Queen’s Fast Version Of ‘We Will Rock You’ Released

Legendary rock band Queen has released a “fast version” of their iconic song “We Will Rock You” that is drastically different from the tune that we are used to hearing. The tune was cut during a 1977 session for DJ John Peel and is part of the forthcoming collection of BBC recordings Queen on Air.

On the same day that their News of the World album was released, lead singer Freddie Mercury and the band laid down the up-tempo version of the track. The original song went on to become a staple in the band’s live performances with its signature stomp/clap beat, but the fast version of the only time that the band ever played this different take on the song in the studio.

“‘We Will Rock You’ – profundity or just another teenage anthem!?” Peel said after playing the track on the air in 1997, according to Rolling Stone. “I’ve never seen them live. I must admit I’d like to – a band that sounds like nutters, actually, and I like that because I like rock music to sound a little out of control.”

“This is one of the great unreleased Queen gems,” Daniel Nester, author of God Save My Queen said. “It’s just really nice to have clean official versions of these. None of the News Of The World-era [BBC sessions] have been officially released. Queen’s reissues are notoriously stingy. This is pretty good actually,” Nester said.

Here’s the track listing for Queen’s upcoming project Queen On Air:

Session 1

1. “My Fairy King”
2. “Keep Yourself Alive”
3. “Doing All Right”
4. “Liar”

Session 2

1. “See What A Fool I’ve Been”
2. “Keep Yourself Alive”
3. “Liar”
4. “Son And Daughter”

Session 3

1. “Ogre Battle”
2. “Modern Times Rock’n’Roll”
3. “Great King Rat”
4. “Son And Daughter”

Session 4

1. “Modern Times Rock’n’Roll”
2. “Nevermore”
3. “White Queen (As It Began)”

Session 5

1. “Now I’m Here”
2. “Stone Cold Crazy”
3. “Flick Of The Wrist”
4. “Tenement Funster”

Session 6

1. “We Will Rock You”
2. “We Will Rock You (Fast)”
3. “Spread Your Wings”
4. “It’s Late”
5. “My Melancholy Blues”

On November 4, Queen On Air will be released everywhere. The tracks will be available on 3LP vinyl and you can preorder it on the band’s website here.

In total there will be 220 minutes of audio including deluxe edition tracks, Queen interviews and radio appearances. Also, there will be a CD that has live concert broad casts from London in 1973, Brazil in 1981, and Germany in 1986.

What do you think? Do you like this new faster version of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” better than the original?

[H/T AV Club, Rolling Stone]