The Works (Queen album): Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 17:24, 10 May 2011
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The Works is the eleventh studio album by British rock band Queen, released in February 1984. A partial return to their rock roots, although with a much lighter approach, the record has also the heaviest electronics amongst all group albums. In comparison, rock was mostly absent on their previous effort Hot Space giving room to dance and funk with the use of analogue synths and brass, while electronics were not that much present.
Recorded at the Record Plant Studios and Musicland Studios from August 1983 to January 1984, the album's title comes from a comment drummer Roger Taylor made as recording began – "Let's give them the works!" This was the first Queen album to be released on Compact Disc.
History
Following the release of and subsequent touring for their 1982 album Hot Space, the four members of Queen opted to take a break from the band the following year, indulging in solo projects and taking the chance to stretch in individual directions. While a spring tour of South America had been an early possibility, especially following the band's success there two years prior, equipment and promotional problems brought an end to these plans.[1] Brian May worked with Eddie Van Halen and others on the Star Fleet Project, while Freddie Mercury began work on his solo album. By August 1983, however, the band had reunited and began work on their eleventh studio album. It would be Queen's first album for EMI (and its United States affiliate Capitol Records) worldwide after the band nullified its recording deal with Elektra for the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan.[1]
Recording commenced at Record Plant Studios in Los Angeles – Queen's first time recording in America – and Musicland Studios in Munich. Also during this time, their manager Jim Beach offered them the opportunity to compose the soundtrack for the film The Hotel New Hampshire. The band agreed, but soon discovered much of their time was being spent on the soundtrack instead of the upcoming album, and the project fell through.[1] Only one song written for the soundtrack, "Keep Passing the Open Windows", made it onto The Works. By November 1983, Roger Taylor's "Radio Ga Ga" was chosen as the first single from the album. The Works was released on 27 February 1984.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Radio Ga Ga" | Roger Taylor | 5:44 |
| 2. | "Tear It Up" | Brian May | 3:28 |
| 3. | "It's a Hard Life" | Freddie Mercury | 4:08 |
| 4. | "Man on the Prowl" | Mercury | 3:28 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Machines (Or 'Back to Humans')" | May, Taylor | 5:10 |
| 2. | "I Want to Break Free" | John Deacon | 3:20 |
| 3. | "Keep Passing the Open Windows" | Mercury | 5:21 |
| 4. | "Hammer to Fall" | May | 4:28 |
| 5. | "Is This the World We Created...?" | Mercury, May | 2:13 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10. | "I Go Crazy" (original B-side) | May | 3:42 |
| 11. | "Radio Ga Ga" (extended version) | Taylor | 6:50 |
| 12. | "I Want to Break Free" (extended mix) | Deacon | 7:19 |
Song information
Radio Ga Ga
"Radio Ga Ga" was composed on keyboards, after Roger Taylor heard his son Felix (3 years old at the time) saying "radio ca ca".[1] He wrote it in Los Angeles and locked himself in the studio with a Roland Jupiter 8 and a drum machine. Afterwards John Deacon came up with a suitable bass line. Mercury reconstructed the track, both musically and lyrically. It was still credited to Taylor since Mercury was an arranger rather than a co-writer. Fred Mandel, their session keyboardist, put together an additive track with piano, synth and a temporary bass part. May used a glass slide for his guitar solo. Taylor sang all the backing vocals, and used a Vocoder throughout the song. Most of the song is made out of electronics and synthesizers.
Tear It Up
"Tear It Up" is May's song, and the demo features him doing the vocals instead of Mercury. It was written as an attempt to revive Queen's old sound. It features stomping percussion similar to "We Will Rock You" that drives the song.
It's a Hard Life
"It's a Hard Life" is one of May's and Taylor's favourite songs from Mercury (although they admitted that they hated the video). May contributed with some of the lyrics, and the intro was based on Ruggero Leoncavallo's Vesti la giubba, an aria from his opera Pagliacci. Mercury played piano and did most of the vocals, and conducted May about the scales he should use for the solo, described by May in the guitar program Star Licks as very "Bohemian Rhapsody"-esque.
Man on the Prowl
"Man on the Prowl" is a three-chord rockabilly Mercury composition (similar to "Crazy Little Thing Called Love") in which Fred Mandel plays the piano ending. Note that "Tear It Up", "It's a Hard Life" and this song are free of synthesizers. May played the solo using a Telecaster.
Machines (Or 'Back to Humans')
"Machines (Or 'Back to Humans')" came up as an idea by Taylor, and May collaborated with him and finished it. Producer Reinhold Mack programmed the synth-"demolition" using a Fairlight CMI II Sampler, and the song is sung as a duet between two Mercury (harmonising with each other) and a robotic Taylor (using a Roland VP330 Vocoder). The instrumental remix of the song samples parts of "Ogre Battle" from Queen's second album Queen II. This song, along with Radio Ga Ga are some of the heaviest uses of electronics on the album. The instrumental remix is also rumoured to sample parts of Flash and Larry Lurex's "Goin' Back" (in fact Mercury under a pseudonym).
I Want to Break Free
"I Want to Break Free" was written by John Deacon out of frustration. This pop song is best known probably because of its controversial video, featuring all four Queen members dressed up as women, in a parody of the British soap opera Coronation Street. The synth solo is played by Fred Mandel – live, however, May played it on guitar.
Keep Passing the Open Windows
"Keep Passing the Open Windows" was written by Mercury in 1983 for the film version of The Hotel New Hampshire, based on a novel by John Irving. The phrase is mentioned on a number of occasions throughout the film and was, according to the opening credits, also co-produced by the band's manager Jim Beach, who changed it in order to suit the album mood better. Mercury played piano and synths and wrote the lyrics after reading the quote in the book.
Hammer to Fall
"Hammer to Fall" is May's other rock song in the album. Live versions were considerably faster and he sang it in his solo tours as well. Synths are played by Mandel and most of vocal harmonies were recorded by May himself, particularly in the bridge (save for "oh no" which is Taylor).
Is This the World We Created...?
"Is This the World We Created...?" was written in Munich after Mercury and May watched the news of poverty in Africa, and performed at Live Aid. Mercury wrote most of the lyrics and May wrote the chords and small lyrical contributions. The song was recorded with an Ovation but live May used Taylor's Gibson Chet Atkins CE nylon-stringed guitar.
I Go Crazy
"I Go Crazy" is another May rocker from the Works time period, which ended up as the B-side to Roger Taylor's "Radio Ga Ga". The song is less produced than the others of the album, and more raw, and because of this, the other members of the group did not like this song. Nonetheless, it ended up as a B-side, and as a bonus track on the 1991 The Works CD release. Lead vocals are mostly sung by Mercury, with May singing lead on the bridge in the middle. The song ends with Taylor and Mercury alternating vocals on the word "crazy".
Personnel
- Freddie Mercury: lead and backing vocals, piano, keyboards
- Brian May: electric guitar, twelve-string acoustic guitar, backing vocals, keyboards, lead vocals on bridge of "I Go Crazy"
- Roger Taylor: drums, electronic drums, backing vocals, keyboards, lead vocals (Vocoder) on "Machines"
- John Deacon: bass guitar, rhythm and acoustic guitars, keyboards
With
- Fred Mandel: Piano on "Man on the Prowl," Keyboards, Programming
- Mack: Demolition Fairlight programming on "Machines," engineering
- Mike Beiriger: Additional engineering
- Stefan Wissnet: Additional engineering
- Ed Delena: Additional engineering
- Bill Smith: Sleeve Design
- George Hurrell: Photography
Singles
For the first and only time in their career, all the songs (and one non-album track, "I Go Crazy") from a Queen album were used as either A-sides or B-sides on singles. Starting with this album, the group began issuing singles in the United Kingdom under their own catalogue numbers.
| Number | Format | A-side | B-side | Released date (UK) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QUEEN 1 | (7" Single) | "Radio Ga Ga" | "I Go Crazy" | — |
| 12QUEEN 1 | (12" Single) | "Radio Ga Ga (Extended Version)" | "Radio Ga Ga (Instrumental Version)"/"I Go Crazy" | 23 January 1984 |
| QUEEN 2 | (7" Single) | "I Want to Break Free (Single Mix)" | "Machines (or 'Back to Humans')" | — |
| 12QUEEN 2 | (12" Single) | "I Want to Break Free (Extended Mix)" | "Machines (or 'Back to Humans')" | 2 April 1984 |
| QUEEN 3 | (7" Single) | "It's a Hard Life" | "Is This the World We Created...?" | — |
| 12QUEEN 3 | (12" Single) | "It's a Hard Life" | "Is This the World We Created...?" | 16 July 1984 |
| QUEEN 4 | (7" Single) | "Hammer to Fall (Headbanger's Mix Edit)" | "Tear It Up" | — |
| 12QUEEN 4 | (12" Single) | "Hammer to Fall (Headbanger's Mix)" | "Tear It Up" | 10 September 1984 |
| QUEEN 5 | (7" Single) | "Thank God It's Christmas" (non-album track) | "Man on the Prowl"/"Keep Passing the Open Windows" | — |
| 12QUEEN 5 | (12" Single) | "Thank God It's Christmas" | "Man on the Prowl (Extended Version)"/"Keep Passing the Open Windows (Extended Version)" | 26 November 1984 |
Others
| Format | A-side | B-side |
|---|---|---|
| US 7" Single & Cassette Single | "Radio Ga Ga (US Single Edit)" | "I Go Crazy" |
| US Promo 7" Single | "I Want to Break Free (Single Mix)" | "I Want to Break Free (Special 7" Single Edit)" |
| US 7" Single & Cassette Single | "I Want to Break Free (Single Mix)" | "Machines (or 'Back to Humans') (Instrumental Version)" |
Charts
| Country | Charts | Sales | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak position | Weeks | Certification | Sales[citation needed] | |
| Argentina | 1 | Gold | 100.000 | |
| Greece | 1 | 20.000 | ||
| Ireland | 1 | Platinum | 25.000 | |
| Netherlands | 1[2] | 33[2] | Gold | 60.000 |
| Portugal | 1 | Gold | 20.000 | |
| Austria | 2[2] | 40[2] | Platinum | 150.000 |
| Norway | 2[2] | 10[2] | 100.000 | |
| United Kingdom | 2[3] | 93[3] | 3xPlatinum | 1.100.000+ |
| Denmark | 3 | Platinum | 30.000 | |
| Germany | 3 | Platinum | 800.000 | |
| Sweden | 3[2] | 5[2] | 40.000 | |
| Switzerland | 3[2] | 32[2] | Platinum | 125.000 |
| Belgium | 4 | 50.000 | ||
| Italy | 4 | 2 x Platinum | 200.000 | |
| Spain | 4 | Gold | 50.000 | |
| Japan | 7 | 450.000 | ||
| New Zealand | 9[2] | 26[2] | ||
| France | 14 | 200.000 | ||
| United States | 23 | 20 | Gold[4] | 800,000+ |
| Canada | Platinum | 150.000 | ||
| Brazil | 150.000 | |||
References
