As far as vocals go i think its Bohemian Rhapsody.
Especially the fisrt section is always altered in some way by Freddie.Always interesting to listen.
Funny how he said in an interview he was a bit bored to play it over and over all those years when it allowed him to try a wider spectrum of expression .
Or perhaps that was the reason he tried so many approaches. ( that and the vocal demand of the song when his voice was not in shape)
Whats your vote?
No contest - Now I'm Here.
By 1979 it barely resembled the album, and in the 80s it was paired up with Dragon Attack (and, for a while, Put Out The Fire) to often brilliant results.
The Real Wizard wrote:
No contest - Now I'm Here.
By 1979 it barely resembled the album, and in the 80s it was paired up with Dragon Attack (and, for a while, Put Out The Fire) to often brilliant results.
And still it would lose out to Love Of My Life: completely different backing, completely different key, completely different interlude. I would accept an argument for the live version being a different song entirely though.
The Real Wizard wrote:
No contest - Now I'm Here.
By 1979 it barely resembled the album, and in the 80s it was paired up with Dragon Attack (and, for a while, Put Out The Fire) to often brilliant results.
And still it would lose out to Love Of My Life: completely different backing, completely different key, completely different interlude. I would accept an argument for the live version being a different song entirely though.
Yeah, i think "Love of my Live" wins, but "In the lap of the gods (revisited)" is a great example too. By the time it got to the Magic tour it was completely diferent from the record.
Who Wants To Live Forever.
Always loved the live version, it made a nice change to the album version to have the "drum beat" holding tempo through the song.
one of the most obviouse is We Will Rock You, the full band version is quite different from the studio version and had quite a big impact when heard live for the first time.
Another worthy of mention would be White Queen, the song has a different atmosphere live with BM's solo played over Freddie's Piano. very different from the album version.
Stelios wrote:
I was actually refearing to alterations between live versions not studio vs. live
Then the answer is definitely Now I'm Here. By 1981 it had hugely progressed from the tamer 74-78 versions that largely stuck to the album arrangement. Mercury soon found a fire in his belly.
Honourable mentions - Get Down Make Love was never played the same way twice. Mercury's vocal theatrics and Brian's harmonizer effect always led it somewhere new.
And of course, Somebody To Love. By 1982, Mercury's r&b leanings took the song to great heights.
Liar went places too, especially by 1977.
Nice topic. I agree with Bob, Now I'm Here is drastically different in later tours than earlier. Much faster, a certain edge to it, the vocal interplay with the audience, it was much better, putting dragon attack and put out the fire into it made it even more interesting.
Brighton Rock (and Son & Daughter as well) certainly would apply as a track that changed alot! My personal favorite is the Chicago 78 version of Brighton Rock with the Hammer To Fall-like jam in the middle.......
I guess one could mention Liar as well, that went through some changes over the years...........up to 10 or so minutes with vocal improvs and whatnot.........then by the time of 84/85 tours it was part of a medley.......and the next tour only about 20 seconds or so of the riff was played!
If I said 'Blag' to 'Son & Daughter' to 'Brighton Rock', would that count?
'Love Of My Life' seems the obvious.
Then again, there's 'Bring Back Leroy Brown';-).
Maybe it's just me, but with Milton Keynes and Montreal, I edited 'Now I'm Here' so that it plays straight through. 'Dragon Attack' follows 'Under Pressure', and precedes AOBTD.
Altered, and most improved: A tie between 'Staying Power' and 'Radio GaGa'. I haven't listened to more than a few seconds of the studio versions since the '80s.