TALON'S TAKE:
It's A Hard LifeWritten by: Freddie Mercury
Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals, piano
Brian May - guitars, backing vocals
John Deacon - bass guitar
Roger Taylor - drums, backing vocals
- Issued as a single in the US where it hit #72 and the UK where it hit #6. Worldwide it hit #87 in Australia but did not chart in The Netherlands or Japan.
- Played live through 1985 and then dropped only to be resurrected once in 2010 for the Prince's Trust charity with Tom Chaplin of Keane.
- The video was ALL Freddie. In fact the rest of the band HATED doing this video as you can tell by watching their faces. Roger and John specifically hated even being there that day and they sat back and made fun of Freddie's giant prawn costume!
QUOTES:
Brian responds to a question about the skull guitar from the 'It's A Hard Life' video:
"It's more of a prop than anything else. You can just about play it, but it was made especially for the video. But it was made more for the looks than anything else. Yes, I have played it, but you won't find it on any record I'm afraid." - Brian May - November 16th, 1997
"To my mind this is one of the most beautiful songs that Freddie ever wrote. It's straight from the heart, and he really opened up during the creation of it, I sat with him for hours and hours and hours just trying pull it away and get the most out of it. It's one of his loveliest songs."
- Brian May - 2003
ALTERNATE RELEASED VERSIONS:
12" EXTENDED VERSION-
ESSENTIAL!- Adds an a capella choir as well as an extraordinary Freddie vocal line not in the orignal. My favorite version!
UNRELEASED VERSIONS:
DEMO SNIPPET- NOT ESSENTIAL but interesting
- A bit from a convention with an alternate intro.
OFFICIALLY RELEASED LIVE VERSION:
LIVE IN RIO - 1985- Probably the best live version of the song!
UNRELEASED LIVE VERSION:
QUEEN + TOM CHAPLIN - PRINCE'S TRUST 2010- This was QUITE a surprise to see this reappear in the setlist and Tom Chaplin (from Keane) does a phenomenal job! After this gig many Queen fans stated they wouldn't mind seeing a full gig of Queen + Tom Chaplin
- This was one night where Brian began showing his age...He says that the band hadn't performed this live before! Um Brian...you did a whole two tours playing it
(If you YT the FULL concert from this, you'll find those comments)
PERSONAL NOTES:
- I LOVE this song. I always have. My favorite track from The Works and one of my favorite 80s Queen songs and hell one of my fav Queen songs period. It stems from that same stem of Play The Game and Somebody To Love - a big piano power ballad - beautiful!
CHANCES:
It's A Hard Life......15% - I'd give it a 15% if only because they have played it within the last 5 years. Although I would think that if they were to have done it it would have been done in London as it was a Greatest Hit in the UK, NOT in America. It DOES fit Adam well though with it's theatricality and big vocals. Personally I'd LOVE to see it played.
(If you YT the FULL concert from this, you'll find those comments)
Queen
