TALON'S TAKE
Save MeWritten by: Brian May
Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals
Brian May - acoustic and electric guitars, piano, backing vocals, synthesizer
John Deacon - bass guitar
Roger Taylor - drums, backing vocals
- Not released in the US but it was released in a few countries as a single - Ireland #8, Italy #10, Germany #42, Japan #96, Netherlands #5, Norway #7, and the UK #11. I don't understand how it didn't get a release in the US but I digress.
- Played live from 1979-1982 and then dropped. Brian recorded a version with Kerry Ellis for her
Anthems album and played it on that tour as well.
- A perfect power ballad whereupon in concert Brian would open on piano and then in the middle section Freddie would jump on piano while Brian played the Old Lady.
- Used as inspiration for Brian to kick start his animal protection.
Save-Me.orgQUOTES:
- "We actually wrote very separately in those days and we never really talked about what the songs meant. I think we were quite shy about what we were trying to say in them. We tend to talk about things more now…I wrote
Save Mee to cut a long story short – I wrote it about a friend, someone who was going through a bad time, and I imagined myself in their shoes, kind of telling the story. Someone
whose relationship is totally fucked up and how sad that person was.” – Brian May – In the Studio
ALTERNATE VERSIONS:
SINGLE VERSION- NOT essential. Released 6 months prior to the album the mix was somewhat different with some different phasings in the vocals.
BRIAN MAY + KERRY ELLIS - Interesting rearrangement. A bit more polished...which is not quite a good thing. It is a great version, but it lacks the soul of Freddie imo.
OFFICIALLY RELEASED LIVE VERSIONS:
ROCK MONTREAL VERSIONON FIRE AT THE BOWL VERSIONNO YT VIDS
- BOTH are phenenomenal live performances. Freddie, I miss you.
UNRELEASED LIVE VERSIONS:
QUEEN LIVE IN HAMMERSMITH - 1979- ESSENTIAL
- Despite Brian's minor fuck up during the last solo, I think this is my favorite live performance of the song.
QUEEN LIVE IN ARGENTINA - 1981- Interesting as Freddie's mic short circuits and Freddie has to use John's and then the piano mic only and he doesn't miss a beat...
QUEEN LIVE IN STOCKHOLM - 1982- AUDIO only
- ESSENTIAL ESSENTIAL! If just for the comedy. Freddie banters with the audience, and then starts singing, but Brian doesn't start the piano..it's...amusing
BRIAN MAY + KERRY ELLIS - BBC 2010- LOVE the intro! Better than Kerry's studio version I believe.
PERSONAL NOTES:
- One of my favorite Queen songs of ALL time. It is up there with
White Queen in my rotating top 5. Just so emotive and powerful. This was my biggest disappointment with the QAL set list. I thought Adam would have handled this track brilliantly!
CHANCES:
Save Me......40% -- It just makes FAR too much sense not to try this, especially since it's been on his mind with Kerry AND his animal awareness activity.
SUPPLEMENTAL:
A Winter's TaleWritten by: Freddie Mercury
Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals, keyboards
Brian May - guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
John Deacon - bass guitar
Roger Taylor - drums, backing vocals
OFFICIAL VIDEO
1995 FILMMAKERS VIDEO
- Issued as a single that hit #6 in the UK.
- This was the last song that Freddie ever wrote - according to boyfriend Jim Hutton, it was written in the winter of 1990 in Montreux.
QUOTES:
“I love the last song he wrote, ‘A Winter’s Tale’. It doesn’t philosophize, it’s just about how beautiful life is. He wrote it one morning, beside the lake and looking at the mountains.” – Brian May – Daily Mirror – 2002
“Freddie mainly used the piano for songwriting, but there were times when he’d get inspiration when he wasn’t around his instrument. It could be any experience, a skate on the pond. One of the last songs he wrote, ‘A Winter’s Tale,’ was written purely sat looking out on the mountains from the other side of Lake Geneva. He could obviously hear it all in his head, although he didn’t have any musical instruments with him. I remember him coming into the stidup and saying, ‘I’ve got this idea…just give me a few minutes.’ Then he brought it to life. That’s a beautiful track, actually.” – Brian May – Classic Rock - 2011
ALTERNATE VERSIONS
COSY FIRESIDE MIX- From the 2011 remasters, this is a slight remix that strips down a few of the ambient portions. Not a heckuva difference to be honest - mostly in mix.
PERSONAL NOTES:
What a way to go out! A wonderful, beautiful song from a man dying of AIDS. It amazes me how positive he remained throughout. Some great harmonies, some great guitar work. Just a great song. Next?
It's A Beautiful Day (Reprise)CHANCES
A Winter's Tale.....0% -- Much too personal again to be played now I would think.
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