Queen - Keep Yourself Alive ( S 1.4 )

Retrospectively, "Keep Yourself Alive" is cited as the highlight of Queen's debut album. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic wrote that while Queen "too often . . . plays like a succession of ideas instead of succinct songs", "[t]here is an exception to that rule — the wild, rampaging opener 'Keep Yourself Alive,' one of their very best songs". In 2008, Rolling Stone Magazine rated the song 31st on its list of "The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time". The magazine dubbed "Keep Yourself Alive" as "Brian May's statement of purpose: a phalanx of overdubbed guitars crying out in unison, with rhythm and texture from over-the-top effects. . . . an entire album's worth of riffs crammed into a single song."

Personnel

• Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals
• Brian May - electric guitar, lead vocals on middle eight, backing vocals
• Roger Taylor - drums, percussion, tambourine, cowbell, lead vocals on middle eight, backing vocals
• John Deacon - bass

Track listing

7" (1973 UK release - EMI 2036)

A: "Keep Yourself Alive" (Brian May) – 3:47
B: "Son and Daughter" (May) – 3:21

7" (1974 Australian release - EKM-45863)

A: "Keep Yourself Alive" (May) – 3:47
B: "Son and Daughter" (May) [censored version] – 3:12

7" (1975 US reissue - EK-45268)

A: "Keep Yourself Alive" (May) [US single edit] – 3:29
B: "Lily of the Valley" (Freddie Mercury)/"God Save the Queen" (traditional, arr. May) [US single version] – 2:55

Single by Queen
from the album Queen
B-side	"Son and Daughter"
Written	1970
Released	6 July 1973
Format	7"
Recorded	1972 at Trident Studios
Genre	Hard rock  power pop
Length	3:47
Label	EMI, Elektra
Songwriter(s)	Brian May
Producer(s)	John Anthony, Roy Thomas Baker, Queen