Long Away
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2014}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2016}}
{{short description|1976 song by Queen}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Long Away
| cover = Long Away audio cover.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| type = single
| artist = Queen
| album = A Day at the Races
| B-side = "You and I"
| released = 7 June 1977
| recorded = 1976
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Rock
| length = 3:33
| label = Elektra
| writer = Brian May
| producer = Queen
| prev_title = Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy
| prev_year = 1977
| next_title = We Are the Champions" / "We Will Rock You
| next_year = 1977
}}
"Long Away" is a song by the British rock band Queen; it is the third track on their 1976 album A Day at the Races. Brian May wrote the song and sings the lead vocals. It was released as the third single from the album in North America and New Zealand only.
Recording
It is one of the few songs where May uses a guitar other than his Red Special. For the rhythm guitar parts, he used an electric Burns twelve string guitar (although he used the Red Special for the second guitar solo in the middle section of the track). Originally, May wanted to use a Rickenbacker guitar (as he admired John Lennon), but he didn't get along well with the Rickenbacker's thin neck.
Roger Taylor sings the highest parts of the song.
Meaning
The song has a sad tone, describing that "for every star in heaven / there's a sad soul here today," and an overall sense of melancholic nostalgia lies over the song. It is similar in feel to the song '39 from A Night at the Opera, although without the folk influence.
Reception
The Washington Post described it as "an affectionate recreation of the mid-'60s Beatles/Byrds sound," and one of the best songs on the album.{{cite web|url=http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Queen_-_02-07-1977_-_A_Day_at_the_Races_-_Washington_Post|title=Queen Interviews - Queen - 02-07-1977 - A Day at the Races - Washington Post - Queen Archives: Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon, Interviews, Articles, Reviews|website=www.queenarchives.com|access-date=17 June 2018|archive-date=17 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617220008/http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Queen_-_02-07-1977_-_A_Day_at_the_Races_-_Washington_Post|url-status=live}} Wesley Strick of Circus magazine, in a mixed review of the album, named the album's best song and also noted the influence of the Beatles and the Byrds. He observed that Long Away was "haunting" and "never smart-ass or strickly for laughs, "Long Away" - unlike most of Races - feels real."{{cite web|url=http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Queen_-_XX-XX-1977_-_A_Day_at_the_Races_-_Circus|title=Queen Interviews - Queen - XX-XX-1977 - A Day at the Races - Circus - Queen Archives: Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon, Interviews, Articles, Reviews|website=www.queenarchives.com|access-date=17 June 2018|archive-date=17 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617220056/http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Queen_-_XX-XX-1977_-_A_Day_at_the_Races_-_Circus|url-status=live}} Cash Box said that "this gentle tune is built from endless layers of strummed guitars, showcasing the versatile Freddie Mercury's sweetest voice and the group's distinctive high register harmonies."{{cite news|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|date=June 18, 1977|page=20|newspaper=Cash Box|accessdate=2021-12-26|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1977/CB-1977-06-18.pdf}}
Other album appearances
The song also appears on two Queen compilation albums: Deep Cuts, Volume 1 (1973–1976){{cite web|title=Deep Cuts Volume 1 (1973-1976) (Remastered Edition)|url=http://www.queenonlinestore.com/Queen/CD/Deep-Cuts-Volume-1-1973-1976-Remastered-Edition/2FZY0YNP1NO|access-date=9 November 2020|website=Queen|archive-date=15 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115105016/https://www.queenonlinestore.com/Queen/CD/Deep-Cuts-Volume-1-1973-1976-Remastered-Edition/2FZY0YNP1NO|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Queen - Deep Cuts Volume 1 (1973-1976)|url=https://www.discogs.com/Queen-Deep-Cuts-Volume-1-1973-1976/master/325778|access-date=9 November 2020|website=Discogs|archive-date=29 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210929111707/https://www.discogs.com/Queen-Deep-Cuts-Volume-1-1973-1976/master/325778|url-status=live}} (2011) and Queen Forever{{Cite web|title=Queen - Queen Forever|url=https://www.discogs.com/Queen-Queen-Forever/release/6263872|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Discogs|date=7 November 2014|language=en|archive-date=5 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105200712/https://www.discogs.com/Queen-Queen-Forever/release/6263872|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=September 19, 2014|first=Jeff|last=Giles|title=Queen Unearth Previously Unreleased Tracks for New 'Queen Forever' Compilation|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/queen-forever-album/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|language=en|archive-date=29 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129131758/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/queen-forever-album/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Queen announce Queen Forever album PLUS unreleased Freddie Mercury songs!|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/queen-announce-queen-forever-album-plus-unreleased-freddie-mercury-songs-__5885/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=www.officialcharts.com|language=en|archive-date=27 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127175036/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/queen-announce-queen-forever-album-plus-unreleased-freddie-mercury-songs-__5885/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Queen "Forever" album and song lyrics|url=http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/queen/songs/forever.htm|access-date=2020-11-22|website=www.ultimatequeen.co.uk|archive-date=29 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129121350/http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/queen/songs/forever.htm|url-status=live}} (2014).
Band comments on the song
{{Quote|"Long Away" is a twelve-string thing written by Brian... very interesting harmonies. |Freddie Mercury, 1977}}
{{Quote|If I'm honest, I think I would like to be remembered for a few of the songs, none of which were really hits, but some of which had a lot of emotion in them: White Queen and Let Us Cling Together and Long Away off the A Day At The Races album. And We Will Rock You.{{Cite web|date=2004-07-07|title=Long Away|url=http://sebastian.queenconcerts.com/long-away.htm|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Bechstein Debauhchery|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040707173516/http://sebastian.queenconcerts.com/long-away.htm|archive-date=7 July 2004}}|Brian May, 1982}}
Personnel
Queen
- Brian May – lead and backing vocals, guitars
- Freddie Mercury – backing vocals
- Roger Taylor – drums, percussion, backing vocals
- John Deacon – bass guitar
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.queenonline.com/en/the-band/discography/day-races/#lyrics Lyrics at Queen official website]
{{Queen singles}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Brian May