Queen Discussion Thread

QUEEN FOREVER

A little background

Reportedly Universal wanted a new release/compilation from the band and at the same time the band had been toying with some tracks discovered in the vaults so it seemed like a good marriage.  At one point when Queen released Rocks there had been talk of a ballads album - well about 15 years later, this would be that.  It is a nice flow of "timeless love songs" (although there are a few odd choices if that's the case).  It is a bit of a polarizing album. On one hand, it is yet ANOTHER compilation from the band.  The band was given some slack after the fine Live At The Rainbow release, but it was still another compilation.  On the other hand, at least this compilation had a few morsels to offer!

Unfortunately there were a few comments made along the way that had spurred thoughts that this would be a far more extensive project - as in Brian comparing it to Made In Heaven.  While in retrospect it is clear that he simply meant to compare the process of taking old Freddie vocals and recording new material on top of it with regards to the three "new" tracks, it caused some fans to think an actual album of new material was coming.  Later on in the press release it stated "new takes on well known songs" which was an out and out falsehood unless you consider an edit or two for length to be a "new" take.  Finally when Brian said up to 5 new songs, some fans were let down by the fact that it was really 1 new song, 1 older Freddie track done to a new background, and 1 demo track with Michael Jackson of a known Freddie song.  Finally there was a spat regarding the William Orbit mix, but I'll get into that in a bit.

But in the end, the new song was worth everything.

It was released in two formats, a single CD edition, and a deluxe 2 CD edition.

Deluxe.

CD 1:
1. Let Me In Your Heart Again (May)
2. Love Kills - the ballad (Mercury/Moroder)
3. There Must Be More To Life Than This (William Orbit Mix) (Mercury) w/Michael Jackson
4. Play The Game (Mercury)
5. Dear Friends (May)
6. You're My Best Friends (Deacon)
7. Love Of My Life (Mercury)
8. Drowse (Taylor)
9. You Take My Breath Away (Mercury)
10. Spread Your Wings (Deacon)
11. Long Away (May)
12. Lily Of The Valley (Mercury)
13. Don't Try So Hard (Mercury)
14. Bijou (Mercury/May)
15. These Are The Days Of Our Lives (Taylor)
16. Nevermore (Mercury)
17. Las Palabras De Amor (The Words Of Love) (May)
18. Who Wants To Live Forever (May)

CD 2:

1. I Was Born To Love You (Mercury)
2. Somebody To Love (Mercury)
3. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Mercury)
4. Friends Will Be Friends (Mercury/Deacon)
5. Jealousy (Mercury)
6. One Year Of Love (Deacon)
7. A Winter's Tale (Mercury)
8. '39 (May)
9. Mother Love (Mercury/May)
10. It's A Hard Life (Mercury)
11. Save Me (May)
12. Made In Heaven (Mercury)
13. Too Much Love Will Kill You (May/Musker/Lamers)
14. Sail Away Sweet Sister (May)
15. The Miracle (Mercury)
16. Is This The World We Created...? (Mercury/May)
17. In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited (Mercury)
18. Forever (May)

Single Edition:

1. Let Me In Your Heart Again (May)
2. Love Kills - the ballad (Mercury/Moroder)
3. There Must Be More To Life Than This (William Orbit Mix) (Mercury) w/Michael Jackson
4. It's A Hard Life (Mercury)
5. You're My Best Friend (Deacon)
6. Love Of My Life (Mercury)
7. Drowse (Taylor)
8. Long Away (May)
9. Lily Of The Valley (Mercury)
10. Don't Try So Hard (Mercury)
11. Bijou (Mercury/May)
12. These Are The Days Of Our Lives (Taylor)
13. Las Palabras De Amor (The Words Of Love) (May)
14. Who Wants To Live Forever (May)
15. A Winter's Tale (Mercury)
16. Play The Game (Mercury)
17. Save Me (May)
18. Somebody To Love (Mercury)
19. Too Much Love Will Kill You (May/Musker/Lamers)
20. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Mercury)

First up will be the best thing about the whole darn project - Let Me In Your Heart Again

Love Kills - the ballad

Written by: Freddie Mercury/Giorgio Moroder

Musicians:

Freddie Mercury - vocals,keyboards
Brian May - guitar, bass
Roger Taylor - drums, percussion
John Deacon - additional guitar




- Originally this was tried as a Queen track but for various reasons it was shelved. Freddie broke it out for his first solo single for Giorgio Moroder's remake of the film Metropolis. Not sure where Moroder's writing credit comes from - some think it was the initial synth arpeggios. Either way, the basic track still is from Queen's demo so both Brian and Roger were on it initially at least...The fact that John is credited as additional guitar indicates that perhaps it was a keyboard bass.

- Much later on, when the band was visiting tracks for a new compilation, Brian thought it would be a cool idea to cut all the instrumentation out and save Freddie's vocals. He cut the instrumentation out and turned it into a power ballad of sorts. Of course Freddie's vocal was meant to sit upon a disco tune so it doesn't *quite* fit as naturally as it would have if Freddie had actually sang a vocal over the arrangement and yet it still works.

LIVE

QAL - LIVE IN LOS ANGELES - 2014


- QAL actually debut it before the Freddie version is released. Given that Adam is actually singing along with the ballad backing, it sounds a bit more natural and was a highlight of the 2014 tour.

PERSONAL NOTES:

While I would have liked to have seen something else that was unreleased rather than a reworking - it is a very nice reworking.

NEXT? There Must Be More To Life Than This (William Orbit Mix)

Hi, Talon.......

I'm sorry if you've probably have answered these questions already so you can just link me to the answers Just in case not ....

1. Why "SAVE ME" in the UK/Eu Tour, and why not introduce "LOVE KILLS" since Queen Forever was just newly released?
2. Was SM as popular as IWBTLY in Japan?

Just curious.

3. I prefer the NIH opening they use in NA, etc. Tour.
4. Why One Vision? Any significance to this particular opening song in UK/Eu Tour?

Thanks.

Talon, thank you so much for answering my questions.

This thread is priceless...our own Queenpedia at ATOP....so appreciated the hard work and dedication you have done to keep updating this thread. I always recommend this thread to those who want to know more about Queen.

If you have any projects regarding Queen especially during the QAL hiatus period or after, please post the LINK here so we can follow your work.