We Will Rock You - Remastered...by Queen

#216-counting down the Best Opening Songs, as voted by YOU! Thank you so much for your support! www.kexp.org

A selection from 8-year-old Maia! -- Other than the last 30 seconds, which contains a guitar solo by songwriter Brian May, the song is generally set in a cappella form, using only stomping and clapping as a rhythmic body percussion beat. In 1977, "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" were issued together as a worldwide top 10 single.

With an opening track like this, you gotta back it up and Queen did with the album 'New of the World'! Does KEXP rock you? Then donate now! www.kexp.org

“stomp, stomp, clap, pause” twice per 4/4 measure! From Queen's sixth studio album, released in 1977. - queenonline.com --- Donate now to power KEXP & the music you love! - www.kexp.org

By listener request! One of Queen’s biggest songs worldwide and a staple of arena and stadium sports everywhere. It was a conscious decision by Brian May to make the song simple and anthemic (“stomp, stomp, clap, pause” twice per 4/4 measure), to get their live audiences more involved in their shows.

It's my 40th birthday! Could you play any Bowie or Queen from the year of the week please! Noah in Everett

And (naturally) here is Queen's "We Will Rock You!" PHEW. Yes, we're working our way back to Chuck D somehow....

This request comes from Jackie, who writes: "I would love for you to play We are the Champions/We will rock you in honor of KEXP being so amazing but also for my late father Kenny Buttice, the Bulldog is what they called him who was a also a radio pioneer and an A&R man in the 70s. In fact it was his marketing idea, to combine both songs to make it a radio friendly hit. He worked at Elektra Asylum records when Queen presented him with both songs and since they didn’t fit into the normal 3 min radio friendly format, he decided to combine both songs to create one. He also said Queen were some of the smartest musicians he ever knew, I think that is evident now and I know he is rocking with Freddy out in the ether." Thank you for sharing this incredible story, Jackie, and for your Dad's contribution to music history!