B-side "Cool Cat" Format Vinyl record (7") Genre Pop Rock | Released 1 June 1982 Recorded 1981 – 1982 Length 4:29 | |
"Las Palabras de Amor (The Words of Love)" is a rock ballad by the British rock band Queen. It was released as the third single from their 1982 album Hot Space. It is partly sung in Spanish. Written by guitarist Brian May, the song proved more popular in the United Kingdom than their previous single ("Body Language"), reaching #17 in the UK Singles Chart.
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Background
The song's lyrics were written by guitarist Brian May. Vocals were provided by lead singer Freddie Mercury with May on the high harmony vocal. The song was inspired by the band's close relationship with their Latin American fans. It marked the band's final studio appearance on Top of the Pops (having previously appeared to promote "Seven Seas of Rhye", "Killer Queen", "Now I'm Here" and "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy" respectively). For this mimed performance May is seen playing a grand piano as well as his guitar and, on the recording, he plays both piano and synths in addition to acoustic and electric guitars. May also sang lead vocals for the harmonized line "this time and evermore" throughout the song. At one point Mercury is seen miming incorrect words.
During the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium in 1992, this was the third song of the second half, performed by Zucchero and Queen. In Queen + Paul Rodgers Rock The Cosmos-tour 2008 it was played in the Spanish speaking countries, sung by Brian.
This song also made it onto 1999 Queen's Greatest Hits III after the Made in Heaven song "Heaven for Everyone" but before Brian May's single "Driven by You".
Musical theatre actress Elaine Paige recorded the song on her album of Queen covers The Queen Album in 1988.
The baby's face image of the single's cover would reappear on The Cross single for their song "New Dark Ages".