Scandal (song)

"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.[2] The single was released in the United States but failed to chart.

"Scandal"
Artwork for UK release
Single by Queen
from the 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)[1]
Released9 October 1989
Recorded1988
GenreRock, electro-rock
Length
  • 4:43 (Album version)
  • 6:23 (12" extended version)
LabelParlophone, EMI, Capitol
Songwriter(s)Queen
(Brian May)
Producer(s)Queen and David Richards
Queen singles chronology
"The Invisible Man"
(1989)		 "Scandal"
(1989)		 "The Miracle"
(1989)
Music video
"Scandal" on YouTube

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.[3]

Recording

May recorded the keyboards and guitars in one take. Mercury's vocal was also done in one take.[3]

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".[4]

Track Listings

7" Single

A Side. "Scandal" (Album Version) - 4:43

B Side. "My Life Has Been Saved" - 3:15[5]

12"/CD Single

1/A Side. "Scandal" (Extended Version) - 6:23

2/B1. "My Life Has Been Saved" - 3:15

3/B2. "Scandal" (Album Version) - 4:43

Personnel

Chart performance
Chart (1989) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 29
Irish Singles Chart[7] 14
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[8] 16
Netherlands Singles Chart (Single Top 100[9] 12
UK Singles Chart[2] 25

References
  1. "Queen UK Singles Discography 1984-1991". www.ultimatequeen.co.uk.
  2. "Queen - Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  3. "Scandal - Queenpedia". Queenpedia.com/. Retrieved 26 January 2008.
  4. "Queen UK Singles Discography 1984-1991". www.ultimatequeen.co.uk. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  5. "Queen "The Miracle" album and song lyrics". www.ultimatequeen.co.uk. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  6. "Ultratop.be – Queen – Scandal" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  7. http://www.irishcharts.ie
  8. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Queen" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  9. "Queen - Scandal - Dutchcharts". dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 January 2016.


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