Richard Irvine-Brown
@richib.bsky.social
5.8K followers 640 following 1.9K posts
Portfolio: https://www.clippings.me/users/richardirvinebrown Journo. BBC Verify. Digital investigative journalism since 2014, cars/money data before, BBC Sport 2007-2011. Also running the #QueenWorldCup.
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richib.bsky.social
#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 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 .
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
#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 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
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
#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 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.
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
#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.
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 '' .
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
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!)
richib.bsky.social
#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 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
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
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 man playing a guitar in a dark room
Alt: John Deacon playing bass, Freddie Mercury singing, on stage with Queen
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
#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 close up of a man 's face with a mustache .
Alt: Freddie Mercury winks
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
#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
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
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
#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.
two people singing into microphones on a stage
Alt: John Deacon and Freddie Mercury of Queen sing into a microphone on stage
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
#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 sail away sail away sail away sail away advertisement
Alt: Enya singing sail away sail away sail away
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
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
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 .
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
#QueenWorldCup

Correction: 18-5 to One Vision

My point still stands.
richib.bsky.social
#QueenWorldCup

VIDIPRINTER…

FS

One Vision 19
Dragon Attack 4

You’ve mugged yourselves again, Dragon Attack rules. Brian May has been robbed.
a man singing into a microphone and playing a guitar
Alt: Brian May singing into a microphone and playing a guitar
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
#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
richib.bsky.social
#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!
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
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
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
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
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richib.bsky.social
#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 with a mustache is sticking out his tongue
Alt: Freddie Mercury of Queen pops up his collar
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
#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 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
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richib.bsky.social
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!
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.
media.tenor.com
richib.bsky.social
Don’t worry…

[slaps existing spreadsheet]

I can fit another column in here.
richib.bsky.social
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.
richib.bsky.social
But sure, now you two are into it, guess what my brain has to do.