Queen Discussion Thread

[talon]

Was really busy today...update tmrw

[talon]

New decade, new album!

The Game


A little background.

After the not quite blockbuster status of Jazz, the band parted ways with Roy Thomas Baker for the last time and wanted to try something different. This led them to their second successful producer relationship - this time with a gentleman by the name of Mack (yes, as you will see he is name checked in Dragon Attack

Although it would be an uneasy beginning as Mack pushed them to record completely differently than they had previously, it did pay dividends a bit and the band and Mack had a great relationship. Mack eventually named one of his children John Frederick Mack (after John & Freddie) and Freddie was his godfather:



What really changed though was the band's sound. Gone were the epics like Bohemian Rhapsody and The Prophets Song. The drum and bass were kicked up a notch and everything was much tighter. The band focused on short and to the point pop rock type numbers...and for the first time the band used synthesizer.

This is a sticking point for many. There are many purists who would rather the band had never introduced synths. The band stated simply that synths had gotten to the point where they sounded good enough to use. It did mean less work for Brian's experimental self.

But the album was one of their most successful albums in their history and the peak of their popularity in the US that started with News Of The World

The album hit #1 in the US and the UK and in the rest of the world: #5 on the Austrian charts, #1 in Canada, #1 on the Dutch charts, #10 in Italy, #5 in Japan, #11 in New Zealand, #2 on the Norwegian charts, #7 in the Swedish charts, and #2 in the West German charts.

It sold roughly 9-10 million copies worldwide.

QUOTES ON THE ALBUM

Yeah, that was when we started trying to get outside what was normal for us. Plus we had a new engineer in Mack and a new environment in Munich. Everything was different. We turned our whole studio technique around in a sense, because Mack had come from a different background from us. We thought there was only one way of doing things, like doing a backing tracks: We would just do it until we got it right. If there were some bits where it speeded up or slowed down, then we would do it again until it was right. We had done some of our old backing tracks so many times, they were too stiff. Mack's first contribution was to say, "Well you don't have to do that. I can drop the whole thing in. If it breaks down after half a minute, then we can edit in and carry on if you just play along with the tempo". We laughed and said "Don't be silly. You can't do that". But in facts, you can. What you gain is the freshness, because often a lot of the backing tracks is first time though. It really helped a lot. There was less guitar on that album, but that's really not going to be the same forever; that was just an experiment.

—Brian May

Tracks on the album

1. Play The Game (Mercury)
2. Dragon Attack (May)
3. Another One Bites The Dust (Deacon)
4. Need Your Loving Tonight (Deacon)
5. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Mercury)
6. Rock It (Prime Jive) (Taylor)
7. Don't Try Suicide (Mercury)
8. Sail Away Sweet Sister (May)
9. Coming Soon (Taylor)
10. Save Me (May)

Additional released tracks
A Human Body (Taylor)

Unreleased tracks
Sandbox (May?)

First up...Play The Game

[talon]

Play The Game

Written by: Freddie Mercury

Musicians:

Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals, piano, synthesizer
Brian May - guitars, backing vocals
John Deacon - bass guitar
Roger Taylor - drums, backing vocals

Open up your mind and let me step inside
Rest your weary head and let your heart decide
It's so easy when you know the rules
It's so easy all you have to do
Is fall in love
Play the game
Everybody play the game of love

When you're feeling down and your resistance is low
Light another cigarette and let yourself go
This is your life
Don't play hard to get
It's a free world
All you have to do is fall in love
Play the game everyone play the game of love

My game of love has just begun
Love runs from my head down to my toes
My love is pumping through my veins (play the game)
Driving me insane
Come come come come play the game play the game play the game play the game

Play the game everybody play the game of love

This is your life - don't play hard to get
It's a free free world all you have to do is fall in love
Play the game yeah play the game of love
Your life - don't play hard to get
It's a free free world all you have to do is fall in love
Play the game - everybody play the game...

- Synths from the get-go! They sometimes did go overboard once they used them although it was an interesting beginning.

- Classic Freddie ballad that he seems to be able to write in his sleep. Some great vocals, and some great rhythmic piano playing and of course generous heapings of the Red Special.

- Issued as a single in the US where it hit #42, and in the UK where it hit #14.

- Played live through 1982 and then retired from the set.

QUOTES:

- “I don’t really sympathize with the lyrics. It was suggested we call the album Play The Game’ and I don’t like the idea of that; basically, that means, in English, let’s go along with the Establishment. I don’t particularly sympathize with that view.” - Roger Taylor - 1980

UNRELEASED & UNHEARD VERSIONS:

DEMO WITH ANDY GIBB
- There is a longstanding rumor that Andy Gibb, younger brother of the Bee Gees recorded a demo singing with Freddie on this track. It has never been denied but it has never leaked either.

OFFICIALLY RELEASED LIVE VERSIONS:

ROCKS MONTREAL VERSION


ON FIRE AT THE BOWL VERSION


UNRELEASED LIVE VERSIONS:

LIVE IN ARGENTINA 1981


- All three are great - showcasing a very playful Freddie!

PERSONAL NOTES:
This song for me sometimes gets lost between my two favorite similar vein ballads in Somebody To Love and It's A Hard Life but in reality this track deserves to be in the same club.

Next up, a fav around here, Dragon Attack

[gabby]

The Game

Prior to QAL, the only song that's familiar to me from this album track list is AOBTD since Adam had been talking about it when he was still on AI-8 as his favorite Queen song. Heard snippets of some tracks but didn't really pursue them. I thought CLTCL was a cover ;D Thought it was an Elvis song.

Play The Game

I love this song. I'm so impressed that Freddie can just about do anything in piano as Brian can do with his guitar. I love all the piano intros that Freddie did in these live shows that you posted.

[talon]

Many people STILL think Crazy is an Elvis cover! I love that because it means Freddie hit exactly the mark he was going for. To write a song in someone's specific genre so well that people think the original must have done it is a great compliment. I know Elvis impersonators who added Crazy to their set lists!

Oh and I love it also when Freddie played around on the piano before songs like this. Very playful :D

[talon]

Dragon Attack

Written by: Brian May

Musicians:

Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals
Brian May - guitars, backing vocals
John Deacon - bass guitar
Roger Taylor - drums, percussion, backing vocals

Take me to the room where the red's all red
Take me out of my head, that's what I said yeah
Hey take me to the room where the green's all green
And from what I've seen it's hot it's mean

Gonna use my stack
It's gotta be Mack
Gonna get me on the track
Got a dragon on my back

Take me to the room where the beat's all round
Gonna eat that sound (yeah yeah yeah!)
Take me to the room where the black's all white
And the white's all black take me back to the shack

She don't take no prisoners
Gonna give me the business
Got a dragon on my back
It's a dragon attack

Get down, I said so
Hey hey, All right

She's low down
She don't take no prisoners
Go down
Gonna give me the business
No time
Yeah chained to the rack!
Show time
Got a dragon on my back
Show down
Go find another customer
Slow down
I gotta make my way

- A very rocking, funky song that was unlike what the band had done before.

- It was a signal of Brian trying to accomodate John and Freddie's more experimental side while grounding it in a rock format.

- Played live through 1985 and then brought back for Queen + Paul Rodgers in 2006 and again with Adam in 2012.

QUOTES:

- "It's my favourite song." - John Deacon - 1982

- "Done very late one night probably to the morning, probably very drunk." - Brian May - 1984

- "As a drummer, you need a sense of time, a sense of rhythm, a sort of inner clock and that you really need naturally. You have to have aggression and lastly I would say you definitely need stamina. But you do learn tricks, apart from the fact that you develop more stamina, your muscles get more used to what's demanded of them. We used to do a song called 'Dragon Attack' that was very hard on the right wrist." - Roger Taylor - 1993

- "It was put together in an unusual way. We just jammed for a while and put down the basic riff." - Brian May - 2000

ALTERNATIVE RELEASED VERSIONS:

1991 HOLLYWOOD REMIX

- ESSENTIAL listening.
- Okay, I shouldn't like it. I should hate it...but I don't! The added rap works well in context and it maintains a very rock feel to it.

DAVE OGILVIE REMIX
- Couldn't find a YT video.
- It was an alright remix. Nothing spectacular.

OFFICIALLY RELEASED LIVE VERSIONS:

ROCK MONTREAL VERSION


ON FIRE AT THE BOWL VERSION
NO YT VID

- Both versions are similar, with Freddie working it with the audience. High speed and funky. Freddie commanding the audience.

UNRELEASED LIVE VERSIONS:

QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS - LIVE IN WORCESTER 2006


- Done much like the original version, but Paul is more straight forward with it. It was so great to hear this underrated track but it does miss a bit of playfulness. Still awesome though.

QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT - LIVE IN LONDON 2012


-Done very differently than the original version. Some Queen fans complained that it was done too slowly and that perhaps Brian and Roger were getting older and so it was a bit tired. Myself, I kind of thought it was intentional and that it was done so to suit Adam. It was done much more slinkily that way and it did work very well.

PERSONAL NOTES:
- One of my favs. A very underrated track that I was glad to see them resurrect with Adam. I wish Queen had attempted a bit more in this vein than committing themselves more fully to the dance rock they tried on the next album

Next up: Another One Bites The Dust

[gabby]

Dragon Attack

Love, love this song the first time I've heard it in QAL-Kiev. I had no idea what Adam was singing but I loved the vibe and QAL performance as a whole. Kiev was my favorite version of all the DA QAL performances.

Didn't realize before that DA was part of '81 Montreal setlist until QAL-Kiev. I did go back to my DVR and reviewed the songs Queen performed and was pleasantly surprised to find DA. Yes, that version was way more rock and really enjoyed it but it didn't diminish my appreciation of the QAL version.

IMO, whatever preference anybody wants to listen to, this song is just really awesome.

[talon]

I love it. Yeah it always seems to fit the mood. It gets me up when I'm feeling down and keeps me up when I'm going strong!

[talon]

Another One Bites The Dust

Written by: John Deacon

Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals
Brian May - guitars
John Deacon - bass guitar, rhythm guitar, piano
Roger Taylor - drums

Steve walks warily down the street
With his brim pulled way down low
Ain't no sound but the sound of his feet
Machine guns ready to go

Are you ready hey are you ready for this?
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat yeah

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust

How do you think I'm going to get along
Without you when you're gone
You took me for everything that I had
And kicked me out on my own

Are you happy are you satisfied?
How long can you stand the heat
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat look out

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust

Hey
Oh take it - Bite the dust bite the dust
Hey Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust ow
Another one bites the dust he he
Another one bites the dust haaaa
Oooh shoot out

There are plenty of ways that you can hurt a man
And bring him to the ground
You can beat him
You can cheat him
You can treat him bad and leave him
When he's down
But I'm ready yes I'm ready for you
I'm standing on my own two feet
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
Repeating to the sound of the beat

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust yeah
Hey I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust
Shoot out

- Queen's BEST selling single worldwide selling over 7 million copies and reaching #34 on Billboards Top 100 songs ever.

- It hit #1 in Argentina, Canada, Guatemala, Spain, the US and hit # 2 in New Zealand, #3 in South Africa, #4 in Ireland and Finland, #5 in Australia, #6 in Austria and Germany, #7 in Belgium and the UK, #8 in Switzerland, #10 in Italy, #14 in the Netherlands, #24 in France and #28 in Brazil

- Inspired by the Chic song, Good Times

- It has been claimed by some Christian zealots that when the song was played backwards it says "It's fun to smoke marijuana"



- It is used by many to train people in CPR as it has 110 beats per minute, and compressions of 100-120 are recommended! Of course I'm not sure if someone should be singing this song while performing CPR

- It was covered many times and played live from the first tour and has stayed throughout all the tours although Brian and Roger never played it during their solo tours.

QUOTES:

- “John Deacon, being totally in his own world came up with this thing which was nothing like what we were doing. We were going for the big drum sound: you know, quite pompous in our usual way. And Deakey says, ‘No, I want this to be totally different: it’s going to be a very tight drum sound.’ It was originally done to a drum loop – this was before the days of drum-machines. Roger did a loop, kind of under protest, because he didn’t like the sound of the drums recorded that way. And then Deakey put this groove down. Immediately Freddie became violently enthusiastic and said, ‘This is big! This is important! I’m going to spend a lot of time on this.’ It was the beginning of something quite big for us,
because it was the first time that one of our records crossed over to the black community. We had no control over that; it just happened. Suddenly we were forced to put out this single because so many stations in New York were playing it. It changed that album from being a million-seller to being a three-million seller in a matter of three weeks or so.” – Brian May - 1993

- "I'd been wanting to do a track like 'Another One Bites The Dust' for a while, but originally all I had was the line and the bass riff. Gradually, I filled it in and the band added ideas. I could hear it as a song for dancing but had no idea it would become as big as it did. The song got picked up off our album and some of the black radio stations in the US started playing it, which we've never had before. Michael Jackson actually suggested we release it as a single. He was a fan of ours and used to come to our shows." - John Deacon - Bassist and Bass Techniques –
1996

- “(Freddie) was good at finding roads in the mist. But he would certainly fight for things he believed in. Like ‘Another One Bites The Dust’, which was a bit of a departure for Queen. Roger, at the time, certainly felt that it wasn’t rock and roll and was quite angry at the way it was going. And Freddie said, ‘Darling, leave it to me. I believe in this.’ John had written the song. But it took Freddie’s support to make it happen.” – Brian May - 1998

- “This song was written ‘cause I always wanted to do something in the direction of black music. It’s not a typical Queen song and I do not know if we ever will do something similar again. We had disagreements about this song. Our company wanted this song as a single ‘cause it was very successful at black radio stations. Roger tried to avoid that because he said it’s too disco-like and that is not good for the reputation of Queen.” – John Deacon

- “A lot of people have used ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ as a theme song – the Detroit Lions used it for their games, and they soon began to lose, so they bit the dust soon afterwards (laughs), but it was a help to the record. And there’s been a few cover versions of various kinds, notably ‘Another One Rides The Bus’ which is an extremely funny record by a bloke called Mad Al (sic – Weird Al Yankovic) or something in the States – it’s hilarious. We like people covering our songs in any way, no matter what spirit it’s done in because it’s great to have anyone use
your music as a base, a big compliment.” – Brian May



ALTERNATIVE OFFICIAL RELEASES:

12" FLOWER POWER SEGUED DISCO MIX
Could not find a YT but you aren't missing much

DAVE OGILVIE REMIX

- ESSENTIAL listening.
- Remixed after Hollywood got the North American license for Queen but not used on the 1991 remaster of The Game, I like this remix for the alternate takes of Freddie as well as some interjection of other Queen songs. It's a bit long, but it's fun.

PHASE 5 LONG DUSTED B-BOY VERSION

- NOT essential.
- NOt much I want to say about it.

CHYSKILLZ REMIX
- NOT ESSENTIAL and no YT vid
- A remix features Ice Cube, Hi-C, & Chyskillz who remixed the track.
- Very little of the original song is included.

ULTIMIX
2000 KLM BOOTLEG DUB MIX
- NOT ESSENTIAL and no YT vid...and again not worth really seeking out either.

QUEEN + WYCLEF JEAN - 1998

- ESSENTIAL
- Humorous take. Wyclef basically remixed the original track and added his own take over the top for a film, Small Soldiers The video is funny.

QUEEN + ANNIE CRUMMER - 2003

-NOT ESSENTIAL
- Annie played the Killer Queen in the Spanish cast of We Will Rock You
- It's not a bad version at all but more Annie than Queen.

QUEEN VS. MIAMI PROJECT - 2006

- NOT ESSENTIAL
- Another remix project. Nothing new or exciting.

OFFICALLY RELEASED LIVE VERSIONS:

ROCK MONTREAL VERSION

ON FIRE AT THE BOWL VERSION

- Both very good, loose versions closer to the album version.

LIVE MAGIC VERSION

- AUDIO only
- My FAVORITE live version of the song. Freddie gets very playful. Rocking funk.

LIVE AT WEMBLEY 1986



HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY

- AUDIO only

- Queen at their peak and Freddie controlling the audience.

QPR - RETURN OF THE CHAMPIONS VERSION

QPR - LIVE IN UKRAINE VERSION

- A song Paul handled VERY well surprisingly. I wasn't sure what to expect here but Paul's bluesy vocals took the track in a totally different direction but it worked quite well.

UNRELEASED LIVE VERSIONS:

QUEEN + PAUL YOUNG - COWDRAY PARK 1993

- AUDIO Only
- This is a very unique concert. After Freddie's death and tribute concert there was a definite split over how the band should record the final Freddie album and how/if they should continue. Roger and Brian were definitely at their worst being a bit snarky in their quotes. SO this is the one time I know of that there is a concert (part of a festival) where QUEEN is billed but it's only Roger and John. Roger sang lead on a number of tracks, played some drums, and even some guitar. John played bass. Josh Macrae played drums (Roger's cohort from the Cross and eventual assistant producer), Jason Faloon on guitar (Roger's cohort from his solo tours, Adrian Milne on keyboards and on this song Paul Young on vocals.
- Paul's vocals are unfortunately not up to snuff although Roger does some extra drumming to make up for it!

QUEEN + PATTI RUSSO - AMSTERDAM 2002

- Patti Russo has toured with Meat Loaf, Transiberian Orchestra and also played Killer Queen in the Las Vegas version of We Will Rock You
- Decent version even if it seems Brian gets out of time at one point

QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT - KIEV 2012

- Another slower and slinkier version but it fits Adam VERY well...Adam takes it back in the more playful direction.

PERSONAL NOTES:
- I love the song itself. I do harbor a bit of negativity for what it led to in Hot Space and eventually losing America but I can't blame the song itself.

Next up, John does his best Beatles impersonation with the perfect pop rocker, Need Your Loving Tonight

[gabby]

Another One Bites The Dust

I didn't really know the extent of RT's dislike of this song but so glad that Freddie really supported John's composition no matter what and really made it work :D Must have been one of the reasons JD had no desire to keep going with the group since Freddie passed away, right?

Brian didn't seem to comment either way but went along with Freddie.

I didn't realize how popular this song was but I did hear the expression AOBTD :D When I first heard Adam talking about his favorite Queen song (AOBTD) I was not really into this song. I thought there's not much of a song really since there's hardly any melody ;D at all and I wonder how he can pull it off. However, it sounded like a fun song especially when performed live. Then QAL-Kiev happened and like Brian I was mesmerized by Adam's performance. Now I get why Adam loved this song and his favorite... although in one interview post QAL tour he did say DA might have changed that :D