Queen – “Spread Your Wings” (1978) | Oh My God, Run for Your Life, It’s John Deacon!
Kronomyth 6.2: The adventures of Emerald Byrd.
Any conversation around Queen’s greatness would center on Freddie’s flamboyance, Brian’s heroic guitarwork and the added dimension that the solid songwriting of Roger Taylor and John Deacon brought to the band. From the beginning, Roger was reliable for a raver or two (“Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll,” “Tenement Funster”). John didn’t emerge as a songwriter until their third album, Sheer Heart Attack, with the aptly titled “Misfire.” Their next album, however, featured Deacon’s “You’re My Best Friend,” which became a Top 20 hit on both sides of the Atlantic. With Spread Your Wings, Deacon nearly repeated the feat. Honestly, at this point you had to wonder if John Deacon shouldn’t follow his own advice and spread his wings with a solo album. The B side is another of Roger’s ravers, Sheer Heart Attack, that sounds for the life of me like Cheap Trick. I’m surprised Rick Nielsen and the band never covered this, since it’s right up their alley. Of minor winterest, the video below was apparently filmed in Roger Taylor’s backyard.
The Product
A1. Spread Your Wings (John Deacon) (4:30)
B1. Sheer Heart Attack (Roger Taylor) (3:24)
The Plastic
Released on 7-inch single in February 1978 in the UK (EMI, EMI 2757), France (Pathe Marconi EMI, 2C 006-60.476), Germany (EMI, 1C 006-60 476) and Italy (EMI, 3C 006-60476) with picture sleeve. Reached #34 on the UK charts.
