QUEEN Discography- MONTREAL '81 in theaters near you

[Cool Chris]

Why would you watch something that purports to tell a true story, but quite clearly is making it up?

This is an intriguing question - one possibly worth its own thread so as to not bog down this one.

[DragonAttack]

A Night at the Opera   USA Tour



A month after their nationally televised Christmas Eve concert, the band begins their third tour of the States (yet again in the winter).  The first show is in Waterbury, Connecticut (this was available two months ago, but has since disappeared).

The tour would include four nights in NYC at The Beacon Theater, along with multiple nights in Boston and Detroit.

USA typical setlist
Bohemian Rhapsody (tape & rock part) / Ogre Battle / Sweet Lady / White Queen / Flick Of The Wrist /  Medley: Bohemian Rhapsody (verses) : Killer Queen : The March Of The Black Queen : Bohemian Rhapsody (reprise) / Bring Back That Leroy Brown / Brighton Rock / Son And Daughter / The Prophet's Song / Stone Cold Crazy / Doing All Right / Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon / Keep Yourself Alive / Seven Seas Of Rhye / Liar / In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited  Encores: Now I'm Here / Big Spender / Jailhouse Rock / God Save The Queen
*********************
Comments:  ‘The Prophet’s Song’ and ‘Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon’ have been added now that they’ve time off and a chance to rehearse them.  ‘Seven Seas of Rhye’ is now part of the States setlist, along with the odd choice of ‘Doing All Right’.  ‘Now I’m Here’ has moved from starting the shows to the first encore. The single ‘You’re My Best Friend’ / ‘’39’ had not yet been released, but it is kind of surprising that neither was included.  ‘Modern Times Rock n Roll’ is sometimes included. ‘Father To Son’ (sadly for me) has been permanently dropped in the States.
*************************************
Orpheum Theater, Boston, January 30th   Attendance 4725   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAhL9GBmua0  GRADE: A+
Taped by Dan Lampinski from the fifth row right center, this is one of the top five quality audience recordings of Queen in the 70s (Providence ’78 is one of the others, also by the same taper). The stereo sound beautifully captures the channel separation of Brian and Freddie's solo spots.

Not made available until 2009.

*************************************
Beacon Theater, New York City, February 6th   Attendance: 3,000   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgIQvHgeyF8    Grade: B
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgIQvHgeyF8&t=474s  (unless the link changed again )

******************************************
A few weeks later, the Saginaw Civic Center.
 
Queen had various bands as warmups during this tour.  For one night, it was fellow Michigander Bob Seger (this was months before he recorded his Detroit performance(s) which became his breakout release 'Live Bullet').  Well, I had a friend who asked me to be the designated driver for a Seger concert (back in the day when the DD had one drink to the others four or five). 

 I said, "Sure, who’s the warm up band?"

“He’s the warmup.  Queen are the headliners.”

"NUFF SAID!  I’ll drive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

My very first concert program!  (it now costs anywhere from $45 to $100, but the three bucks I spent on it is priceless).  I couldn't tell you if Freddie came up from underneath the stage on a hoist or not, since there was so much fog from the dry ice, but.....'what a freakin' show!'  I will admit it was confusing as all hell with the BoRhap snippets and the medley, and the ending of 'Brighton Rock' at the end of 'Flick of the Wrist', then 'Brighton Rock' with the 'Son And Daughter' ending after the guitar solo.  I did enjoy the striptease during 'Big Spender'

Oh, and Seger was damn good (I think ).  One beer on the way up, one on the way back, and probably two once I settled in with the three other passengers once we arrived at my friend's home.  At least that meant an extra hour to sleep in before going to HS the next morning.

***********************
Milwaukee Auditorium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin   March 2nd,  Attendance: 6,250  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfoy0S18uoQ&t=85s  Grade: B
"Hangman" and  "Modern Times' are included, ‘Lazing’ is not .

*******************
Civic Auditorium Santa Monica, California, March 11th,  Attendance: 3,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FHDQKFryjg&t=203s    Grade: A-

This wasn't made available until 2019.   Their fourth show in three days.  One more before a triumphant return to Japan.

Freddie, Brian, and Roger also managed to make a guest appearance and provide backing vocals for an old friend on one song while in NYC.  Details on that, and the Australia and Japan tours tomorrow.  I plan on finally giving the Boston show a listen tonight. 

Ever been there, Tim?

[TAC]

Ever been there, Tim?

YES!

Boston Music Hall 1976





Boston Music Hall 2022  (aka Boch Center formerly the Wang Theater formerly the Boston Music Hall)

[DragonAttack]

Sweet!   

One tour I saw, the other I hosted a preshow for .....

[TAC]

It's a half mile (10 minute walk) from the Orpheum.

[TAC]

Joe, at your first Queen concert, did you buy a t-shirt or a program? Do you still have your stubs? And if you have any of those, can you post pics?

I will ask the same question for the subsequent tours, so you might as well prepare.

[TAC]

The Boston boot is amazing. I already have it on CD, but I'm giving the youtube link a solid listen. I love bootlegs. Always have.

There's something about the recorder's microphone and the performer being in the same room.. It is a great experience. I am very skeptical of official live versions. Bootlegs are way more intimate.

Funny how after Flick Of The Wrist, the guy refers to Dan Lampinski as "Danny".

[DragonAttack]

Joe, at your first Queen concert, did you buy a t-shirt or a program? Do you still have your stubs? And if you have any of those, can you post pics?

I will ask the same question for the subsequent tours, so you might as well prepare.

I have the ANATO tour book, along with the ones from '80 and '82.  I still have (and can fit into) the '80 and '82 tee shirts.  My wife did buy me a '78 tour jacket around '02, but that's it.  No ticket stubs or pictures.

The Boston boot is amazing. I already have it on CD, but I'm giving the youtube link a solid listen. I love bootlegs. Always have.

There's something about the recorder's microphone and the performer being in the same room.. It is a great experience. I am very skeptical of official live versions. Bootlegs are way more intimate.

Funny how after Flick Of The Wrist, the guy refers to Dan Lampinski as "Danny".

I finally burnt a couple of discs and listened to it in my car this week.  Still funny to hear people screaming for 'Liar'  and then they perform 'Doing Alright' (which is an absolutely surprising gem!).  'Sweet Lady', which Roger admitted was his most difficult song to drum to in concert, really rocks.  btw, did you like that sweet little love song 'Stone Cold Crazy'?

[TAC]

You need to post the ANATO tour book.

[DragonAttack]

A few weeks off after the States for another successful short tour of Japan.  But first, a couple of collaborations. 



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPd7Me5MTIk 
You can certainly hear Freddie's and Brian's distinctive touches.  btw, last week was the first time I had seen this video.  They also could have put this on 'The Game' and said that John sang it, and I wouldn't have been any the wiser!



Going back a few short years, Queen had been the warm up band for Mott The Hoople during the fall of '73 in the UK, and the winter of '74 in the States (before Brian became seriously ill and they had to stop halfway through).  Queen has now achieved world wide stardom, while Mott has disbanded and Ian Hunter is pursuing a solo career. 

Freddie, Brian, and Roger provide BVs on 'You Nearly Did Me I' from this album, released early '76  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRkJi-QWKmg 

****  Japan '76 *****
The setlists are the same as the States with some exceptions.

Himeji Welfare Hall Himeji, March 24th,   Attendance: 6,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pGZhD4voHA   Quality: A
The third stop on the Japanese tour sees Freddie in very poor condition. Sick, exhausted......, but he very quickly declined over the course of two days, leaving his voice with little range to play with. (see, it even happened to the best of them, even before they turned thirty! )

***************
Nippon Budokan Tokyo, Japan April 1st, Attendance: 14,000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm9wsevBLjo  Quality: A/A-

The final live performance of 'Hangman'.  'Father To Son' was added for this night.  This was just uploaded three weeks ago.

***********************************
Nichidai Kodo, Tokyo, April 4th, Attendance 11,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goL8zT0tuLk  Grade: B+
                                                                     
The final night in Japan for this tour.  Due to high ticket demand, this show was added. The Budokan presumably wasn't available.  Again, not one of Freddie's best nights.

*****************************
A week later to Perth, the first of eight dates of the band's first tour of Australia.

Bohemian Rhapsody and A Night At The Opera have topped the charts here. Two years after being booed off the stage at the Sunbury Festival, Freddie was right when he said Queen would be one of the biggest bands in the world the next time they'd return down under.

[TAC]

A few weeks off after the States for another successful short tour of Japan.  But first, a couple of collaborations. 



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPd7Me5MTIk 
You can certainly hear Freddie's and Brian's distinctive touches.  btw, last week was the first time I had seen this video.  They also could have put this on 'The Game' and said that John sang it, and I wouldn't have been any the wiser!



Going back a few short years, Queen had been the warm up band for Mott The Hoople during the fall of '73 in the UK, and the winter of '74 in the States (before Brian became seriously ill and they had to stop halfway through).  Queen has now achieved world wide stardom, while Mott has disbanded and Ian Hunter is pursuing a solo career. 

Freddie, Brian, and Roger provide BVs on 'You Nearly Did Me I' from this album, released early '76  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRkJi-QWKmg 

Good stuff, Joe!

[DragonAttack]

The different sleeves for the 'Man From Manhattan' 45 and LP from back in the day.
 

A bit of boring, yet interesting background on this:
"Recorded in mid January 1976 at Sarm East Studios in London, the song was produced by Freddie Mercury, who also played piano and sang backing vocals on the track and featured Brian May on guitar.

Howell signed with Warner Bros. He released two singles, “Long Story” and “Can’t get over you”, and his debut LP “The Eddie Howell Gramophone Record”, which featured members of 'Brand X' and guitarist Gary Moore.

The album was launched at a promotional gig at Thursday’s club in Kensington. Eddie’s band included Phil Collins on congas, Jack Lancaster * on saxophone and [b]Robin Lumley[/b] on keyboards. Explains Eddie, ”In the audience that night was Freddie Mercury who had been brought along to the gig by my manager David Minns. It was there that he first heard “Man From Manhattan”, which was a newly written song included in the set. After the gig we met and he was very complimentary about the song and offered to produce it. I remember we all went down to ‘The Elephant on the River’ to celebrate”.

Enthused by the prospect of his first foray into production, Freddie wasted little time in getting started. ”I gave him a two track guitar/vocal demo of the song” recalls Eddie, ”and a couple of days later he called and said let’s get going. Studio time was booked at Sarm East Studios and true to form, Freddie quickly took control of the sessions; ”He did lots of pre-production work on the song’s structure and the harmony arrangements”, reveals Ed. ” He had a mini cassette recorder loaded with ideas for the track, backing vocals and answering phrases”.

”We took a week to record the song”, remembers Eddie, ”which was a long time in those days, but because of Freddie’s involvement, Warners gave us a blank cheque. The sessions were quite intense, there was never a lull. Brian came in to play hismikestone2 guitar parts and the musical rapport between him and Freddie was plain to see, they were on the same page. One day, a hand-held spinning bell-cymbal in the key of ‘D’ was required by Freddie for one ping at the end of the track and the studio didn’t have one, so a runner was dispatched to scour the streets of London in search of one. The session was adjourned for half a day while we waited down at the Shazam Indian restaurant in Brick Lane for the bell to arrive. It eventually arrived and took about a minute to record, it must have been the most expensive ping ever recorded”.
On the final day of recording, a trio of Warner Bros top brass flew in from California and made a beeline for Sarm East studios to meet Freddie. Recalls Eddie, ”They probably thought the red carpet would be rolled out as they were paying for the recording sessions, but instead they were kept waiting in reception for about four hours.  At the end of the session, after the final playback, Freddie turned to me and said, ‘If this isn’t a hit, sue Warner Bros ‘ ”.

When it was issued as a single in 1976, Warner’s  publicity department played up the Queen connection as much as they could, and “Manhattan” rapidly became a turntable hit in the UK. The record received heavy rotation on the airwaves – particularly in Europe where it became a big hit. Then, just when it looked set to climb the charts in the UK, the Musicians Union mysteriously discovered that Jerome Rimson, the American bassist hired by Freddie for the sessions, had been working in Britain without a permit. This obliged them to place a ban on any and all further UK media exposure due to his ‘Illegally’ recorded playing. A decision which effectively killed off the record."  Jacky Gunn-Smith


*Lancaster co-founded the British rock group Blodwyn Pig with Jethro Tull guitarist Mick Abrahams.  In the late 70s he was a member of the British progressive rock group Aviator with former Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker, former Manfred Mann's Earth Band guitarist Mick Rogers, and former Caravan and Quantum Jump bassist John G. Perry . In between these high-profile projects, Lancaster collaborated with keyboardist Robin Lumley in the studio band The Soul Searchers with a line-up that included guitarists Gary Moore and John Goodsall, bassist Percy Jones, and drummer Bill Bruford. This group released one 7" single "Scaramouche b/w Head Stand' in 1975 for EMI Records.

[DragonAttack]

Back to London and the studio before four shows in September
Playhouse Theatre Edinburgh, Scotland September 2nd, 1976 Attendance: 3,000 Special Event: The Festival of Popular Music  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZgsJ5gYG5M  Quality: C+

The intro and songs up to ‘Flick Of The Wrist’ are missing.  What is included are the first available live recordings of ‘You’re My Best Friend’ and‘’39’.  The crowd really participates in the singalong (though Roger is using way too much cowbell).  Two other songs are available here for the first time, ‘Tie Your Mother Down’ and ‘You Take My Breath Away’.  ‘A Day at the Races’ was still three months from being released, and Freddie teases the crowd when he introduces YTMBA by asking them if they’ve purchased it.
**************************************************
Cardiff Castle, UK  Attendance: approximately 10000.   It poured rain throughout this outdoor show in Wales.  The outdoor venue was planned in preparation for their second UK outdoor concert.

Roger Taylor wrote about the show in the autumn '76 fan club magazine, describing the weather as "virtually a monsoon." He adds, "The sight of the rain pouring down through the spotlights on everybody, and of Freddie splashing his way through pools of water at the front of the stage will remain indelibly printed on our memories forever. The fact that people stayed on and enjoyed themselves right to the end made it quite a moving occasion for us. In fact, I was so overcome I just had to wreck me drum kit at the end, which reduced 'Crystal' my roadie to floods of tears rivalling the rain (it was a brand new kit too!). Anyway if you were there thanks for being our bravest audience ever and I hope the pneumonia cleared up."

This is assumingly the final performance of Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon.  queenlive.ca

Richie Blackmore & Rainbow refused to play Cardiff Castle because they couldn't get onstage their 35-foot high artificial rainbow which they regarded as an "essential part of their act". Probably they weren't allowed to put it up due to upstaging the headliners.

next up:  Hyde Park and a cast of thousands

[Orbert]

That Eddie Howell song wasn't bad.  It has some pretty obvious Queen influence, but since Eddie's regular band was basically Brand X (honestly the only reason I checked it out), I was expecting something a bit more adventurous musically.  Instead, it was a generic pop song.  A good one, elevated considerably by Brian and Freddie's contributions, but still a pretty generic pop song.

[TAC]

The different sleeves for the 'Man From Manhattan' 45 and LP from back in the day.  The title track was
 

A bit of boring, yet interesting background on this:
"Recorded in mid January 1976 at Sarm East Studios in London, the song was produced by Freddie Mercury, who also played piano and sang backing vocals on the track and featured Brian May on guitar.

Howell signed with Warner Bros. He released two singles, “Long Story” and “Can’t get over you”, and his debut LP “The Eddie Howell Gramophone Record”, which featured members of “Brand X” and guitarist Gary Moore.

 


Just checked it. He's credited for acoustic guitar on Miss Amerika.

Wow, good work, Joe!

[TAC]

Nippon Budokan Tokyo, Japan April 1st, Attendance: 14,000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm9wsevBLjo  Quality: A/A-

The final live performance of 'Hangman'.  'Father To Son' was added for this night.  This was just uploaded three weeks ago.

Listening to this and it's a pretty good boot for 1976.


I'm sorry, but what is Hangman and where did it come from? It's a non album track I believe, right?

[DragonAttack]

Some info with the odd lyrics   http://www.queenpedia.com/index.php?title=Hangman  An acetate was said to exist of a studio version.  It was owned by a John S Stuart, who sadly passed away half a dozen years ago. 

[TAC]

Love the lyrics on that!

I know all about you
They call you Mr. T
....
I know all about you
They call you, they call you Mr. C

 

[DragonAttack]

^
I have absolutely no clue what Freddie was referencing, since 'The A Team' wasn't on TV yet

That Eddie Howell song wasn't bad.  It has some pretty obvious Queen influence, but since Eddie's regular band was basically Brand X (honestly the only reason I checked it out), I was expecting something a bit more adventurous musically.  Instead, it was a generic pop song.  A good one, elevated considerably by Brian and Freddie's contributions, but still a pretty generic pop song.

I figured the Brand X and some blokes by the names of Collins and Moore would get some attention   Yeah, it's a simple pop song, but I didn't hear it until around 2000, so that made it rather special, kind of like hearing a long lost demo.   It had probably been five years since my wife and I heard it today.  We're both getting to relive the catalogue and hear and learn new things on this ride. 

We listened to Boston '76 on a car ride for the first time yesterday.  And the volume kept increasing.  As much as some of the songs have appeared on prior tours, the sound is obviously top notch, which allows for a better listen, but there's many subtle improvements.  Freddie's voice is great, he uses different phrasing at times, he's more playful with this enthusiastic crowd, the 'new' songs are a great change ('Sweet Lady' of all songs rocks), and it had the most blistering RnR medley encore I've heard.   

[TAC]

Boston rules, what can I say?

[Orbert]

Love that dirty water.

[DragonAttack]

Boston, NYC, Chicago, and Dee-troit....the home of rock n roll!  Such great audiences (Tokyo's is pretty good as well, and London......)

[DragonAttack]

HYDE PARK, September 18, 1976

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Hyde_Park_1976

A free concert which drew a crowd in excess of 150,000.  Organized by Richard Branson, with Queen spending 50,000 pounds for promotion

The complete show was supposed to be shown on TV in early 1977 but was never aired.

The rest of the day's music was provided by The Kiki Dee Band, Supercharge, The Rich Kids, Broken Wreck Chords and Steve Hillage. Elton John did not appear duetting with Kiki Dee for "Don't Go Breaking My Heart". She sang to a 2/3 life-sized cardboard cut-out of Elton instead😉
 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-kF2Emk8eU&t=2618s   video
25:13 begins the Queen segment.  The taped intro of the upcoming ‘A Day at the Races’ album starts after the Bob Harris intro. 
‘Never miss the beginning of a Queen concert!’ 

Hyde Park London, September 18th   Attendance: 150,000 - 200,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usaS7x43uQw&t=216s  Multi-Source Merge Quality: A+/A/B

A Day at the Races (Intro)
Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera and Rock Section)
Ogre Battle
Sweet Lady
White Queen (As It Began)
Flick Of The Wrist
Medley:
    You're My Best Friend
    Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad)
    Killer Queen
    The March Of The Black Queen 
    Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise)
    Bring Back That Leroy Brown
Brighton Rock
Son And Daughter (Reprise)
'39
You Take My Breath Away
The Prophet's Song
Stone Cold Crazy
Keep Yourself Alive
Liar
In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited

The final live performances of ‘Flick Of The Wrist’, ‘March Of The Black Queen’, and ‘Son And Daughter’.  It is also the last time that a segment of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' would open the show, with other parts played in the medley.  The revised and familiar live version would be introduced in the States in January '77 (Kalamazoo being one of those concerts )

‘A Day at the Races’ is still months away. ‘Tie Your Mother Down’ was played at an earlier show and was supposed to be in the encore.  The concert had already run past curfew, and the band was threatened with jail should they have gone back on stage.  Thus, it’s one of the few times (Live Aid included in that group) where the tape of ‘God Save The Queen’ would not be played after a live performance.

The band picture in the inner gatefold of ‘Races’ would be from this concert while performing ‘’39’.  Speaking of which, it sounds dreadful on this tape.  Much of it does, due to speed issues from nth generation tapes, and that it is mostly a soundboard recording with almost no crowd noise.

For me, it is quite pleasurable to pick and choose segments to watch, some times for the song, sometimes just for the video and camera angles. The concert beginning, ‘You Take My Breath Away’, the guitar solo, ’39, …

1:38:16 Liar…that rarity of seeing John singing, along with being in the spotlight (bad camera work not withstanding.....  AND

‘In The Lap Of The Gods…..’ yup, that’s what it was like seven months earlier in Saginaw, Michigan!  Bring out the goosebumps!!!

After the concert and the long silence, the narrator states that Queen spent 50,000 pounds of their own money to promote the concert.  1:49:47 mark onwards are different angles at various times.  Quite an interesting shot at the beginning, looking up from around the fourth row.   
 


An in depth write up decades later, which I first read a couple of weeks ago.  https://www.queenonline.com/features/a-picnic-by-the-serpentine-the-legacy-of-queens-1976-concert-at-hyde-park-fan-feature-by-nathan-hodges

[TAC]

Joe, the article mentions Tie Your Mother Down was played, yet it's not in the setlist that was included.

[Deadeye21]

Joe, the article mentions Tie Your Mother Down was played, yet it's not in the setlist that was included.

Read it again. “Tie Your Mother Down was played at an earlier show and was meant to be in the encore, but the band were over curfew and threatened with jail should they have gone back on stage”.

[TAC]

Joe, the article mentions Tie Your Mother Down was played, yet it's not in the setlist that was included.

Read it again. “Tie Your Mother Down was played at an earlier show and was meant to be in the encore, but the band were over curfew and threatened with jail should they have gone back on stage”.

[DragonAttack]

I think that nun is also telling me to start picking up the pace  

What with four studio albums (five counting 'Smile'), three live releases, five BBC sessions, a live BBC concert, a set of demos, two collaborations and Hyde Park (which I hadn't thought of until this week!) Taylor Hawkins passing, .....audits, taxes, a severely sprained ankle (no more walking boot...finally!), physical therapy 2x a week for both myself and my wife, campaigning, cohosting a Dream Theater concert preshow , a weekend getaway for an Alice Cooper concert, having meetings and dinners with people in person, a frickin Rush countdown , and a partridge in a pear tree, I have done 'fair with room for improvement'.

next studio LP tomorrow, related tour links a couple of days later, with a 'new' album every Friday.  I should get to 'Hot Space' by Memorial Day weekend

[TAC]

I think that nun is also telling me to start picking up the pace  

What with four studio albums (five counting 'Smile'), three live releases, five BBC sessions, a live BBC concert, a set of demos, two collaborations and Hyde Park (which I hadn't thought of until this week!) Taylor Hawkins passing, .....audits, taxes, a severely sprained ankle (no more walking boot...finally!), physical therapy 2x a week for both myself and my wife, campaigning, cohosting a Dream Theater concert preshow , a weekend getaway for an Alice Cooper concert, having meetings and dinners with people in person, a frickin Rush countdown , and a partridge in a pear tree, I have done 'fair with room for improvement'.

It's not like you have a job or anything.

[DragonAttack]

 
The worst part was being limited to maybe thirty minutes a day at the computer WHEN I could get to it.  All that free time, and no where to go.  (the strife with my nephew's premie and our friend's relatives in the Ukraine has been a mental drain.    How lucky WE are right now!)

[DragonAttack]

Somebody To Love  b/w White Man

Released November 19, 1976  UK (EMI), USA (Elektra)
UK #2, USA #13 (#5 Cashbox)... Netherlands #1, Belgium #2, Canada #5, Ireland #6, South Africa #7, Australia #15, Denmark #19, West Germany #21.

Certified Platinum in the UK and Italy, 2x Platinum in the United States

(It would chart again in 2018 and 2019. The terrific Queen+George Michael version in ’93 from the Tribute Concert was Top 40 in numerous countries.)



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kijpcUv-b8M
411 Million views

Listed separately for a couple of reasons.  First, I love the picture sleeve (the band's second).  And as with 'Bohemian Rhapsody', I owned the 45 before getting the album.  The difference this time is that I made the 45 purchase before the album was released.  My first ever experience with hearing or owning a single and having to wait in anticipation for the main course.  I wouldn't be disappointed.

Now at college, this was another video where I had to set the alarm or make sure I was home for its weekly showing on 'The Midnight Special'. 

the next Marx Brothers album is a WIP to be posted shortly

[DragonAttack]

A Day at the Races
Released: December, 10, 1976, UK (EMI): December 18, 1976, USA (Elektra)
Charts:  UK #1, USA #5
Japan #1, Netherlands #1, Norway #3, Canada #4, Austria #8, Australia #8, Sweden #8, West Germany #10, New Zealand #11, Italy #15

Platinum certification in the USA, Canada, Poland
Gold in the UK, West Germany, and Japan

Singles:  Somebody To Love / White Man   UK#2, USA #13  (others listed prior)
Tie Your Mother Down / You And I   March '77  UK #31, USA #49   Netherlands #10, Belgium #18, Australia #47, Canada #68

Queen’s first E.P.: Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy /  Death On Two Legs / Tenement Funster / White Queen    May '77, UK #17

Teo Torriatte / Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy    Japan only, March '77 (DNC)
Long Away / You And I   USA only, June 77 (DNC)
 


Freddie Mercury – Vocal, Piano, Choir Meister, Tantrums
Brian May – Guitars, Vocals, Leader of the Orchestra
Roger Taylor – Drums, Vocals, Percussion, Pandemonium
John Deacon – Fender Bass

Recorded in England
July to November 1976
Management- John Ried
Co-ordinator - Pete Brown
Crew equipment supervision – john Harris

No synths!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3ca7iKo0Ho

SIDE ONE
Tie Your Mother Down (May)   4:48
You Take My Breath Away (Mercury)  5:09
Long Away (May)  3:34
The Millionaire Waltz   (Mercury)   4:54
You and I (Deacon)   3:25

SIDE TWO
Somebody to Love (Mercury)  4:56
White Man (May)  4:59
Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy   (Mercury) 2:54 with Mike Stone
Drowse    (Taylor)  3:45
Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) (May)   5:50

All titles composed, arranged and performed exclusively by Queen

(Though he does not get a mention on the original LP liner notes (other than vocals on GOFLB), Mike Stone is the Engineer for his fifth Queen album.  Roy Thomas Baker, who has helped produce their first four, is not affiliated with this release.  He would be working with The Cars and Journey (amongst others) during the upcoming years)
*************
2011 Universal Bonus EP Disc
Tie Your Mother Down (backing track mix ) / Somebody to Love (Milton Keynes, June 1982 ) / You Take My Breath Away (Hyde Park ) /  Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy (Top of the Pops, July 76 (mono))   / Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) (HD mix)
**************
There are some real gems on the bonus disc.  Any ‘Somebody To Love’ live recording is terrific.  'You Take My Breath Away' is from its first live performance at the Hyde Park free concert, with just Freddie and the piano, in front of 150,000 plus fans.  The 'Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy'  ‘Top of the Pops' performance was on bootlegs in the 90s.  It was so nice to finally have it on a clean non static version, and it does differ from the studio version (in many good ways).  'Teo Torriate' is beautiful as always, and this does not have the album 'circle'

But…..
There are plenty of live recordings of 'Somebody To Love' from the ’77 and ’78 tours available (though the '82 version is a standout one).  A live version of 'Tie Your Mother Down' should also have been included from those years as well.  It would not have killed them to include the single version (which does not have the intro and album 'circle').  Demos of TYMD and STL exist, as well as rumored demos of 'The Millionaire's Waltz' and 'Drowse'.



Imagine in this day and age:  you release a mega million selling album worldwide, with a mega million selling hit single....and another one in 'You're My Best Friend'. But, rather than touring for eighteen months to sold out arenas and stadiums......you are back in the studio recording another album nine months later!  Such were the times. And, their second 'Marx Brothers' album was quite the follow up!

Yet another distinctive album opening (which was used at Hyde Park and would open the ‘Races’ tour) with its tie in to ‘White Man’, the ‘circle’ to/from the end of the album, and then the memorable opening guitar chords of ‘Tie Your Mother Down’  (“Sheer bloody poetry” – The Times, as written above the lyrics in the gatefold). 

And then….let’s turn it down nine and a half notches to ‘You Take My Breath Away’.  And it certainly does! (of all things, on a ‘two fer’ I have with ‘YYZ' and ‘Limelight’, these two songs are also included).  Such an incredible ballad.  And, of all the riffs that Brian performs throughout this album and his career, his solo from 3;30 to 4:00 is one of my five favorites.

The next three tracks are kind of ‘OK, this is Queen, you’ll enjoy them as a fan’ but are perhaps the weakest links.  I truly enjoy ‘Long Away’ (of all things, Brian’s one and only LV single offering in the States), but it is ‘Son of Good Company’ just not quite as fulfilling.  ‘The Millionaire’s Waltz’ is one of many where John’s bass acts as lead, Brian’s various guitars shine, Freddie puts on his best Julie Andrews imitation (his words, not mine) but it is a rather drawn out combination 'Son of ‘Lazing’ and ‘Seaside Rendevous’' (though I would kill for something like this down the road.

‘You And I’ closes out Side One.  A nice, sweet, nondescript John Deacon song (once again, if only there was something like this years later).

I absolutely adore ‘A Night at the Opera’, but my first ‘love’ as it happened at the time was ‘Sheer Heart Attack’. If I absolutely had to choose a favorite Queen album side, Side Two of 'A Day at the Races' is the side I would choose.   It opens with ‘Somebody To Love’.  The one political song in their catalogue, Brian’s hard hitting ‘White Man’ follows.  Immediately afterwards is the camp and incredibly complex ‘Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy’, with the glorious guitar and playful backing vocals.  Roger then offers up a more adult follow up to his ‘Tenement Funster’ teenage angst song with ‘Drowse’ whilst playing acoustic, with Brian on slide.  The vinyl version of this (just as with Queen II and ‘She Makes Me’ off of SHA) is so much cleaner and crisper than on all of the CDs I have heard.

And then, to close, well........be a curmudgeon, be a skeptic, be a nay sayer, be the ultimate heavy metal rock ‘n roller… ‘Teo Torriate (Let Us Cling Together)’ is as beautiful and tender and inspiring and well performed and beautiful (oh, did I say that already?) of a song as you will ever want to hear.  Obviously inspired from their two successful tours in Japan, this again is as good of an album closer as they had to offer.  The ‘toy’ piano, the melody, the guitars, and what would make a great processional during the final chorus ….before the ‘circle’ album closer.  This is in my all time Top Ten. I had friends back in the day who would ‘secretly’ ask me to put this on a tape with other Queen songs for them.  Whether they were moved by it, or wanted to entice their lady friends for something during a passionate moment, well….you be the judge. 

(I had this played at my first wedding.  It was also my Mom’s favorite next to ‘Father To Son’ and ‘Killer Queen’.  Wish she would have been there that day)

Enjoy.  A new phase would begin with their next studio offering.

[DTwwbwMP]

IMO, THE MOST underrated album of theirs! Coming off of A Night At The Opera, it just didn't garner the same attention. Well for me, ADATR is BETTER than ANATO! Okay, no Bohemian Rhapsody mega shock value, but the album on the whole is MUCH STRONGER in my belief. This album also contains not one, not two but THREE of my all time top 10 Queen songs in TYMD (#1), STL (#6) and WM (#10). Add great tracks like, You Take My Breath Away (my all time favorite Queen ballad), You and I, Long Away (my favorite Brian sung track), Millionaire's Waltz ( ), GOFLB (pure gold) & Teo Torriatte and  IMO you get the 3rd strongest Queen album of all time. Only Drowse falls short for me.

I give this album a solid 9/10!

This was the end of what I consider THE CLASSIC ERA of Queen. Sure, greatness was to continue, but NOTHING that followed matched this era for Queen (live as well, except for the NOTW tour which was mind blowing)!

[TAC]

Somebody To Love b/w White Man


(my wife's copy)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kijpcUv-b8M
411 Million views

Thanks to this thread, I see that is now up over 412 Million views!

A Day at the Races

I have literally never listened to this album before. I will hit it tonight, and report back.

I mean, I'm obviously familiar with Somebody To Love from my Greatest Hits cassette. And I know Tie Your Mother Down.

[Orbert]

I love both A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races.  They're probably the most similar of any two Queen albums, which makes sense because they came out consecutively, and are to me something like two sides of the same coin, in a good way.  After playing A Night at the Opera to death, and my friend Laurie having A Day at the Races, I never actually picked it up on LP.  Never had to.  But these two are a pair of albums that a lot of people (myself included) had on opposite sides of a C-90 cassette.

[DragonAttack]

I love both A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races.  They're probably the most similar of any two Queen albums, which makes sense because they came out consecutively, and are to me something like two sides of the same coin, in a good way.  After playing A Night at the Opera to death, and my friend Laurie having A Day at the Races, I never actually picked it up on LP.  Never had to.  But these two are a pair of albums that a lot of people (myself included) had on opposite sides of a C-90 cassette.

For someone who was a whiz at math, who ended up majoring in Business Administration, with a major in Accounting...... don't ask me why, but when it came to Queen, I could not count!    Due to how I was able to get the albums on cassette or (gasp) 8-track, 'Queen II' and 'Sheer Heart Attack' were on one tape.  I had ANATO on its own short tape, and for Queen I added my first ever personally created 'best of' (eventually 'Flash' was the other part of that tape.

When ADATR came out, ANATO was the first half. I could never put I and II together (never had that problem with Led Zeppelin).

It has remained that way for my entire life. In fact, due to cold and age and this thread, I just recorded a new 90 minute cassette for my old boombox out in the garage (which doesn't read CDrs).  You got it....ANATO on side A, ADATR on side B.   Just like ‘Sgt. Pepper’ and ‘Abbey Road’.  They are intertwined and joined at the hip.