Recorded August 1983 to January 1984 at Record Plant LA and Musicland Studios
UK release: Monday 27th February 1984
Highest Chart Position: 1 (93 weeks on chart)
Award status: Platinum
USA release: 28th February 1984
Highest Chart Position: 23 (20 weeks on chart)
Highest Japanese Chart Position: 7 (11 weeks on chart)
Highest Dutch Chart Position: 1
Highest Italian Chart Position: 2 (16 weeks on chart)
Produced by Queen and Mack
Engineered by Mack
Cover Concept by Queen

In 1982 there was a lot of tension between the members of Queen. Hot Space didn't have the expected acceptance between the fans, and they had one of the heaviest tours of their career. Rumors of a break up where all around, but they just needed a break, so they decided to take 1983 off. Later on, they gather together for a new project, in which they decided not to make the same mistake they did with 'Hot Space'. It wasn't an easy come back for Queen, while Michael Jackson was still at the top of the charts of almost every single country in the world, even after 'Thriller' was released one year ago. Still, that didn't stop 'The Works' from being another major worldwide success for Queen.

ALBUM AVERAGE RATING: 8.6

Radio Ga Ga

Words and music by Roger Taylor
Released On January 23rd 1984
Highest UK Chart Position: 2 (9 weeks on chart)
Highest USA Chart Position: 16 (13 weeks on chart)
Highest Australian Chart Position: 3 (13 weeks on chart)
Highest Italian Chart Position: 1 (4 months on chart)
Highest Japanese Chart Position: 89 (4 weeks on chart)
Highest Dutch Chart Position: 1 - for 1 week (9 weeks on chart)
Fred Mandel: synthesizer arrangements and programming

While Queen was on break, some reporters from a radio station came to Roger's home for an interview. Roger's 3 year old son, Felix, was walking around, and when he heard the radio was coming he said: "Radio, Poo Poo". That inspired Roger to write this song. The song became soon an anthem for Queen fans, where they would clap their hands along. The video feautures clips from the old film 'Metropolis'. This song is considered by some, as a protest against MTV.

Rating: 9.3
I'd sit alone and watch your light
My only friend through teenage nights
And everything I had to know, I heard it on my radio
You gave them all those old time stars
Through wars of worlds - invaded by Mars
You made 'em laugh - you made 'em cry
You made us feel like we could fly

So don't become some background noise
A backdrop for the girls and boys
Who just don't know or just don't care
And just complain when you're not there
You had your time you had the power
You've yet to have your finest hour
Radio

All we hear is Radio ga-ga
Radio goo-goo, Radio ga-ga
All we hear is Radio ga-ga, Radio blah blah
Radio what's new?, Radio someone still loves you

We watch the shows - we watch the stars
On videos for hours and hours
We hardly need to use our ears
How music changes through the years
Let's hope you never leave old friend
Like all good things on you we depend
So stick around because we might miss you
When we grow tired of all this visual
You had your time you had the power
You've yet to have your finest hour
Radio

All we hear is Radio ga-ga
Radio goo-goo, Radio ga-ga
All we hear is Radio ga-ga
Radio goo-goo, Radio ga-ga
All we hear is Radio ga-ga, Radio blah blah
Radio what's new? Someone still loves you
Radio ga-ga, Radio ga-ga
Radio ga-ga, Radio
You had your time you had the power
You've yet to have your finest hour
Radio

Tear It Up
Words and music by Brian May

One of the two heavy songs of the album. An of course, written by the curly heavy guy, Mr. Brian May. Linked in some way to 'Radio Ga Ga' at the end of the lyrics.

Rating: 8.5
Are you ready? - well are you ready?
We're gonna tear it up
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Give me your mind baby give me your body
Give me some time baby let's have a party
It ain't no time for sleeping baby
Soon it's round your street I'm creeping
You'd better be ready

We gonna Tear it up, Stir it up, Break it up - baby
You gonna Tear it up, Shake it up, Make it up - as you go along
Tear it up, Square it up, Wake it up - baby
Tear it up, Stir it up, Stake it out - and you can't go wrong

(Hey listen)
I love you because you're sweet and I love you because you're naughty
I love you for your mind baby give me your body
I wanna be a toy at your birthday party
Wind me up - wind me up - wind me up - let me go

Tear it up, Stir it up, Break it up - let me go
Tear it up, Shake it up, Make it up - as you go along
Tear it up, Turn it up, Burn it up

Are you ready?(Oh yeah)
Baby, baby, baby, are you ready for me?(Oh yeah)
Baby baby baby are you ready for love?(Oh yeah)
Are you ready - are you ready - are you ready for me?(Oh yeah)
I love you so near I love you so far
I gotta tell you baby you're driving me Ga Ga

It's A Hard Life

Words and music by Freddie Mercury
Released on July 16th 1984
Highest UK Chart Position: 6 (9 weeks on chart)
Highest USA Chart Position: 72 (4 weeks on chart)
Highest Australian Chart Position: 87

The introduction is based on the aria "Vesti La Giubba" from Leoncavallo's opera "I Pagliacci". The video feautures the members of Queen with XVII century style clothes.

Rating: 8.6
I don't want my freedom
There's no reason for living with a broken heart
This is a tricky situation, I've only got myself to blame
It's just a simple fact of life, It can happen to anyone
You win - you lose
It's a chance you have to take with love
Oh yeah - I fell in love
And now you say it's over and I'm falling apart

It's a hard life, to be true lovers together
To love and live forever in each others hearts
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

I try and mend the broken pieces, I try to fight back the tears
They say it's just a state of mind, But it happens to everyone
How it hurts - deep inside
When your love has cut you down to size
Life is tough - on your own
Now I'm waiting for something to fall from the skies
And I'm waiting for love

Yes it's a hard life, two lovers together
To love and live forever in each others hearts
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

Yes it's a hard life
In a world that's filled with sorrow
There are people searching for love in every way
It's a long hard fight, But I'll always live for tomorrow
I'll look back on myself and say I did it for love
Yes I did it for love (for love) oh I did it for love

Man On The Prowl
Words and music by Freddie Mercury
Fred Mandel: piano

This is a rockabilly that sounds like 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'. It has a taste of Elvis with Jerry Lee Lewis.

Rating: 8.5
I'm gonna take a little walk on the wild side
I'm gonna loosen up and get me some gas
I'm gonna get me some action, go crazy driving is the fast lane
My baby left me alone
She done me dirty and I'm feeling so lonely
So come home, come home
If you don't you're gonna break my heart

Man on the prowl, you'd better watch out
I'm on the loose and I'm looking for trouble
So look out (yeah, yeah) - look out (yeah, yeah)
I'm a man on the prowl

I don't wanna be a rock'n'roll steady
I just wanna be low down trash
I wanna go to the movies, all I wanna do is sit on my ass
So honey come home (come home, come home)
Don't leave me when I'm feeling so lonely
Come home (yeah, yeah) - come home (yeah, yeah)
If you don't you're gonna break my heart

Man on the prowl, You'd better watch out
I'm on the loose and I'm looking for trouble
So look out (yeah, yeah) - look out (yeah, yeah)
Because I'm a man on the prowl

Well I keep dreaming about my baby
But it ain't gonna get me nowhere
I'm gonna teach my baby dancing
But I ain't no Fred Astaire

So baby look out - I'm a man on the prowl
Look out - man on the prowl - yeah!
Baby, baby, baby look out - man on the prowl

So baby come home
I'm on the loose and I'm looking for trouble
Baby come home - oh yeah!
Because I'm a man on the prowl
So honey come home - come home
Because I'm a man on the prowl - yeah!
Man on the prowl

Machines(or Back To Humans)
Words and music by Brian May and Roger Taylor
Mack: demolition fairlight programming

It seems like Queen still wanted to make another little musical experiment like 'Hot Space', but this one also didn't work out so well. A song about the technological computer revolution seen in the last 25 years. Listening to the lyrics, remind me of 'Terminator'.

Rating: 7.7
Machines...
It's a machines world, Don't tell me I ain't got no soul
When the machines take over, It ain't no place for rock and roll
They tell me I don't care, But deep inside I'm just a man
They freeze me, they burn me, They squeeze me, they stress me
With smoke blackened pistons of steel they compress me
But no-one, but no-one but, no-one can wrest me away
Back to humans

We have no disease no trouble of mind
No thank you or please no regard for the time
We never cry we never retreat
We have no conception of love or defeat

What's that machine noise? It's bytes and megachips for tea
It's that machine boys, With random access memory
Never worry, never mind, Not for money not for gold
Its software, is hardware, its heartbeat, is time-share
Its midwife's a disc drive, its sex life, is quantised
It's self-perpetuating a parahumanoidarianised
Back to humans, Back to humans
Back to machines

Machines...
Living in a new world, Thinking in the past
Living in a new world, How you gonna last?
Machine world, Back to humans
It's a machines world, Thinking in the past (back to humans)
Living in a new world, How you gonna last?
Machine world, It's a machine's world
Back to humans, Living in a new world
How you gonna last? Machine world
It's a machine's world

I Want To Break Free

Words and music by John Deacon
Released on April 2nd 1984
Highest UK Chart Position: 3 (15 weeks on chart)
Highest USA Chart Position: 45 (8 weeks on chart)
Highest Australian Chart Position: 9 (13 weeks on chart)
Highest Dutch Chart Position: 1 - for 2 weeks (12 weeks on chart)
Fred Mandel: synth

One of the most interesting things about this song is the music video. It feautures the members of Queen dresing in a drag in a parody of the British soap opera 'Coronation Street', that was one of the reasons why Freddie was asked in Brazil by a reporter from O GloboTV if the song was an invitation to the gay world. Freddie was cool, and nicely he said 'No'. However the idea about dressing in a drag, wasn't Freddie's... it was Roger's. The song was banned in America by MTV, and led Queen to decide not to tour the States for the rest of their careers.

Rating: 9.3
I want to break free, I want to break free
I want to break free from your lies
You're so self satisfied I don't need you
I've got to break free
God knows, God knows I want to break free

I've fallen in love
I've fallen in love for the first time
And this time I know it's for real
I've fallen in love, yeah
God knows, God knows I've fallen in love
It's strange but it's true
I can't get over the way you love me like you do
But I have to be sure, When I walk out that door
Oh how I want to be free baby, Oh how I want to be free
Oh how I want to break free

But life still goes on
I can't get used to living without, living without
Living without you by my side
I don't want to live alone, hey
God knows got to make it on my own
So baby can't you see, I've got to break free
I've got to break free, I want to break free, yeah
I want, I want, I want, I want to break free....

Keep Passing The Open Windows
Words and music by Freddie Mercury

Written for the film "Hotel New Hampshire", but never used in the soundtrack. A song for those who are thinking about killing themselves, like 'Don't Try Suicide' from 'The Game'. Believe me, I've had those kind of thoughts... and I guess many people out there have also too. That's why I think that listening to Queen, is better than using 'Prozac'.

Rating: 8.3
This is the only life for me
Surround myself around my own fantasy
You just gotta be strong and believe in yourself
Forget all the sadness cos' love is all you need
Love is all you need

Do you know what it's like to be alone in this world
When you're down and out on your luck and you're a failure?
Wake up screaming in the middle of the night
You think it's all been a waste of time, It's been a bad year
You start believing everything's gonna be alright
Next minute you're down and you're flat on your back
A brand new day is beginning
Get that sunny feeling and you're on your way

Just believe - just keep passing the open windows
Just believe - just keep passing the open windows

Do you know how it feels when you don't have a friend
Without a job and no money to spend?, You're a stranger
All you think about is suicide
One of these days you're gonna lose the fight
You'd better keep out of danger - yeah!
That same old feeling just keeps burning deep inside
Keep telling yourself it's gonna be the end
Oh get yourself together, Things are looking better everyday

Just believe - just keep passing the open windows
Just believe - just keep passing the open windows

This is the only life for me
Surround myself around my own fantasy
You just gotta be strong and believe in yourself
Forget all the sadness because love is all you need
Love is all you need

Just believe - just keep passing the open windows
Just believe - just keep passing the open windows
You just gotta be strong and believe in yourself
Forget all the sadness because love is all you need - yeah
Love is all you need, Baby - love is all you need
Just believe - just keep passing the open windows
Just believe - just keep passing the open windows
Just keep passing the open windows...

Hammer To Fall

Words and music by Brian May
Released On September 10th 1984
Highest UK Chart Position: 13 (7 weeks on chart)
Highest USA Chart Position: did not chart
Highest Australian Chart Position: 55
Fred Mandel: candy floss

This song KICKS ASS!! It's one of those Brian's heavy songs that can tear whole stadiums apart. Still one of those songs that Brian always plays on every solo gig. Probably influenced by AC DC, since it has a sound very similar to that band, and because it's one of Brian's favorites.

Rating: 9.2
Here we stand or here we fall, History won't care at all
Make the bed light the light, Lady Mercy won't be home tonight, yeah
You don't waste no time at all
Don't hear the bell but you answer the call
It comes to you as to us all
We're just waiting for the hammer to fall

Oh every night and every day, A little piece of you is falling away
But lift your face the Western Way, Build your muscles as your body decays, yeah
Toe your line and play their game, yeah
Let the anaesthetic cover it all
Till one day they call your name
You know it's time for the hammer to fall

Rich or poor or famous, For your truth it's all the same (oh no, oh no)
Lock your door the rain is pouring through your window pane (oh no)
Baby now your struggle's all in vain

For we who grew up tall and proud, In the shadow of the mushroom cloud
Convinced our voices can't be heard, We just wanna scream it louder, and louder, louder
What the hell we fighting for?
Just surrender and it won't hurt at all
You just got time to say your prayers
While your waiting for the hammer to, hammer to fall

It's gonna fall
Hammer..you know..hammer to fall
Waiting for the hammer to fall, now baby
While you're waiting for the hammer to fall

Give it to me one more time!

Is This The World We Created
Words and music by Brian May and Freddie Mercury

This is a song that has a very nice acoustic live version, even though they just needed Freddie's voice and Brian's guitar to perform it. It was the second last song performed at Live Aid, before the grand finale. A very short song, with a very nice message of hope, and care for all the poor people around the world. Definitely, perfect for Live Aid.

Rating: 9.0
Just look at all those hungry mouths we have to feed
Take a look at all the suffering we breed
So many lonely faces scattered all around
Searching for what they need

Is this the world we created?, What did we do it for?
Is this the world we invaded, against the law?
So it seems in the end, Is this what we're all living for today?
The world that we created

You know that every day a helpless child is born
Who needs some loving care inside a happy home
Somewhere a wealthy man is sitting on his throne
Waiting for life to go by

Is this the world we created?, We made it on our own
Is this the world we devastated, right to the bone?
If there's a God in the sky looking down
What can he think of what we've done
To the world that He created?

I Go Crazy
Words and music by Brian May and Freddie Mercury

Someone said once in a Queen message board, that this song is about a girl who went to a Queen concert, and got a backstage pass, she met Freddie and both ended up doing 'That thing'. Her boyfriend knew what happened and since that day he hated Queen more than anything else.

Rating: 8.6
I took my baby dancing, to see a heavy band
But I never saw my baby 'til the encore
She had the singer by the hand
I didn't wanna cry because I had to be cool
I didn't wanna tell you that you're much too cruel
Did you have to run off with that doggone fool...

All I gotta do is think about you
Every night and day I go crazy
All I gotta do is get my hands on you
You better stay away from me baby...

I wouldn't mind the postman, if the neighbours didn't know
Or the gas man,electric man,man to fix the car
I'd have to let it go
But you had to bring me down for a rock'n'roll clone
Leave me like a sucker standing all alone
Did you have to run off with that rolling stone?
Go ahead fool

All I gotta do is think about you
Every night and day I go crazy
All I gotta do is get my hands on you
You better stay away from me baby.

So I ain't gonna go and see the Rolling Stones, no more
I don't wanna go and see Queen no more, no more
I ain't gonna go and see the Rolling Stones, no more
I don't wanna go and see Queen no more, no more

Now I don't wanna hurt you, like you been a-hurting me
But you know I'll be watching
Rolling on the floor next time you're on TV
Had enough of your pretending that you know where it's at
Coming on to all the boys like a real spoilt brat
To think I nearly let you get away with all that
No way man

All I gotta do is think about you
Every night and day I go crazy
All I gotta do is get my hands on you
You better stay away from me baby
Oooh you'd better stay away from me baby
Baby, baby, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy...