#queenarethechampions — Public Fediverse posts

#QueenAreTheChampions

Day 8️⃣ "This is goodbye"

"Innuendo" is probably Queen's album that I listened most. And it hit me hard when I heard only a few months after release that Freddie Mercury passed away. I remember sitting with a friend in a pub that night, not knowing how to deal with it.

Between the releases, I saw Brian May on the Back To The Light World Tour. He performed "Too Much Love Will Kill You" that gave glimpse on "Made in Heaven". That album was way better than I had expected.

It's hard to imagine Freddie singing stuff for two studio albums under his state of health in 1991. The results are absolutely impressive.

#QueenAreTheChampions

Day 7️⃣ "There can be only one"

"A Kind of Magic" was the first Queen song 14 yo Thomas ever listened to. I haven't listened to the full album for ages, but I still like it a lot.

It was a pleasure to listen to "The Miracle" too. I'm not as familiar with it as with the other album, hence I was a bit surprised to discover more prog elements than I had in mind.

And the final album for #QueenAreTheChampions. Oof. I really dig the decision to have it end with an experimental looping track, 23 minutes long in the CD version, and I believe shorter but locked groove for the LP. It's a really lovely send off for Freddie and the band, I think.

Thanks to @derthomas for suggesting this listen-thru and creating our listening schedule. I quite enjoyed it and will be revisiting a few of these!

Queen - Made in Heaven (1995)

https://album.link/ca/i/1440628189

Today's the last day of #QueenAreTheChampions, subtitled "This is goodbye", starting with the last album released while Freddie was still with us. I hit play again as soon as it ended.

Queen - Innuendo (1991)

https://album.link/ca/i/1440806201

37/37

This is it.
15 albums in the #QueenAreTheChampions journey done.

Brian May and Roger Taylor did some things afterwards, but we can safely ignore that. John Deacon is enjoying his private live.

So without further ado, here's my ranking of all #Queen studio albums:

1 Queen II
2 Innuendo
3 The Works
4 Queen
5 A Night at the Opera
6 Hot Space
7 A Kind of Magic
8 The Miracle
9 Sheer Heart Attack
10 The Game
11 A Day at the Races
12 Jazz
13 News of the World
14 Made In Heaven
15 Flash Gordon

36 #QueenAreTheChampions day 8️⃣

My favourite song on Made in Heaven is Heaven for Everyone. The song was actually recorded for the Highlander soundtrack, but was not used. Roger Taylor later released it for his side project "the Cross".

It was reworked for Made In Heaven.

I love the song becuase of the powerful last part:

What people do to other souls
They take their lives, destroy their goals
Their basic pride and dignity
Is stripped and torn and shown no pity
When this should be heaven for everyone

🎵 Heaven For Everyone by #Queen
💿 Made in Heaven, 1995
▶️ https://song.link/y/tRcwQWD3ePU

35 #QueenAreTheChampions day 8️⃣

There is one song on Made In Heaven which is incredibly difficult for me to listen to.

It is Mother Love, which was Freddies last vocal performance.

Freddie told Brian May to write him lines and he'll try to sing them, until one day he said "'I'm not up to this, and I need to go away and have a rest, I'll come back and finish it off...' and he never came back.

The last part of the song was sung by May.

🎵 Mother Love by #Queen
💿 Made in Heaven, 1995
▶️ https://song.link/y/cwsh5APb6Bk

34

The second album of #QueenAreTheChampions day 8️⃣ and also the final #Queen album is "Made In Heaven".

I was 11 years old when it was released and I can still remember the excitement when my brother bought the CD.

Now to be honest, this isn't a great Queen album, there are some good songs on it, but overall it feels a bit unbalanced and thrown together. Also, I felt that it sounded kind of weird.

Anyhow, Brian, Roger and John were left with a lot of unfinished material from the Innuendo session, which they put together and tried to make the best out of it.

🎵 Made in Heaven
💿 Made in Heaven, 1995
▶️ https://song.link/y/7v8kW2zK8ww

33 #QueenAreTheChampions Day 8️⃣

"I'll fucking do it, darling."

🎵 The Show Must Go On #Queen
💿 Innuendo, 1991
▶️ https://song.link/y/ZFXKJEPbQfk

32 #QueenAreTheChampions

Oh, there's also a song about Freddie's cat on Innuendo.

And one that starts with a juicy riff.

Fun fact: for the longest time I though "The Hitman" is the entrance theme of universally beloved Canadian professional wrestler Bret "Hitman" Hart.

🎵 The Hitman by #Queen
💿 Innuendo, 1991
▶️ https://song.link/y/MoFBBRE-eIk

31 #QueenAreTheChampions Day 8️⃣

This is goodbye.

The video of These Are The Days Of Our Lives is the last video footage of Freddie and his very last scene is him saying goodbye.

🎵 These Are The Days Of Our Lives by #Queen
💿 Innuendo, 1991
▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BqCOHa_-pw

30 #QueenAreTheChampions Day 8️⃣

This is goodbye.

Queen is my band. There might be more innovative ones, there might be heavier ones, there might be better ones.
But #Queen is my band and they always will be.

You know the story of Freddie Mercury, and you might know the circumstances under which Innuendo, the final album in Freddies lifetime was recorded.

And he said goodbye with a masterpiece.

🎵 Innuendo
💿 Innuendo, 1991
▶️ https://song.link/y/uqSnMf3nN9Q

This is my favourite Queen song.

And then the 2nd part of today's #QueenAreTheChampions is the 1st Queen studio album to be recorded after Freddie got his AIDS diagnosis, 2nd last to be released before he died. Can't help but have that affect how I hear it. I assume tomorrow, our last day of this listen-thru, will be a tearjerker. 🥺

Queen - The Miracle (1989)

https://album.link/ca/i/1440807729

Day 7 of #QueenAreTheChampions is subtitled "There can be only one", with A Kind of Magic up first. I feel like I'm at a disadvantage here because I've never seen Highlander (literally my only point of reference there is Aqua Teen Hunger Force, lol), BUT now I know where Jack Black's "is it better to burn out than to fade away" line in High Fidelity references [edit: nm, that's wrong!], and so for that I'm forever grateful. :ablobjoy:

Queen - A Kind of Magic (1986)

https://album.link/ca/i/1440783166

29 #QueenAreTheChampions Day 7️⃣

The final album of the day leaves us with the question:

Was it all worth it?

Like them or not, but you have to appreciate how well composed and produced the songs are and The Miracle is no exception.

🎵 Was It All Worth It? by #Queen
💿 The Miracle, 1989
▶️ https://song.link/i/1648664673

So, was it all worth it?
Yes, it was a worthwhile experience (Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha)

Ranking:
1 Queen II
2 The Works
3 Queen
4 A Night at the Opera
5 Hot Space
6 A Kind of Magic
7 The Miracle
8 Sheer Heart Attack
9 The Game
10 A Day at the Races
11 Jazz
12 News of the World
13 Flash Gordon

28 #QueenAreTheChampions Day 7️⃣

The Miracle starts with a Party on Kashoggi's Ship.

Song 3 is the title track, one of the best written Queen songs if you ask me. It's a co-composition of Freddie and the most underrated bassists of all time, John Deacon.

In general, you have to listen to the basslines, they are superb throughout the album.

Also, the video of "The Miracle" is worth watching. I linked it here 👇

🎵 The Miracle by #Queen
💿 The Miracle, 1989
▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DaY8-Mui0I

27 #QueenAreTheChampions Day 7️⃣

Born to be kings, princes of the universe!

Man I love that song...

🎵 Princes of the Universe
💿 A Kind of Magic, 1986
▶️ https://song.link/y/Ipp6Hsp0L4c

The album is really good, but it has 2 songs which I absolutely can't stand. Esp. One Year of Love is so cringeworthy, almost like a German Schlager ballad.

Nevertheless, the rest is hard rock at its finest 🎸

Sadly, "The Magic Tour" was their final tour.

Ranking:
1 Queen II
2 The Works
3 Queen
4 A Night at the Opera
5 Hot Space
6 A Kind of Magic
7 Sheer Heart Attack
8 The Game
9 A Day at the Races
10 Jazz
11 News of the World
12 Flash Gordon

26

Day 7️⃣ of #QueenAreTheChampions and "there can be only one".

"A Kind of Magic" is the de-facto soundtrack of "Highlander". This was yet another album my cousins had on vinyl and little Thomas was really impressed by the artwork.

Some of the songs on it are really heavy (could even be considered heavy metal), but there's also catchy pop rock on it (title track).

I prever riffs, and this song has fucking great riffs 👇

🎵 One Vision by #Queen
💿 A Kind of Magic, 1986
▶️ https://song.link/y/9zrYXvUXiQk

25 #QueenAreTheChampions day 6️⃣

I just love this album. I love all the videos, the songs, everything. This was my childhood album so I am totally biased, but I don't care.

I couldn't pick a favourite song, but I know that "Hammer To Fall" is @jake4480's favourite, so here you go:

🎵 Hammer To Fall by #Queen
💿 The Works, 1984
▶️ https://song.link/y/jiimVjS2DHo

Ranking:
1 Queen II
2 The Works
3 Queen
4 A Night at the Opera
5 Hot Space
6 Sheer Heart Attack
7 The Game
8 A Day at the Races
9 Jazz
10 News of the World
11 Flash Gordon

24 #QueenAreTheChampions day 6️⃣

Back from being sick and "I am in the stadium", methaporically speaking.

I called day 6 "I am in the stadium" because the bonus album "On Fire" is really a great live stadium album, and the next album on the agenda is very much stadium rock.

Now @buffyleigh made the observation that they have some few industrial songs in their catalogue. I never realized this, but it's very true.

One song which is almost industrial-pop is the opener of their grand 1984 album. I love the video, where our champions drive/fly through Fritz Lang's Metropolis.

🎵 Radio Ga Ga by #Queen
💿 The Works, 1984
▶️ https://song.link/y/azdwsXLmrHE

#TheWorks

And then onto the 2nd part of today's #QueenAreTheChampions, the 1st to be released in my lifetime. I only knew the great opener "Radio Ga Ga" but just a live version, and I really dug the studio version. My other fave was the side B opener, "Machines (Or 'Back to Humans')". Have any industrial bands covered that one? Kinda seems like a no-brainer, but I can't find any. Oh and "Is This the World We Created...?" - you said it, Freddie. 🥺

Queen - The Works (1984)

https://album.link/ca/i/1440763432

After taking a break during the long weekend, now onto Day 6 of #QueenAreTheChampions, subtitled "I'm in the stadium". I had every intention of skipping the first scheduled album, a live one, but then I felt guilty and put it on. I'm glad I did, turned my frown a tiny bit upside down. The live "Get Down, Make Love" was particularly great, I can see why an industrial band would want to cover it.

Queen - Queen On Fire: Live at the Bowl (recorded 1982, released 2004)

https://album.link/ca/i/1440808602

I haven't been able to continue #QueenAreTheChampions this weekend and since I am under the weather right now, it might take a couple of days until I am in the mood for music again.
But I'll be back!

I thought I’d join the #queenarethechampions brigade, at least while I was cleaning the house. Half way through album 1, track 1 my son very politely asked if we could put on something more in “his style”.

So… #nowplaying Volbeat - Seal the Deal and Let’s Boogie

And last up for today's #QueenAreTheChampions is Hot Space, which @derthomas predicted would be my favourite. And...I think I have to agree, at least so far! I guess I'm a fan of when Queen goes more minimal and flirts with new wave. "Body Language" and "Cool Cat" in particular were standouts for me, aside from the obvious "Under Pressure" (have I ever mentioned I dig Bowie?).

Queen - Hot Space (1982)

https://album.link/ca/i/1440810288

Next for today's #QueenAreTheChampions is the only Queen album I had some awareness of in my previous life. My fave band as a teen was Five Iron Frenzy (Xian ska), they had a song ("Fahrenheit") about how the singer loved this album as a kid but realized he grew up to be a bigot, and the song is an apology to Freddie Mercury. I had a FIF shirt that was a rip-off of this album cover, but this is my first listen.

Queen - Flash Gordon (1980)

https://album.link/ca/i/1410128554

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmFWdZgO0tI

Day 5 of #QueenAreTheChampions is "A trilogy in funky space", starting with The Game. So, um, THIS one is the best-selling Queen album in the US? Why? Like, "Don't Try Suicide" is quite possibly one of the most cringe songs I've ever heard (at least the band has never performed it live). I think the only tracks I like are "Dragon Attack" and the closer "Save Me".

Queen - The Game (1980)

https://album.link/ca/i/1440806692

23 #QueenAreTheChampions day 6️⃣

Because it's #tgif and I am feeling sexy I decided to spin the bonus live album that was actually scheduled for tomorrow today.

Live at the Bowl is another KILLER performance by Queen.

And Freddie sure knew how to introduce a song:

"About 10 years ago (1972) I only knew about 3 chords on the guitar.
And now in 1982 I know 3 chords on the guitar"

🎵 Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Live
💿 On Fire: Live at the Bowl, 2004
▶️ https://song.link/y/BASTOVre1-c

22 #QueenAreTheChampions day 5️⃣

There are so many great catchy pop songs on Hot Space, you gotta love it.

My favourites are... well except Body Language I actually really like all the songs. That Queen/Bowie collaboration is also quite ok.

🎵 Put Out the Fire
💿 Hot Space, 1982
▶️ https://song.link/i/1440853040

Ranking:
1 Queen II
2 Queen
3 A Night at the Opera
4 Hot Space
5 Sheer Heart Attack
6 The Game
7 A Day at the Races
8 Jazz
9 News of the World
10 Flash Gordon

21 #QueenAreTheChampions day 5️⃣

Hot Space is the last album of "a trilogy in funky space".

And what a funky album Hot Space is.

But when it came out, fans and cirtics hated it alike.

But Michael Jackson (who was friends with the band) loved it, and cited Hot Space as an influence for Thriller.

I too really dig this! 🕺👯💃

🎵 Dancer
💿 Hot Space, 1982
▶️ https://song.link/y/Ezg_Yb6jh9E

#Queen #HotSpace

20 #QueenAreTheChampions day 5️⃣

That vintage synthesizer in combination with Brian May's guitar sparkled with quirky quotes from this awesome movie, you gotta love it 🥰

🎵 Battle Theme by #Queen
💿 Flash Gordon, 1980
▶️ https://song.link/y/36iW1fXnN6s

The album will be last in my ranking, but it has a special place in my heart ❤️

Ranking:
1 Queen II
2 Queen
3 A Night at the Opera
4 Sheer Heart Attack
5 The Game
6 A Day at the Races
7 Jazz
8 News of the World
9 Flash Gordon

19 #QueenAreTheChampions day 5️⃣

"Klytus, I'm bored
What play thing can you offer me today?
An obscure body in the S-K System, your majesty
The inhabitants refer to it as the planet Earth
How peaceful it looks

Most effective, your majesty
Will you destroy this Earth?
Later
I like to play with things awhile
Before annihilation"

⚡⚡⚡ FLASH ⚡ ⚡⚡
⚡⚡⚡ AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! ⚡ ⚡⚡

In 1980 #Queen made the soundtrack for one of the quirkiest sci-fi movies of all time.

🎵 Flash's Theme
💿 Flash Gordon, 1980
▶️ https://song.link/y/syHYW8C-LNY

#FlashGordon