: Vocals.
B-side “Lily of the Valley (Single Edit)”
Released 17 January 1975
Format Vinyl record (7″)
Recorded 1974
Genre heavy metal
Length 4:12
Label EMI, Elektra
Writer(s) Brian May
Producer Roy Thomas Baker and Queen
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This song, written by Queen guitarist Brian May, is about the hard, fast, good and bad times of extensive touring, which the band did during their first few years. As the band have been quick to note, their success did not come overnight – success in America particularly was laid by many years of touring there in the 1970s, and battling against the common “east coast” style rock of the Eagles and Steely Dan which was very much the sound of American Rock radio around that time.
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In 1974 Queen supported the band Mott the Hoople in America. This tour provided the inspiration for this song, which contains the lyrics “Down in the city, just Hoople and me.”
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Queen had a great time on tour with Mott the Hoople, but unfortunately Brian May fell ill near the end of the tour with severe hepatitis and spent many of the sessions for Sheer Heart Attack recovering in hospital. He since admitted that he was nervous that the band would find a replacement, and he was determined to keep working to stop that from happening.
As it turned out, the band never even considered replacing May, and even left space in the songs they were already working on for him to add his parts when he was healthy enough. Even so, “Now I’m Here” is one of May’s first songs that he wrote for the album once coming back to health, and the loud and strutting nature of the song suggests the tone of a man re-energised and ready to play again.
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Clearly “Now I’m Here” is a song many in the band were fond of – including Brian May. Freddie Mercury said in a 1976 interview with Record Mirror: “It was nice. That was a Brian May thing. We released it after “Killer Queen.” And it’s a total contrast, just a total contrast. It was just to show people we can still do rock ‘n’ roll – we haven’t forgotten our rock ‘n’ roll roots. It’s nice to do on stage. I enjoyed doing that on stage.” It holds the record as the Queen song which lasted in their live set the longest, from release in 1974 right through to their final stadium shows in 1986. It also regularly appeared on live compilations and B-side releases. May himself continued to play it long after Mercury’s death, both solo (Live Brixton Academy 1993), guesting live with Def Leppard at the 1991 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, and with Queen+ tours
Lyrics:
Look around around around around around
But you won’t see me (but you won’t see me)
Now I’m there (now I’m there)
I’m just a
Just a new man
Yes you made me live again, wow
And the light of the night burned bright
The people all stared didn’t understand
But you knew my name on sight
America’s new bride to be, ooh, don’t worry baby I’m safe and sound
Yes you made me live again, yeah
Where the beams of your lovelight chase
Don’t move, don’t speak, don’t feel no pain
With the rain running down my face
And many a tear lives on in my eye
Don’t I love him so
Ooh, don’t I love him so
I love to leave my memory with you
Think I’ll stay around around around around around around
Down in the city justa you ‘n’ me (down in the city justa you ‘n’ me)
Don’t I love you so
Go, go, go, little Queenie
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