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Scandal (song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Scandal
| cover = Queen Scandal.png
| alt =
| caption = Artwork for UK release
| type = single
| artist = Queen
| album = The Miracle
| B-side = *"My Life Has Been Saved"
*"Scandal" (Album Version) (The 12" and CD single versions included the extended version of "Scandal" as the A Side, with the album version of "Scandal" as the second B Side)
| released = 9 October 1989
| recorded = 1988
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Rock, electro-rock
| length = * 4:43 (Album version)
* 6:23 (12" extended version)
| label = Parlophone, EMI, Capitol
| writer = Queen
(Brian May)
| producer = Queen and David Richards
| prev_title = The Invisible Man
| prev_year = 1989
| next_title = The Miracle
| next_year = 1989
| misc =
}}
"'Scandal'" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was released as the fourth single from their 1989 album 'The Miracle' and peaked at #25 in the UK. The single was released in the United States but failed to chart.
Composition
"Scandal", written by Brian May, but credited to Queen, is about the unwanted attention May and lead singer Freddie Mercury received from the press in the late 1980s, involving May's divorce from his first wife, Chrissie Mullen, and his relationship with actress Anita Dobson and growing media speculation about Mercury's health. Mercury was diagnosed with AIDS in April 1987; he did not reveal his condition until the day before his death in November 1991. However, changes in his appearance, particularly his weight loss and rather gaunt look, helped fuel speculation that he was seriously ill.
Recording
May recorded the keyboards and guitars in one take. Mercury's vocal was also done in one take.
Music video
The video for the song featured the band performing on a stage designed to look like a newspaper - it was filmed at Pinewood Studios in September 1989, and is notable for Mercury's "gaunt" appearance.
In the audio commentary included with the video in 'Queen: Greatest Video Hits 2', Roger Taylor admitted his dislike for it, stating it was not one of my favourite songs. One of the most boring videos we ever made."
B-sides
The original version of the song "My Life Has Been Saved" was featured on the B-Side of the single, before May, Taylor, Deacon and Richards reworked the track for their fifteenth and final studio album 'Made in Heaven'. The 1995 version replaced the original guitar intro with keyboards played by bassist John Deacon. The 12" and CD singles include the extended version of "Scandal" on the A-Side, while the B-Sides are both "My Life Has Been Saved" and the album version of "Scandal".
Track listings
'7" Single'
# "Scandal" (Album Version) - 4:43
# "My Life Has Been Saved" - 3:15
'12"/CD Single'
# "Scandal" (Extended Version) - 6:23
# "My Life Has Been Saved" - 3:15
# "Scandal" (Album Version) - 4:43
Personnel
*Freddie Mercury - vocals
*Brian May - guitars, keyboards
*Roger Taylor - drums, vibraslap
*John Deacon - bass guitar
*David Richards - synth bass, sampler
Charts
References
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