Released 21 November 1975 Genre Dixieland Writer(s) Brian May | Recorded August–November 1975 Length 3:26 | |
Label EMI, Parlophone (Europe), Elektra, Hollywood (US) | ||
"Good Company" is a song by British rock band Queen, which was written by Brian May. May also played a "Genuine Aloha" Banjo uke and provided all the vocals on the track.
Contents
About
One of the main features of the song is that it contains a recreation of a jazz band in Dixieland style which was provided by the May's Red Special guitar played through the Deacy Amp. This is one of the few Queen songs without Freddie Mercury participating at all.
The song tells a story about a man who was advised in young age by his father to "take care of those you call your own, and keep good company". The young man accepts the advice, marrying a girl named Sally and also keeping his friends. However, he began losing interest in his friends after the marriage and they gradually disappear. As he is older, he is becoming more skilled and dedicated to his occupation by working long nights and neglecting his family.
In the end, all his efforts is rewarded and he begins his own Limited company (it also serves as a pun; the word "company" mainly serves as a meaning of friends, companions). Dedicated more to his business, he hardly noticed that his wife left him.
The song ends with a speaker as an elderly man, puffing on his pipe and pondering the lessons of his life, which he has no one left to share with.
Structure
The key of the song is F# major, which is relatively rare in the Queen song catalogue. There are total of seven verses in the song and three of them are instrumental. The first instrumental partly imitates the verse tune. There are only two choruses which have mainly the same chord progression as the verses. The B phrase has also the same lead melody. The song also contains two solos which are mainly verse-themed, and a bridge that is separated by it.