'39

Recording

May sings lead vocal on the studio recording of the song, one of his few lead vocals on Queen recordings.

May had asked bassist John Deacon to play double bass as a joke but a couple of days later he found Deacon in the studio with the instrument, and he had already learned to play it.

May had been working on his thesis in astrophysics, but eventually abandoned his studies to pursue his career with Queen. In 2006, he resumed his studies and eventually completed his thesis, titled A Survey of Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud, and received his PhD in 2008.

Since Queen had named their albums A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races after two of the Marx Brothers' most popular films, surviving brother Groucho Marx invited Queen to visit him at his Los Angeles home in March 1977 (five months before he died). The band thanked him, and performed "39" a cappella.

The song is the 39th album track released by the band when counting each album track from the debut album onwards.

Live performances

The song was a live favourite throughout the 1970s, often being used as a singalong in concert. It was first performed in Edinburgh in September 1976 and remained in setlists until December 1979, although the song was briefly performed in 1984. Instead of May singing the lead vocals live, Mercury did. The Guardian later commented that live performances of the song were played as "a raucous, rollicking sea shanty".

The version recorded at concert at Festhalle Frankfurt on 2 February 1979 is featured on the live album Live Killers.

George Michael performed "39" at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in April 1992. Michael cited this song as his favourite Queen song, saying he used to busk it on the London Underground.

Later the song was included by Queen on the setlists of their Queen + Adam Lambert tours in 2012 and 2014–2015 featuring Adam Lambert & both Queen + Paul Rodgers Tours, which were Queen + Paul Rodgers Tour & Rock the Cosmos featuring Paul Rodgers; as on the album, it is sung by May.

Personnel

Information is taken from the album's Liner Notes except where noted

• Brian May – lead vocals, backing vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar, electric guitar
• Freddie Mercury – backing vocals
• Roger Taylor – tambourine, bass drum, backing vocals
• John Deacon – double bass

References

References

1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "A Night at the Opera - Queen {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits". [[AllMusic]].
2. Nicholson, Kris. (8 April 1976). "A Night at the Opera".
3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "A Day at the Races - Queen {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits". [[AllMusic]].
4. Rivadavia, Eduardo. (21 November 2015). "Revisiting Queen's Masterpiece, 'A Night at the Opera'".
5. "'39". Songfacts.
6. May, Brian. "Queen Legends".
7. "Queen's Homage to Space Exploration: '39".
8. (2009). "Queen: The Ultimate Illustrated History of the Crown Kings of Rock". Voyageur Press.
9. Eder, Bruce. "'39 - Queen". [[AllMusic]].
10. (20 March 2012). "Old Music: Queen - '39". [[The Guardian]].
11. Fricke, David. (6 September 1979). "Live Killers".
12. "The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert".
13. Bignardi, Francesco. (9 November 2008). "Queen & George Michael – '39 (Freddie Mercury Tribute)".
14. (17 August 2007). "A Night At The Opera".
15. "Queen + Adam Lambert Set List: Calgary, Saddledome".
16. (1975). "A Night at the Opera". EMI Records.
17. "Album Analysis: A Night At The Opera".