Becky Buller has done it again. Known for her cross-genre musical experimentation with her Becky Buller Band, she has now reached even further across the aisle with a bluegrass version of We Will Rock You, perhaps the most anthemic rock song of all time. Recorded by Queen in 1977, you’d be hard pressed to attend a professional sporting event anywhere in the world and not hear this song.
In the hands of Buller and crew, it becomes We Will ‘Grass You, with lyrics rewritten to highlight the accomplishments of several top bluegrass artists. They have resisted the temptation to speed up the song or force it into a grassy vibe, retaining the “stomp-stomp-clap” rhythm that has kept this classic current for 45 years.
They even prevailed on the song’s author, Brian May, who was the guitarist with Queen and now serves as a noted astrophysicist and NASA advisor, to appear in their music video. May received his PhD from Imperial College London, though his studies were interrupted by the major success of Queen in the mid-’70s. He returned afterwards to complete the program and was awarded his doctorate in 2007.
From the video, we’re not sure he entirely approves.
Special points, however, to Ned Luberecki for his spot on take with Brian’s solo.
Is this a breakthrough success in cultural understanding, or maybe just a big mistake? Tune in next week for an answer to the question.
