Information about We Are The Champions

''See also We Are The Champions (Asher D & Daddy Freddy single)

"We Are the Champions "
"We Are the Champions " cover
Single by Queen
from the album News of the World
B-side(s)	We Will Rock You
Released	October 7, 1977
Format	7"
Recorded	1977
Genre	Rock ballad
Length	2:59
Label	EMI (UK) Elektra Records (US)
Writer(s)	Freddie Mercury
Producer(s)	Queen, assisted by Mike Stone
Peak chart positions
#1 (France; New Zealand) #2 (Netherlands; UK) #3 (Canada; Ireland) #4 (US) #6 (Norway) #11 (Australia) #12 (Austria) #14 (Sweden) #13 (Germany) #72 (Japan)
Queen singles chronology
"Long Away" (1977) "We Are the Champions" / "We Will Rock You" (1977) "Spread Your Wings" (1978)

"We Are the Champions" is a power ballad written by Freddie Mercury, recorded and performed by Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. One of their most famous and popular songs, it has since become an anthem for sporting victories and has been often used or referenced in popular culture (see below).

Musically, it is based around Mercury's piano part, with Roger Taylor and John Deacon providing a drums and bass guitar backing. Brian May overdubbed some guitar sections, initially subtle, but building to a 'solo' played simultaneously with the last chorus. Mercury employed many jazz chords (major and minor 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th and 13th harmonies), and the choruses featured these voiced as 4 and 5-part vocal harmonies. The lead vocal is very demanding and strident, and in live performances, Mercury often deferred to let Taylor handle the highest parts of the melody.

The single featured "We Will Rock You" as a B-side, and followed the song on the album. The two songs were often paired to close Queen concerts, and are customarily played together on radio broadcasts (in album order). Keeping with tradition, it was also used to close the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert with all the show's acts joining in behind the lead vocal of Liza Minnelli.

Queen about the song

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In popular culture

• The song has been used together with "We Will Rock You" in The Mighty Ducks' trilogy.
• The song has been sampled by Dame Dash, Kanye West, Young Chris, Beanie Sigel, Cam'ron & Twista for their song, "Champions".
• The song appears in two episodes of The Simpsons - in "War of the Simpsons," Homer sings "I Am the Champions" [sic] after catching a legendary catfish, General Sherman. In "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken," Homer, Lenny, Carl, and Barney sing it after the Springfield Isotopes win the season.
• At the end of the AFL Grand Final in Australia, the song is played over the stadium as the Premiership team does a lap of honor.
• The song is used as the entrance music of professional wrestling tag team The Kings of Wrestling.
• The song was also in the Japanese version of DDR Extreme.
• The song was used in the episode of Malcolm in the Middle where Hal shows his skating abilities.
• The song has been played to celebrate numerous sports championships. It was played at the finals of 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, after Italy won the cup.
• The song was used during the end cutscene for .
• The song was used at the end of the South Park episode "Stanley's Cup".
• The song marked the climax of the ending of the 1984 hit comedy Revenge of the Nerds.
• The song was televised locally right after Sri Lanka won the 1996 Cricket World Cup on March 17th, 1996.
• John Cusack dances to this song after he finds out that his ex-girlfriend has not had sex with his hated neighbor in the 2000 film High Fidelity.
• This song was the closing credits song for the movie 'A Knight's Tale' (2001.)
• Fernando Alonso sung the song after winning the 2005 Chinese Grand Prix, securing the Contructors' title for his team, Renault. The team later released an MP3 of the song being "played" by the engine they had used in that season, with the different notes played by changing engine speeds to adjust the pitch of the engine sound and exhaust note.
• The song was in the 2005 film, Kicking & Screaming.
• An Australian dart team - the Warilla Bowls All-Nighters adopted it as their 'team song' after winning back-to-back premierships in 2005.
• In the film Chicken Little (2005), Chicken Little sings the song after winning the big baseball game, but improvises the lyrics ("I Am The Champion" instead of "We Are the Champions"). Pro wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin also altered the song in this fashion in 2001.
• Liberal talk-radio personality Randi Rhodes used the song after the 2006 midterm elections to celebrate Democratic victories in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.
• It was used as a musical extract for which to answer questions on in the 2006 Level One NCEA Music Exam
• It was used as the introductory music prior to Prince's halftime TV performance at Super Bowl XLI on February 4th, 2007 in Miami, Florida.
• On an episode of So You Think You Can Dance in 2007, Danny Tidwell performed a solo to Gavin DeGraw's version.

Cover versions and remixes

• Producer Rick Rubin remixed the song (along with "We Will Rock You") for Hollywood Records. (This mix also samples James Brown's "Funky Drummer".)
• Scatman John did a cover of this song along with Invisible Man.
• Era has also covered this song.
• Das Oath covered the song and has had it featured on more than one CD, including .
• J.B.O. released a spoof version, “Wir sind die Champignons” (We Are the Mushrooms), in 1997.
• Queen (May/Taylor) re-recorded this song for the soundtrack of the 2001 film A Knight's Tale with Robbie Williams on vocals. Williams also made a music video for the song.
• William Hung covered this song for his second album Hung for the Holidays (2004).
• Gavin DeGraw covered this song in (2005).
• Green Day covered the song at the famous Live 8 in 2005. Also, they have often covered the song at their shows.
• The Bad Plus performs a jazz cover of this song in Blunt Object: Live in Tokyo (2005).
• Crazy Frog covered the song on the album, Crazy Frog Presents More Crazy Hits (2006).

Thematic relation

The verse has some similarities to the Stephen Sondheim song, Send in the Clowns, both in melodic pattern and rhythm. The main difference is the key. Sondheim starts in major key, Mercury in the minor. The similarity may as well be intended.

The song bears a passing similarlity to both "My Way" and "Don't Cry For Me Argentina".

See also

• We Are the Winners
• Rock anthem

References

•  • [ e] Queen
John Deacon • Brian May • Freddie Mercury • Roger Taylor
Discography
Studio albums: Queen • Queen II • Sheer Heart Attack • A Night at the Opera • A Day at the Races • News of the World • Jazz • The Game • Flash Gordon • Hot Space • The Works • A Kind of Magic • The Miracle • Innuendo • Made in Heaven
Live albums: Live Killers • Live Magic • Live at Wembley '86 • Queen on Fire - Live at the Bowl • Return of the Champions
Compilation albums: Greatest Hits • At the Beeb • Greatest Hits II • Classic Queen • Queen Rocks • Greatest Hits III • Stone Cold Classics • The A-Z of Queen, Volume 1
Videography
We Will Rock You • The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert • Greatest Video Hits 1 • Live at Wembley Stadium • Greatest Video Hits 2 • • Queen on Fire - Live at the Bowl • Return of the Champions • Super Live in Japan
Tours
Queen I Tour • Queen II Tour • Sheer Heart Attack Tour • A Night at the Opera Tour • A Day at the Races Tour • News of the World Tour • Jazz Tour • Crazy Tour • The Game Tour • Hot Space Tour • The Works Tour • Magic Tour • Queen + Paul Rodgers Tour
Live performances • Songs • Bootlegs • Queen + Paul Rodgers • Ibex • Larry Lurex • Smile • The Cross • • We Will Rock You (musical) (casts) • Queen at the Ballet • Deacy Amp • Red Special • The Official International Queen Fan Club • The Mercury Phoenix Trust • Mountain Studios • Spike Edney • Jim Beach • John Reid