Tucked into Queen's 1986 album A Kind of Magic, "Pain Is So Close to Pleasure" is a soul-infused pop gem co-written by Freddie Mercury and John Deacon, offering a reflective counterpoint to the album's more fantastical tracks. Released as a single in some markets, its smooth grooves, layered harmonies, and Mercury's heartfelt vocals explore the bittersweet duality of love—where sunshine and rainy weather coexist in the heart's endless dance. Drawing from personal reflections on youth, failed romances, and the search for meaning, the song weaves a universal truth: joy and sorrow are inseparable, yet love's sweetness can heal even the deepest wounds. Backed by Brian May's subtle guitar flourishes and Roger Taylor's steady rhythms, it captures Queen's knack for blending emotional depth with infectious melody, urging us to fight through life's uncertainties and make the best of our years, for better or worse.
A Kind Of Magic -
Pain Is So Close To Pleasure
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Lyric line
Interpretation & Notes
Chorus — Duality of love 0:00–0:30
1
Ooh, ooh, pain is so close to pleasure
Introduces the central theme: the intertwined nature of love's joy and suffering.
2
Oh, yeah
Adds a soulful vocal flourish, emphasizing emotional depth.
3
Sunshine and rainy weather
Uses weather as a metaphor for life's emotional highs and lows.
4
Go hand in hand together, all your life
Suggests the inevitability of experiencing both joy and pain throughout life.
5
Ooh, ooh, pain is so close to pleasure
Repeats the core idea for emphasis, reinforcing the duality.
6
Everybody knows
Universalizes the experience, suggesting shared human understanding.
7
One day we loving each other
Highlights the fleeting moments of love and harmony.
8
Then we're fighting one another, all the time
Acknowledges the cyclical nature of relationships, swinging between love and conflict.
Verse 1 — Reflections on youth 0:30–1:00
9
When I was young and just getting started
Recalls a naive, youthful perspective on life and love.
10
And people talked to me, they sounded broken hearted
Suggests early exposure to tales of heartbreak and disillusionment.
11
Then I grew up and got my imagination
Describes maturing and developing creative aspirations.
12
And all I wanted was to start a new relation
Expresses a desire for fresh romantic connections.
13
So in love, but love had a bad reaction
Admits that love often led to negative outcomes.
14
I was looking for some good old satisfaction
Seeks simple, fulfilling joy from love.
15
But pain is all I got
Laments that love resulted in suffering instead of joy.
16
When all I needed was some love and affection
Contrasts the desired emotional connection with the painful reality.
Chorus — Reaffirmation of duality 1:00–1:30
17
Ooh, ooh, pain is so close to pleasure, yeah, yeah
Repeats the central theme with added vocal intensity.
18
Sunshine and rainy weather
Reiterates the metaphor of emotional highs and lows.
19
Go hand in hand together, all your life
Reinforces the lifelong coexistence of joy and sorrow.
20
Pain and pleasure
Simplifies the duality into a succinct phrase.
21
Oooh, ooh, oooh
Emotional vocalization, amplifying the mood.
22
Pain and pleasure
Repeats for rhythmic emphasis.
Verse 2 — Inner struggle 1:30–2:00
23
When your plans go wrong
Acknowledges life's unpredictability and setbacks.
24
And you turn out the light
Symbolizes retreat or despair in the face of failure.
25
But inside of your mind
Shifts focus to internal resilience.
26
You put up a fight
Highlights mental perseverance despite external defeat.
27
Where are the answers that we're all searching for?
Questions life's uncertainties, seeking meaning.
28
There's nothing in this world to be sure of, anymore
Expresses existential doubt and disillusionment.
Bridge — Emotional balance 2:00–2:30
29
Some days, you're feeling good
Acknowledges fluctuating emotional states.
30
Some days, you're feeling bad
Contrasts the highs and lows of daily experience.
31
But if you're feeling happy
Introduces the idea of shared emotional balance.
32
Someone else is always sad
Suggests interconnected emotions, where one's joy contrasts another's sorrow.
33
Let the sweetness of love
Proposes love as a healing force.
34
Wipe the tears from your face
Encourages love to alleviate pain.
35
For better, for worse
Echoes marital vows, suggesting enduring commitment.
36
So, let's make the best of the rest of our years
Advocates for embracing life despite its challenges.
Outro — Final affirmation 2:30–3:20
37
Ooh, ooh, pain is so close to pleasure
Reprises the core theme with emotional weight.
38
I told you so
Adds a knowing tone, as if confirming a universal truth.
39
Sunshine and rainy weather
Repeats the weather metaphor for continuity.
40
Go hand in hand together, all your life
Reinforces the lifelong duality of emotions.
41
Pain and pleasure
Summarizes the theme succinctly.
42
Ooh, ooh, pain is so close to pleasure, yeah, yeah
Final passionate repetition of the central idea.
43
Sunshine and rainy weather
Echoes the metaphor to close the loop.
44
Go hand in hand together, all your life
Ends with an affirmation of life's emotional complexity.
45
All your life
Fades with a lingering emphasis on life's duration.
Reading guide: A soulful exploration of love's dual nature, Pain Is So Close to Pleasure from Queen's 1986 album A Kind of Magic blends pop and soul to reflect on the intertwined joy and sorrow of relationships. Written by Freddie Mercury and John Deacon, the song navigates themes of pain vs. pleasure , hope vs. disillusionment , and connection vs. conflict , urging listeners to embrace love's sweetness despite its challenges. With Mercury's emotive delivery, it offers a poignant reminder to make the best of life's emotional rollercoaster.
Pain Is So Close to Pleasure — Tech Specs
Album
A Kind of Magic (1986)
Released
Single: August 1986 (Europe, limited release)
Recorded
1985–1986, Musicland Studios (Munich)
Genre
Pop / Motown-inspired soul
Length
4:22 (album) / 3:52 (single remix)
Producer(s)
Queen & Reinhold Mack
Composer
Freddie Mercury & John Deacon (credited to Queen)
Originally based on a guitar riff idea from Brian May, reshaped into a Motown-styled pop track.
Originally based on a guitar riff idea from Brian May, reshaped into a Motown-styled pop track.
Band Line-up
Freddie Mercury – lead & backing vocals, synthesizers
John Deacon – bass guitar, rhythm guitar, drum machine programming
Brian May – guitar (minimal, background role)
Roger Taylor – absent (no live drums on this track)
John Deacon – bass guitar, rhythm guitar, drum machine programming
Brian May – guitar (minimal, background role)
Roger Taylor – absent (no live drums on this track)
Technical Personnel
Reinhold Mack – producer, engineer, remix for single version
Notable Features
Strong Motown/soul influence, unusual for Queen.
Single remix emphasizes funkier bass and tighter arrangement.
John Deacon played a central role, handling multiple instruments and shaping the sound.
Freddie’s falsetto and layered backing vocals drive the Motown feel.
Released as a single in select European territories, making it relatively rare.
Single remix emphasizes funkier bass and tighter arrangement.
John Deacon played a central role, handling multiple instruments and shaping the sound.
Freddie’s falsetto and layered backing vocals drive the Motown feel.
Released as a single in select European territories, making it relatively rare.