Sorry, posted this in the wrong forum the first time.
What tracks sound better live than the release on album?
Admittedly songs were reinterpreted live more than their studio counterpart, (therefore I'm not talking specific like, the version of Crazy Little Thing in Glasgow Oct 1979 was the best ever) , but in general, what songs worked better live than in the studio.
A few selections on mine: -
Now I'm Here
Hammer To Fall
Under Pressure
Tie Your Mother Down.......
.....Mmmm I see a pattern here, Brian May Guitar Bombasts.
And ones that don't work live. I gotta say Brighton Rock, great song up to a point. However once Brian becomes so self indulgant it's just a turn off. Seen him do it four times live with Queen and it just flattened the whole show.
Though I must admit when he was in the middle of said solo in Edinburgh (1982) and the audience were stood still stupified, I raised my camera above the unmoving crowd, Brian spotted it and went from studious guitar player to Axe hero pose. 2 camera flashes later back to studious guitar player. Unfortunately the pics have been lost in the haze.
See you all in Glasgow on the 26th in Rockers Bar, Midland Street (next to the Arches,) Glasgow for the Queen Night and playback of A Night At The Opera 5.1 DTS DVD, which will be played through a huge sound rig. Tickets £2 in advance.
I think most of songs sounded better live in a concert environment, except when they added synths to the ones who didn't need them (e.g. Bo Rhap, Teo Toriatte).
Love Of My Life for example: if you want to listen to it at home, it's muuuuuch better the studio version imo (multi-layered with vocals, piano, harp and guitar choirs), but if you're going to the concert the acoustic arrangement is better, simpler and more motive for the environment (specially when played in big venues).
Sebastian wrote: I think most of songs sounded better live in a concert environment, except when they added synths to the ones who didn't need them (e.g. Bo Rhap, Teo Toriatte).
Love Of My Life for example: if you want to listen to it at home, it's muuuuuch better the studio version imo (multi-layered with vocals, piano, harp and guitar choirs), but if you're going to the concert the acoustic arrangement is better, simpler and more motive for the environment (specially when played in big venues).
I'll totally go with Seb... Nice analysis... I agree!!!
:-)
Albyboy
For me, Love Of My Life, White Queen and One Vision sound better live. Somebody To Love is amazing live, but I don't think it's necessarily better than the studio, just different.
I totally dislike Break Free and Who wants to live forever played live.
Apart from that most songs sound more natural live as it is mainly those four guys playing. Like they said, it is more rock n roll feel live. It is almost like different songs played live and that's what's so great.
I love Radio Ga Ga live. It's one of Queens best songs IMO, but studio version is too 80's.
Live version is great and more impressive.
And Radio Ga Ga on Rare Live video. About 120.000 hands clapping.. Its amazing. :D
And also We Are The Champions is better live.
All the stuff recorded in 80s DID sound better live IMO- IWTBF, Ga-Ga- production was awful and full of keyboards- live the guitar reigned again and... it was good!!! But even in 70s I prefer less produced and less polished live versions to album cuts- You Take My Breath Away is a great example: not as complcated as on record but as beautiful; and Freddie;s oice actually more human, more... personal- I kinda like him not hitting ALL the high notes and just going down (occasionally, not all the time like Osaka'79) or avoiding the felsetto bits and singing with beautiful baritone... The same way Brian, when he couldn't have so many layers of guitar sound, he had to create sth new and he usually did!!! I don't know- i just love live sound, prefer it to overproduced album sound... Rock'n'roller- that's what I am :)
I agree with those who say that most things sound better live. The production on The Works in particular didn't do it for me. Roger didn't have a good drum sound throughout the album, and GaGa, Hammer, Tear It Up, Machines and Break Free all sound much better live, IMO. Not too sure about Hard Life - only ever heard it live on the Rio video.
To turn the tables, there were a few songs which didn't come across very well live, Sweet Lady was rocked up well, but Freddie sang most of it down keyed, and Prophet's Song was always a bit of a mess, from the versions I have heard, but it must have been hard work live.
I liked It's Late, which was always speeded up, White Queen was fantastic. Somebody To Love - brilliant, in fact I think they should have kept that in the more recent sets. Stone Cold Crazy was brilliant live too.
I'd just love to have official live versions of every tour they performed!