JAZZReleased: November 10, 1978, UK (EMI), November 14, 1978 USA (Elektra)
Charts: UK #2, USA #6
Netherlands #3, West Germany #5, Japan #5, Norway #6, Portugal #6, Sweden #6, France #7, Austria #8, Canada #13, Australia #15, New Zealand #20,
Italy #36
Certifications:
Gold in UK, Austria, France, West Germany
Platinum in USA, Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland
Singles: ‘Bicycle Race’ / ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’ (double A side), October 13, 1978
Charts: UK # 11, USA #24 (already mentioned)
Netherlands #5, Norway #7, France #7, Portugal #9, Ireland #10, Belgium #15, New Zealand #20, Austria #21, West Germany #27, Australia #28
Don’t Stop Me Now b/w In Only Seven Days (More Of That Jazz USA) January 26, 1979
Charts: UK #11, USA #86
Ireland #10, Netherlands #14, Belgium #23, West Germany #35
(more chart info on this later)
‘Jealousy’ and ‘Mustapha’ were released in a few countries (including USA) DNC.
Written, arranged and performed exclusively by Queen
Freddie Mercury - Vocals, piano
Brian May - Guitars, vocals
Roger Taylor - Percussion, vocals
John Deacon - Bass guitar
A Queen / Roy Thomas Baker Production
Various credit thanks, including (
David Palmer of Jethro Tull, as well as
'Thunderbolt courtesy of God'
Recorded: July - October 1978 at Superbear Studios, Nice, France, and Mountain Studios, Montreux.
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SIDE ONE
Mustapha (Mercury) 3:03
Fat Bottomed Girls (May) 4:14
Jealousy (Mercury) 3:14
Bicycle Race (Mercury) 3:04
If You Can't Beat Them (Deacon) 4:15
Let Me Entertain You (Mercury) 3:01
SIDE TWO
Dead on Time (May) 3:23
In Only Seven Days (Deacon) 2:30
Dreamer's Ball (May) 3:30
Fun It (Taylor) 3:29
Leaving Home Ain't Easy (May) 3:15
Don't Stop Me Now (Mercury) 3:29
More of That Jazz (Taylor) 4:12
2011 Universal reissue
Fat Bottomed Girls (45 version) / Bicycle Race (Instrumental) 3:09 / Don't Stop Me Now (long-lost guitars) / Let Me Entertain You (Montreal Forum, 1981) / Dreamer's Ball (Early acoustic take,)
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Comments about the bonus disc: having the FBG 45 version, the alternate 'Don't Stop Me Now' is OK, and any 'Let Me Entertain You' live is good.
Just as the ‘Feelings Feelings' demo on NOTW and 'You Take My Breath Away' Earl's Court versions were gems, the acoustic demo of 'Dreamer’s Ball' is yet another previously unreleased nugget. Very similar to the enjoyable singalong live acoustic version
What they could have included were any number of FBG, LMEY, DSMN, and DBall live recordings from the 78/79 tours. Add that with the three good bonus tracks and live takes, and you would have had something. There are various demo snippets of some songs floating around, have them in their complete version, and you'd have one great extra offering. But they didn’t.
Another nice gatefold album sleeve, a nice picture of the band in the studio, a really good band photo on the plastic cardboard vinyl sleeve. But, sadly, no lyrics were included with the original release, and they didn't even bother to put the times of the songs on the vinyl circle or listed with the album?
Oh, geez, but the young guy in me at the time would be remiss without mentioning the controversial poster. It looked good on my bedroom wall, and in my music rooms later on (often unnoticed as the years went by) The poster was unavailable in the Bible Belt (where one could order it with the coupon provided
)
A review years later
https://www.udiscovermusic.com/behind-the-albums/queen-jazz/and from the ever hateful Rolling Stone
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/10-classic-albums-rolling-stone-originally-panned-101316/ac-dc-high-voltage-1976-101955/ "Sometimes a reviewer just seems to have a really, really low opinion of a band, which seems to be the case with Dave Marsh and Queen."Here's just a couple of differences between Jazz and NOTW : it charted 18 weeks in the USA, five weeks in the Top Ten. Meanwhile, 'News Of The World' was in the charts for 37 weeks, thirteen weeks in the Top Ten.
Roy Thomas Baker was back again after a two album absence, and working with various bands such as The Cars and Journey. He had helped with Peter Straker on his album 'This One's On Me' with Freddie, so, Freddie called him back in to help produce. The band were also tax exiles in Switzerland at the time, Roger saw some artwork on a wall in Montreaux, presented it to the band, and, well....what you end up with is an album that is a favorite of many, and looked at as somewhat organized chaos by others.
There is no argument that a horrible drum mix exists to varying degrees throughout the album, and the bass on 'Fun It' etc is just not good at all.
Favorites were and always will be ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, ‘Dreamer’s Ball’, ‘Let Me Entertain You’, ‘Bicycle Race’, and ‘Jealousy’. I always liked ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’ The ‘flow’ of the album doesn’t work for me. ‘Fun It’ was the precursor to AOBTD, love the transposing of LVs between Roger and Freddie, but the bass and drums are putrid, and it was absolutely the first band song that ruined the flow for me without any trepidation. ‘More of that Jazz’ made me think it was their last studio album, and the ending mish mosh is both corny and wasteful…yet intriging.
Do not ask me what ‘Mustapha’ is or means....just be prepared if you turn the volume up at the beginning, because the change might knock your socks off later. Just like all the other baker dozen songs on this album, there's something Queen-ish to enjoy.
this was their fifth studio album release in less than four years. So a bit of laziness had set in....and yet, there are so many instances where the effort and layers and extra work shine. I will admit, there is a lot to like. And yet, personally, for the first time, there was a lot I did not quite like.
Topic: QUEEN Discography- MONTREAL '81 in theaters near you (Read 70735 times)
