This is not about the Tour, don't worry!
I've just had a thought about one thing: lyrics to Brian's and to Queen's versions of TMLWKY are identical, but as we know during recording session lyrics changes and we know that Queen recorded their own version with Freddie's voice before Brian's one (except some demos which came from 1986 or about).
So it's possible that as usually there some lyrics changes by Fred, Roger or John, why not? But if it's right, then it means that Brian's version contains Queen lyrics (mainly written by Brian, of course)! But there are no any words about that in 'Back To The Light' sleeve, though Brian is very pedantic in such things.
Is it possible that in reality Freddie didn't make any lyrics changes just because he sung it for... Brian's solo album! As well as he sung 'Heaven For Everyone' for Roger, but after Fred's death Brian wanted to use his voice for posthumous Queen album and released version with his own voice on it.
Sounds not very good, I know, but anyway...
P.S. If I shouldn't put something about the Tour you wouldn't read this: so again about 'Back To The Light' album - there's Paul Rodgers name in 'my special thanks to' section!
deleted user 15.12.2004 17:50
TMLWKY was meant to go on a Queen album when Freddie had a go at recording the lead vocals. It would hardly feature Roger and John (the original '88-demos are not wildly different from the MIH-version) if it was supposed to go on a future Brian solo-album.
Heaven For Everyone started out as a Queen-track as well.
I think your question is based on the misconception that it was common among the group to jointly work on the lyrics once a particular member came up with a song. However, in most cases lyrics would not be messed with by the others (certainly also based on the notion that the writer always knows best about what he wants to express). It was the music of a song everyone tried to change. So it would be in no way unusual if Freddie would've taken Brian's lyrics without making significant changes. In fact, that's most probably the case. As far as I know, the lyrics have already been like that on the May/Musker/Lamers-demos recorded before Brian brought into the Miracle-sessions.
Exactly, Philipp. And, as far as I'm aware, there haven't been many reports of Freddie altering many of the words for others' songs - even 'A Kind Of Magic', before it became "Freddie-ized", contains the same lyrics. It's only on certain collaborations - mostly Freddie and John, but also on songs credited to Queen - that the band collectively worked on lyrics or tweaked them a bit.
Freddie did mention in Munich in 1984 that John & Roger let him take over their songs from an early part of the development. The interviewer asked if it was lyrically or musically and he said that everyway.
So it is possible you know, also the opposite case: Brian commented in GVHII Audio Commentary that they helped Fred to polish the lyrics of It's A Hard Life. But the outside help imo wouldn't go further than changing "die" by "lie" or something like that. Perhaps even the title in one or two cases. But nothing particularly big.
Remember how Peter Straker might have suggested a couple of words in Slightly Mad, and going to the Beatles, how George collaborated in the lyrics of Eleanor Rigby and Come Together, and how John gave him some lines in Piggies & Taxman. And then there are of course the countless Lennon & McCartney collaborations
Sebastian wrote: Freddie did mention in Munich in 1984 that John & Roger let him take over their songs from an early part of the development. The interviewer asked if it was lyrically or musically and he said that everyway.
So it is possible you know, also the opposite case: Brian commented in GVHII Audio Commentary that they helped Fred to polish the lyrics of It's A Hard Life. But the outside help imo wouldn't go further than changing "die" by "lie" or something like that. Perhaps even the title in one or two cases. But nothing particularly big.
Remember how Peter Straker might have suggested a couple of words in Slightly Mad, and going to the Beatles, how George collaborated in the lyrics of Eleanor Rigby and Come Together, and how John gave him some lines in Piggies & Taxman. And then there are of course the countless Lennon & McCartney collaborations
Yes, Seb, that's what I'm talking about.
Fred COULD change just few words or order of words, but both versions are so similar...
I can hardly imagine that Queen's version of 'All God's People' is similar to Freddie's ideas when he wrote for his solo album. The rest of Queen had to change something for recording it in their own way. IMO.
Philipp Nothaft wrote:
Heaven For Everyone started out as a Queen-track as well.
I remember one Spike's interview where he says that it was the Cross track and Fred came to the studio when Roger and guys worked on it, got drunk a little and started to teach them how to do the song better - that's how his vocal was recorded.
Radio GaGa must be an exception, then. Freddie said in an interview that he changed the lyrics completely: what was originally a song criticising the radio (Radio KaKa) was changed into a sentimental tribute to the radio.
The Radio Ga Ga thing would show then that re-arranging the lyrics doesn't imply a co-credit in those cases, which reinforces my One Vision "credit" for Roger & Brian, not Freddie, as long as songwriting is concerned. Perhaps Fred (or somebody else, even the crew or the producer) could suggest some word change or whatever, but imo what Fred modified the most was the melody. Nothing really big, but there are noticeable differences in his and Brian's version, I expect Tear It Up and others to be different as well to their "original" plan.
Is it safe to say that Frank Musker wrote a majority of the lyrics, and that Brian wrote most of the music? Or is that just a generalization?
I have always wondered who wrote what in that song, because although Musker was a professional lyricist, those words seem awfully close to Brian's heart, considering what he was going through at the time.