Old-Time Rock ‘n’ Roll:
How The 1980s Embraced 1950s and 1960s Oldies Music
Queen Salutes the King
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I always thought Queen’s Crazy Little Thing Called Love
covered an Elvis Presley song of the same title. During my 2019 research, I discovered my error. Freddie Mercury, Queen’s lead singer, supposedly created the song while bathing in a Munich hotel. Mercury claimed to have written the song in ten minutes. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
has a vintage Elvis rockabilly sound. Queen, known at the time for their forward-thinking innovation, created this song as a nod to the past. In 1979, the band released the song first to United Kingdom audiences, where it reached number two on popular music charts. During 1980, Queen released the song worldwide. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
reached number one in the United States and also topped the charts in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada, and Holland. I believe the success of Crazy Little Thing Called Love
opened the doors for the Stray Cats.