I'm Going Slightly Mad
Encyclopedia
"I'm Going Slightly Mad" is a song by the British rock band Queen
. Written by Freddie Mercury
, it was released as the second single from the band's 1991 album Innuendo
. The lyrics and the accompanying music video project the song as quirky, humorous and light-hearted, but the eerie keyboards and the unsettling instrumentation as well as part of the lyrics, plus some of Mercury's lowest vocals, may hint at gloomier undertones, most notably Mercury's declining health. The song also features a slide guitar
solo performed by Brian May
.
The single cover was inspired by a Grandville
illustration (as are the others from the album).
— was filmed in February 1991 at Limehouse Studios
and it features the band dressed and acting in an absurd manner, including guitarist
Brian May
dressed as a penguin
(a reprise of his outfit featured in the booklet of the first Queen album
), drummer
Roger Taylor
wearing a tea kettle on his head and riding a tricycle while Mercury sneaks up on him and is chasing him, a man in a gorilla suit, bassist
John Deacon
as a jester, and Mercury wearing a bunch of banana
s as a wig (corresponding with the line "I think I'm a banana tree").
"I'm Going Slightly Mad" is the last Queen video to feature significant creative input from Mercury. Although he was already considerably ill at the time, "I'm Going Slightly Mad" features him very mobile and expressive in the final clip, as well as actively co-directing some of the video's storyboards. This was not the case in "These Are the Days of Our Lives
", the last video Mercury ever filmed (in May 1991), where he hardly moves around at all, as his condition had deteriorated further. The video is shot in black and white
.
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
. Written by Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
, it was released as the second single from the band's 1991 album Innuendo
Innuendo (album)
Innuendo is the fourteenth studio album by British rock band Queen. Released in February 1991, it was the final studio album to be released in Freddie Mercury's lifetime and is the last to be composed entirely of new material...
. The lyrics and the accompanying music video project the song as quirky, humorous and light-hearted, but the eerie keyboards and the unsettling instrumentation as well as part of the lyrics, plus some of Mercury's lowest vocals, may hint at gloomier undertones, most notably Mercury's declining health. The song also features a slide guitar
Slide guitar
Slide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
solo performed by Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
.
The single cover was inspired by a Grandville
Jean Ignace Isidore Gérard
Jean Ignace Isidore Gérard , generally known by the pseudonym of J. J. Grandville, was a French caricaturist.-Life and work:...
illustration (as are the others from the album).
Video
The accompanying video — like all other Innuendo videos directed by Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rossacher of DoRo ProductionsDoRo Productions
DoRo Produktion Ges.mbH aka DoRo Productions is a film company based in Vienna, Austria. DoRo was named after the surnames of founders Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rossacher.- History :...
— was filmed in February 1991 at Limehouse Studios
Limehouse Studios
Limehouse Studios was an independently-owned television studio complex built in No. 10 Warehouse of the South Quay Import Dock. This was located at the eastern end of Canary Wharf on the Isle of Dogs in London, which opened in 1983...
and it features the band dressed and acting in an absurd manner, including guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
dressed as a penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
(a reprise of his outfit featured in the booklet of the first Queen album
Queen (album)
Queen is the eponymous debut album by British rock group Queen, released in July 1973. It was recorded at Trident Studios and De Lane Lea Music Centre, London, with production by Roy Thomas Baker , John Anthony and Queen....
), drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Roger Taylor
Roger Meddows-Taylor
Roger Meddows Taylor , known as Roger Taylor, is a British musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of...
wearing a tea kettle on his head and riding a tricycle while Mercury sneaks up on him and is chasing him, a man in a gorilla suit, bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
John Deacon
John Deacon
John Richard Deacon is a retired English multi-instrumentalist and song writer, best known as the bassist for the rock band Queen. Of the four members of the band, he was the last to join and also the youngest, being only 19 years old when he was recruited by the other members of the band...
as a jester, and Mercury wearing a bunch of banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s as a wig (corresponding with the line "I think I'm a banana tree").
"I'm Going Slightly Mad" is the last Queen video to feature significant creative input from Mercury. Although he was already considerably ill at the time, "I'm Going Slightly Mad" features him very mobile and expressive in the final clip, as well as actively co-directing some of the video's storyboards. This was not the case in "These Are the Days of Our Lives
These Are the Days of Our Lives
"These Are the Days of Our Lives" is a song by English rock band Queen. It was written largely by their drummer Roger Taylor, and is the eighth track on the band's 1991 album Innuendo. It is harmonically and structurally one of the simplest songs of the band's catalogue...
", the last video Mercury ever filmed (in May 1991), where he hardly moves around at all, as his condition had deteriorated further. The video is shot in black and white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
.
Personnel
- Freddie MercuryFreddie MercuryFreddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
: lead, and backing vocals, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Brian MayBrian MayBrian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
: slide guitarSlide guitarSlide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles... - John DeaconJohn DeaconJohn Richard Deacon is a retired English multi-instrumentalist and song writer, best known as the bassist for the rock band Queen. Of the four members of the band, he was the last to join and also the youngest, being only 19 years old when he was recruited by the other members of the band...
: bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Roger TaylorRoger Meddows-TaylorRoger Meddows Taylor , known as Roger Taylor, is a British musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of...
: drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, maracasMaracásMaracás is a town and municipality in the state of Bahia in the North-East region of Brazil.-References:...
, chimes
Chart performance
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
Total weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch Singles Chart | 20 | 9 |
| German Singles Chart | 42 | 10 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 19 | 2 |
| UK Singles Chart | 22 | 5 |