{{Other uses}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}} {{Use British English|date=July 2014}} {{Infobox song | name = You're My Best Friend | cover = You'reMyBestFriendYugoslavia.jpg | alt = | caption = Yugoslavian single picture sleeve | type = single | artist = Queen | album = A Night at the Opera | B-side = '39 | released = 18 June 1976 (UK)<ref>{{cite journal |editor1-last=Mulligan |editor1-first=Brian |title=advertisement |journal=Music Week |date=19 June 1976 |page=27 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1976/Music-Week-1976-06-19.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309075446/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1976/Music-Week-1976-06-19.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2021-03-09 |access-date=15 June 2024 |publisher=Billboard Group |location=London, England, U.K. |language=English |issn=0265-1548 |quote=Due to continuous airplay and public demand, Queen release their new single, "You're my best friend" b/w "39" on June 18th}}</ref> | recorded = 1975 | studio = | genre = *Rock<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iloveclassicrock.com/13-romantic-rock-songs-time/|title=13 Most Romantic Rock Songs of All Time|website=Iloveclassicrock.com|date=17 May 2017 |access-date=24 April 2021}}</ref><ref name= "Stanley 2013">{{cite book|first=Bob |last=Stanley|title=Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop|chapter= Some Kind of Monster: Metal|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9emZAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT7|date=13 September 2013|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=978-0-571-28198-5|page=569}}</ref> *pop<ref name="AMG">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-night-at-the-opera-main-entry-r2218701|title=Queen – ''A Night at the Opera''|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|work=AllMusic|publisher=TiVo Corporation|access-date=April 27, 2012|date=n.d.}}</ref> | length = 2:52 | label = *Elektra (US) *EMI (UK) | writer = John Deacon | producer = *Roy Thomas Baker *Queen | prev_title = Bohemian Rhapsody | prev_year = 1975 | next_title = Somebody to Love | next_year = 1976 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|HaZpZQG2z10|"You're My Best Friend"}} }} }}

"'''You're My Best Friend'''" is a song by the British rock band Queen, written by the band's bass player, John Deacon, who wrote it for and about his wife. It was first included on the 1975 album ''A Night at the Opera'', and later released as a single. The ballad<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/music/best-songs-friendship/|title=The best songs about friendship|website=Digitaltrends.com|date=22 December 2017}}</ref> also appeared on the ''Live Killers'' (1979) live album, and on the compilation albums ''Greatest Hits'' (1981), ''Absolute Greatest'' (2009) and ''Queen Forever'' (2014).

The song reached number seven in the UK Singles Chart and number 16 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100.<ref>{{cite book |title= The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=513}}</ref> It is certified platinum by the RIAA in the US with over one million copies sold. The song has since featured in television, film, and other media, such as ''The Simpsons'' and ''Family Guy''.

==History== Deacon wrote the song for his wife, Veronica Tetzlaff.<ref name=crh/> In this song, he plays a Wurlitzer electric piano in addition to his bass guitar work.<ref name="a">{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1507 |title=You're My Best Friend by Queen |work=songfacts.com |access-date=10 March 2010}}</ref> The characteristic "bark" of the Wurlitzer's bass notes plays a prominent role in the song. During live performances, Freddie Mercury would play a grand piano, while Deacon played the bass guitar as in the original recording. The song would be performed live by the band from the Summer Gigs 1976 Tour up to the end of the North American leg of The Game Tour in 1980. It was then dropped from the rest of the tour, and would not be played live again until after the death of Mercury.

The song was used in several TV shows and films such as ''Hot in Cleveland'', ''Will & Grace'', ''EastEnders'', ''My Name is Earl'', ''The King of Queens'', ''Good Omens'', ''The Break-Up'', the end credits of ''I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry'', ''The Simpsons'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1277102/|title=Queen|website=IMDb.com|access-date=2016-10-12}}</ref> ''Shaun of the Dead'', ''Peter's Friends'', ''The Secret Life of Pets'', and the ''Family Guy'' episode "Farmer Guy".<ref>{{cite web|last=McFarland |first=Kevin |url=https://www.avclub.com/family-guy-farmer-guy-1798176789 |title="Farmer Guy" &#124; Family Guy &#124; TV Club |date=13 May 2013 |publisher=The A.V. Club |access-date=5 April 2019}}</ref>

==Music video== The music video, directed by Bruce Gowers, shows the band in a huge ballroom surrounded by over one thousand candles, including a huge chandelier hung from the ceiling.<ref name="Promo"/> The video was filmed in April 1976<ref name="Promo">[http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/videos/queenpromo.htm Promo Videos: You're My Best Friend]. Ultimate Queen. Retrieved 11 November 2011.</ref> at Elstree Studios, near London. Additionally, Deacon is seen playing a grand piano rather than the Wurlitzer he used on the recording.<ref>[http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/songs/anightat.htm#youre You're My Best Friend]. Ultimate Queen. Retrieved 11 November 2011.</ref>

==Composition== {{Quote box |width = 25% |quote = Well, Freddie didn't like the electric piano, so I took it home and I started to learn on the electric piano and basically that's the song that came out you know when I was learning to play piano. It was written on that instrument and it sounds best on that. You know, often on the instrument that you wrote the song on. |source = John Deacon, 24 December 1977, BBC Radio 1<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.queenpedia.com/index.php?title=You%27re_My_Best_Friend |title=You're My Best Friend |work=queenpedia.com |access-date=10 March 2010}}</ref>}} {{Quote box |width = 25% |quote = I refused to play the damn thing {{bracket|the electric piano}}. It's tinny and horrible and I don't like them. Why play those things when you've got a lovely superb grand piano? No, I think, basically what he {{bracket|John}} is trying to say is it was the desired effect. |source = —Freddie Mercury, 24 December 1977, BBC Radio 1<ref name="a" />}}

The album ''A Night at the Opera'' features songs of numerous styles, including this three-minute pop song.<ref name="AMG"/> Very unusual for the genre, there is no section appearing more than twice; characteristic of many Queen songs, as affirmed by Brian May.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOTf8GbD-oE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/JOTf8GbD-oE |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|title=The Making Of The Prophet Song (Classic Albums) |publisher=YouTube |date=2012-03-12 |access-date=2016-10-12}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On the other hand, in terms of phrases and measures, there are numerous repetitions or variants. The form is cyclic and very similar to that of "Spread Your Wings" (1977). Another similarity between the two songs is the lack of (real) modulation. The arrangement features 3 and 4-part vocal and guitar harmonies, bass (melodic approach), drums, and electric piano. This is Deacon's second recorded song and the first one released on single, some six months after the album-release. Mercury hits two sustained C<sub>5</sub>s in the lead vocal track.

==Reception== ''Cash Box'' said that "the harmonies are smoothly designed to accentuate the hook of the chorus" and that "the beat is really good, on the edge of bubblegum, but still classy."<ref name=cb>{{cite news|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|date=June 5, 1976|page=16|accessdate=2021-12-11|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1976/Cash-Box-1976-06-05.pdf|newspaper=Cash Box}}</ref> ''Record World'' said it "stands to be every bit the enormous hit ['Bohemian Rhapsody'] was," even though it does not break new ground the way "Bohemian Rhapsody" did.<ref name=rw>{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=May 29, 1976|page=1|accessdate=2023-03-06|title=Hits of the Week|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/76/Record-World-1976-05-29.pdf}}</ref> ''Classic Rock History'' critic Millie Zeiler rated it John Deacon's best Queen song.<ref name=crh>{{cite web|title=Top 10 John Deacon Queen Songs|author=Zeiler, Millie|publisher=Classic Rock History|accessdate=2023-01-16|date=December 28, 2022|url=https://www.classicrockhistory.com/top-10-john-deacon-queen-songs/}}</ref>

==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}

===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- !scope="col" style="width:20em"| Chart (1976) !scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{single chart|Flanders|23|song=You're My Best Friend|artist=Queen|access-date=August 4, 2020|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Wallonia|27|song=You're My Best Friend|artist=Queen|access-date=August 4, 2020|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|2|chartid=4288a|access-date=November 25, 2024|rowheader=true}} |- !scope="row"|Finland (''Suomen Virallinen'')<ref>{{cite book|first=Jake|last=Nyman|year=2005|title=Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja|edition=1st|publisher=Tammi|location=Helsinki|isbn=951-31-2503-3|language=fi}}</ref> |align="center"|27 |- {{single chart|Ireland2|3|song=You're My Best Friend|access-date=September 6, 2018|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Dutch40|9|song=You're My Best Friend|artist=Queen|access-date=August 4, 2020|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Dutch100|6|song=You're My Best Friend|artist=Queen|access-date=August 4, 2020|rowheader=true}} |- !scope="row"| UK (OCC)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/YOU%27RE%20MY%20BEST%20FRIEND/ |title=you%27re+my+best+friend &#124; full Official Chart History &#124; Official Charts Company |website=Officialcharts.com |access-date=2016-10-12}}</ref> | 7 |- {{single chart|Billboardhot100|16|artist=Queen|access-date=November 25, 2024|rowheader=true}} |- !scope="row"| United States (''Cash Box'')<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/19760731.html |title=Top 100 1976-07-31 |work=Cashbox |access-date=20 March 2015 |archive-date=25 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025014641/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/19760731.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> | 9 |}

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- !scope="col" style="width:22em"| Chart (2018) !scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|24|artist=Queen|access-date=5 December 2018|rowheader=true}} |} {{col-2}}

===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- !scope="col" style="width:15em"| Chart (1976) !scope="col"| Position |- !scope="row"| Canada<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5173a&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=vp7s0klao6mko0fkbsi6jsebq5 |title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |access-date=2016-10-12}}</ref> | 44 |- !scope="row"| US<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1976.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976 |website=Musicoutfitters.com |access-date=2016-10-12}}</ref> | 83 |} {{col-end}}

==Certification== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|award=Platinum|number=2|type=single|artist=Queen|title=You're My Best Friend|relyear=1975|certyear=2025|source=radioscope|access-date=February 1, 2026}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|award=Platinum|artist=Queen|title=You're My Best Friend|relyear=2011|certyear=2022|id=8455-1614-1|access-date=7 June 2022}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|award=Platinum|artist=Queen|title=You're My Best Friend|relyear=1975|certyear=2016|digital=true}} {{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

==Personnel== Information is taken from the Queen Songs website<ref name="queensongs.info">{{Cite web |url=http://www.queensongs.info/album-analysis/a-night-at-the-opera |title=A Night At The Opera |website=queensongs.info |access-date=27 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613134247/https://www.queensongs.info/album-analysis/a-night-at-the-opera |archive-date=13 June 2018 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}}</ref> *Freddie Mercury – lead and backing vocals *Brian May – guitars, backing vocals *Roger Taylor – drums, backing vocals *John Deacon – Wurlitzer electronic piano, bass guitar

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== * [http://www.queenonline.com/en/the-band/discography/night-opera/#lyrics Lyrics at Queen official website] * {{YouTube|upoNK5_GDsA|Queen - You're My Best Friend}}

{{Queen singles}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Queen (band) songs Category:1976 singles Category:Songs written by John Deacon Category:Music videos directed by Bruce Gowers Category:Song recordings produced by Roy Thomas Baker Category:EMI Records singles Category:Elektra Records singles Category:Hollywood Records singles Category:Songs about friendship Category:1975 songs Category:Pop ballads Category:1970s ballads