Queen Discussion Thread
Aug 6, 2012 8:09:02 GMT -5
Post by talon on Aug 6, 2012 8:09:02 GMT -5
We begin again! Today...
Mad The Swine
written by Freddie Mercury
Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - vocals, percussion
Brian May - acoustic & electric guitars, backing vocals
John Deacon - bass guitar
Roger Taylor - drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Another of Freddie's religious explorations - perhaps this is one of the reasons it was left off. This though seems to have a few possible meanings. It may be trying to be a first hand account of being around Jesus' time surrounded by disbelievers. Another possibility is that it is Jesus' return and in today's time people just can't believe in a savior or something to that effect. It is very interesting that Freddie ISN'T Christian as he was certainly very interested in the faith at the time.
-This song was recorded in June of 1972 for inclusion on the first album and indeed it was reportedly slated to fall between 'Great King Rat' and 'My Fairy King' in the tracklisting. One of the main reason given for it being axed was Roger hating the drum sound. Supposedly though it began with the final drum roll of 'Great King Rat' which is why in this version it starts so abruptly and cuts off the 'I've" in "(I've) been here before)".
- Initially it would probably still remain in the band's vault (they are a bit stingy) but when Hollywood Records gained the Norhta American rights to the catalogue and remastered it in 1991 the band sent them the masters and on the master tape, this track was included. Hollywood decided to include it as a bonus track and the band decided that if they were going to use it, they should release it first in the UK where the remasters weren't getting released, they issued it on the B-Side of 'Headlong' a current single. If not for the mistake of sending it on, it may still be in the vaults - of course it may still have been released on the 2011 Island Remastering as well.
- Remixed by producer David Richards (who was the band's main producer for the last albums of the band's career) - although polished might be a better choice of word.
- There are no live versions or alternate versions.
PERSONAL NOTES:
- Another rare example of Queen going acoustic! More of a camp singalong type song with some nice vocals by Freddie...Despite the lyrics it has a real upbeat kind of feel to it. It would have added quite an alternative to the rest of the album which was more straight forward as a ROCK album.
- As it was cut, I'm not certain if the band ever did a final version and this demo should probably be considered un-finished and not to their usual level of perfection.
Great to be back! Next up is another demo from the time, Queen tackles the old Smile song, Polar Bear
Mad The Swine
written by Freddie Mercury
Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - vocals, percussion
Brian May - acoustic & electric guitars, backing vocals
John Deacon - bass guitar
Roger Taylor - drums, percussion, backing vocals
Been here before a long time ago
But this time I wear no sandals
Ages past I gave all you people
Food and water
Three feet tall so very small I'm no trouble
I bring thunder lightning sun and the rain
For all the people in the land
A message of love
I bring you from up above
All good children gather around
Come join your hands and sing along
They call me mad the swine
I guess I'm mad the swine
I've come to save you save you
Mad the swine
Mad the swine
So all you people gather around
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
I walk upon the water just as before
I'll help the meek and the mild and believers and the blind
And all the creatures great and small
Let me take you to the river without a fall
Oh and then one day you realise
You're all the same within His eyes
All I've come to say just like before
They call me mad the swine
I'm mad the swine
I've come to save you save you
Mad the swine
Mad the swine
So all you people gather around
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
Oooh
Oh now
So all you people gather around
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
Don't ever fail me
Mad the swine
Mad the swine
I've come to save you save you
Oh now
Mad the swine
Mad the swine
So all you people gather around
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
Hands and praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
I'll get down on my knees and praise the Lord
But this time I wear no sandals
Ages past I gave all you people
Food and water
Three feet tall so very small I'm no trouble
I bring thunder lightning sun and the rain
For all the people in the land
A message of love
I bring you from up above
All good children gather around
Come join your hands and sing along
They call me mad the swine
I guess I'm mad the swine
I've come to save you save you
Mad the swine
Mad the swine
So all you people gather around
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
I walk upon the water just as before
I'll help the meek and the mild and believers and the blind
And all the creatures great and small
Let me take you to the river without a fall
Oh and then one day you realise
You're all the same within His eyes
All I've come to say just like before
They call me mad the swine
I'm mad the swine
I've come to save you save you
Mad the swine
Mad the swine
So all you people gather around
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
Oooh
Oh now
So all you people gather around
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
Don't ever fail me
Mad the swine
Mad the swine
I've come to save you save you
Oh now
Mad the swine
Mad the swine
So all you people gather around
Hold out your hands and praise the Lord
Hands and praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
I'll get down on my knees and praise the Lord
- Another of Freddie's religious explorations - perhaps this is one of the reasons it was left off. This though seems to have a few possible meanings. It may be trying to be a first hand account of being around Jesus' time surrounded by disbelievers. Another possibility is that it is Jesus' return and in today's time people just can't believe in a savior or something to that effect. It is very interesting that Freddie ISN'T Christian as he was certainly very interested in the faith at the time.
-This song was recorded in June of 1972 for inclusion on the first album and indeed it was reportedly slated to fall between 'Great King Rat' and 'My Fairy King' in the tracklisting. One of the main reason given for it being axed was Roger hating the drum sound. Supposedly though it began with the final drum roll of 'Great King Rat' which is why in this version it starts so abruptly and cuts off the 'I've" in "(I've) been here before)".
- Initially it would probably still remain in the band's vault (they are a bit stingy) but when Hollywood Records gained the Norhta American rights to the catalogue and remastered it in 1991 the band sent them the masters and on the master tape, this track was included. Hollywood decided to include it as a bonus track and the band decided that if they were going to use it, they should release it first in the UK where the remasters weren't getting released, they issued it on the B-Side of 'Headlong' a current single. If not for the mistake of sending it on, it may still be in the vaults - of course it may still have been released on the 2011 Island Remastering as well.
- Remixed by producer David Richards (who was the band's main producer for the last albums of the band's career) - although polished might be a better choice of word.
- There are no live versions or alternate versions.
PERSONAL NOTES:
- Another rare example of Queen going acoustic! More of a camp singalong type song with some nice vocals by Freddie...Despite the lyrics it has a real upbeat kind of feel to it. It would have added quite an alternative to the rest of the album which was more straight forward as a ROCK album.
- As it was cut, I'm not certain if the band ever did a final version and this demo should probably be considered un-finished and not to their usual level of perfection.
Great to be back! Next up is another demo from the time, Queen tackles the old Smile song, Polar Bear
) although a slower tempo compared to the finalized version. I'm curious to see how the final version came about when you get to the 2nd album and how the song did.