Generally, I'm a fan of Extended Versions, Remixes and Single Mixes, basically alternate versions of songs which appear on the albums. Here are my top picks for what I think are the great ones, in some cases those which improve on the original:
Liar (1991 Loungo & Hellman Remix)
Funny How Love Is (Japanese CD3 Version)
Stone Cold Crazy (Version Reproduced by Trent Reznor)
Tenement Funster (Japanese CD3 Version)
Flick Of The Wrist (Dutch Single Version)
Lily Of The Valley (US Single Version)
I'm In Love With My Car (1991 Wallace Remix)
Fat Bottomed Girls (1991 Malouf Remix)
Don't Stop Me Now ("Rock You" Promo Version)
Back Chat (1982 Single Re-mix and Extended Mix)
Staying Power (Extended Version)
Radio Ga Ga (Instrumental)
I Want To Break Free (Single Mix)
Machines (Instrumental)
Hammer To Fall (Headbanger's Mix)
One Vision (Extended Vision)
A Kind Of Magic (Extended Version)
One Year Of Love (Extended Version)
Pain Is So Close To Pleasure (Single Remix and Extended Mix)
A Dozen Red Roses For My Darling (Extended Version)
I Want It All ("Queen Rocks" Version)
Breakthru (Extended Version)
Scandal (12" Mix)
Innuendo (Explosive Version)
I Can't Live With You ("Rocks" Re-take)
It's A Beautiful Day (Single Version)
Let Me Live (Original Version)
Which are other people's favourites, I'm curious?
Cool list...
I love Staying Power's extended version from the U.S. 12" promo single. An improvement over an already awesome track.
The stand alone versions of songs that segue into other songs in their respective albums are also interesting to listen to. A few weeks ago I bought the 3" single collection and loved the intro to "Funny how love is".
Maybe I've been listening to Queen a lot in the past 18 years that even a split second of "extra" material (God Save the Queen off the 1975 KYA U.S. single) or even the omission of a bit of music (edits like Liar from the U.S. 7") makes me happy.
I remember reading a lot of negative comments about the 'butchered' version of Liar but I don't think it's unlistenable at all. If I had never listened to the original song maybe I wouldn't have noticed the cuts or think that they sounded bad. It's just that we know that half of the song is missing and immediately think it's a disgrace.
Picked up the Dutch Flick Of The Wrist single for £3 in the market the other day, I was dead chuffed!
I like listening to the standalone tracks because you can hear the song in a different way, as a whole entity, rather than part of a larger sequence.
I have to say, Seven Seas Of Rhye (Hollywood Records Remix) has been growing on me, as I like hearing Fred's vocal on a stripped back backing track.
Wiley wrote: "Maybe I've been listening to Queen a lot in the past 18 years that even
a split second of "extra" material (God Save the Queen off the 1975 KYA
U.S. single) or even the omission of a bit of music (edits like Liar
from the U.S. 7") makes me happy".
Hehe, I understand what you mean, same thing for me, and probably a lot of the guys in this forum...? I actually got into Queen in 1992 also (18 years ago), after a vacation on a Greek island called Chios.
I have a hang up on the singles versions of Flick of the Wrist and Lily of the Valley (from the Singles Collection #1).
Also... I downloaded the BBC version of Son and Daughter (with a bit longer guitar solo/jam in the middle) and I really like it. Same for the Fiddly Jam version of Hang on in There. I'm a Queen nerd, I realized that years ago...
The Japanese CD3 of Seven Seas Of Rhye contains Funny How Love Is, and it's basically a stand alone mix of the track. The UK version contains the last section of The March Of The Black Queen, so it starts with'Forget your sing alongs...' etc and then goes into Funny How Love Is.
It's a bit weird to listen to.
Just to bring this topic back to the front..........not a fan of more than a handful of remixes or extended versions. As to the tracks on 'I' and ADATR.....would have preferred hard to find live versions than what was offered. Hell, same goes with II, SHA, ANATO, NOTW, Jazz, etc.
It's A Hard Life, FWBFWBF are about it, though, thanks to RK's posts, I've given another listen to AKOM and HTF, and find them more than OK, and will now be on my alternate LP versions. So, thanks for the listings.
Some of my favourites:
Gimme The Prize (The Eye Instrumental Remix)
Not really instrumental, as there are some vocals, but still an awesome version of the song. The extended drum interlude/sword fight is so powerful!
A Kind of Magic (Original Version)
The original version adds a lot of dimension to the album version. It's nice to see how the track has evolved.
A Dozen Red Roses For My Darling (Extended Version)
Best driving song ever! Highly recommended! Certainly better than the short version!
Scandal (Extended Version)
My favourite extended remix. Play loud!
The Hitman (The eYe Version)
There are two versions of the song in the game. Stick them one next to the other and play in the car.
It's A Beautiful Day (Single Version)
Not much to say about this one, except that it's great. I don't think it would've been better if it was like this on the album, but it's nice to hear it as a full song. It really does belong on the single.
V.