Back to the Light

"The Dark" is the album's "short keyboard and guitar intro,"{{Cite book |last=Purvis |first=Georg |title=Queen: Complete Works |publisher=Titan Books |year=2011 |isbn=9780857685513 |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=134}} "an atmospheric opener...recorded during sessions for Flash Gordon in 1980 at Anvil Studios with orchestrations by Howard Blake."{{Cite book |last=Purvis |first=Georg |title=Queen: Complete Works |publisher=Titan Books |year=2011 |isbn=9780857685513 |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=154}} The lyrics are reminiscent of a lullaby.{{Citation |title=Brian May – The Dark |url=https://genius.com/Brian-may-the-dark-lyrics |access-date=2022-07-04}}

"Back to the Light" is "an outpouring of emotion," and was first performed live on The Tonight Show, 5 April 1993.{{Citation |title=The Brian May Band – Back to the Light & Tie Your Mother Down (Tonight Show, 5/04/93) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02d1nl9Xpdw |language=en |access-date=2022-06-24}} The Time Traveller music video, released as part of the re-released album in 2021, features May travelling back in time to his younger self.{{Citation |title=Brian May – Back To The Light: The Time Traveller 1992–2021 (Official Video) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvmp8YhEgQk |language=en |access-date=2022-07-04}}

"Love Token", "a well-constructed track", is dominated by Cozy Powell's "thunderous drums[, which] give the song its catchy rhythm....The song was performed live on the Back to the Light Tour, usually after 'Back to the Light' (on the 1992 leg) or 'Tie Your Mother Down' (during the first part of 1993), before becoming an abridged intro to 'Headlong', as evident on the...album Live At The Brixton Academy."{{Cite book |last=Purivs |first=Georg |title=Queen: Complete Works |publisher=Titan Books |year=2011 |isbn=9780857685513 |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=222}} The original "explicit" version was never officially released, and was only found on a free CD packaged with Rock Compact Disc Magazine, Vol. 4, 1991.{{Cite web |title=QueenVault.com – RCD Classic Rock Collection Vol. 4 (1991) |url=http://www.queenvault.com/rcdcd.html |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=www.queenvault.com}} The lyrics speak of a family splitting apart.{{Citation |title=Brian May – Love Token |url=https://genius.com/Brian-may-love-token-lyrics |access-date=2022-07-04}}

"Resurrection" is a duet between Powell's drum and May's guitar work and vocals, a tribute to a friendship which would be cut short by Powell's premature death in 1998. It was initially recorded as 'Ride to Win' on Cozy Powell's 1992 solo album, The Drums Are Back. "The lyrics feature few references to organized religion, being of a more personal nature, as elsewhere on Back to the Light, [May] channels his confusion of life without [Mercury] into song."{{Cite book |last=Purvis |first=Georg |title=Queen: Complete Works |publisher=Titan Books |year=2011 |isbn=9780857685513 |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=256}} The music video features May and Powell playing their instruments, and lots of early CGI graphics.{{Citation |title=Brian May – Resurrection (Official Video Remastered) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iux9mTnf7xg |language=en |access-date=2022-07-04}}

"Too Much Love Will Kill You" was recorded by Queen for The Miracle and rejected over songwriting royalties, eventually being released in 1995 on Made in Heaven. May performed the song unaccompanied except for piano during The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. A guitar version "was released as part of the CD single in August 1992."{{Cite book |last=Purvis |first=Georg |title=Queen: Complete Works |publisher=Titan Books |year=2011 |isbn=9780857685513 |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=282}}

"Driven by You", Brian's famed Ford advert theme, was released on 25 November 1991. Three different versions were recorded and used—"all sounding similar and lasting ninety seconds each", and three different DJ cuts were made.{{Cite book |last=Purvis |first=Georg |title=Queen: Complete Works |publisher=Titan Books |year=2011 |isbn=9780857685513 |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=159–160}}

"Nothin' But Blue" was "initially recorded as 'Somewhere In Time' on Cozy Powell's 1992 solo album, The Drums Are Back,...with John [Deacon] on bass".{{Cite book |last=Purvis |first=Georg |title=Queen: Complete Works |publisher=Titan Books |year=2011 |isbn=9780857685513 |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=239}} May used the instrumental from that session and added original lyrics to create the version heard on his solo album.

"I'm Scared" is a very personal hard-rocker, one of May's ways of dealing with his depression brought on by his failed first marriage and the death of his father. The version that appears on Back to the Light includes what is called "the 'Chaos Karaoke', a litany of fears" which include "fear of losing control, pain, being unknown, being ugly, dying, [being] deformed, [being] dull, the dark, being found out[,] and...being scared of Stephen Berkoff".{{Cite book |last=Purvis |first=Georg |title=Queen: Complete Works |publisher=Titan Books |year=2011 |isbn=9780857685513 |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=196}}

"Last Horizon" was recorded at Allerton Studios in 1988, and is one of May's favorite songs.{{Cite book |last=Purvis |first=Georg |title=Queen: Complete Works |publisher=Titan Books |year=2011 |isbn=9780857685513 |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=212}}

"Let Your Heart Rule Your Head", "an unconscious update of...'39....an uplifting, upbeat moment on an album of otherwise bleak and melancholy songs".{{Cite book |last=Purvis |first=Georg |title=Queen: Complete Works |publisher=Titan Books |year=2011 |isbn=9780857685513 |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=214–215}}

"Just One Life" could be misinterpreted as a tribute to Mercury, "but was actually written for actor Philip Sayer".{{Cite book |last=Purvis |first=Georg |title=Queen: Complete Works |publisher=Titan Books |year=2011 |isbn=9780857685513 |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=204}} May was inspired to write the song after attending a memorial concert for Sayer, whom May had never met.

"Rollin' Over" is May's cover of the Small Faces' song. "In [May's] hands...the song becomes a scorching tour de force of guitar riffs and exploding drums, turning [it] into what might as well be an outtake from one of Queen's earlier albums (indeed, Smile played it in their touring days)".{{Cite book |last=Purvis |first=Georg |title=Queen: Complete Works |publisher=Titan Books |year=2011 |isbn=9780857685513 |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=258}}

The US edition of the album included a bonus track remix of "Driven by You" (with a new drum track by Cozy Powell and new bass by Neil Murray), issued elsewhere as a B-side to "Too Much Love Will Kill You". The Japanese edition included instrumental "Guitar Versions" of "Just One Life" and "Too Much Love Will Kill You".

In June 2021, May announced that the album would be reissued as part of the Brian May Gold Series, packaged with a second disc of bonus tracks titled Out of the Light.{{Cite web|date=2021-06-22|title=Brian May announces reissue of his debut solo album 'Back to the Light'|url=https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/brian-may-announces-reissue-debut-solo-album-back-to-the-light-2975657|access-date=2021-07-05|website=NME|language=en-AU}} The reissue was released on 6 August 2021.

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r74653|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]

| rev2 = Calgary Herald

| rev2score = CObee, Dave (7 February 1993). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald.

| rev3 = MusicHound Rock

| rev3Score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite book|editor1-last=Graff|editor1-first=Gary|editor2-last=Durchholz|editor2-first=Daniel|title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide|publisher=Visible Ink Press|location=Farmington Hills, MI|year=1999|section=Queen|isbn=1-57859-061-2|pages=909–910}}

| rev4 = The Philadelphia Inquirer

| rev4score = {{Rating|2|4}}Wood, Sam (2 March 1993). "Intriguing Music from Two Movies". The Philadelphia Inquirer.

| rev5 = Rolling Stone

| rev5score = {{Rating|3|5}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20071001044001/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/brianmay/albums/album/189613/review/5940808/back_to_the_light Rolling Stone review]

}}

The Chicago Tribune wrote that "trademark riffs brighten 'Back to the Light', 'Nothin' but Blue' drips notes of languorous splendor, and May stretches out on the straightforward arena rock of 'Rollin' Over'."{{cite news |last1=Kampert |first1=Patrick |title=Brian May Back to the Light |work=Chicago Tribune |date=4 February 1993 |department=Tempo |page=7}}

{{Track listing

| headline =

| extra_column =

| all_writing = Brian May, except where noted

| title1 = The Dark

| length1 = 2:20

| title2 = Back to the Light

| length2 = 4:59

| title3 = Love Token

| length3 = 5:55

| title4 = Resurrection

| writer4 = {{hlist|May|Cozy Powell|Jamie Page}}

| length4 = 5:27

| title5 = Too Much Love Will Kill You

| writer5 = {{hlist|May|Elizabeth Lamers|Frank Musker}}

| length5 = 4:28

| title6 = Driven by You

| length6 = 4:11

| title7 = Nothin' But Blue

| writer7 = {{hlist|May|Powell|Geoff Nicholls|Steve Makin}}

| length7 = 3:31

| title8 = I'm Scared

| note8 = Justin's Mix '92

| length8 = 4:00

| title9 = Last Horizon

| length9 = 4:10

| title10 = Let Your Heart Rule Your Head

| length10 = 3:51

| title11 = Just One Life

| length11 = 3:38

| title12 = Rollin' Over

| writer12 = {{hlist|Ronnie Lane|Steve Marriott}}

| note12 = includes reprise of "The Dark"

| length12 = 4:36

| total_length = 51:06

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Bonus track on the US and Canadian editions

| title13 = Driven by You

| note13 = Radio Mix

| length13 = 4:10

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Bonus tracks on the Japanese edition

| title13 = Just One Life

| note13 = guitar version

| length13 = 3:37

| title14 = Too Much Love Will Kill You

| note14 = guitar version

| length14 = 4:30

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = 2021 reissue Out of the Light bonus disc

| title1 = Nothin' But Blue

| writer1 = {{hlist|May|Powell|Nicholls|Makin}}

| note1 = guitar version

| length1 = 3:50

| title2 = Too Much Love Will Kill You

| writer2 = {{hlist|May|Lamers|Musker}}

| note2 = guitar version

| length2 = 4:30

| title3 = Just One Life

| note3 = guitar version

| length3 = 3:37

| title4 = Driven by You Two

| length4 = 2:32

| title5 = Driven by You

| note5 = Ford Ad version

| length5 = 1:31

| title6 = Tie Your Mother Down

| note6 = with Slash, live on The Tonight Show, April '93

| length6 = 3:27

| title7 = Too Much Love Will Kill You

| writer7 = {{hlist|May|Lamers|Musker}}

| note7 = live in Los Angeles, April '93

| length7 = 4:42

| title8 = {{-'}}39/Let Your Heart Rule Your Head

| note8 = live at the Brixton Academy, June '93

| length8 = 4:33

| title9 = Last Horizon

| note9 = live at the Brixton Academy, June '93

| length9 = 3:14

| title10 = We Will Rock You

| note10 = live at the Brixton Academy, June '93

| length10 = 4:46

| title11 = Driven by You

| note11 = Cozy and Neil Version '93

| length11 = 4:10

}}

{{Div col}}

• Brian May – lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, bass, piano, keyboards, programming, backing vocals.
• Cozy Powell – drums {{small|(2–4, 7–8, 13)}}
• Geoff Dugmore – drums {{small|(10, 12)}}
• Gary Tibbs – bass {{small|(2, 10, 12)}}
• Neil Murray – bass {{small|(3, 8)}}
• John Deacon – bass {{small|(7)}}
• Mike Moran – piano {{small|(3, 12)}}, keyboards {{small|(9)}}
• Don Airey – keyboards (extra) {{small|(4, 7)}}
• Gill O'Donovan – backing vocals {{small|(2, 10)}}
• Maggie Ryder – backing vocals {{small|(2, 12)}}
• Miriam Stockley – backing vocals {{small|(2, 12)}}
• Suzie O' List – backing vocals {{small|(2, 10)}}
• Chris Thompson – backing vocals {{small|(12)}}

{{div col end}}

{{Div col}}

• Justin Shirley-Smith – co-producer, engineer
• Heidi Cannavo, Noel Haris – engineer (assistant)
• Kevin Metcalfe – mastering
• Brian Zellis – technical assistance, programming
• David Richards – programming
• Bob Ludwig – 2021 remastering

{{div col end}}

1. "Driven by You" / "Just One Life" (November 1991) – No. 6
2. "Too Much Love Will Kill You" / "I'm Scared" (August 1992) – No. 5
3. "Back to the Light" / "Nothin' But Blue" (November 1992) – No. 19
4. "Resurrection" / "Love Token" / "Too Much Love Will Kill You" (Live) (June 1993) – No. 23
5. "Last Horizon" / "Let Your Heart Rule Your Head" (Live) (December 1993) – No. 51

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{{certification Table Entry|region=Netherlands|title=Back to the Light|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=1992}}

{{certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=Back to the Light|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1992|id=671-3351-2}}

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{{Reflist}}

{{Brian May}}

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Category:1992 debut albums

Category:Brian May albums

Category:Parlophone albums

Category:Hollywood Records albums