search user
Advert
Advert

Queen - Keep Yourself Alive

Music Video | 1973
ArtistQueen
SongKeep Yourself Alive
AlbumQueen
DirectorRudi Dolezal
DirectorHannes Rossacher
GenreRock
IntroNo
OutroNo
Sound MixStereo
Technical Specificationscolour - format unknown

Wiki

Synopsis

Queen perform "Keep Yourself Alive" in a stark studio setting, with the camera moving between the four musicians as they play. Freddie Mercury dominates the performance with his theatrical presence, while Brian May's distinctive guitar work receives prominent attention. The clip relies on lighting, close-ups, and energetic editing rather than a narrative storyline, presenting Queen as a live-focused rock band at the beginning of its career. Its straightforward performance format reflects the early-1970s period, when promotional music videos were still developing.

Factoids & Trivia

  • The promotional video was filmed in 1973 at BBC Television Centre in London.
  • It was made to support "Keep Yourself Alive," Queen's debut single and the first track released from the band's self-titled debut album.
  • The clip is a performance video rather than a narrative production, placing the emphasis on the band's musicianship and stage presence.
  • The footage captures Queen before the elaborate visual style and large-scale concepts that would become associated with the band's later videos.
  • The video is notable as an early document of Queen's original lineup: Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon.

Lyrics

(May)

I was told a million times
Of all the troubles in my way
How I had to keep on trying
Little better ev'ry day
But if I crossed a million rivers
And I rode a million miles
Then I'd still be where I started
Bread and butter for a smile
Well I sold a million mirrors
In a shop in Alley Way
But I never saw my face
In any window any day
...
© Queen - Keep Yourself Alive. This is an excerpt, provided as citation under fair-use.
Update

More Music Videos

New

Classics

Tell us what you like, or dislike:

(Optional) Leave your email to let us contact you to follow up on your feedback. Your email address will be kept private.

Leave feedback!  X