Seven Seas of Rhye

"Seven Seas of Rhye" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was primarily written by Freddie Mercury, with Brian May contributing the second middle-eight. The song is officially credited to Mercury only. A rudimentary instrumental version appears as the final track on the group's self-titled debut album (1973), with the final version on the follow-up Queen II (1974). The completed version served as the band's third single, and after performing the song on the BBC's Top of the Pops in February 1974 it became their first hit, reaching number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. It is the earliest-released song to appear on their Greatest Hits album, with the exception of some versions where their first single, "Keep Yourself Alive", is included. "Seven Seas of Rhye" is inspired by the fantasy world of Freddie Mercury and his sister, Kashimara Bulsara when they were children. Background Initially "Seven Seas of Rhye" was simply an "instrumental musical sketch closing their first album". An expanded rendition, planned to be included on the album Queen II, was publicly premiered when Queen was offered a sudden chance to appear on the BBC's Top of the Pops in February 1974, and was rushed to vinyl two days later on 25 February. It became their first chart entry after gaining airtime on BBC Radio 1, peaking at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart, which in turn persuaded Freddie Mercury to take up Queen as his full-time career. Style, construction and interpretation The song features a distinctive arpeggiated piano introduction.