For My Sunday Song #225, we are going to dive in to the Queen classic, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” off the band’s 1980 album, ‘The Game’. The song went all the way to #1 on the US Billboard Charts and sold over a million copies making it a platinum selling single. Not too shabby.
The song was written by Freddie Mercury and was a tribute to none other than Elvis Presley. Freddie wrote the song in only about 10 minutes and he wrote it playing a guitar. Freddie also plays rhythm guitar on the song as well which if I’m not mistaken is the first time he had ever done that for one of the band’s songs. In a Melody Maker interview back in 1980, Freddie had this to say about the song…
‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ took me five or ten minutes. I did that on the guitar, which I can’t play for nuts, and in one way it was quite a good thing because I was restricted, knowing only a few chords. It’s a good discipline because I simply had to write within a small framework. I couldn’t work through too many chords and because of that restriction I wrote a good song, I think. (Freddie Mercury)
I would say he did. The song is so simple, yet it is amazingly catchy and bores into your brain where it lives like a welcomed memory. It is almost magical. Once you here those first few notes, you know you are in for a good time as it has that old school rockabilly rhythm that you can’t wait to get to the sock hop and dance your ass off.
I am sure you’ve heard this one before, but who cares, give it another listen and let me know what you think. Thank you so much for stopping by and hope you have a Happy Sunday!!
“Crazy Little Thing Called Love”
This thing called love
I just can’t handle it
This thing called love
I must get round to it
I ain’t ready
Crazy little thing called love
This thing (this thing) called love (called love)
It cries (like a baby) in a cradle all night
It swings (ooh, ooh), it jives (ooh, ooh)
It shakes all over like a jelly fish,
I kinda like it
Crazy little thing called love
There goes my baby
She knows how to rock-n-roll
She drives me crazy
She gives me hot and cold fever
She leaves me in a cool, cool sweat
I gotta be cool, relax, get hip
Get on my tracks
Take a back seat, hitch-hike
And take a long ride on my motorbike
Until I’m ready
Crazy little thing called love
I gotta be cool, relax, get hip
And get on my tracks
Take a back seat, hitch-hike
And take a long ride on my motorbike
Until I’m ready (Ready Freddie)
Crazy little thing called love
This thing called love
I just can’t handle it
This thing called love
I must get round to it
I ain’t ready
Crazy little thing called love [repeat to fade]
Written by Freddie Mercury
Robert Plant does a great cover of this at the Freddie tribute concert
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I remember that cover and I agree. His personality fit that song very well!
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I believe you are right, it is a great cover. I remember hearing that one.
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Hands down my all-time favorite Queen song.
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I heard this song on ‘American Idol’ and it’s been covered a thousand times, but it is a classic!
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You know a song is good when it gets covered on American Idol. It is wild to think how many people first heard a lot of these classic songs thanks to that show.
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Not true! AC/DC was never covered on Idol (probably because the band didn’t want the contestants to destroy their songs). Yeah it’s insane, that show was my first introduction to Queen, Foreigner, Heart, Simple Minds, Aerosmith, and the list goes on and on!
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A cool track from what I would consider my favourite Queen album! The Game cover is still one of my all time favs.
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Cool album. I think my favorite is Sheer Heart Attack. I will have to listen to the Game again in more detail. Heck, I really need to dive in to them all again.
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The very first time I heard this song, I thought it actually was Elvis! You’re right here, it’s so simple and yet so good. Freddie Mercury was a brilliant song writer.
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That whole band was. Sometimes simple is all you need.
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Yes it is.
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I love the old school feels on this, and it’s catchy as hell. One my all-timer Queen tracks that I believe cannot be overplayed.
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Great song…it’s funny after all of their complex arrangements on some of their other songs…one of their greatest is this straight ahead fifties rocker.
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That is an interesting point. These guys could do it all.
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Freddie even sings it like Elvis. The best tribute.
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Thank you, thank you very much (in my best Elvis impersonation)
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Lol
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One of the many songs that got me into Queen. It reminded me of the Honeydrippers. I knew I could get into this band.
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If u have an hour to spare maybe check out BJ facebook page for the hour long live concert they did since there is not gonna be a tour. Would love to hear your thoughts on the show since u said u probably won’t be hearing the new songs and will not get the new album. This way the only cost will be your time and hopefully it will not be a total waste. I’m still loving 2020 album.
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Thanks for letting me know. I did check it out (skipped a couple songs i don’t like), but all in all it was an enjoyable set. He sounded better than I am used to hearing. Still not a fan of the album though :-). But American Reckoning is a great song.
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