Introduction (December 2025)
“There’s just one thing, that we all crave
From the cradle, to the grave
A state of grace, or state of mind
A point in space, or point in time”
Well, it’s already been five years since I wrote a piece about Roger Taylor’s ‘Happiness?’. It was in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time of isolation, estrangement, and division in society. Although the “old normal” has now pretty much returned, these problems have not all disappeared. Therefore, the deeply melancholic soul’s search for happiness will continue. And so I find myself back at this wonderful record, which has lost none of its impact.
In recent weeks, I suddenly felt the need to listen to this album more often. It’s like wanting to wrap yourself in a warm blanket and snuggle up on the sofa. The run-up to the holidays undoubtedly has something to do with it. Certain songs have taken on a new, deeper meaning, such as the painful yet relativising ‘Everybody Hurts Sometimes’, the mental isolation of ‘Loneliness’, but also the high heights and power of love in ‘Touch the Sky’. The title track sums it all up perfectly and has thus become a little personal anthem.
You don’t know what’s it’s like
‘til you’re all on your own
No you don’t know what it’s like
Until you’re alone
Yeah you don’t know what it’s like
Wait ‘til you’re really alone
But then it’s all in the mind… loneliness?Taken from ‘Loneliness’
What is becoming increasingly clear is that happiness is not a final destination that you set your navigation to and where you remain for the rest of your life. It is a temporary state in which all the pieces of the puzzle seem to fall into place by chance, and when you try to grasp it, it disappears. It is a lifelong pursuit of those moments, and that is what makes life worthwhile. Without deep valleys, you can never truly enjoy the high mountain peaks.
“Enjoy the laughter and the tears
Of happiness”
Roger Taylor – Happiness? (originally written in October 2020)
Today (the 10th October) is Mental Health Day, which is certainly no unnecessary comfort given the corona-pandemic and the current lack of prospects for improvement. It is also a good time to reflect on the question: what is happiness? For me, this has been a quest and a struggle that has been going on for almost 15 years. Still, you try to find it in the little things every day, something that gives life meaning. Even if it is only a small step, perhaps Roger Taylor’s ‘Happiness?’ can give us a nudge in the right direction.
Taken from ‘Happiness’Happiness is what you need
Happiness is all around
I’s not easy to define it
It can’t easily be found
If you say Roger Taylor, it may not ring a bell with everyone. But if you say Queen, that’s a different story altogether. Taylor is the band’s drummer and has written a number of big hits, including ‘Radio Gaga’, ‘A Kind of Magic’, ‘These Are The Days of Our Lives’ and ‘Heaven for Everyone’. His songs often contrast with the bombastic sound for which Queen is best known. They are more straightforward, pure and direct. Besides being a great drummer, Taylor is also a fairly good singer. His voice reminds me a lot of Rod Stewart, a somewhat high, raw voice with a characteristic rasp. On the old Queen songs, he often sang the highest vocal parts (Galileooooo, For meeeeeee). Some people aren’t fans of his singing, but I enjoy listening to his voice and, as far as I’m concerned, he’s perfectly capable of being a lead singer.
Taylor has made the most solo albums of all the Queen band members in addition to his hobby band The Cross. That’s the main reason I was most curious to hear his albums. Before the summer holidays of 2016, I had put a number of his albums on my phone, but it wasn’t until the holiday season that I got around to listening to Happiness? By then, it was the last day of my holiday in Bali and time to pack my bags. And in that hotel room, on the other side of the world, it immediately struck a chord. What a special atmosphere this album has! After that, it became an album that also worked well while studying, especially in the autumn when it gets dark early and the leaves are changing colours. At first, it was mainly nice to listen to as background music, but with each listen, the music drew more and more attention. It also became a favourite for cosy evenings with friends. I think that’s the core reason why this record means so much to me. It’s great musical ‘wallpaper’, but there’s also plenty to discover.
But anyway, back to the album itself. Queen singer Freddie Mercury passed away at the end of 1991, bringing Queen’s activities to a (temporary) halt. Mercury’s loss hit the band members hard. Brian May quickly threw himself into finishing his solo album (Back to the Light) and went on tour in support of it. Taylor needed more time to come to terms with his grief. His hobby band The Cross had since disbanded, so in 1993 he began work on his third solo album. Happiness? was a personal and fairly calm record focused on coping with loss and searching for a way to move on with his life. Taylor’s lyrics may not be particularly profound, but they are all-the-more pure and sincere. It is, in fact, a record about the essential things in life. Taylor made the album largely by himself with the help of a few friends, including bassist Phil Spalding (Mick Jagger, Elton John). Josh Macrae produced the album with Taylor; he had previously been the producer for The Cross and would later also be involved in live releases by Queen.
The first track really throws you off balance. ‘Nazis 1994’ opens rather ominously and doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the songs in terms of mood. Despite this, it is an intriguing song that was quite controversial at the time. In the UK, it is no longer allowed to be played on the radio. It is also wonderfully propulsive when the drum loops are expanded during the song. With the title track, the storm subsides and we hear Taylor at his most sensitive. ‘Happiness’ is an incredibly beautiful, melancholic song. Perhaps it’s all a bit clichéd, but it’s so pure and sincere that it can be forgiven. An emotional yet hopeful song about the search for happiness. ‘Revelations’ is a bit lighter and even rocks a little. It has a nice, relaxed atmosphere and is well put together instrumentally, making it ideal listening music. However, the lines about Ukraine have taken on a slightly different meaning since 2022.
I’ve been to the third world
They’ve got nothing but hope
Through the starving and dying
Sometimes somehow they cope
Taken from ‘Revelations’
‘Touch the Sky’ begins with a long, somewhat dreamy instrumental intro. Perhaps a bit kitschy, but it builds nicely and always manages to strike a chord. Lyrically, for me it’s one of the weaker songs on the album, but the choruses are incredibly powerful (check out Taylor’s vocals!) and uplifting, making it a worthy track. The only truly bombastic, Queen-esque track is ‘Foreign Sand’, a collaboration with Japanese musician Yoshiki (X Japan). It’s a cleverly constructed power ballad that pulls every trick out of the book. I wonder how this would have sounded with Queen; Mercury could easily have written it. In that respect, ‘Freedom Train’ sounds more like a Taylor song for Queen. It has a nice, exciting build-up with a lot of emphasis on percussion. Towards the end, Taylor gets to let loose on the drums. He should have made more songs like this, where his drumming truly shines.
Everybody hurts sometime, you know it
And everybody loves sometime, don’t be afraid to show it
And if you don’t get a little hurt sometimes
If you don’t dig a little dirt sometimes
You ain’t living at all
Taken from ‘Everybody Hurts Sometimes’
The sweetest thoughts, that I entertain
Are of happy days, that might come again
I don’t know your face, I don’t know your name
‘til we meet again, hope we meet again
‘you have to be there’
Taken from ‘You Had to be There’
And then tranquillity returns. ‘You Had to be There’ is incredibly melancholic and beautiful in its simplicity. Somehow, it always manages to grab me by the throat. Just take the guitar solo, for example: it’s simple but oh so effective. ‘The Key’ is a bit lighter, but it has nice lyrics. Perhaps a less striking song in the overall context, but it’s well put together. ‘Everybody Hurts Sometimes’ has an almost soulful vibe, although Taylor has chosen to keep it subtle with modest backing vocals. A beautiful, emotional song. I wonder how it would have sounded with a gospel choir. The live version on Queen’s YouTube channel is definitely worth checking out.
They say it’s all in the mind
Well I’m sure that’s true
But knowing isn’t a cure
It don’t help me or you
Uit ‘Loneliness’
With ‘Loneliness’, Taylor hits a sore spot. No fuss, just painfully straightforward lyrics that are more relevant than ever due to the COVID-19 crisis. A short but quite intense song, it’s wonderful how Taylor manages to capture such a special atmosphere here. ‘Dear Mr. Murdoch’ once again features poignant lyrics, but this time directed at Rupert Murdoch (owner of the tabloid The Sun) and all the media attention in the run-up to Mercury’s death and the speculation about his possible illness. The music is remarkably tame for the aggression of the lyrics; perhaps it could have been a little more biting, although it now fits better with the atmosphere of the other songs. In ‘Old Friends’, Taylor addresses Mercury one last time and says goodbye to his close friend and bandmate. Emotional, but not too heavy, it provides a hopeful ending to the album. A beautiful song and tribute to a great singer.
And so I raise my glass in a last goodbye
Sleep in peace old friend, for me you’ll never die
The best thing I can say, after all this time is
‘You were a real friend of mine’
Old friends, in better times
Uit ‘Old Friend’s
Where Roger Taylor’s songs for Queen sometimes seemed a little out of place, he knows how to bring out the best in them on his solo albums (and with The Cross, too, for that matter). For me, ‘Happiness?’ is not only his best solo album, but the best solo album by a Queen band member ever. Not every song is a hit, and lyrically it could sometimes be a bit more profound, but the songs come from the heart, and that’s worth a lot. In addition, the atmosphere is fantastic and there are plenty of musical details to discover. I’m going to have this album prescribed by my doctor so I can get a little closer to happiness every day. Who knows, it might work…
****/****,5
And happiness. just can’t be taught
When you’re young or if you’re old
No matter how, how hard you try
In your own life, and through your years
With every up, must come a down
Enjoy the laughter and the tears
Of happiness
Uit ‘Happiness’
Mooiboy Music 