THE WORKSReleased: UK (EMI) February 27, 1984 USA (Capitol) February 28, 1984
Charts: UK #2, USA #23
The Netherlands #1, Austria #2, Norway #2, Sweden #3, Switzerland #3, West Germany #3, Japan #7, New Zealand #9, Australia #12, France #14, Canada #22
Certifications: Platinum in UK, Gold in USA
Gold in Italy, The Netherlands, Spain
Platinum in Austria, Canada, West Germany, Poland, Switzerland
2x Platinum in Australia
Singles:
Radio Ga Ga b/w I Go Crazy Released: January 16
Charts and certifications already listed.
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I Want To Break Free b/w Machines Released: April 2, UK (EMI), USA (Capitol)
Charts: UK #3, USA #45
#1 in Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa
Ireland #2, Switzerland #2, EUROPE #3, West Germany #4, Spain #5, New Zealand #6, Australia #8, France #9,
2018: Sweden #11, US Hot Rock #16, Hungary #18, Canada #33, Poland #59
Certifications: Platinum in UK, USA, Italy
Gold in Denmark
VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Mc-NYPHaQ 528 MILLION VIEWS(there are other links with 175 million views, and another with 101 million)
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It’s A Hard Life b/w Is This The World We Created Released: USA (Capitol) July 6, UK (EMI) July 16
Charts: UK #6, USA #72
Ireland #2, Netherlands #4, Germany #26, New Zealand #30, Belgium #30
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHP-qgzUVLM 34 MILLION VIEWS************************
Hammer To Fall (45 version) b/w Tear It Up UK #13 USA (DNC)
Released: UK (EMI) September 10, USA (Capitol) October 12
Charts: UK #13, USA (DNC)
South Africa #3, Poland #24, Australia #55
1992: US #35
2018: USA Billboard Hot Rock #23, Japan #88
Certifications:
Silver in UK
VIDEO (45)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU5LMG3WFBw 22 MILLION VIEWShttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Works_(Queen_album)
Produced by: QUEEN / MACK
Engineered by MACK
Recorded at: The Record Plant and Musicland Studios, August 83-January 84
Thanks to Fred Mandel for rip-roaring piano finale on 'Prow', synthesizer arrangement and programming on 'Radio GaGa'. Also synth on 'Break Free' and candy-floss on 'Hammer To Fall'.Demolition Fairlight programming on 'Machines' by Mack
This is the first album to come to you through the EMI-CAPITOL Organisation world wide.
SIDE ONE
Radio Ga Ga (Taylor) 5:50
Tear It Up (May) 3:25
It's A Hard Life (Mercury) 4:05
Man On The Prowl (Mercury) 3:25
SIDE TWO
Machines (or 'Back To Humans') (May/Taylor) 5:08
I Want To Break Free (Deacon) 3:19
Keep Passing The Open Windows (Mercury) 5:21
Hammer To Fall (May) 4:25
Is This The World We Created...? (Mercury/May) 2:13
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2011 Universal reissue bonus disc
I Go Crazy" (B-side to "Radio Ga Ga")/ I Want to Break Free (Single remix) / Hammer to Fall (Headbanger's mix) /
Is This the World We Created...? (Live in Rio, '85) / It's a Hard Life (Live in Rio, '85) / Thank God It's Christmas (Non-album single, Nov. 84)
ALBUM AUDIO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LU53U0L_No(if you click ‘SHOW MORE’, you can go song to song with its time stamps)
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A great set of bonus selections. The extended version of ‘It’s A Hard Life’, is my favorite version of the song, but it is not included. Live versions of ‘I Want To Break Free’, ‘Hammer To Fall’, and of course ‘Radio Ga Ga’ should have been added.
Demos exist of ‘Let Me In Your Heart Again’, ‘Let Me Live’, and ‘Love Kills’, which would be released in one form or another later on. Roger’s ‘Man On Fire’ (coming soon) was also worked on at this time, as well as what would be Freddie’s ‘There Must Be More To Life’ than this. It was bumped for ‘Is This The World We Created?’ for the album. Two high quality songs that should have both found their way on this release.
Man Made Paradise (Mercury),
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp_ALAEE8F4 interview
Love Kills (Mercury/Moroder),
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcgBgJCaC-M Sorry/You Are The Only One,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBu3OhsplsQ Coming On Far Too Strong,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvgYXw2hC30Whipping Boy, Take Another Piece Of My Heart.... were other demos
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This was an OK album for me. It was an improvement over its predecessor (what wouldn’t have been?), but that excitement I had with prior purchases was now met with more than a bit of trepidation.
The title is referenced by the band as 'throwing in the kitchen sink', more back to more of their roots. It was also the name of a gay nightclub that Freddie frequented during his time in The Big Apple.
And the cover is an homage to the sleeve for 'Bohemian Rhapsody'.
For the DT fans who thought that ADToE was a copy of 'Images & Words', well.....'Tear It Up' from 'We Will Rock You', 'It's A Hard Life' from 'Play The Game', 'Man On The Prowl' from 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' ... would like to have some words with you.
As is, IMHO, if they'd have included 'I Go Crazy' before 'Man On The Prowl' on side one, and used Roger's 'Man On Fire' or 'It's An Illusion' from his upcoming solo album (and worked on during these sessions) in place of 'Machines', you'd have a damn fine album. As well as using the extended version of 'It's A Hard Life'.
And then there's the demos that we wouldn't hear for over three decades shined up and polished, and it would have been an absolute killer album.
But it sold well outside of North America as is.
‘Keep Passing The Open Windows’ is one of my top 20 Queen songs, in spite of (or because) of Freddie stealing Joe Jackson’s ‘Stepping Out’ piano. I always envisioned a video of this song, having a sped up camera racing through a ‘metropolis’ of skyscrapers during various segments of the song, and then sped up even more during the instrumental middle
Brian continues his real hard edge rock lead guitar in 'Hammer To Fall', just as he did in 'Put Out The Fire'. Fred Mandel provided some great piano work in 'Man On The Prowl', and also provided the famous non-guitar synth in 'I Want To Break Free' (John just ain't gonna let Brian have a lead guitar segment in his songs....).
Some smart and actual political lyrics throughout, and then the closing 'Is This The World We Created....? Damn, a little two minute mellow song with more meaning than most of their last three albums.
With the introduction of 12" vinyl singles, and their extended (and too often boring) versions finding a foothold at this time, I'll do a separate post of them and all the single covers tomorrow.