(Credits: Far Out / Carl Lender)
Sat 10 January 2026 12:18, UK
While Queen is often acknowledged for occupying a dramatic, pop-infused realm of rock, their artistic depth extends far beyond what many may initially credit them for. Beyond the remarkable vocal prowess of frontman Freddie Mercury and the explosive fretwork of Brian May, the band demonstrated a capacity for a more caustic and edgy musical expression than is commonly recognised.
Mercury and the band provided inspired and biting critiques that go a long way in portraying them in a different light. For all of their theatrical propensities and tendency to be out there, Queen were much harder at their core than it appears. This edge was always a key to their success, providing a perfect counterbalance to their more frivolous aspects.
Mercury was never afraid to speak his mind. The singer might have been most keenly appreciated for his performances on stage, but he was able to write some scathing lyrics. A stinging wit capable of delivering a killer blow, Mercury was always in a primed position to be a devastating lyricist, especially if somebody had crossed him.
One of their finest early tracks, ‘Death On Two Legs’, the opener of 1975’s A Night at the Opera, makes a strong claim to be their most cutting song. Mercury composed and dedicated the track to Norman Sheffield, the band’s former manager and co-owner of London’s Trident Studios. At the time, the quartet felt particularly aggrieved by Sheffield and believed he had not adequately supported them, so they parted ways before the album was recorded.
In the 2011 documentary Days of Our Lives, the surviving members of Queen reflected on the tense feeling towards the end of Sheffield’s tenure. They were creating hits but not seeing any money, which gradually aggravated them, particularly when drummer Roger Taylor was told not to hit the drums too hard as they couldn’t afford new drumsticks. Taylor recalled: “You see them (the management) running around in stretch limos and think ‘Hang on there’s something not right here!’”
A young Freddie Mercury in 1977. (Credits: Far Out / Elektra Records)
Opening with the couplet, “You suck my blood like a leech / You break the law and you breach,” Freddie Mercury clearly outlines his and the band’s feelings. Ironically, he was initially not a fan of the song when it was shaping up, as he felt it was too resentful, but May encouraged him to complete it.
In a typically bold manner, the song’s title has “Dedicated to…” written after it, which makes quite a statement, even if it contains no direct reference to Sheffield. However, Sheffield was angered by it and sued Queen and their record label, which was eventually settled out of court. In another twist of irony, this also publically revealed that the quartet had written the song about the matter, thus questioning Sheffield’s standing further.
Sheffield denied that he or his company had mistreated Queen as manager. In his 2013 autobiography, he used the 1972 management contract between them and him in his defence. Regardless, though, the damage had been done. On the Live Killers version of ‘Death of Two Legs’, Mercury introduces the song, saying, “This is a song about a real motherfucker of a gentleman!”
The band would forget this moment rather quickly, and soon they would become giants of pop music. The group would develop their songwriting skills even further to deliver reams of incredible songs that would help to define them as perhaps the greatest rock pop act of all time.
Listen to ‘Death On Two Legs’ below.
Related Topics