talon
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Post by talon on Apr 16, 2013 14:03:43 GMT -5
For those who are still reading, I haven't abandoned ship yet  But I have some family health issues over the next week so I will be a bit sporadic. I should have the next updates on Thursday and Friday, then again on Monday, then I should be back full next Thursday... |
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talon
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Post by talon on Apr 18, 2013 7:07:02 GMT -5
Ensueno
Written by: Freddie Mercury/Mike Moran/Montserrat Caballé
Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - vocals, arrangements
Montserrat Caballé - vocals
Mike Moran - keyboards, programming, arrangements
- I really could have linked this up with Exercises In Free Love but they are considered separate tracks. In a way this is the son (or more appropriately perhaps daughter of that track.
- Montserrat loved the song as Freddie presented it to her and so she wrote Spanish lyrics.
ALTERNATE RELEASED VERSIONS
2012 ORCHESTRATED VERSION
- NOT ESSENTIAL
- In actuality I don't believe there's any difference at all. There was never much to add orchestrally as it's really piano/vocals. I added it here just in case.
MONTSERRAT'S LIVE TAKES
- NOT ESSENTIAL
- Basically Monsterrat trying out some lines here and there - nothing overtly interesting.
INSTRUMENTAL
- In actuality this is a screwup by Queen Productions. This is NOT actually the instrumental of Ensueno. Someone took the backing track of Exercises In Free Love which has slight differences. It has yet to be fixed on any re-release even on the 2012 Orchestrated re-release.
PERSONAL NOTES:
- Not my favorite on the album but nice. I kind of prefer Freddie's solo take to be honest...but that's my own completely personal bias speaking there.
Next up? The song where Freddie forgot it was the larger white lady he was working and not his other favorite singer, the larger black lady (Aretha Franklin). A rockin' gospel track that's surrounded by a dramatic intro/outro. Might just be my fav on the album...Freddie is The Golden Boy
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talon
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Post by talon on Apr 19, 2013 7:29:36 GMT -5
The Golden Boy
Written by: Freddie Mercury/Mike Moran/Tim Rice
Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - vocals, arrangements
Montserrat Caballé - vocals
Mike Moran - keyboards, programming, arrangements
Madeline Bell - backing vocals
Debbie Bishop - backing vocals
Lance Ellington - backing vocals
Miriam Stockley - backing vocals
Peter Straker - backing vocals
Mark Williamson - backing vocals
Carol Woods - backing vocals
- Perhaps the most dramatic song in Freddie's catalogue.
- Issued as a single in the UK where it hit #83.
- Tim Rice also provides lyrics as in The Fallen Priest
ALTERNATE RELEASED VERSIONS
SINGLE EDIT
Surprisingly NO YT VID
- NOT ESSENTIAL
- Basically cuts out the opening introductory verses which throws off the narrative quite a bit.
BEST OF TIM RICE EDIT
NO YT VID
- NOT ESSENTIAL
- Same as the single edit but it fades a bit earlier
RADIO EDIT
NO YT VID
- NOT ESSENTIAL
- Takes about another minute off the track - almost completely destroying the integrity of the song.
INSTRUMENTAL
- NOT ESSENTIAL
- Purely instrumental take
EARLY VERSION (FREDDIE'S DEMO VOCAL)
- ESSENTIAL
- The gospel section is instead Freddie singing straight over some synth strings - I prefer the final version but hearing this is very interesting.
2ND EARLY VERSION
- ESSENTIAL
- The gospel section is again in a different style. Very interesting and fun to listen to after knowing what it would turn into.
ACAPELLA WITH GOSPEL CHOIR
- NOT ESSENTIAL but nice.
- Just as the title suggests.
LA NIT PERFORMANCE
- Again mimed but a nice "performance" nonetheless.
2012 ORCHESTRATED VERSION
- ESSENTIAL
- Features new percussion by Rufus Tiger Taylor!
2012 HORN REMIX
- ESSENTIAL
- Might be my favorite thing to come out of the 2012 redo
- Released only on a promo single of the new Barcelona
- Features a funky horn section in the middle after a church organ like beginning. I absolutely adored this mix and listened to it nonstop when I first got it.
PERSONAL NOTES:
Hot damn how could you not like this track. It has everything. One of my favorite Freddie moments of all time!
NEXT: Freddie follows up a masterpiece of sorts with a very different very beautiful masterpiece of two songs, the first Guide Me Home
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2013 14:40:30 GMT -5
For those who are still reading, I haven't abandoned ship yet But I have some family health issues over the next week so I will be a bit sporadic. I should have the next updates on Thursday and Friday, then again on Monday, then I should be back full next Thursday... I'm still reading and appreciate the work you put in here. I often leave it for the weekend to catch up as the pages take so long to load and I need some interrupted time to go through the videos. If I go away and come back to the page my adobe flash player crashes and I need to reload again. Just trying to explain why I'm not here everyday. Thanks for continuing on! |
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talon
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Post by talon on Apr 21, 2013 7:20:35 GMT -5
:D Very understandable! Glad you're still around!
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Post by talon on Apr 21, 2013 8:23:55 GMT -5
Because they segue, I've decided to put both these next songs together in one post...
Guide Me Home & How Can I Go On
Guide Me Home
Written by: Freddie Mercury/Mike Moran
Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - vocals, arrangements
Montserrat Caballé - vocals
Mike Moran - keyboards, programming, arrangements
How Can I Go On
Written by: Freddie Mercury/Mike Moran
Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - vocals, arrangements
Montserrat Caballé - vocals
Mike Moran - keyboards, programming, arrangements
John Deacon - bass guitar
- This is a perfect piece of pop with a rock singer and opera diva
- John Deacon helps his Queenmate out on How Can I Go On
- On the orchestral version of How Can I Go On Rufus Taylor adds live percussion.
ALTERNATE VERSIONS:
GUIDE ME HOME - SINGLE VERSION
NO YT VID
- NOT ESSENTIAL but nice to have a clean copy.
- A Dutch single in 2000 was issued to promote the Solo Collection that ends properly instead of seguing into How Can I Go On
GUIDE ME HOME - INSTRUMENTAL
- NOT ESSENTIAL but pure instrumental
HOW CAN I GO ON - SINGLE VERSION
- NOT ESSENTIAL but nice to have a clean copy
- Without a segue from Guide Me Home
HOW CAN I GO ON - INSTRUMENTAL
- NOT ESSENTIAL but pure instrumental
GUIDE ME HOME/HOW CAN I GO ON - ALTERNATIVE VERSION
- ESSENTIAL
- Demos of both together and Freddie singing Montserrat's part with some alternate lyrics
HOW CAN I GO ON - OUT TAKE (EXTRACT)
- ESSENTIAL
- Staring halfway in when the engineer didn't realize Freddie was going, it is Freddie at the piano with alternate lyrics. Freddie then discovers he didn't get fully recorded
HOW CAN I GO ON - ALTERNATIVE PIANO
- ESSENTIAL
- Instrumental demo which goes WAY off into different territory. Very interesting.
HOW CAN I GO ON - LA NIT PERFORMANCE
- Mimed but still a good "performance"
GUIDE ME HOME/HOW CAN I GO ON - 2012 ORCHESTRATED
- ESSENTIAL
- It sounds even better when a bit more organice
HOW CAN I GO ON - 2012 ORCHESTRATED - DAVID GARRETT
- ESSENTIAL
- A bonus track that features violinist David Garrett which adds an even nicer touch.
PERSONAL NOTES:
- WOW again. The whole album is phenomenal but these two last tracks are just simply beautiful. They sum up the album quite nicely.
Next up? The finale...Overture Piccante
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Post by talon on Apr 22, 2013 6:22:03 GMT -5
Overture Piccante
Written by: Freddie Mercury and Mike Moran
Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - vocals, arrangements
Montserrat Caballé - vocals
Mike Moran - keyboards, programming, arrangements
- In order to flesh out the album, Freddie and Mike created this piece which features all the other tracks on the album and even includes a snippet that would be new to a listener to the album, a snippet from When This Old Tired Body Wants To Sing which was a sort of late night jam the two did together.
ALTERNATE VERSION
2012 ORCHESTRAL
- NOT ESSENTIAL but nice.
2012 ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTAL
NO YT VID
- NOT ESSENTIAL
PERSONAL NOTES:
- Not bad for what it is but I'd rather have had a new track.
NEXT: Exercises In Free Love
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Post by talon on Apr 25, 2013 6:48:44 GMT -5
Exercises In Free Love
Written by: Freddie Mercury and Mike Moran
Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - vocalizations (Version 1)
Montserrat Caballé - vocalizations (Version 2)
Mike Moran - piano, keyboards
- Issued on the B-Side to ‘The Great Pretender’ in March 1987 and ‘Barcelona’ in October 1987 and July 1992.
- Freddie’s version of Ensueno before turning it over to Montserrat Caballe. Freddie initially recorded it as a one off for a B-Side but also to show Montserrat some of his work. Montserrat was so enamored that she decided to surprise Freddie and perform it as an encore to her show. Freddie was in the audience when Mike Moran walked on stage and then she announced that her next piece was written by a member of the audience. Later on, Montserrat would record her own version to release as a B-Side for Barcelona before she wrote lyrics to turn it into Ensueno.
ALTERNATE RELEASED VERSIONS
MONSTERRAT VERSION
NO YT VID
- NOT ESSENTIAL
2012 ORCHESTRATED VERSION
- ESSENTIAL
- This was phenomenal! It probably benefitted most from the orchestration as it adds so much to the bare bones piano. Very well done.
PERSONAL NOTES:
- I love this one. It's haunting and beautiful even without lyrics. In fact I think I prefer it without lyrics!
Next up? Freddie ponders on When This Old Tired Body Wants To Sing
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talon
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Post by talon on Apr 26, 2013 7:03:29 GMT -5
When This Old Tired Body Wants To Sing
Written by: Freddie Mercury and Mike Moran
Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - vocals
Mike Moran - piano
- A late night jam session between Freddie and Mike. Freddie sounds possibly a bit tipsy or simply punch drunk tired. It's a fun little ditty though that a piece of would end up in the Overture Piccante
PERSONAL NOTES:
- This was a rarity for quite a bit and was awesome to hear for the first time. It's very funny and nice to hear. I would love to hear more outtakes like this.
BONUS NOTES:
As we are closing out the Barcelona sessions, there are leaked files of a night of Freddie and Montserrat Caballe at Garden Lodge trying out different things including some things from the Barcelona album. It is nice to hear.
NEXT? Miscellaneous 1988 studio performances. Brian and Roger each throw their hat in the ring to create an Olympic Theme! But both go unused :(
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talon
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Post by talon on Apr 27, 2013 7:11:02 GMT -5
1988 Miscellaneous!
Untitled Unused Olympic Theme #1 - Brian May
Untitled Unused Olympic Theme #2 - Roger Taylor
Nothing is known about the musicians on each besides each other and John plays bass on Roger's theme.
Both Brian and Roger were approached individually by Thames Television to produce the theme music for coverage of the 1988 Olympic Games, but both tracks were rejected in favour of one by Eric Clapton.
BRIAN'S
- Brian's is a very good, fast paced track, which begins with keyboards, before drums and guitar kick in. The guitar is not very prominent, but this could be due to the bad quality of the available recordings. As well as the full version there is a 1:37 excerpt which fades out abruptly.
ROGER'S
Roger's track is dominated by drums as you would expect, and sounds like elements from the introduction to the extended version of 'Strange Frontier'. It's a very strong track and features John on bass. The above is an edited version. The full version was leaked eventually but not on YT.
Next up? 1988 LIVE!
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But I have some family health issues over the next week so I will be a bit sporadic. I should have the next updates on Thursday and Friday, then again on Monday, then I should be back full next Thursday...