Spread Your Wings

John Deacon wrote this great song. It's a story about a guy named Sammy who works in a bar and wants to quit and make something of his life but his boss don't want him to go and tries to disencourage him. The meaning of the song is that sometimes you have to go after your dreams to make them come true. If you don't try at least you always will lead the same life you don't want to live. Spread your wings.

I really love this song, and it makes me sad as well -i feel this about myself as you have so many life dreams that you can never fulfill as everyone around you knocks you down. you want to be somewhere eles - anywhere but here, but you can never leave, you are stuck where you are - probally forever. and your dreams will never come true.

This was the first single I ever bought and it became part of the soundtrack of my childhood - a longing to 'fly away' - to run away from everything: parents, 'dead life', England, meaninglessness, rat race. I escaped a few times, before finally (in my 20s) finding incredible peace and returning to England with a calling and a purpose and a new life, which I'm still enjoying. I've just listened to that song for the first time in 25-30 years. Wow, what sad memories, what a beautiful song, and how far I've been brought from those unhappy times. I have a new appreciation for the song, though - as a child, caught up in the words of the song, I don't think I ever realised how good it was musically! By the way, Sheer Heart Attack was the B-side - another classic.

The live version on live killers is clearly better. You should listen to it. It is so wonderful when the crowd sings the chorus. Freddie sings better on that album.

Oh God, it's like Queen keeps ripping pages of my life and setting them to music. Well, I suppose it ain't a terribly unique story.

This song is about watching your life pass by (watching the show) and not realizing what you are missing (you should do better). It's about letting the assholes of the world hold you back (get this crazy notions right out of your head). Illegitimi non carborundum - don't let the bastards grind you down. It's about deciding to start living more each day, instead of dieing more each day. It's about take a chance, making a change. It might be doing something great (spread your wings) or checking out (fly away). Either way it's not continuing along the path and circumstance you have come to. Carpe diem - sieze the day or seize your death. All you have to do is choose. Just choose.

I really love this song, and it makes me sad as well -i feel this about myself as you have so many life dreams that you can never fulfill as everyone around you knocks you down. you want to be somewhere eles - anywhere but here, but you can never leave, you are stuck where you are - probally forever. and your dreams will never come true.

this rocks the dogs gneque so hard it just falls off and the dog just wanders aorund going 'oh what happened to my gneque? i wish queen weren't such badasses as to completely remove my old gneque...'

Beautiful song written by John Deacon. He didn't contribute many by comparison to the others, but this is a corker. Was fortunate enough to see them perform this live in 1979. If this song is one of your favourites make sure you listen to the Live Killers version, the guitar solo at the end is superb.

John Deacon's an amazing songwriter. I personally couldn't believe he could write such prolific music until I heard this. Freddie's vocal really drives the song along because the raw emotion he shows sticks with the song. May-b Sammy was a real person they knew, though I doubt it...