Queen: "Bicycle Race/"Fat Bottomed Girls" Single (1978)

QUEEN’S “BICYCLE RACE” / “FAT BOTTOMED GIRLS”: A BOLD DOUBLE A-SIDE FROM 1978

--- INTRODUCTION ---

Queen, the theatrical rock titans led by Freddie Mercury, were at the height of their creative powers in the late 1970s, blending bombast, humor, and genre-defying flair. Released on October 13, 1978, through EMI Records in the UK (EMI 2870), the 7" double A-side single “Bicycle Race” / “Fat Bottomed Girls” was a promotional powerhouse for their seventh studio album, Jazz. Written by Freddie Mercury (“Bicycle Race”) and Brian May (“Fat Bottomed Girls”), and produced by Queen and Roy Thomas Baker, this single showcased the band’s playful audacity and musical versatility. With runtimes of approximately 3:01 (A-side) and 3:22 (B-side) for the 7" edits, it was a cheeky, riff-heavy package that stirred both chart success and controversy. Let’s pedal through the story, tracks, chart performance, reissues, and legacy of this iconic Queen single.

--- THE BACKGROUND: QUEEN’S PLAYFUL PROVOCATION ---

By 1978, Queen were global superstars, riding the success of A Night at the Opera (1975) and “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Jazz, recorded at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland, and Super Bear Studios in France, was their most eclectic album yet, blending hard rock, pop, jazz, and vaudeville. The double A-side single “Bicycle Race” / “Fat Bottomed Girls” was released to promote the album, reflecting Queen’s knack for pairing the absurd with the anthemic. Both tracks were recorded with the classic lineup—Freddie Mercury (vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), Roger Taylor (drums, vocals), and John Deacon (bass)—and engineered by Geoff Workman.

“Bicycle Race,” inspired by Mercury watching the Tour de France from his Montreux hotel, is a whimsical, tempo-shifting romp with lyrical nods to Jaws, Star Wars, and cocaine. Its campy energy was amplified by a promotional stunt: a nude bicycle race at Wimbledon Stadium, filmed for the song’s video, which sparked outrage and bans in some markets. “Fat Bottomed Girls,” penned by May, is a bluesy, hard-rock ode to curvaceous women, driven by a chunky riff and Mercury’s swaggering vocals. The two songs were linked thematically—both reference bicycles—and marketed as a double A-side, a bold move reflecting Queen’s confidence. The single’s sleeve, featuring a nude cyclist (airbrushed in some regions), added fuel to the controversy, cementing its provocative edge.

Promotion included a Top of the Pops performance (October 19, 1978) for “Bicycle Race” (mimed, with bicycle bells) and a censored video that became a cult classic. The single’s release aligned with Queen’s 1978–79 Jazz tour, where both tracks were live staples, showcasing their theatricality and crowd-pleasing power.

--- ORIGINAL TRACK LISTING (1978 7" AND 12" VINYL SINGLES) ---

The UK 7" single (EMI 2870, 45 RPM) was a double A-side, with both tracks edited for radio play, housed in a sleeve featuring the infamous nude cyclist (designed by Queen and Norman Lyons). The 12" (EMI 12EMI 2870) extended the tracks for clubs. Here’s the core track listing:

A-SIDE (7")

1. Bicycle Race (3:01) – Written by Freddie Mercury. A quirky, piano-driven pop-rock track with rapid tempo shifts, layered harmonies, and playful lyrics (“I want to ride my bicycle!”). Its theatrical structure and bike-bell breakdown made it a radio oddity.

AA-SIDE (7")

1. Fat Bottomed Girls (3:22) – Written by Brian May. A gritty, blues-rock anthem with a chugging riff, Mercury’s bold vocals, and a singalong chorus celebrating “fat bottomed girls” who “make the rockin’ world go round.”

12" VERSION (EMI 12EMI 2870)

A1. Bicycle Race (Extended Version) (4:45) – A longer mix with extended instrumental sections and vocal flourishes, remixed by Roy Thomas Baker.

B1. Fat Bottomed Girls (Album Version) (4:16) – The full Jazz track, with a heavier guitar outro.

B2. Bicycle Race (Single Version) (3:01) – The 7" A-side edit.

Total 12" runtime: ~12:02. European pressings (e.g., Elektra 7E-121 in the US) varied slightly, with some using the album cut of “Fat Bottomed Girls” (4:16) as the B-side.

--- REISSUE TRACK LISTINGS ---

“Bicycle Race” / “Fat Bottomed Girls” has been reissued primarily through Jazz album reissues and Queen compilations, with digital platforms preserving both single and album versions. No standalone single reissues exist, but the tracks are staples in Queen’s catalog. Key reissues include:

1991 HOLLYWOOD RECORDS CD: JAZZ REISSUE (US)

- Track 3: Bicycle Race (3:03) – Album version.

- Track 7: Fat Bottomed Girls (4:16) – Album version.

- Single edits (3:01 and 3:22) not included but available on compilations.

- Total relevant runtime: ~7:19. Remastered by Eddy Schreyer; includes liner notes on the album’s production.

2011 ISLAND RECORDS CD: JAZZ (DELUXE EDITION)

- Disc 1, Track 3: Bicycle Race (3:03).

- Disc 1, Track 7: Fat Bottomed Girls (4:16).

- Disc 2, Track 1: Bicycle Race (Single Version) (3:01).

- Disc 2, Track 2: Fat Bottomed Girls (Single Version) (3:22).

- Total: 4 tracks; runtime ~13:42. Remastered by Bob Ludwig; includes live versions from 1978 Paris shows.

2018/2023 DIGITAL REMASTERS (SPOTIFY/APPLE MUSIC)

- Bicycle Race (Album Version) (3:03) – Standard on Jazz.

- Fat Bottomed Girls (Album Version) (4:16) – Standard on Jazz.

- Bicycle Race (Single Version) (3:01) – On Greatest Hits playlist.

- Fat Bottomed Girls (Single Version) (3:22) – On Greatest Hits.

- Total: 4 tracks; runtime ~13:42. High-res audio; part of Queen – The Singles Collection (2009 comp, Tracks 12–13).

The tracks also appear in Queen – The Platinum Collection (2000, 3-CD box, Disc 1, Tracks 5–6). Vinyl reissues of Jazz (e.g., 2015 180g Hollywood Records pressing) include album versions only.

--- CHART POSITIONS ---

“Bicycle Race” / “Fat Bottomed Girls” was a double A-side, with both tracks receiving airplay, though “Fat Bottomed Girls” gained more mainstream traction due to its rock edge. The single performed strongly in Europe and the US, though UK success was modest. The album Jazz peaked at No. 2 in the UK and No. 6 in the US. Below are key single positions (based on OCC and Billboard data):

SINGLE CHARTS

Chart: UK Singles (OCC) | Peak Position: 11 | Weeks on Chart: 9 | Certification: Silver (250,000 units) | Notes: Entered Oct. 28, 1978; strong radio play.

Chart: US Billboard Hot 100 | Peak Position: 24 | Weeks on Chart: 12 | Certification: - | Notes: “Fat Bottomed Girls” drove US airplay.

Chart: US Billboard Hot Dance/Disco | Peak Position: - | Weeks on Chart: - | Certification: - | Notes: No club play; not a dance track.

Chart: Dutch Top 40 | Peak Position: 5 | Weeks on Chart: 10 | Certification: - | Notes: Top 10 in Germany, France, Norway.

Chart: Canadian RPM Top Singles | Peak Position: 17 | Weeks on Chart: 11 | Certification: - | Notes: -

Preceded by “Don’t Stop Me Now” (UK No. 9), it was Queen’s eighth UK Top 20 single. Estimated global sales: ~500,000 units.

--- THE MUSIC: THEATRICAL ROCK MEETS CHEEKY FUN ---

“Bicycle Race” is Queen at their most playful: Mercury’s piano flourishes and vocal acrobatics weave through tempo shifts, from jazzy verses to a raucous “bicycle bell” breakdown. The lyrics, referencing pop culture and drugs, are gleefully absurd, earning NME’s praise as “Mercury’s campiest moment.” Rate Your Music users rate it 3.7/5, lauding its “unapologetic weirdness.”

“Fat Bottomed Girls” is a raw, bluesy counterpoint, with May’s chunky riff and Mercury’s swaggering delivery. Its anthemic chorus and cheeky lyrics made it a live favorite, rated 4.0/5 on Rate Your Music. Critics like Rolling Stone called the pairing “Queen’s boldest radio stunt,” though some found “Bicycle Race” too quirky for mass appeal.

--- LEGACY AND PROMOTION ---

Promoted via Top of the Pops and a controversial video (banned by some US stations), the single fueled Queen’s 1978–79 Jazz tour, with both tracks as setlist highlights. The nude cyclist stunt, staged at Wimbledon, became rock lore, detailed in the 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. “Fat Bottomed Girls” remains a radio staple, while “Bicycle Race” is a fan favorite, revived in Queen + Adam Lambert’s 2022 Rhapsody Tour.

The single’s influence endures: Its theatricality inspired acts like Muse, and its double A-side format echoed in Queen’s later pairings. For collectors, the UK 7" (EMI 2870) with the uncensored sleeve is a gem; streamers can find both tracks on the 2011 Jazz remaster. As