QueenZone discussion #1206987
Ride The Wild Wind Anyone?
| Dusta 05.11.2009 13:24 |
I didn't buy Innuendo until long after Freddie's death. When I did, I wasn't surprised as to the quality of the album. The only thing which seemed to be missing(to my way of thinking) were some of the lush backing vocals I'd remembered from listening to my Queen albums over and over again as a youth. One song that stood out, and still does is Ride The Wild Wind. When I first heard the song, all of the hair on the back of my neck stood up and I was covered with goosebumps. I'm not certain why. I can tell you that I love the tempo. I love the melody. I love the bass and guitar. I love Fred's rich, smoothe and melodic vocals contrasting with Roger's rough voice. But all of these things are present in many of Queen's songs, so I'm not really certain what it is about THIS particular song which strikes me so. I'm interested to hear how some of my fellow Queenzoners feel about this song, and why. |
| Sebastian 05.11.2009 14:41 |
I love it. Very underrated track. |
| Oberon 05.11.2009 15:09 |
I like it lots too. I thought it would have been a good one for Q+PR to do. Would have been great with good lighting effects etc. I also like Don't Try So Hard, and many people don't seem to rate that either. I also like Tear It Up and Put out the Fire, but I think RTWW and DTSH are better. |
| Fly away 06.11.2009 09:10 |
I really like RTWW too. Could never decide if it is just about street racing (common Roger theme) or is there a drug overtone in there as well? Lyrics like "on the razor's edge"..."angel eyes shining bright"...."lead you from this place"..."sometimes I get so low I just have to ride" hint at that. Or is it just me ?! |
| john bodega 06.11.2009 10:14 |
I felt it was very daggy when I first heard it but it really grew on me. I love it. |
| mike hunt 06.11.2009 10:23 |
good song, along with the rest of Innuendo |
| dragon-fly 06.11.2009 10:24 |
It sounds great in the darkness |
| Dusta 06.11.2009 11:32 |
Mr Zebonka? What does daggy mean? I haven't felt the drug association...for me, it relates to riding horses, though I imagine it was written about(escapism via) motorized riding. Thanks for taking the time to comment, folks! One of my favorite things about this forum is talking about the music of Queen. This song, in particular, doesn't seem to get much love from the casual fan, and, I wanted to discuss it! I had hoped that posting about it here might satisfy my need, so I am delighted to know there are other RTWW lovers out there! My brother, who is not a Queen fan, but, does enjoy a few Queen songs(strangely, he has I Want To Break Free on his Ipod...) very kindly humored me by listening to the song, and, looked at me like I'd grown a second skull. I don't think he liked it... It hurt my QueenFeelings, I should say. So it got me to wondering just what it was about the song I enjoy so much! |
| JacquesDaniels 06.11.2009 12:05 |
Nice enough song. Very Roger lyricwise, he's a petrolhead. But the album lacking the lush backing vocals? Not really, there's just balanced usage of elements. Although more used here as an effect, than just showing off their talent, more than half of the songs still have very nice b.voc tracks in them (although a little less layered than previously): Innuendo, Headlong, I Can't Live With You, Don't Try So Hard, All God's People, Delilah, The Show Must Go On. (The Hitman has backing vocals, but I wouldn't call them all that nice.) |
| GratefulFan 06.11.2009 12:51 |
Almost without exception, I've always really liked Taylor tracks. There's something special about the forward propulsion, or groove, or whatever, in songs written from the rhythm section. RTWW is no exception - it was an Innuendo track that stood out for me immediately. |
| JoxerTheDeityPirate 06.11.2009 13:22 |
does anyone else remember an arcade game from the late 80's/early 90's called OutRun? i always felt that this song would be good as an accompliment to that game [esp when you have to drive through the desert] anyways..just love the track |
| Dusta 06.11.2009 15:50 |
Yes. As I stated, SOME of the lushness is missing. I am not asserting that ALL of the backing vocals are missing. Just enough of the layering is missing as to create a bit different sound from the one I immediately associate with Queen.
JacquesDaniels wrote: Nice enough song. Very Roger lyricwise, he's a petrolhead. But the album lacking the lush backing vocals? Not really, there's just balanced usage of elements. Although more used here as an effect, than just showing off their talent, more than half of the songs still have very nice b.voc tracks in them (although a little less layered than previously): Innuendo, Headlong, I Can't Live With You, Don't Try So Hard, All God's People, Delilah, The Show Must Go On. (The Hitman has backing vocals, but I wouldn't call them all that nice.) |
| Holly2003 06.11.2009 16:18 |
Reminds me of Tusk by Fleetwood Mac. |
| Robbieboy 06.11.2009 17:36 |
Sorry to go against the flow here, but I'm not particularly keen on it. I think the synths are a bit cheesy and dated. Guitar solo's not bad though. Dusta, 'daggy' is a word in common usage here in in Australia. It means uncool, embarrassing, old-fashioned. |
| gooddrills 06.11.2009 18:41 |
Great track, one of my favourites from the album, and one of my favourite Queen albums. I remember playing this in my car a few years back when I had a friend on board who wasn't oh so keen on my taste in music, tough titty. Anyway, he turned to me and commented on what a great track it was, it stood out to him straight away. Sweet. Great vocals from Fred and I love the guitar solo. |
| bigV 06.11.2009 20:57 |
Some random thoughts about the track: - I love it!- It sounds great in a car (a real driving song) - I can't get enough of Roger's live version - especially the shocking ending!- Should've been a single: Double A-side with "I Can't Live With You" V. |
| Angeline 06.11.2009 23:40 |
I love this track. At first I passed over it but it is thrilling, always fills me with a sense of anticipation and is best listened to at night I think, especially in winter as it's so atmospheric. I also find it quite poignant, the sense of escapism, considering... |
| john bodega 06.11.2009 23:44 |
JoxerTheDeityPirate wrote: does anyone else remember an arcade game from the late 80's/early 90's called OutRun?Oh hell yes! |
| Dusta 07.11.2009 00:34 |
When hear the song, I can't help but imagine riding a horse in a way that is particular to my personal experience. One of my favorite disciplines, once moving from dressage into the Quarter Horse world was reining. I LOVED reining. It is something one tends to do as fast as is safely possible with one's mount, with lots of speedy twisting and turning. Though I haven't really ridden in years, much less done a reining pattern, that is the feeling I get when I hear this song. Nowadays, the folks do something called, "Free Style Reining(something we were doing in cold barns at night after a six pack of beer and...other stuff is now a main event at Big Shows across the world)," which is done to music, and a bit less disciplined than it was back in the day. How perfect this song would be for that. I have an even more literal association with the song. When Freddie sings, in his rich, low voice, "Tie your hair back baby..." I am reminded of the many times I got yelled at because I'd be riding in the wind, approaching a fence, with my hair blowing in front of my face. :D |
| JoxerTheDeityPirate 07.11.2009 04:54 |
Zebonka12 wrote:good,not a figment of my mind then :-pJoxerTheDeityPirate wrote: does anyone else remember an arcade game from the late 80's/early 90's called OutRun?Oh hell yes! do you think the track would fit nicely over the top of it as they drive through the desert part of the game or is it just me? |
| Band Forever 07.11.2009 05:29 |
This a great Track from Roger one of his best, a pity some of his other solo stuff wasn't given the added input from the rest of the band. There is superb guitar on RTWW, i am surprised this track is not out there more and Fred's vocals are very understated and coolness personified. EMI should pump more of these tracks out because i am getting very bored with Dont Stop Me Now (Party Tune) and one or two others that get all the Radio play or TV over here in the UK. Jeez I even heard a speeded up version of DSMN while out clubbing in Southampton. Sorry Qzoners for the rant but EMI's dereliction of duty of promoting Queen's material, means we have to listen to shite like Foo Fighters or other metal bands. What do you call it growling? Dave Grohl was called a legend recently by one commentator, he is a lucky talentless cunt thats all i say. |
| pittrek 07.11.2009 07:27 |
Like all the songs on Innuendo it's an incredibly great song, but it sounds terrible. This album needs Roy Baker :( |
| Band Forever 07.11.2009 08:50 |
I agree Production could have been enhanced. The best Queen sounding Album I have heard is the compilation Classic Queen got it on CD, which has superb production on it my favourite being Under Pressure the best recording imo. Whatever they did to this version it sounds cleaner, sharper and more atmospheric than for example the European Markets GHII version. The worst Production has to be Queen, Live Killers, and Jazz which has some cracking tunes. If all the 70's and early 80's albums could be re-mastered with the technology out there now that would be worth a good listen. |
| Sebastian 07.11.2009 09:33 |
pittrek wrote: Like all the songs on Innuendo it's an incredibly great song, but it sounds terrible. This album needs Roy Baker :( Have you heard Roy's productions since the 80's? He certainly lost it. |
| Unblinking Eye 07.11.2009 23:49 |
I recently heard it live with Roger singing it, and was amazed at how good it sounded!! I love the original as well, but as said before, typical Roger theme. I can't decide which is better, Roger singing it, or Freddie. In some ways, Roger sounds better because it really suits his voice, but in other ways, it sounds better with both Roger and Freddie because of the amazing contrast in their voices that enable them to blend so well!! [img=/images/smiley/msn/regular_smile.gif][/img] |
| Dusta 08.11.2009 01:05 |
I listened to Roger's version as well, though I had the opposite feeling. I was surprised at how little appeal it held for me. I suppose I should not have been surprised, since a big part of the song's charm, for me, comes from the way Freddie sings it. There also seems to be a very relaxed feel to the way it was done, and I get a sense of a musical communion of sorts, between Freddie and Roger, which I find appealing as well. I don't know much about the recording process of the song. I don't even know precisely when it was recorded. Sadly, there is little about the recording process in the wonderful Purvis book. |