| "The Invisible Man" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork for UK release | ||||
| Single byQueen | ||||
| from the albumThe Miracle | ||||
| B-side | ||||
| Released | 7 August 1989 | |||
| Recorded | 1988 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
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| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | Queen (Roger Taylor) | |||
| Producers |
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| Queen singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "The Invisible Man" onYouTube | ||||
"The Invisible Man" is a song by the Britishrock bandQueen, written by drummerRoger Taylor but credited to Queen. The song is sung mostly byFreddie Mercury, with vocal contributions from Taylor. The song was released in August 1989 as the thirdsingle from the band's albumThe Miracle. Taylor said that he got the inspiration to create the song while reading a book, and the bassline instantly came to his imagination. The song title was inspired by theH. G. Wells novelof the same name.[3]
This song contains a distinction whereby all four band members' names are mentioned in the lyrics. The first beingFreddie Mercury, followed byJohn Deacon.Brian May's name is then said twice (just before his guitar solo starts), and while saying "Roger Taylor", the first "r" is rolled to emulate the drums at the end of the verse. Mercury's name is announced by Taylor, and the other three by Mercury.
Upon its release as a single, David Giles ofMusic Week described "The Invisible Man" as a "somewhat watered-down effort to create a modern dancefloor frenzy [that] is enhanced by a Brian May guitar solo".[4]Ian Broudie, as guest reviewer forNumber One, rated the song two out of five stars and said that "aside from a good rhythm this doesn't have much going for it".[5]Kerrang! wrote, "Yes, it has no substance, you can see straight through it. No, of course it won't flop, it's bound to be a hit."[6]
In themusic video, avideo game called "The Invisible Man" plays a large part, as a young boy is playing a game while the band (all dressed in black) are the "bad guys" and Freddie Mercury (who wears a pair of virtual reality goggles, while the rest of the band wear black shades instead) enters the real world and performs the song in his room. As they perform, the boy tries to shoot them with the game controller.
Mercury appears in various places in the child's room, vanishing before the boy can shoot him with the video controller. After Mercury emerges from the child's closet with his band in tow, John Deacon removes his cowboy hat and throws it to the floor. In perhaps a futile attempt to emulate him, the boy removes his baseball cap, and dons the other. The screen then shows an image of the band in the game once more, Deacon without a hat, and the child walks underneath them, with a "Game Over" message appearing.
A then-15-year-oldDanniella Westbrook, who joinedsoap operaEastEnders the following year, appears in the video as the boy's sister.
Freddie Mercury's eyewear and John Deacon's cowboy hat were also used in the cover of their next single "Scandal".
7" single
12"/CD single
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