Save Me (Queen song)

"Save Me" is a rock ballad by English rock band Queen from their 1980 album The Game. Written by guitarist Brian May, it was recorded in 1979, and released in the UK on January 25, 1980, nearly six months prior to the release of the album. "Save Me" spent six weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number eleven.^[1]

The song was played live from 1979-1982.^[2][3][4][5] One of the Mercury's most notable performances of "Save Me" took place at the Montreal Forum, Quebec, Canada in November 1981, and the song is recorded in the live album, Queen Rock Montreal.^[6] The song also features in Queen's compilation album, Greatest Hits.^[7]

History

Brian May wrote "Save Me" about a friend whose relationship had ended, and played piano, synths and guitars (electric and twelve-string acoustic) on it. Played live, the song would typically feature a short piano introduction absent from the studio version. This introduction can be found in a May solo composition "My Boy" which can only be found much later on the 1998 compilation album "Lullabies With A Difference". The general melody could have been conceived by May as early as 1980 as the intro to the live version of "Save Me" exhibits.

In addition, the lyrics "I'm naked and I'm far from home" were uttered near the end of the pilot episode of the television series Highlander (whose theme was another Queen song, "Princes of the Universe") by Christopher Lambert's character.

A version of the song is performed by stage actress and singer, Kerry Ellis, on her debut album Anthems.^[8]

Personnel

• Brian May: rhythm and acoustic twelve-string guitars, piano, synthesizer, backing vocals.
• Roger Taylor: Drums, backing vocals.
• Freddie Mercury: Lead and backing Vocals.
• John Deacon: bass.

Charts

References