This song was a favorite of Brian May, who said in the commentary of the Greatest Hits 2 DVD: “To my mind this is one of the most beautiful songs that Freddie ever wrote. It’s straight from the heart, and he really opened up during the creation of it, I sat with him for hours and hours and hours just trying pull it away and get the most out of it. It’s one of his loveliest songs.” Brian: But he’s saying you know it’s a hard life and there he is surrounded by all this luxury and stuff and that’s kind of a joke but the odd thing is it’s not a joke for Freddie because Freddie’s a man who has everything. He has enormous worldwide success, he has money, he has everybody falling at his feet, but he’s desperately unhappy in love. And so it’s a joke within a joke you know and I think if you view it in this context, then it all starts to make sense. Roger: I think we look more stupid in this video than any other artist has ever looked in a video. *laughs* Freddie is wearing what we used to refer to as “The Giant Mediterranean Prawn outfit”. I don’t know what we were thinking and I don’t know if the director Tim Pope was taking the piss out of us actually. *laughs* I look equally stupid, as does John who I think was dressed as a horse. That’s a great idea, isn’t it? Fabulous idea! *mocking Freddie voice* “I know what, you dress as a horse, horse’s arse!” Roger: I actually love the record. But I really do hate this video. *laughs* Brian: But even within that there was some fun and we were together and kicking ideas around. But this is a Freddie indulgence and we indulged him. With pleasure I have to say really." The opening lyric and melody of "It's a Hard Life" is based on the line "Ridi, Pagliaccio, sul tuo amore infranto!" (Laugh, clown, at your broken love!) from "Vesti la giubba", an aria from Ruggero Leoncavallo's opera Pagliacci.
Love the live version at Rock n Rio 1985 .. AMAZING!! FYI - If you noticed that Freddie is moving gingerly it’s because he had a cast removed from his leg. Freddie injured his knee in 1984 during revelry at the New York bar in Munich. The cast was removed prior to the film shoot of “It’s A Hard Life” video. Freddie suffered pain during filming! 🦵💋
"It's a long hard fight To learn to care for each other To trust in one another right from the start When you're in love" Trust and loyalty were the most important things to Freddie.
I love this song. Brian said it reflects Freddie's attitudes well. The lady in black who steps on his foot is German actress Barbara Valentin who he was sharing an apartment with for several months in Munich. She said he was the love of her life.
I dont think they actually lived together Her family said they loved each other very much and were sure they would have been together had he not being gay I think he had moved in with Winnie
Gorgeous song that resonates. That woman on the balcony looking down at Freddie is Barbara Valentin - a friend/lover from the wild Munich days. Not hard to see that love infused his life and songs.
The opening is based on an aria from Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. For the first time in ages, no synthesizers were used in the creation of this track and the melody and lyrics (part-written by Brian) I feel make this one of Freddie’s greatest songs. This song was written after Freddie's relationship with his German boyfriend Winnie Kirchberger ended. Freddie's heart was broken. The video was entirely Freddie’s idea - he had wanted to recreate the set of the Pagliacci opera. John and Roger hated their costumes but Brian was enamored with the custom guitar he had as a prop - he still has it. Almost as if to contrast the melancholic mood of the lyrics, the video features Freddie surrounded by high decadence, which is enjoyed by all around him (except Roger and John who, again, hated their costumes). The video was an expensive one with its large number of extras and the enormous set, the video also featured Brian's custom-made guitar. Made for him in Japan, the piece with its skull-shaped body and long, bone-shaped neck was impossible to play which was far too small for Brian, but at the cost of over £1000. You may have spotted how Freddie takes his time to sit down on the steps in the final shot of the video. This was because of an earlier injury: he had damaged ligaments in his knee outside a club in Munich and it is clear from the way he lowered himself onto the stair that he was still in some discomfort from the injury. Thankfully, I'm sure that Freddie’s assistants were on hand with vodka and champagne for all still on set by the time the director called the final ‘cut’. FYI - Freddie's godson, Freddie Mack (son of Reinhold Mack, Queen's engineer), requested that his godfather, Freddie, wear this costume at his birthday party. As a good godfather, Freddie brought the costume to the party but neglected to bring any assistants to help him get into the costume. Guests heard him struggling ( and mumbling curses at himself) as he changed into the costume but he finally accomplished the task. Young Freddie and his guests loved it!! There is a great picture online if you search.
I have always thought this was an amazing masterpiece. I had nearly forgotten about it . This is literally the first time I have heard it in several years. NO ONE I really mean (NO ONE) could compose a wonder the way Queen could. Every Little musical nuance, the counterpoint , the layered orchestra of guitars by Brian, and the impeccably crafted vocals were unparalleled in POP /Rock music then , and now. I know I have said it before but these guys earned every damn letter in the word Genius. Thanks Rad for reminding me how awesome this song is.
More Freddie yay! I listen to him daily. Thanks. You might react to their Japanese song Teo Torriati which Brian wrote including a verse in Japanese that Freddie sang in Japanese! They loved Queen. And vice versa.
Freddie loved the idea for the video. The other guys not so much. This song shows off Freddie's vocals really well. Almost all styles in the first what...15 seconds? Beautiful song.
Great song, great reaction. I'm just curious how deep you're going to delve into the deep cuts once the better known songs have been exhausted. This has been such a fun journey with you, going from "Who's Queen?" to fan to fanatic (like the rest of us). Glad you're back to Queen Sundays and I'm liking Bee Gees Saturdays, too!
Goo ahead, Rad--grin because Freddie's costume for this video is one critiqued by *many*. For me this important, deeply meaningful song made it greatest impact when I looked past the busy visuals. As @janiceduke commented below, and to agree with Dr. Brian May, 'It's a Hard Life' is one of the most beautiful songs Freddie ever wrote
I freaking love this song, but the video?...Huh? I just don't get it. A lot of their videos are pretty out there, but this seems from a galaxy far far away.
![SO RELATABLE! Queen - It's A Hard Life (Official Video) [REACTION!]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Pz52X6k9ulo/mqdefault.jpg)
Wow~ that song ~ that voice ~ just pierces the soul!
This song was a favorite of Brian May, who said in the commentary of the Greatest Hits 2 DVD: “To my mind this is one of the most beautiful songs that Freddie ever wrote. It’s straight from the heart, and he really opened up during the creation of it, I sat with him for hours and hours and hours just trying pull it away and get the most out of it. It’s one of his loveliest songs.” Brian: But he’s saying you know it’s a hard life and there he is surrounded by all this luxury and stuff and that’s kind of a joke but the odd thing is it’s not a joke for Freddie because Freddie’s a man who has everything. He has enormous worldwide success, he has money, he has everybody falling at his feet, but he’s desperately unhappy in love. And so it’s a joke within a joke you know and I think if you view it in this context, then it all starts to make sense. Roger: I think we look more stupid in this video than any other artist has ever looked in a video. *laughs* Freddie is wearing what we used to refer to as “The Giant Mediterranean Prawn outfit”. I don’t know what we were thinking and I don’t know if the director Tim Pope was taking the piss out of us actually. *laughs* I look equally stupid, as does John who I think was dressed as a horse. That’s a great idea, isn’t it? Fabulous idea! *mocking Freddie voice* “I know what, you dress as a horse, horse’s arse!” Roger: I actually love the record. But I really do hate this video. *laughs* Brian: But even within that there was some fun and we were together and kicking ideas around. But this is a Freddie indulgence and we indulged him. With pleasure I have to say really." The opening lyric and melody of "It's a Hard Life" is based on the line "Ridi, Pagliaccio, sul tuo amore infranto!" (Laugh, clown, at your broken love!) from "Vesti la giubba", an aria from Ruggero Leoncavallo's opera Pagliacci.
Absolutely love the song but prefer the live version and don't care for this video.
Hello my beautiful friend!! Just got back from camping with family .. Grandchildren are the best of times!! I’ll send pics!! Love you 😍❤️
@@debramoore7513 💛💜 MISS DEBRA!!
Love the live version at Rock n Rio 1985 .. AMAZING!! FYI - If you noticed that Freddie is moving gingerly it’s because he had a cast removed from his leg. Freddie injured his knee in 1984 during revelry at the New York bar in Munich. The cast was removed prior to the film shoot of “It’s A Hard Life” video. Freddie suffered pain during filming! 🦵💋
"It's a long hard fight
To learn to care for each other
To trust in one another right from the start
When you're in love"
Trust and loyalty were the most important things to Freddie.
it's a hard life, In a world that's filled with sorrow, There are people searching for love in every way 🎼🎵🎶
I love this song. Brian said it reflects Freddie's attitudes well. The lady in black who steps on his foot is German actress Barbara Valentin who he was sharing an apartment with for several months in Munich. She said he was the love of her life.
I dont think they actually lived together
Her family said they loved each other very much and were sure they would have been together had he not being gay
I think he had moved in with Winnie
Please react to the live version of this at Rio. It's a great performance!
Only just got this song out of my head yesterday... now it's in there again thanks to you!!😂😉
You should do the live version of this from Rio. Amazing performance.
Gorgeous song that resonates. That woman on the balcony looking down at Freddie is Barbara Valentin - a friend/lover from the wild Munich days. Not hard to see that love infused his life and songs.
The opening is based on an aria from Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. For the first time in ages, no synthesizers were used in the creation of this track and the melody and lyrics (part-written by Brian) I feel make this one of Freddie’s greatest songs. This song was written after Freddie's relationship with his German boyfriend Winnie Kirchberger ended. Freddie's heart was broken.
The video was entirely Freddie’s idea - he had wanted to recreate the set of the Pagliacci opera. John and Roger hated their costumes but Brian was enamored with the custom guitar he had as a prop - he still has it. Almost as if to contrast the melancholic mood of the lyrics, the video features Freddie surrounded by high decadence, which is enjoyed by all around him (except Roger and John who, again, hated their costumes).
The video was an expensive one with its large number of extras and the enormous set, the video also featured Brian's custom-made guitar. Made for him in Japan, the piece with its skull-shaped body and long, bone-shaped neck was impossible to play which was far too small for Brian, but at the cost of over £1000.
You may have spotted how Freddie takes his time to sit down on the steps in the final shot of the video. This was because of an earlier injury: he had damaged ligaments in his knee outside a club in Munich and it is clear from the way he lowered himself onto the stair that he was still in some discomfort from the injury. Thankfully, I'm sure that Freddie’s assistants were on hand with vodka and champagne for all still on set by the time the director called the final ‘cut’.
FYI - Freddie's godson, Freddie Mack (son of Reinhold Mack, Queen's engineer), requested that his godfather, Freddie, wear this costume at his birthday party. As a good godfather, Freddie brought the costume to the party but neglected to bring any assistants to help him get into the costume. Guests heard him struggling ( and mumbling curses at himself) as he changed into the costume but he finally accomplished the task. Young Freddie and his guests loved it!! There is a great picture online if you search.
I have always thought this was an amazing masterpiece. I had nearly forgotten about it . This is literally the first time I have heard it in several years. NO ONE I really mean (NO ONE) could compose a wonder the way Queen could. Every Little musical nuance, the counterpoint , the layered orchestra of guitars by Brian, and the impeccably crafted vocals were unparalleled in POP /Rock music then , and now. I know I have said it before but these guys earned every damn letter in the word Genius. Thanks Rad for reminding me how awesome this song is.
Hey Hon,
This song is absolutely STUNNING, LIVE at:
Rock In Rio, 1985
(The FIRST night Jan 12, NOT the second night Jan 19!)…
OR at:
Japan in 1985
😻
I absolutely loved this song and video ❤️
More Freddie yay! I listen to him daily. Thanks. You might react to their Japanese song Teo Torriati which Brian wrote including a verse in Japanese that Freddie sang in Japanese! They loved Queen. And vice versa.
Freddie loved the idea for the video. The other guys not so much. This song shows off Freddie's vocals really well. Almost all styles in the first what...15 seconds? Beautiful song.
Glad you're doing QUEEN Sundays again...Roger and John hated their costumes
Great song, great reaction. I'm just curious how deep you're going to delve into the deep cuts once the better known songs have been exhausted. This has been such a fun journey with you, going from "Who's Queen?" to fan to fanatic (like the rest of us). Glad you're back to Queen Sundays and I'm liking Bee Gees Saturdays, too!
Good to see you back boss. Try Queen “was it all worth it “ 🔥🔥🔥I’ll be looking for it
Goo ahead, Rad--grin because Freddie's costume for this video is one critiqued by *many*. For me this important, deeply meaningful song made it greatest impact when I looked past the busy visuals. As @janiceduke commented below, and to agree with Dr. Brian May, 'It's a Hard Life' is one of the most beautiful songs Freddie ever wrote
Amo este video, esta canción, es todo perfecto 🌠 Freddie y sus ideas 😁👌
A very strange video of an excellent song….Freddie voice is just perfection. One of my favorites.
Really beautiful song, but the guys hated their costumes. Brian & Roger thought Freddie looked like a giant prawn.
Found you're channel this afternoon. You have some great tracks. I would like to hear you react to Amy Winehouse if possible. I think you will enjoy.
I don't like the video, but the song is fantastic, Freddie wrote it from his heart and of course his vocals are beautiful..
I freaking love this song, but the video?...Huh? I just don't get it. A lot of their videos are pretty out there, but this seems from a galaxy far far away.