Stone Cold Crazy#Metallica version

{{Infobox song

| name = Stone Cold Crazy

| cover = Stone Cold Crazy (Queen, 1992 Promo).jpg

| alt =

| border = yes

| artist = Queen

| album = Sheer Heart Attack

| released = 8 November 1974

| recorded = July–September 1974

| studio =

| genre =

Heavy metal{{cite book|first= Mark |last= Blake |author-link= Mark Blake (writer) |year= 2011 |title= Is This the Real Life?: The Untold Story of Queen |publisher= Da Capo Press |isbn= 978-0-306-81959-9 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=VyBp_VEiIVYC&q=%22stone+cold+crazy%22&pg=PT140}}{{cite web|first= Stephen Thomas |last= Erlewine |author-link= Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title= Queen – Sheer Heart Attack |website= AllMusic |access-date= 11 June 2014 |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/sheer-heart-attack-mw0000191374}}
hard rock{{cite book|first= Essi |last= Berelian |year= 2005 |title= The Rough Guide to Heavy Metal |publisher= Rough Guides |page= 2003 |isbn= 978-1-84353-415-0 |quote= Glamorous and deadly, the band were hitting their stride with classics like "Killer Queen" and the truly fantastic hard-rock blitz of "Stone Cold Crazy".}}{{cite magazine|first= Adam |last= Gold |title= Queen: 40th Anniversary Reissues |magazine= American Songwriter |date= 30 June 2011 |access-date= 11 June 2014 |quote= their greatest contribution to the pantheon of hard rock, "Stone Cold Crazy" |url= http://www.americansongwriter.com/2011/06/queen-40th-anniversary-reissues/}}
thrash metal{{cite book|first=John|last=Lewis|editor-first=Robert|editor-last= Dimery|year=2005|title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2016 Edition)|chapter=Queen - Sheer Heart Attack|publisher=Cassell Illustrated|location=London|page=328}}
speed metal{{cite web|first= Eduardo |last= Rivadavia |title= 10 Pioneering Speed Metal Songs Released Before Thrash's Birth |website= Loudwire |date= 25 April 2018 |access-date= 14 October 2021 |url= https://loudwire.com/10-speed-metal-songs-released-before-thrash/}}{{cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/queen-albums-worst-to-best/|title=Queen Albums Worst To Best|first=Eduardo|last=Rivadavia|date=7 August 2015|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|access-date=19 May 2025|quote=...to the thundering speed metal of ‘Stone Cold Crazy.}}

| length = 2:16

| label =

EMI
Elektra

| writer =

| producer =

Roy Thomas Baker
Queen

| misc = {{Audio sample

| type = song

| file = }}

{{External music video|type= song|{{YouTube|T8Rfb1Jtmic|"Stone Cold Crazy" (live at the Rainbow)}}}}

}}

"Stone Cold Crazy" is a song written and performed by British rock band Queen for their 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack.{{cite book|first1= Pete |last1= Prown |author-link= Pete Prown |first2= Harvey P. |last2= Newquist |author-link2= HP Newquist |year= 1997 |title= Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists |page= 106 |publisher= Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn= 9780793540426 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=60Jde3l7WNwC&q=%22stone+cold+crazy%22&pg=PA106}} It is a rare, early example of all four members sharing a writing credit. (The band did not formally credit the whole band until 1986.) Although the song was not released as a single at the time, it was performed live at almost every Queen concert from 1974 to 1978.{{cite web|title= Queen live on tour: A Night At The Opera |website= QueenConcerts.com |access-date= 11 June 2014 |url= http://www.queenconcerts.com/live/queen/anato.html}}{{cite web|title= Queen live on tour: Day at the Races (world) |website= QueenConcerts.com |access-date= 11 June 2014 |url= http://www.queenconcerts.com/live/queen/adatrna.html}}{{cite web|title= Queen live on tour: News of the World '77 |website= QueenConcerts.com |access-date= 11 June 2014 |url= http://www.queenconcerts.com/live/queen/notwna.html}}{{cite web|title= Queen live on tour: Sheer Heart Attack |website= QueenConcerts.com |access-date= 11 June 2014 |url= http://www.queenconcerts.com/live/queen/sha.html}} "Stone Cold Crazy" is included on the band's 1992 compilation album, Classic Queen and was released as a promo single in that year by Hollywood Records.{{cite web|title= Queen – Classic Queen |publisher= MTV |access-date= 11 June 2014 |url= http://www.mtv.com/artists/queen/discography/72769/|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121107082253/http://www.mtv.com/artists/queen/discography/72769/|url-status= dead|archive-date= 7 November 2012}}https://www.discogs.com/release/396516-Queen-Stone-Cold-Crazy . Discogs.

Sound

"Stone Cold Crazy" is known for its fast tempo and heavy distortion, thus being a precursor to speed metal.{{cite web|first= Chris |last= Jones |title= Queen Sheer Heart Attack Review |publisher= BBC Music |date= 7 June 2007 |access-date= 25 May 2011 |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/xxhj}} Music magazine Q described "Stone Cold Crazy" as "thrash metal before the term was invented".{{cite web |title= Queen News: February 2011 |website= BrianMay.com |date= 25 May 2011 |access-date= 11 June 2014 |url= http://www.brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewsfeb11a.html |archive-date= 11 December 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181211180017/https://www.brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewsfeb11a.html |url-status= dead }} In 2009, it was named the 38th best hard rock song of all time by VH1.{{cite web|first= Andrew |last= Winistorfer |title= VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs list only slightly less annoying than their hip-hop list |website= Prefix Magazine |date= 5 January 2009 |access-date= 22 November 2020 |url= http://www.prefixmag.com/news/vh1s-100-greatest-hard-rock-songs-list-only-slight/24504/}}

DRUM! called it an "early blisteringly fast song", describing Taylor's performance as "straight-up punk-rock drumming. [...] In essence, Taylor's groove is a double-stroke roll split between his bass drum and snare drum with some cool accents played on his crash cymbals. Taylor later re-enters with a dramatic and decidedly non-punk fill to restart the groove."{{cite magazine|first= Brad |last= Schlueter |title= Hot Licks: Roger Taylor's Regal Queen Licks |date= 19 April 2012 |access-date= 4 September 2016 |url= http://www.drummagazine.com/lessons/post/hot-licks-roger-taylor/}}

Personnel

Freddie Mercury – lead and backing vocals
Brian May – guitars, backing vocals
Roger Taylor – drums, backing vocals
John Deacon – bass guitar

Remixes

Three different remixes were created in 1991. The first two, by Michael Wagener, were issued on different pressings of the 1991 Hollywood Records Sheer Heart Attack remaster, and on the Encino Man soundtrack.{{cite web|title= Michael Wagener – Partial Discography |website= Michaelwagener.com |access-date= 3 September 2011 |url= http://www.michaelwagener.com/html/discography.html}}{{cite web|first= Doug |last= Stone |title= Original Soundtrack – Encino Man |publisher= AllMusic |access-date= 3 September 2011 |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/encino-man-mw0000612698}} The third one, by Trent Reznor, was released on several promo CDs in 1991/1992 and 1999.{{cite web|title= Sheer Heart Attack |website= QueenVault.com |access-date= 3 September 2011 |url= http://www.queenvault.com/sheerheartattack.html}} The Wagener remixes are not very different from the original and feature slight remixing of the backing track. Reznor's version mixes the Queen sound with the industrial metal sound of Nine Inch Nails. Reznor's remix includes studio sound bites from Queen at the beginning and end of the track. It was intended for inclusion as the ninth track on the cancelled 1992 Hollywood Records compilation BASIC Queen Bootlegs.

Metallica version

{{Infobox song

| name = Stone Cold Crazy

| cover = Metallica - Stone Cold Crazy.jpg

| alt =

| artist = Metallica

| album = Rubáiyát: Elektra's 40th Anniversary

| released = 1990

| recorded =

| studio = Fantasy, Berkeley, California

| genre =

| length = 2:17

| label = Elektra

| producer = Metallica

}}

Metallica covered the song as their contribution to the 1990 compilation album Rubáiyát: Elektra's 40th Anniversary. This cover version was later used as a B-side of their "Enter Sandman" single and subsequently won a Grammy Award; it also appeared on their covers/B-sides album Garage Inc. The Metallica version of the song is more aggressive than the original; they also slightly altered the lyrics, adding two uses of the word "fuck" and changing the more humorous lines for more violent lyrics.

James Hetfield performed the song with Queen & Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath (singing Metallica's altered lyrics) at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert.{{cite book|first= Joel |last= McIver |year= 2004 |title= Justice for All: The Truth about Metallica |publisher= Omnibus Press |isbn= 9780857120090 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=SvW-uN-qEbIC&pg=PT337}}{{cite web|title= The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert |website= Ultimate Queen |access-date= 25 May 2011 |url= http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/queen/videos/the-freddie-mercury-tribute-concert.htm#stone}} Metallica also played the song as an encore during their 1991–93 Nowhere Else to Roam tour; it appears on the live CD Live Shit: Binge & Purge and the 2009 live DVD Français Pour une Nuit.

Other uses

The song is featured in the music video games Guitar Hero: Metallica and Rock Revolution, as well as downloadable content for Rock Band 3 and Rocksmith.{{cite web|first= Mike |last= Fahey |title= The Full Rock Revolution Setlist |website= Kotaku |date= 4 August 2008 |access-date= 16 August 2011 |url= http://kotaku.com/5032751/the-full-rock-revolution-setlist}}{{cite web|title= Guitar Hero Songs: Stone Cold Crazy (1993) |work= Guitar Hero |access-date= 16 August 2011 |url= http://www.guitarherosongs.co.uk/guitar-hero-songs.php?track-id=00421&version=8}} It also appeared on the soundtrack of the 2021 Disney movie Cruella, where the opening verse underscores a young Cruella de Vil hijacking a car.

References

External links

{{YouTube|id=zyVed8lxJs0|title=Official video at Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert}} (with James Hetfield and Tony Iommi)
[http://www.queenonline.com/en/the-band/discography/sheer-heart-attack/#lyrics Lyrics at Queen official website]

Category:1974 songs

Category:1990 singles

Category:1992 singles

Category:Elektra Records singles

Category:EMI Records singles

Category:Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance

Category:British heavy metal songs

Category:Hollywood Records singles

Category:Metallica songs

Category:Music videos directed by Bruce Gowers

Category:Queen (band) songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Roy Thomas Baker