A new way for Talon's Take. After talking with Q3 who gave me a list of the upcoming countdown, there are still a ton of songs that could be highlighted...so in addition to my take on Q3's entry for the day, I may do a supplemental entry of my own so a 2 for 1 special!
TALON'S TAKE: (AND SUPPLEMENTAL)
Dreamers BallWritten by: Brian May
Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals
Brian May - acoustic and electric guitars, backing vocals
John Deacon - bass guitar
Roger Taylor - drums
- A wonderfully playful New Orleans slow jazz number. Hints of
A Night Of The Opera with some great Red Special jazz instrumentations!
- Played live through 1979 during the acoustic section.
- Supposedly as you'll see in a moment, Roger was NOT a fan of the song!
QUOTES:
- “Hated it on disc and hated it live, so there. I actually have a tape of Roger and Brian trying to record this in the studio, and shall we say that tempers flared” – Crystal Taylor (Roger’s assistant)
ALTERNATIVE RELEASED VERSIONS
EARLY ACOUSTIC TAKE- ESSENTIAL listening.
- From the 2011 Deluxe Remaster of Jazz...I wish the Bonus EPs featured more tracks like this.
- Acoustic, much closer to the live version, featuring a very subdued vocals.
OFFICIALLY RELEASED LIVE VERSION:
LIVE KILLERS VERSION- Audio only
- Great live version.
UNOFFICIALLY RELEASED LIVE VERSION:
LIVE IN PARIS 1979- Much more playful with video!
PERSONAL NOTES:
- I love this song. It's so different from what they usually do and I would loved to have seen a sequel down the line. Very sultry. Great vocals/Great Brian.
CHANCES
Dreamers Ball......7% -- This tour is nostalgic for B&R for when they toured the big arenas of America and this track was played during that time so I wouldn't be shocked to see Brian pull this out once or twice during his mini-middle section. I doubt we'd get an Adam version but a Brian impromptu version wouldn't be shocking to me...
SUPPLEMENTAL TRACK:
Tenement FunsterWritten by: Roger Taylor
Musicians:
Roger Taylor - lead and backing vocals, drums
Freddie Mercury - piano
Brian May - guitars
John Deacon - bass guitar, acoustic guitar
- Early titles included
Teen Dreams and at one point
You're Young And You're Crazy- Wasn't a single on its own right but was a part of
Queen's First E.P. that took one track each from albums 2-5.
- Segues into the next track,
Flick Of The Wrist (and Gabby, there are is one "medley" of segues on this album.
- Queen as a band never played this track live but Roger did play it on his two solo tours, getting its debut in 1994, 20 years after it was written.
ALTERNATIVE RELEASED VERSIONS:
SINGLE VERSION- NOT essential listening.
- From
Queen's First EP and subsequent compilations.
- Fades out the
Flick Of The Wrist intro.
JAPANESE SINGLE VERSION- NOT essential listening...but nice.
- Complete standalone that ends on the ringing guitar chords.
BBC SESSION 5- NOT essential listening.
- The backing track appears to be identical. I do believe Roger recorded a different vocal for it but overall this is not much different.
- Like the Japanese CD single, this one is a complete standalone ending.
UNRELEASED VERSIONS:
INSTRUMENTAL DEMO- NOT essential listening.
- Played at a Queen convention complete with "talkover" from Greg Brooks.
- A few different guitar/drum overdubs.
INSTRUMENTAL DEMO W/FLICK OF THE WRIST INTRO- NOT essential listening
- VERY similar to finished backing tracks.
UNRELEASED LIVE VERSIONS
ROGER TAYLOR LIVE IN PARIS - DEC 1994- I loved this tour especially as Roger is up front but occasionally also went back to help drum.
BRIAN AND ROGER GUESTING WITH TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS - MAY 2010- This gig is famous among Queen fans. Taylor Hawkins is the drummer for the Foo Fighters and along with Dave Grohl one of the band's best friend. Taylor has a side project and on their second album both Brian and Roger guested on songs. During a London tour, Taylor got both Brian and Roger to come up and they did songs they hadn't done in YEARS. If Brian and Roger had added a few more songs to the setlists over the year, the "purists" would be a lot more mollified! I just wish there were better quality vids of it. This is the only time Brian has played the track live.
PERSONAL NOTES:
- One of my favorite Rog songs. It's pure youthful rebellion. To me it kind of symbolized young rock and roll. It's one of those tracks I wish he'd perform nowadays as one of his songs during Queen shows.
CHANCES
Tenement Funster......15% -- Why so high a percentage for a track Queen has never performed? Well Roger always gets a track or two and if he decides to not do his usual Days of Our Lives, A Kind of Magic, and/or I'm In Love With My Car this would be a prime choice for him to sing. Maybe I'm a bit hopeful though
I would love to see this in Roger's mini set.
I would love to see this in Roger's mini set. 