Who wrote the song "Brighton Rock"?

Brian May wrote the Queen song “Brighton Rock.” It opens the band’s 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack and became one of Queen’s best-known showcases for May’s innovative guitar work.

May wrote the song during sessions connected with Queen II, but Queen did not record it for that album. Its story follows Jenny and Jimmy, two young people who meet in Brighton during a public holiday. The setting reflects the seaside city’s association with holiday crowds and London’s mod culture.

The track is especially famous for its extended guitar solo, built around delay and echo effects. May used repeated echoes to create interlocking guitar lines, a technique that became even more dramatic in live performances. The concert version could expand far beyond the studio recording.

A common mix-up is to credit the song to Freddie Mercury because he sings lead vocals, or to Queen as a group. The official songwriting credit belongs to Brian May. “Brighton Rock” also gained new attention after appearing prominently in Edgar Wright’s 2017 film Baby Driver.