Don't Try So Hard by Queen

Album: Innuendo (1991)

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This song has a lyric full of stock adages about overcoming obstacles with courage and conviction, but they're made more trenchant in context of Freddie Mercury's condition. The Queen frontman was dying of AIDS when he recorded it, determined to make as much music as he could before he passed on. Fans didn't know this until his death in November 1991, nine months after the Innuendo album was released.
Freddie Mercury wrote this, but it was credited to the entire band due to an agreement they had some years before. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Sebas - Tokyo, Japan, for above 2
The atmospheric noises in the intro are the preset sound of the Korg M1 keyboard each time it is turned on. The notes that the Korg M1 plays are: E A D G B E, which are the notes on any 6-string guitar in Italian tuning. The notes are played one octave higher. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Murariu - Iasi, Romania

Comments: 8

Donna Kusch from CanadMy favourite Queen/Freddie Mercury song.
Bobbie from Somewhere, UsaI’m going through some stuff at the moment and I swear my subconscious is giving me advice through this album. The other day was a dark day for me and the lyrics for the song Innuendo suddenly just started playing in my head as I was wrestling with some things emotionally….”You can be anything you want to be, just turn yourself into anything you think that you could ever be.” I sat down and played the song and just really listened to it…cried a little too. It was the turning point for me and I started to feel better. Now today this song popped into my head while still struggling with some of those same issues, which is why I’m here now looking up stuff about the song. This is why music is so great (especially Queen music). When my brain thinks it doesn’t know the answers to my problems, my heart reminds it that it does. And it does that through music. Music is really the language of the heart. I know I heard that somewhere before and it was meant as a metaphor but I think it’s actually pretty literally true.
Jens from Wageningen, NetherlandsReally like the vocals of the song, just like the entire album something entirely else.
Lori from Greenville, ScNot one of favorite's songs fom Innuendo. But I like the reason for the song.
Jfv from Philadelphia, PaAlthough this song obviously addresses the concept of the sense of relief one might feel when they finally stop worrying about seemingly unimportant things, it also seems to be directed at people that spend a great deal of thought, time and energy in trying to be something they are not, in essence "putting on airs". The clever lyric, "dressed as lamb instead of mutton", poetically makes that point via the use of a simile. ~JFV (5/16/08)~
Wyatt from Anywhere, United StatesI love this song but its so depressing I can't listen to it much. My ex girlfreind used to say it was about me, probably because she thought I always try too hard. The whole album is great but a little hard to take as I kinda grew up with this band
Alex from Moscow, EuropeVery good lyrics, they always help me when i'm depressed or worried. One more grand song from Queen. One of the best songs from Innuendo.
Freddie from Orlando, FlThe Lyrics "Just savor every mouthfull, and treasure every moment-when the storms are raging round you, stay right where you are. Oh, dont try so hard! Oh, dont take it all to heart..." Have proved to be really helpful for me personally. I need to let a lot of things go and just savor what I can... but forget what i cant control.

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