Stone Cold Crazy

About this song

Stone Cold Crazy appears on the 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack and was never released as a single, though it was a staple of Queen's concerts during the 1970s. An early version was played by Freddie Mercury with his first band, Wreckage, in the late 1960s, and it was the first song Queen performed live in 1970. It changed considerably in both music and lyrics before recording, so credit went to the whole band. Metallica covered it in 1990 for Atlantic Records' 40th anniversary compilation Rubaiyat.

What it's about

The tongue-in-cheek lyrics follow the mind of someone who is furious and, as a result, gets a bad reputation. The song has been called thrash metal before the term was invented.

Summary written with AI, based on the song's page on Genius.

Fun facts

• Covered 5 times, including “Stone Cold Crazy by Eleven (Band) (Ft. Josh Homme)”.
• Written by Roger Taylor, John Deacon, Brian May and Freddie Mercury.
• Produced by Queen and Roy Thomas Baker.
• Recorded at AIR and Rockfield Studios.