QUEEN Dragon Attack THE GAME | REACTION

[@Funster00]

That's the danger of pinning Queen down to one style. They changed and experimented throughout their career, and they lost fans along the way - those that were into heavy Queen, or disco Queen or pop Queen etc. If you're into Queen you accept that there will be changes in direction. They said themselves that they never wanted to be pigeonholed.

[@susanp.7954]

Absolutely.. They also had to adjust to the times to be relevant..... They wrote/ performed music, not just for themselves, but to Sell to the masses,.... I think they did quite well, as they are all millionaires....I personally love this song and I know it was one of John's favorites to play.... A jam session from start to finish.... ❤

[@EnoVarma]

But that's not new in any way. Many bands experimented with different styles from Moody Blues to Zappa, from Pink Floyd to Chicago. Even Dylan went from folk to rock to country to Christian Rock. And nobody experimented more than The Beatles - they just did it better than anyone ever. Also, this song isn't in any way experimentation, because you can't be basic and experiment at the same time.

[@josie3028]

Perfect band ,great song(rock &roll) freddie as usual perfect vocals and brian his playing is genius ❤

[@EliteSpeakerTitan-OfficalYT]

The Game is a good album, and Dragon Attack rules...justin is too young and probably thinks ACDC and Kiss were complex.

[@maciejkowalski2759]

Always loved the track, easily top 10 Queen songs for me. Great groove, awesome guitars, great bass, fantastic production, love the stereo effects on this one. Always a blast to listen on headphones!

[@Owlstretchingtime78]

Basic? Absolutely! The problem? There isn't one! Stripping things down to the very core is sometimes the way to go. Even for a band as elaborate as Queen! 💥

[@I_Fiyorudo]

Thanks for your reaction! This song is John Deacon's favorite to perform live. As for “it’s over, this is not the same band anymore” - some fans will leave, new ones will come. My personal opinion is that it is better to lose some fans by experimenting with genres and styles than to do similar things for years. Personally, I love Queen for their versatility. Everyone can find something for themselves in their work.

[@dianecourtney2724]

You are so right !

[@irenedownie6559]

Totally agree, and everything they did was wonderful!

[@lindsaycrellin4588]

Yes definitely I’ve been a fan since the seventies always looked forward to the new albums to hear what they had been doing would find it boring if they stuck to the same styles love Queen ❤❤ my favourite Queen era is the seventies x

[@johncarr2806]

@@irenedownie6559 Body Language ?

[@bearndesertllc6561]

It’s funny-This song is probably a Top 10 Queen track for me…but so it The Prophet Song and March of the Black Queen. Maybe it helped that I became a Queen fan in the mid-80s and had no preconceived notions or expectations going into albums. They have genius all over the map and that’s why I love them.

[@kennethmckinney2532]

Makes sense if you sort of discovered them much later. Knowing a band basically from their beginnings definitely puts a different spin on things...

[@maciejkowalski2759]

@@kennethmckinney2532 My entrance to Queen was Hot Space and I absolutely loved it (its still one of my favorite albums of all time :D) . Then I heard Radio Gaga, then I went back and discovered Another One Bites the Dust and the rest of The Game album. Imagine my shock when I heard Bohemian Rhapsody for the first time :D

[@kennethmckinney2532]

@maciejkowalski2759 oh I understand. Rush is and always has been my favorite band. I discovered them in high school around 1976. I bought their first live album All The World's A Stage first and then backtracked and bought the first 4 studio albums. It was fun from then on buying the new releases on the day of release and hearing new stuff and how they were changing. Around 84', 85' I lost interest as they had changed too much. Everyone did and I hung in as long as I could...

[@bearndesertllc6561]

@@kennethmckinney2532 Thank you for that. Did you ever come around to 80s-era Rush? Like Queen, Rush is a band I discovered backward, circa 1988, so their 80s synth-leanings weren't as jarring.

[@betseyclark2832]

At this point in time Queen were still a live band. Most of the songs they wrote were to be performed live and John Deacon said this was his favorite to play. It worked well enough on stage to be part of their set list for 5 years.

[@coreywilliams923]

Yes, this album is a major turning point in the band's direction. New producer/engineer, new studio, new decade. I mentioned in last vid, they had two distinctly different era's. This is the start of the second era. I think they lost a lot of their rock fans here, but gained a bigger slice of the contemporary audience. Don't give up Justin, there's still great stuff to come yet.

[@wendymotogirl]

We don't know what their 90s Era would have been like, but Innuendo gave us a pretty good idea that it would have been better than ever, imo. It's weird to think that it is their only 90s output. I certainly wouldn't lump it in with the same Era as "the game " or Hot Space.

[@sherryheim5504]

While Brian wrote this, John said it was his favorite song to play live. I actually do like this song a lot. It is catchy and I think I love how much bass is audible.

[@wendymotogirl]

Innuendo is a return to the true greatness of their heyday in my opinion. When it come out I was thrilled like I hadn't been for much of their 80s Era. The 90s could have been a real rennaissance for them. Please do Innuendo!

[@dianecourtney2724]

I disagree only because I love this song LIVE Montreal 1981. It’s Freddie and Deaky all the way And you are right about it being just basic… not much going on here … until you see it live.

[@bjw0515]

This is one of the reasons that I love Queen. They were never afraid to exercise or experiment with different sounds. This the album where they started using a new sound engineer, and you can tell. Not a bad thing at all just different sound from a different guy! Thanks for the reactions as always.

[@DonnaleaSpencer]

Queen wasn't over for me. I realize it was for many fans. To each his own. Great reaction.

[@anthonyjd6097]

The style of music was changeing, so they did to this is why they kept changeing throughout their career

[@debramoore7513]

The live version is fantastic! Like peeking into a Queen jam session! “take me back to the shack shack” referring to the Sugar Shack Night Club in Munich. “It’s gotta be Mack” referring to Reinhold Mack, Queen’s studio engineer! IMO, the lyrics “dragon on my back” could be referring to Brian’s fire-breathing Red Special strapped to his back! 🐉🔥

[@Credin84]

The band you knew will return only on Innuendo album released in 1991 when Freddie was literally dying

[@user-jw2ru9ho9l]

We love the live version of this song, Freddie’s onstage charisma, John’s perfect bass playing, great job by the entire band!!

[@davidpartlow6188]

Great live song for me, everyone gets a turn.

[@TheBlackcredo]

I like it, but each to their own. Yeah, after this old Queen was gone. However, there were some absolute classics still along the way, and then with Innuendo they rediscovered who they were. It's a truly phenomenal album. If you do continue with this, I'll be really looking forward to your reaction to it. It's just a bit of hard work to get there, lol.

[@kuntumlaleanqueezer]

For me Queen is The Greatest Band of the Universe…..till now !!! But I prefer 70s Queen

[@Owlstretchingtime78]

It's all subjective of course, but i think that most Queen fanatics believed the 70s to be their zenith. They had to change to stay relevant come the new decade, but the golden period was 73-79. Finally, what can't be underestimated, considering Freddie's condition is the remarkable return to form with 'Innuendo'!

[@toddmathers5075]

I'm with you 100% on this song - it's okay and it doesn't bother me like some of the stuff on Jazz, but it's not one I go back to. This was actually not recorded as song as such - it was the result of a "drunken jam session" after an evening of drinking at the Sugar Shack in Munich, as described in the book "Queen: All the Songs" (the bar is referred to in the line "take me back to the shack"). Brian then spent a considerable amount of time with Mack putting different pieces of the jam session together in order to create a coherent song with some kind of structure. You are absolutely correct that this album represented a significant shift in their sound - I do think they mostly pulled it off on this album, though I don't think it stands up against the quality of songwriting and performance on any of the first six albums (I do think it is a better album than Jazz). I am a huge fan of their 70's career but not so much of most of their work in the 80's, though I completely get why they felt the need to change and respect that they had the boldness to continue trying new things and working to keep their sound current. I do think that all of their work in the 80's was produced and performed to an extremely high level of quality, even though I didn't like much of it - they never stopped being perfectionists.

[@Dillon12]

Dragon Attack - by Brian May John Deacon: bass Brian May: Backing vocals and electric guitar Freddie Mercury: Lead and backing vocals Roger Taylor: Backing vocals, drums and percussion

[@Sassypaws4927]

“Dragon Attack” is a hard-rocking early cut from Queen’s 1980 album, The Game. Roger has listed it as one of his favorite songs out of Queen’s discography though he admitted it was rough on his right wrist. Brian admitted it was completed from late night to early morning during a jam session at Queen's studio while they were “probably very drunk.” Many think this song is about addiction to hard drugs but I don't believe it. I think it is about Brian's "addiction" to music and the "dragon" is his guitar. There is no deep message in the song but more emphasis on the sound and beat. But it does a lot of personal references. For example: The line "Gonna use my stack" refers to Brian's amp stack. "It's gonna be Mack" refers to Reinhold Mack, Queen's producer and engineer (and friend). "Take me to the room where the beat's all round Gonna eat that sound yeah yeah yeah yeah" obviously refers to the recording studio. Brian's guitar is controlling him: "She don't take no prisoners She gonna give me the business Got a dragon on my back Hey it's a dragon attack"

[@JosephHuntelvisnspiders]

As a Queen fan when this came out, yes they had changed, more pop, but not to the extent to say 'It's over'... that for me came with 'Hot Space'.

[@kvassrock]

But even then it wasnt over. They came back with some really strong albums. Even Hot Space has a number 1 hit.

[@JosephHuntelvisnspiders]

Of course they did, but tbh, at the time, I thought they were finished, I couldn't listen to it. 'The Works' brought me back in :) Certainly in the public eye they were fading, however the performance at Live Aid a few years later woke up a lot of folk, hearing them as a 4 piece rock band without the lights/sets/sound. Queen's back catalogue took off again in huge sales after that, a defining moment, respect re-gained, almost a re-birth.@@kvassrock

[@stephanechamberland8486]

It's basic and it's very good !!!!!

[@ono1dij]

"It´s over, it's over!!!" hahaha, and you haven't heard Hot Space yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really like this song, basic, but very catchy and powerful... I think The Game is Queen's most "simple" album, a mix of the rawest sound of News of The Wold, with the simplicity of Jazz... Freddie said several times that he thought the A side of The Game was the best thing Queen had ever done... Maybe it was too much enthusiasm he put into it!!! It is true that this side does not decline, but Side B, mmmmm... Let's see what you think... Greetings from Argentina!!!

[@kennethmckinney2532]

I find this so fascinating because at 63 years old I lived this with so many of my favorite bands back in the day. Rush obviously but I made it to 84', Yes, AC/DC, Priest, UFO etc etc. The sweet spot for all these bands is pre 1980...

[@TheCentralScrutinizerAgain]

nice little track, great fun!

[@Owlstretchingtime78]

Queen and funk are joined at the hip. My favourite track on this hit and miss collection!

[@annroberts2269]

Early Queen I loved the albums; in the 80s there were songs I loved and some I didn’t love as much. And this was the period of creating, not “albums,” but singles with videos and to make it in music then, you had to be on MTV. I hope you decide to get though all the albums (except maybe the music soundtrack Flahs) but if you do decide to just give up on this album journey, at the very least listen to the❤ last album made while Freddie was still alive - Innuendo. Due to Freddie’s illness, there is sadness and yearning in some of the songs, but there are some great songs on that album and it reminds me of their earlier work . And considering how sick Freddie was, his voice was amazing on that album. When I look at the Queen songs by the songwriters, I rank Freddie first, Brian second and John and Roger last. The latter wrote some songs I like, but if I had to kick one of them off the island and never listen to anything they wrote again, I would keep John solely because of Your’re My Best Friend. Before Freddie died he told their manager that he was making him the executor of his will and gave him permission to do anything with his image and music he liked, but to never make him boring. That to me is the essence of Freddie’s music and I’ll follow him musically where he leads, because you know you the songs will be interesting compositions and you know you’ll never be bored. My least favorite Queen song is Delilah by Freddie on the Innuendo album, but everything else he did, including the music he gave us when he was very ill, makes up for it, and it is, after all, about his favorite cat. 😊

[@markfilla9305]

This is one of my favorite tracks off this album. And I remember liking this album quite a bit back when it came out in 1980. I saw Queen when they toured for this album as well. But, after this album, I lost interest in the band. But this wasn't specifically an issue with Queen. My musical tastes changed significantly as the 80s progressed, and I gave up on a lot of bands that I was into during the 70s. I switched to all the alternative/new wave bands that appeared during that decade. However, over the last couple of years, I've really enjoyed rediscovering many of those bands, including Queen, through reaction channels such as yours. Thanks for all these Queen reactions!

[@LMTino]

I was in college late 70s but really unaware of the music of the day. Oops. Had my "this is Queen?" moment in 2017, starting w/80s working backward. DRAGON ATTACK was not at all what I expected - except that it also was. I find it thrilling because it IS a different format for THEM. You have more exposure to this riff/jam idea - but the take away for me is a wild first foray from a band that seem to own it. Having FUN doing it. Somewhere in my Queen intro I stumbled upon the fan split you described -- in comment sections. BUT here's what struck me: you can't have one without the other - they are tethered. It is the reverse of The Beatles who started out with these simple playable live tunes and morphed into more complex works that became studio bound. So Queen had under the influence of late Beatles blossomed...then streamlined their sound, simplified the structure. But from the start Queen (with Freddie fronting) was born to live and breathe and deliver as a live band. They were never the darling of critics which let them be a bit brash when they did what they wanted to do -- though they still had cravings, big cravings for success. That audience relationship got built, kept evolving with the band...USA late to the global party. Agree with others on HOT SPACE, a worthy listen too. All part of the journey.

[@irenedownie6559]

It’s a great track, especially played as loud as you dare. Queen always moved with the times. I’ve been a fan since 1974 and this album didn’t put me off. It would be pretty boring if they kept churning out the same early stuff (which I still adore).

[@stephenmcconnell4224]

Absolutely love this tune....more I hear it the more I adore it....freddies attitude here is so different! Wasn't expecting this reaction from you....very surprised to be honest! Other reactors go crazy for dragon attack!!

[@adam872]

I don't care what anyone says, this album is my favourite of theirs and I love this track. A total banger. In terms of what the fans would have thought, plenty of people went with them, because frankly every one of their albums was different from the last.

[@clintonsmith5163]

Brian May is the boss on this song. His playing is absolutely brilliant.

[@SouthTexasRocker1]

I was a Queen fan when this came out. I knew a lot of Queen fans at the time. No one I knew thought, "It's over". This has been my favorite Queen fan since I first heard this album. I appreciate your review; there is no right or wrong regarding someone's opinion.

[@martinaalderink7773]

Well, when i compare Queen changing over the years, and when i see like Status Quo still playing these days.... I prefer Queen changing.

[@jeffreymitchell7969]

It’s basically a jam session.

[@JohnnyLaps]

You liked it live...but hate it in the studio? They could never keep doing somebody to love or Bohemian Rhapsody over and over

[@robshaw2639]

Hearing your “it’s over” reaction makes me realize why i’ve always thought the post hot space albums were a “comeback career” - it’s still queen, but it’s much more basic music all around, making it seem not the same. I guess maybe The Game is the real turning point…

[@Dimentius1]

I wouldn't call Hot Space a bad album, I like 10 songs out of 11! It' s a matter of taste, but still I prefer first 2 albums ( Queen, Queen 2) and the last 2 (The Miracle and Innuendo)

[@dio7184]

And that's why that was the last queen album I bought.

[@yes_head]

Yeah, that riff is something a 12 year old would come up with. I kept waiting for more to happen. But I wonder if they had come to the conclusion that dumbing down would work in their favor. Songs like this, "Another One Bites the Dust", "We Will Rock You"... they sort of embraced the notion that stupid-basic melodic and rhythmic ideas would vault them to the next level. It did sort of work in their favor so I get why more songs like this are happening.

[@GeoffTrowbridge]

As you say, the band needed to "evolve" a bit before they could truly achieve the melding of '80s pop with their symphonic rock roots. It's not quite there yet, and one could even argue that "Hot Space" was a step backwards in that regard. But "The Works" and "A Kind of Magic" feel a lot more thoughtful in the construction of the music. Granted, they are never again the same band that they were in the '70s, but there's still a lot of great songwriting yet to come, provided you are open to the new(er) styles.

[@scottcabler5843]

AN ABSOLUTE BANGER!

[@yar9333]

When I got the album and heard these first 2 songs I definitely didn’t think it was over. As a teenage bass player I loved this album. Favorite track Sail Away Sweet Sister.

[@MrBoze-TicoCR]

From a musician pov,…. That’s where this can live. Outside of that,…. It can be a skip tune. Fans looking for something adventurous as programed to, would find this a bit boring or not adventurous. Still I dig the “sound” that they’re going for.

[@neilloughran4437]

Nailed it... I didn't even remember this back in the day... heard it a few times over the years but yep... very basic and does not go anywhere... if it had more interesting parts and they incorporated more classic "Queen" elements it might have worked better but Queen is a different band to the NATO/DATR era... Having said that this was the album that cemented their fan base in the USA... 2 all time classic #1 hits can't be ignored. But for sure for musicians listening to other musicians there isn't much to get excited about... for me as an 11 year old in 1980 it was really sad to hear this... I can even recall being off school and listening to this in the morning on a little mono cassette recorder i had and feeling that this was not the Queen I liked.

[@peteriuliano5846]

PENULTIMATE DRAGONS

[@milosbogdanovic3229]

This is more like some random jamming that somehow morphed into a song. I think its good, but you are right for the most part. I also think that they realised the potential you talk about on the next album. There are couple of tracks where I think they pulled it of completelly (Dancer, Back chat, Action this day).

[@jonstevens5961]

By this time they were laughing all the way to the bank and could afford to experiment with whatever they wanted to and did. Brian always wanted to make another hard rock album but it never happened.

[@sergeinester6261]

I hated this song to start with then I loved it - enjoy it more than Another One Bites The Dust. Live is great too.

[@dariosantia6233]

Justin, I really do like the way you analyze music in general and specially Queen´s songs. I know you like Freddie´s voice (who don´t!) so, I suggest you to check Mark Martel´s Queen covers, specially, We are the Champions, or any of them. You will be surprised. Hugs

[@EnoVarma]

Just a really good reaction, on point. I agree completely.

[@i8granola]

This is my go out for a run pump up jam. I average good 10 minute miles off this song.

[@pamelatriffon4408]

Love the live version of this and Deacon’s bass is great! It’s funny you’re not into this but if my memory serves me correctly you and your partner loved the live version! Listen how could they stay the same at this point in their career. They would have to change. Yes they were able to make it work. You’re listening to the wrong people! Even people who didn’t like this music at the time say they love it now.

[@j0hnf_uk]

This is a bit of a precursor to their next album, from a retrospective point of view. Not as far down the funk track, but it's certainly there. But, of course, this is Queen doing what they do, i.e. lending their own inimitable style to various genres of music. It sounds like Queen, but it's not quite the Queen we're used to, so far. But then, if you're a fan who, 'gets', what they're about, you're more than accepting, and even if you're not all that much into funk, you kind of forgive them for it, simply because you know their game, (forgive the pun.) I never took any kind of issue with this song. I loved the bass rift from start to finish, the vocals were on point and Brian's guitar was doing what Brian's guitar does, essentially. Unsurprising that it was the B-side to, 'Another one bites the dust', seeing as it's in a very similar style.

[@yar9333]

You need to do the whole discography to get the whole picture. I’m not necessarily an apologist for their later stuff as I lost track of them in real time for a while, but they did return to form later on. Not progressive like their earlier albums but good strong song writing.

[@jimtatro6550]

My favorite song from this album. Sorry you haven’t heard from me lately, life stuff…..nuff said.👍

[@JustinPanariello]

Hey Jim! Good to see you hope you’re doing alright! I get it. I almost had to hard pause the channel recently for life stuff.

[@dreddnort9276]

I think you made a good point. Being a British fan early from the Shear Heart Attack album onwards, a fan from that time, when the Game hit the scene there was that mental shift, it switched to American styling, and i did think at the time, they have begun to turn the corner. There are a few solid songs on the album, but the rest are experimental and unpolished, b-sides. In the 1970s, Queen were legendary as the group that were three albums ahead in their planning and production. For the fan the anticipation was how big, massive, overwhelming will the next album be. With The Game it was a shock, a down grade from rock god status, still A-grade, but a mortal A-grade. Like i said the album has some jewels, too few though.

[@dreddnort9276]

To add, it took a few years for me to fully enjoy the album, i guess i evolved. Dragon Attack is one of my favorites to blast in the car, because it’s so weird and Brian destroys the guitar.

[@loup5044]

I'm not a massive Queen fan, but in the words of RAMBO "Nothing Is Over" ... Apparently, as people keep buying Their stuff and seemingly, that will never stop. I know there good, But Alot of it, I find samey - Samey. They were lucky to have such a good front man. Very funky indeed, an okay track , I have the album but ain't played it in years. JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, Remember the mini lifson guitar that you gave away, there's a 40min interview with Alex about that very Guitar (Lerxst Limelight AMS) thought you might enjoy it, your probably aware of it. Take Care.

[@user-er3ri6sc3j]

I think Chinese New Year is coming up and it's the year of the dragon.

[@joebabe302]

You shocked me again buddy! I REALLY thought you would enjoy this one. Even though from a musician’s standpoint it’s basic, I always felt if it sounds good it sounds good! lol 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[@jhall2224]

I agree. Being an old rocker it was Hot space that made me say I'll never buy another Queen album. They went into a different direction just not what I was into at the time or now.

[@vernhoke7730]

For me this is an okay track. Heard it on the album, saw them do it live on the Game tour, maybe even Hot Space as well.

[@Robert-wn2cw]

As a huge Queen fan I totally agree with you about hearing this for the first time that the "Queen music" that I loved and grew up on had gone. For me it only really came back with the Works album. The Game is my second least favourite Queen album after Hot Space. Good reaction video Justin. Thanks

[@jeffreymitchell7969]

Sounds like a lot of compression on Freddie’s voice.

[@mascha28swinkels]

🫣I must have heard this before because I know I’ve heard the whole album before way back when, but this song doesn’t ring any bells 🔔 I just don’t remember it and I can understand why 😬

[@taylortyler1867]

Is this song about a dominatrix? Knowing Freddie, I wouldn't be surprised. As a whole, this album is the beginning of the downslide for Queen, although, I liked the bass in this one. But, once again, Queen's worst is better than most bands' best. (IMO)

[@delorangeade]

It's a bunch of good parts that could have become a song, but it didn't happen.

[@deboraclark5791]

It's a good song, not great, the whole band shines, it came about just them goofing off, it's mainly about a bar they went to Munich . Freddie as usual uses his vocals as an instrument. Fairweather fans may have left in later years, but most fans always knew Queen was always changing and moving and experimenting. My favorite albums were all the previous ones, the mystical songs, hard rock, but like I said the other albums are different had very good tracks. Freddie didn't write as much in the later years. Sorry you didn't like it. 😊

[@HelgeKS]

Hot Space...and THEN it was over...until Innuendo.

[@kvassrock]

Not really. Queen delivered solid albums all the way. But not in the same style as in the 70s of course.

[@marvalstith2749]

I'm begging'???? What's the real definition of a 'Queen Fan'? Too bad the subscriber count isn't updated. Wouldn't that would tell a story?

[@donnelson6694]

I totally forgot about this song. Not very memorable I guess.

[@kato0828]

At the time, we came along with Queen for this album. But Flash? Hot Spaces?? It’s definitely OVER.

[@raymondregis6219]

It has a nice feel and energy but it doesn't go anywhere interesting enough.

[@johncarr2806]

This type of song is not for me either.

[@kasztaniarz]

I agree that this song is mid. In terms of songwriting, it's going nowhere.