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Queen vs The Queen: Who said it?

BY Mandi Goodier

1st Jan 2015 Humour

Queen vs The Queen: Who said it?

We compiled a list of quotes from both the band Queen (featuring Freddie Mercury et al) and The Queen. The problem is, we got them all mixed up, so it's up to you to figure out whether the quotes below are from Queen lyrics or were spoken by Queen Elizabeth II. (Have a pen handy, answers at the bottom). 

1.

"With the benefit of historical hindsight
we can all see things which we would wish
had been done differently or not at all"

 

 

 

2.

"The true measure of all our actions
is how long the good in them lasts"

 

 

 

3.

"If every leaf on every tree could tell
a story that would be a miracle;
if every child on every street had clothes
to wear and food to eat"

 

 

 

4.

"Their spirit and their meaning shine through the ages
never, perhaps, more brightly than now"

 

 

 

5.

"I'm taking my ride with destiny,
willing to play my part"

 

 

 

 

6.

"When life seems hard, the courageous
do not lie down and accept defeat"

 

 

 

7.

"You’ve captured my love,
changed my life, stolen my heart"

 

 

 

8.

"There are long periods when life seems
a small, dull round,
a petty business with no point.
And then suddenly
we are caught up in some great event"

 

 

 

9.

"All of you, near or far,
have been united in one purpose"

 

 

 

10.

"There's only one direction.
One world, one nation"

 

 

 

11.

"I am immortal, I have inside me blood of kings"

 

 

 

 

12.

"I simply ache from smiling"

 

 

 

13.  

"In tomorrow's world we
must all work together as hard as ever"

 

 

 

14.

"Be gone with you,
you 
shod and shady senators"

 

 

 

15.

"We have our share of eccentricities,
of impetuous and wayward youngsters"

 

 

 

16.

"I have to be seen to be believed"

 

 

 

17.

"Grief is the price we pay for love"

 

 

 

18.

"I'm playing my role in history,
looking to find my goal, taking in all this misery"

 

 

 

19.

"I've taken my bows and my curtain calls.
You brought me fame and fortune and
everything that goes with it I thank you all"

 

 

 

20.

"Don't destroy what you see, your country to be.
Just keep on building on the ground that's been won"

 

 

 

21.

"Soon your hopes will rise and then
from all this gloom life can start anew"

 

 

 

22.

"God gave you grace to purge this place and
peace all around may be your fortune"

 

 

 

23.

"It has always been easy to hate and destroy, 
to build and to cherish is much more difficult"

 

 

 

24.

"Good memories are
our second chance at happiness"

 

 

 

25.

"The one thing
we’re all waiting 
for, is peace on
Earth and end to war"

 

 

The answers:

1. Queen Elizabeth II at the Irish State Dinner in 2011

2. Queen Elizabeth II at the French State Banquet 2014

3. Queen lyric, "The Miracle" from the 1989 album The Miracle 

4. Queen Elizabeth II on her Coronation Day speech, 2 June 1953

5. Queen lyric, "Made in Heaven" from the 1995 album Made in Heaven

6. Queen Elizabeth II, Christmas speech 2008

7. Queen lyric, "You Take My Breath Away" from the 1976 album A Day At the Races

8. Queen Elizabeth II, during her fist live televised speech, Canada 1957

9. Queen Elizabeth II on her Coronation Day speech, 2 June 1953

10. Queen lyric, "One Vision" from the 1986 album A Kind of Magic

11. Queen lyric, "Princes of the Universe" from the 1986 album A Kind of Magic

12. Queen Elizabeth II, this was reportedly said in 1983 in response to a critisim on her serious expression: "I simply ache from smiling. Why are women expected to beam all the time? It's unfair. If a man looks solemn, it's automatically assumed he's a serious person, not a miserable one."

13. Queen Elizabeth II, address to the United Nations General Assembly, 2010

14. Queen lyric, "Seven Seas of Rhye" from the 1974 album Queen II

15. Queen Elizabeth II on her family, quoted to the Daily Mail in 1989

16. Queen Elizabeth II. According to her recent biographer Sally Bedell Smith: "On several occasions she has been urged to retreat behind more obtrusive layers of security. Each time she has refused with something between a joke and a motto for her six decades on the throne, telling aides: 'I have to be seen to be believed.'"

17. Queen Elizabeth II in response to the 9/11 attacks, 2001

18. Queen lyric, "Made in Heaven" from the 1995 album Made in Heaven

19. Queen lyric, "Show Must Go On" from the 1991 album Innuendo—The final album to be released in Freddie Mercury's lifetime. Recalling Mercury's performance on this song, Queen guitarist Brian May states: "I said, 'Fred, I don't know if this is going to be possible to sing.' And he went, 'I'll f*cking do it, darling' — vodka down — and went in and killed it, completely lacerated that vocal."

20. Queen lyric, "Father to Son" from the 1974 album Queen II

21. Queen lyric, "Dear Friends" from the 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack

22. Queen lyric, "The Prophet's Song" from the 1975 album A Night at the Opera

23. Queen Elizabeth II Christmas broadcast 1957

24. Queen Elizabeth II, this quote is unverified but perhaps one of the Queen's most repeated attributed quotes. We think it's rather nice too.

25. Queen lyric, "The Miracle" from the 1989 album The Miracle

 

How did you do?

0–5 Another one bites the dust 

Freddie Mercury I Want To Break Free GIf

Let's face it, the difference between Freddie Mercury and British Royality is of no significance to you

 

5-13 Under pressure

Queen laughing gif

Perhaps Prime Minister's Question Time and Coldplay is more your bag.

 

14–20 Don't stop me now

Freddie Mercury dancing gif

You had Queen's Greatest Hits 1, 2 and 3 on repeat throughout the 90s and listen to the Queen's speech at 3pm every Christmas Day. 

 

20–25 We Are the Champions!

tumblr_nyac6nccje1qmw26bo1_500.gif

No time for losers! Queen fan, fan of The Queen, or both, wear your winning crown with pride. Perhaps you should try this harder quiz.

Keep up with the top stories from Reader's Digest by subscribing to our weekly newsletter.

 

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