Richard Irvine-Brown

a man is wearing a crown and holding a drum in his hand . Alt: Freddie Mercury in a crown and fanciful military jacket on stage

#QueenWorldCup

That’s it! All over!

21-6 to You’re My Best Friend, John Deacon has another song through after the recent losses of In Only Seven Days and You And I.

Last match of R1 tomorrow.

There’s a Big Queen Song we haven’t had yet…

Good times! Lovely to revisit music.

a black and white photo of a man smoking a cigarette in a dark room . Alt: a black and white photo of Roger Taylor smoking a cigarette and smiling in a dark room .

#QueenWorldCup

Into the final hour-ish of voting.

Looks like an unassailable lead for You’re My #Best Friend over It’s A #Hard Life.

If you want either song to have a chance, gotta tell me which is better.

a rally car is driving down a dirt road with a w2c logo in the corner Alt: a rally car is driving down a dirt road fast enough to leave the ground

#QueenWorldCup

BlueSky, it’s BlueSky way out in front from Richy’s ex-band mates, with BBC colleagues and Transformers pals tied in third.

Do you want to vote in the Contraction-Article-Adjective-Noun derby?

Vote for You’re My #Best Friend or It’s A #Hard Life by 10pm in the replies!

a box that says " our power " on it Alt: a box that says " our power " on it. A ballot goes in, two power-salute fists come out.

#QueenWorldCup

Telling you lot how you’re doing is working better for getting votes up than telling you You’re My #Best Friend is beating It’s A #Hard Life.

BlueSky is top, followed by Tranformer friends, then BBC and muso mates tied in third.

Ballots cast all over the globe.

a man in a blue sweater is making a funny face and saying `` ooo , friend '' . Alt: From the Inbetweeners, a student in a blue school sweater is making a funny face and saying `` ooo , friend '' .

#QueenWorldCup

Voting totals (votals?) so far:

BlueSky holds the front, music mates and Transformers fans tied second but a single vote ahead of the BBC block.

You’re My #Best Friend is also winning against Its A #Hard Life.

Ahahaha. I’m off today!

Wooooo. Going to the supermarket!

(Sorry to miss you! Let me know ahead of next time, come see the Verify screens!)

a man riding a horse in front of a sign for golden gate fields Alt: a man riding a horse in front of a sign for golden gate fields

#QueenWorldCup

BlueSky out in the lead, followed by music buddies, then Transformers fans, with BBC colleagues yet to vote (presumably busy).

(I’m trying this out. I’ll nix it if it feels like shaming. Feedback welcome.)

You’re My Best Friend takes the early advantage.

a man playing a guitar in a dark room Alt: John Deacon playing bass, Freddie Mercury singing, on stage with Queen

QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

Two titles which feel like an uncanny sequitur.

YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND
IT’S A HARD LIFE

John Deacon’s bouncy hit you’ve nearly sent your mate, you soppy thing.

Or bit of a Freddie Mercury deep cut.

Huh?

Vote #best or #hard by 10pm.

a close up of a man 's face with a mustache . Alt: Freddie Mercury winks

#QueenWorldCup

An easy win in the end, 11-3 to Sail Away Sweet Sister.

The true surprise was finding 14 people on the internet who cared.

We will be back, and with a song you’ve heard of, tomorrow.

a man in a white shirt is playing a guitar in front of a drum set Alt: John Deacon plays bass and Brian May plays guitar in front of a drum kit

#QueenWorldCup

Full time is two hours away.

Brian May has written more nominated songs in this comp than any other Queen member.

One of them is up against a John Deacon number (a dark horse for the tournament, says @leguape.bsky.social) and looks set for a comfortable win.

Vote #SASS or #IOSD

two people singing into microphones on a stage Alt: John Deacon and Freddie Mercury of Queen sing into a microphone on stage

#QueenWorldCup

Tell OSint godfather and Queen aficionado @paulmyersbbc.bsky.social he’s the only one to vote for In Only Seven Days.

“I’m the kiss of death,” he says.

Two more votes drop for it immediately.

#SASS or #IOSD by 10pm, please and thank you.

a sail away sail away sail away sail away advertisement Alt: Enya singing sail away sail away sail away

#QueenWorldCup

Bo Selecta!

It’s a classic R1 drubbing so far as Sail Away Sweet Sister hits a 9-1 lead.

As @wilsonjim.bsky.social points out, for good or ill, In Only Seven Days maybe can’t escape the gravity of Craig David.

Vote #SASS or #IOSD in replies.

a group of men are dancing in front of a boat and one of them says i 'm on a boat . Alt: a group of men are dancing in front of a boat and one of them says i 'm on a boat .

QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

We ain’t done with Round 1 yet.

You may have to give both of these a listen first, on a streaming service of choice. Or maybe an old cassette.

No judgies.

But judge! Which is better?

SAIL AWAY SWEET SISTER
or
IN ONLY SEVEN DAYS

Vote #SASS or #IOSD by 10pm

#QueenWorldCup

Correction: 18-5 to One Vision

My point still stands.

a man singing into a microphone and playing a guitar Alt: Brian May singing into a microphone and playing a guitar

#QueenWorldCup

VIDIPRINTER…

FS

One Vision 19
Dragon Attack 4

You’ve mugged yourselves again, Dragon Attack rules. Brian May has been robbed.

#QueenWorldCup

Clear, 10-vote lead for the 80s stomper over the one which sounds like a rollercoaster.

Less than two hours to go.

Vote #OV or #DA

a close up of a man with a red mask on his face Alt: a close up of Vision from the Marvel films, a man with a red mask

#QueenWorldCup

ONE VISION knocking the ball about with confidence, happy to know DRAGON ATTACK only pose a threat in possession.

9-4 Taylor leads.

C’mon, lads, one of the most famous bands in the world made a song called Dragon Attack.

Vote #OV or #DA by 10pm!

toothless from how to train your dragon says blep in front of a forest Alt: toothless from how to train your dragon says blep in front of a forest

QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

ONE VISION, the other song Roger Taylor wrote on A Kind Of Magic, and your dad's car journey favourite.

vs

DRAGON ATTACK, like an early Queen track which Brian May deliberately made funky so it would fit in with Another One Bites The Dust.

Reply-vote #OV or #DA

a man with a mustache is sticking out his tongue Alt: Freddie Mercury of Queen pops up his collar

#QueenWorldCup

12-7 it finishes!

Fans of The Miracle are delighted, both of them.

Another mad, brilliant slice of Queen II is history.

Breakthru?

Is through.

a man wearing a striped hat and a maroon shirt adjusts his hat Alt: A scene from the Sopranos. A man wearing a maroon shirt takes off his train driver's hat.

#QueenWorldCup

12-7, but 10 minutes left.

a train is going down the tracks with a blue sign on the ground that says " keep a distance " Alt: an animation of a London Underground train going back and forth

#QueenWorldCup

10-5, mind the gap.

Vote #Break or #March!

But give both a listen! Come join us in the love for the second Queen album! (This train is never leaving the station.)

a man in a suit and tie is standing on top of a subway train . Alt: A scene from Coming To America. Prince Akeem, played by Eddie Murphy, wearing a fine suit, tie, overcoat, gloves and Karakul-like hat stands in a New York subway train and declares "I renounce my throne!" to onlookers.

#QueenWorldCup

The late Queen train rolls on, but the early Queen aficionados have woken up.

9-2, with more than five hours to go.

Vote #Break or #March by 11pm!

All Aboard Train GIF Alt: A man sits beside a steam train, pretending to pull the horn. The words TOOT TOOT are written above him.

QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

Lunchtime kick off!

BREAKTHRU (the one with the train in the video)
vs
THE MARCH OF THE BLACK QUEEN (idiosyncratic first go at Bohemian Rhapsody off Queen II)

Early score is already 7-0 to Breakthru.

Vote #Break or #March, depending on which you like better!

Don’t worry…

[slaps existing spreadsheet]

I can fit another column in here.

Also, remember this isn’t Flash, which beat Death On Two Legs earlier, this is Flash To The Rescue. It’s another song off the OST and I don’t think it was on any Greatest Hits.

But sure, now you two are into it, guess what my brain has to do.

[Ron Howard v/o]

There wasn’t.

a man and a woman are standing next to each other . Alt: Flash Gordon is clapping

#QueenWorldCup

The final whistle brings some respite, not rescue to the Flash tune.

Brighton Rock rolls away with a comfortable win, lap of honour on the mopeds, 17-5.

It'll face Somebody To Love in the next round.

a woman in a shopping cart says " what you mean goin ' ta be ? " Alt: Phil Daniels in the film Quadrophenia announcing to a supermarket, "What do you mean, 'Going to be?' I am one of the faces"

#QueenWorldCup

Delight in the Quadrophenia stands, all manner of songs thrown at the Flash Gordon away end.

15-4 the score, with 90 minutes still to go.

Brighton #Rock or #Flash To The Rescue?