| Scott_Mercury 22.02.2005 23:19 |
Has anyone ever noticed that for about the first 15 years of Queen, Freddie and Brian did about 90% of the song writing. Generally Freddie & Brian would have the big hits, plus the lesser known songs on the older albums....John would contribute a song, and Roger as well. In the 80's, John and Roger scored number one hits. John had "Another on bites the dust, and Roger had Radio Ga Ga. While John didn't write many songs, his songs were many times hits. Roger's 1970's songs are usually considered album filler.... but when the 1980's came, Roger's writing either got better, or he pushed harder for his songs to be used. Consider these following songs are all Roger's. (Even if it is credited to the whole band) 1. Under Pressure 2. Radio Ga Ga 3. A kind of Magic 4. One Vision (Roger's initial idea, lyrics said to be Roger and Freddie togther) 5. The Invisible Man 6. Breakthru 7. Innuendo 8. These are the days of our lives 9. Ride the Wild Wind 10. Heaven for Everyone While these ten hits of Rogers certainly don't make up all of the hits...as Freddie & Brian still had a fair share of the biggies....and John had several hits.. They prove that Roger is very much a force of Queen, which all of us here already knew. |
| Lester Burnham 22.02.2005 23:31 |
Keep in mind he also wrote three albums worth of solo material, in addition to his Queen contributions. I think he'd finally established himself as a prominent voice and songwriter, and his songwriting really improved over time. |
| Saint Jiub 23.02.2005 00:08 |
Somrbody had to compensate for Freddie's slide toward mediocrity, and Roger rose to the challenge. Was not You Don't Fool Me co-writen with Freddie? If so, replace RtWW with YDFM and that top ten list is all top twenty hits. If QP has run out of ideas maybe these ten songs can be released as a compilation called Roger Rocks. I mean who wants a boring old box set anyway? |
| ryancoke 23.02.2005 01:54 |
Scott_Mercury wrote: 4. One Vision (Roger's initial idea, lyrics said to be Roger and Freddie togther)No, that can't be right. If anything, One Vision's initial concept was Brian's. He was fuckin' around on guitar, then Roger chimed in with drums, and it went from there. Roger and Freddie probably did the lyrics, but for initial idea, that goes to Brian. |
| deleted user 23.02.2005 13:49 |
Scott_Mercury wrote: Has anyone ever noticed that for about the first 15 years of Queen, Freddie and Brian did about 90% of the song writing. Generally Freddie & Brian would have the big hits, plus the lesser known songs on the older albums....John would contribute a song, and Roger as well. In the 80's, John and Roger scored number one hits. John had "Another on bites the dust, and Roger had Radio Ga Ga. While John didn't write many songs, his songs were many times hits. Roger's 1970's songs are usually considered album filler.... but when the 1980's came, Roger's writing either got better, or he pushed harder for his songs to be used. Consider these following songs are all Roger's. (Even if it is credited to the whole band) 1. Under Pressure 2. Radio Ga Ga 3. A kind of Magic 4. One Vision (Roger's initial idea, lyrics said to be Roger and Freddie togther) 5. The Invisible Man 6. Breakthru 7. Innuendo 8. These are the days of our lives 9. Ride the Wild Wind 10. Heaven for Everyone While these ten hits of Rogers certainly don't make up all of the hits...as Freddie & Brian still had a fair share of the biggies....and John had several hits.. They prove that Roger is very much a force of Queen, which all of us here already knew.Innuendo was mainly written and arranged by Freddie... as many others on this site will tell you. What makes you so sure that Roger wrote Under Pressure? It was a jam session and from what I have heard, it was mainly done by Freddie and David Bowie! So Under Pressure and Innuendo are not Rogers songs. |
| Farlander 23.02.2005 14:14 |
ryancoke wrote:Did Roger say the original idea was his? A song about Martain Luther King? And then Freddie changed the words around?Scott_Mercury wrote: 4. One Vision (Roger's initial idea, lyrics said to be Roger and Freddie togther)No, that can't be right. If anything, One Vision's initial concept was Brian's. He was fuckin' around on guitar, then Roger chimed in with drums, and it went from there. Roger and Freddie probably did the lyrics, but for initial idea, that goes to Brian. |
| queen-mad 4729 23.02.2005 16:01 |
Roger has said that the original idea for One vision came from him and if you watch the video on magic years you'll notice he writes the majority of the lyrics. He's a prolific writer. He has worked on all the queen albums and got a number one with these are he days of ours lives and a close second with gaga and a kind of magic. He's also written 4 solo albums and co written 3 with his his band the cross. Roger is very very underrated in my opinion. |
| ernie 23.02.2005 19:35 |
kind of off-topic but does neone else think that The Invisible Man sounds like the Ghostbusters theme? |
| News Of The World 23.02.2005 19:55 |
ernie wrote: kind of off-topic but does neone else think that The Invisible Man sounds like the Ghostbusters theme?It Does a bit. |
| HotForRogerTaylor 23.02.2005 20:01 |
I just love Roger. Ok, boyfriends coming cant let him see me type this. |
| Scott_Mercury 23.02.2005 21:05 |
True... Several points I want to mention. 1) One Vision, without a doubt originally came from Roger. Roger had the idea of how the beat would go, and about 2/3 of the lyrics complete. Freddie changed all the lyrics around. While Roger was saying "One man, One goal, One true religion"..... Freddie was playing the beginning riff....(you know which Brian plays on piano) ....the riff that starts at D5 then C#/D5 ....on the piano. The next scene we see is Roger telling an interviewer that he had the lyrics done, but they changed them.....the interview says "who did"....Roger says that damn "Freddie". 2) It should be noted that FREDDIE usually was the organizer in making all of John and most of Roger's songs come to life.....many times Freddie would change the music and lyrics.....but since the original idea came from John or Roger....the liner nots writing credit would go to them. I have JOHN either in printed word, or on footage saying that Freddie took over the following songs of his.....Another One Bites The Dust, Spread Your Wings, and I want to Break Free. When John introduced the bass riff of Another One bites.....Brian wasn't impressed, and Roger hated it.....it was Freddie that reorganized the song in such a way to where the other got interested....and Freddie has said "John had the original idea and bass....I just finished it for him". Of Roger's songs...... A Kind Of Magic & Radio Ga Ga are two songs that I have Roger, in an interview saying....."Those started off as mine, then that bloody Freddie took over, especially on "Magic", which I could hardly recognize when I can back from vacation." Innuendo was another one, which really was a collaboration.....Brian knew he wanted that middle guitar section (Spanish sounding) in some track on the album......Roger had the title.....Freddie wrote most of the lyrics w/ideas from Roger, and John had nothing to do with that track (according to Brian). |
| Scott_Mercury 23.02.2005 21:16 |
As far as "Under Pressure" goes, I have an old "Hit Parader" where they are interviewing Bowie. The interviewer asks "How did that song with Queen come about?" I am paraphrasing now....and this is not an exact quote...but it went something like this: Bowie said that Queen were in the same studio as he, he stepped in, the said they were taking a break...we talked for an hour or so..... John and Brian were outside talking to someone.....the drummer, Roger Taylor just starting playing a beat....Freddie and I were sitting there talking, and I asked Fred what song he was playing....Freddie said, "thats just some rubbish we've been toying around with." Bowie went onto say that Roger wrote down a few lines....lines which were later used. Bowie said "Freddie and I just toyed around with some words" Brian and John came back in the room, and the magic just happened. So "Under Pressure" was a true collaboration. No doubt Freddie probably had something to do with the lyrics.... John probably came up with the bassline. On that song, we will never know. |
| Farlander 24.02.2005 00:10 |
ernie wrote: kind of off-topic but does neone else think that The Invisible Man sounds like the Ghostbusters theme?You mean "I Want a New Drug" by Huey Lewis and the News, right? ;) |
| TheDrown 24.02.2005 01:20 |
for what it's worth, Bowie was asked directly on his website last year, during his "Reality Tour" (which I saw 5 shows of- DB dedicated 'Under Pressure' to "Freddie, wherever he is" in PA- and he explained that the parts he sang were his, and the parts Freddie sang, were his, with Queen handling the majority of the music, and he handling the beggining arrangement, with the fingersnaps, etc. He explained it alot better than I did, but he was very adamant that only he and Freddie did the lyrics. |
| Sebastian 24.02.2005 01:49 |
Innuendo is Freddie's (lyrics started off by him and completed by Roger). Under Pressure is Freddie's on music, Fred & Bowie on lyrics and melody, everybody in the arrangements, but mostly Fred, Bowie & Brian. Roger participated way more in the production and mixing than in the songwritting. John himself said the bass-line is Bowie's. You Don't Fool Me's music is Roger's, lyrics are Freddie's. |
| onevsion 24.02.2005 09:14 |
ryancoke wrote:you've watched the magic years too much...;-) I believe one vision was an idea of rodge...Scott_Mercury wrote: 4. One Vision (Roger's initial idea, lyrics said to be Roger and Freddie togther)No, that can't be right. If anything, One Vision's initial concept was Brian's. He was fuckin' around on guitar, then Roger chimed in with drums, and it went from there. Roger and Freddie probably did the lyrics, but for initial idea, that goes to Brian. |
| Negative Creep 24.02.2005 09:20 |
In the 80's Queen seemed more concerned with singles than albums, hence Roger having a crack at writing pop songs. I don't think its fair to say his tracks on the 70's albums were filler... far from it I think. |
| Lord Blackadder 24.02.2005 14:04 |
Scott_Mercury wrote: True... Several points I want to mention. 1) One Vision, without a doubt originally came from Roger. Roger had the idea of how the beat would go, and about 2/3 of the lyrics complete. Freddie changed all the lyrics around. While Roger was saying "One man, One goal, One true religion"..... Freddie was playing the beginning riff....(you know which Brian plays on piano) ....the riff that starts at D5 then C#/D5 ....on the piano. The next scene we see is Roger telling an interviewer that he had the lyrics done, but they changed them.....the interview says "who did"....Roger says that damn "Freddie". 2) It should be noted that FREDDIE usually was the organizer in making all of John and most of Roger's songs come to life.....many times Freddie would change the music and lyrics.....but since the original idea came from John or Roger....the liner nots writing credit would go to them. I have JOHN either in printed word, or on footage saying that Freddie took over the following songs of his.....Another One Bites The Dust, Spread Your Wings, and I want to Break Free. When John introduced the bass riff of Another One bites.....Brian wasn't impressed, and Roger hated it.....it was Freddie that reorganized the song in such a way to where the other got interested....and Freddie has said "John had the original idea and bass....I just finished it for him". Of Roger's songs...... A Kind Of Magic & Radio Ga Ga are two songs that I have Roger, in an interview saying....."Those started off as mine, then that bloody Freddie took over, especially on "Magic", which I could hardly recognize when I can back from vacation." Innuendo was another one, which really was a collaboration.....Brian knew he wanted that middle guitar section (Spanish sounding) in some track on the album......Roger had the title.....Freddie wrote most of the lyrics w/ideas from Roger, and John had nothing to do with that track (according to Brian).Your judging that by the little piece of footage we see, not what actually happened. We only see 25-25 mins of days and days of songwriting. Brian came up with the riff and prob the keyboard riff too. Under Pressure can't be mostly Rog. The bass riff is from John and Bowie and Freddie wouldve wrote most of the lyrics. |
| AlexRocks 24.02.2005 19:49 |
I thought that there were five Roger Taylor solo l.p.s and three done with The Cross? |
| 7Innuendo7 25.02.2005 01:54 |
ok, ok, uncle! Breakthru is a good song. I just don't get his "religion tends to f*ck people up" quote and the lyrics "I get religion quick, 'cos you're looking divine." Maybe that's one of Freddie-poo's rewrites, or maybe I'm thinking too hard. Pack another bong, Roger? I tend to like the harder material, and Breakthru just seems a little pop to me. Now, Man on Fire or Nazis or Nation of Haircuts-- that's my cup of peppermint tea, although Radio GaGa and These Are the Days are simply brilliant. Actually I wore out two copies of the cassette single for RGG on my walkman in sr high. Modern Times RnR and Sheer Heart Attack and Fight From the Inside--even Rock It. The original version of A Kind of Magic got soul. Nice crunchy guitar solos on the album version. A Dozen Red Roses! (yes, picked up a dozen 4 my darling today because ADRR was my workout song this am). I've also heard that Freddie was THE major force behind Innuendo, as a tribute/reference to Zeppelin's Kashmir. Top of the World Ma, she makes my kiss curl curl. I like the idea behind Invisible Man, luvvv the bassline. Action This Day! I got a feelin' that just won't quit, Roger's prolific output in the 80s is undeniable. Heaven For Everyone (MIH version) is an amazing track too-- not actually a reference to organized religion I guess-- and I'm really hoping Roger is the one who wrote the guitar riff for Love Lies Bleeding, the only tune I listen to over and over from the first Cross album. Machines, One Vision, You Don't Fool Me...ahh goodness...I feel...a Roger mix cd coming on...must...cue...Drowse... |
| Voice of Reason 2018 25.02.2005 05:58 |
This is a very interesting topic. For those of us living through it, the release of Radio Gaga was crucial. After 1982's disappointments and being invisible during 1983, it Radio Gaga had flopped it could have been the end of Queen. When we saw they were releasing a Roger song as a single, well, that was a surprise. Anyhow - it charted at no 4 and we were all relieved! 1984 went on to be a great Queen year. It is amazing and I guess a bit lucky, that just as Freddie's songwriting talent was declining, Roger's seemed to mature. As for One Vision, Freddie made Roger re-do the lyrics because the meter didn't work! He also seemed to produce the guitar work - Mack had disappeared from the Magic Years video by this stage... |
| Sebastian 25.02.2005 07:59 |
I don't think Fred had a declination. He wrote great songs in his last years: Innuendo, Was It All Worth It, The Miracle... |
| QueenZeppelin 25.02.2005 20:49 |
Well, One Vision was one of the few songs that was truly written by Queen, the entire band. It has many of the hallmarks of each member. I think to try to credit it to just one of them slights the others' contributions. Now, as for Under Pressure, according to Sebastian's website, the song itself was mainly Freddie Mercury and David Bowie's. Deacon and Bowie formulated the bassline, and Brian May helped with the guitar and such. But it was mainly Mercury and Bowie. Roger Taylor went into the mixing room with Mercury and Bowie, because he was a good friend of Bowie's, and could serve as a mediator between two of the biggest egos in rock. So, while he was one of the producers, he had little to do with the actual song itself. As for his 70's contributions, I didn't consider them album filler, many times they provided one of the highlights. Tenement Funster, I'm In Love With My Car, Sheer Heart Attack (wow, awesome track there) Liar, etc...these songs helped to round out the impressive albums the group produced. |
| Scott_Mercury 25.02.2005 20:52 |
QueenZeppelin- You know I love you like a play cousin...but "Liar" is 100% Freddie's. |
| Sebastian 25.02.2005 22:17 |
I think Cross's got a song called Liar as well, which is completely different to Queen's Liar, which btw isn't 100% Fred either: he did the lyrics, the main riff, the chord progressions of the "main" sections and organised the structure, but they all contributed in the connectors and the arrangement. |
| Scott_Mercury 25.02.2005 22:52 |
Sebastian- 100% Freddie meant 100% credited to Freddie. Don't cotradict yourself now....earlier when you were using your Paul McCartney "Yesterday" you said even though George Martin arranged things...its still Paul's song. From what you say on Queen's liar, it sounds as though Freddie did everything but play the others instruments for them. I'd say "Liar" qualifies as pretty much Freddie's if what you say is true. |
| AlexRocks 25.02.2005 23:40 |
I guess no one wants to say how many solo l.p.s Roger has done and how many the Cross did? Did you all not read my post asking this? I dought that I am the only one wondering... |
| Saint Jiub 26.02.2005 01:59 |
Sebastian wrote: I don't think Fred had a declination. He wrote great songs in his last years: Innuendo, Was It All Worth It, The Miracle...Ia always considered the above songs as average Queen songs. I can think of at least 20 Freddie songs from the Game and prior that I prefer over anything Freddie wrote for Queen after The Game: GKR, Liar, OB, tFFMS, tMotBQ, KQ, FotW, itLotG, BBTLB, itLotG(rev), LoaSA, BoRhap, YTMBA, tMW, StL, Mustapha, BiRace, DSMN, CLTCL, DTS. |
| Sebastian 26.02.2005 04:33 |
The Macca thing is a little different o Liar. All of the orchestral parts were dictated by the chords Paul had written. Otoh, in Liar, there's a good chance that the others did put new chord progressions (e.g. the one behind the bass solo). Still the song is Fred's of course: he did put some little spacers in A Kind Of Magic but the song is still Roger's because Roger wrote the main sections (verses, chorus...). In the case of Yesterday Martin didn't write any new section, he "just" arranged the existing ones. In the case of some others, there can be indeed some new parts (musical or lyrical) by somebody else, simply not enough for a co-credit (e.g. George Harrison did some riffs in Drive My Car, put the rhythm twists in We Can Work It Out and wrote part of the lyrics in Eleanor Rigby and Come Together). |
| AC 26.02.2005 06:34 |
AlexRocks wrote: I guess no one wants to say how many solo l.p.s Roger has done and how many the Cross did? Did you all not read my post asking this? I dought that I am the only one wondering...Fun In Space Strange Frontier Happiness? Electric Fire and Shove it Mad Bad and Dangerous to Know Blue Rock |
| 7Innuendo7 26.02.2005 15:58 |
I'm in love with my car...oh yeah...gotta feel for my automobile |
| Leppar 26.02.2005 16:06 |
Yeah, Roger wrote some top notch songs. My fave early song would be The Loser In The End and in the 80's Radio Ga Ga. He had great songwriting ability. |
| AlexRocks 26.02.2005 23:07 |
Hey, thanks AC! Um...I hate to be a pain but could anyone tell what years those each came out as well? Thanks! |
| Ian R 26.02.2005 23:21 |
SOLO ALBUMS: Fun In Space (1980) Strange Frontier (1984) Shove It (1987)* Happiness? (1994) Electric Fire (1998) THE CROSS: Mad Bad and Dangerous to Know (1989) Blue Rock (1991) * I consider 'Shove It' to be a solo album simply because Roger had written all of the songs and recorded them before he had even formed the band itself (and got a recording contract with Virgin on the strength of it). |
| AC 27.02.2005 06:31 |
Are you sure "Fun In Space" is from 1980? I think it is 1981, but I could be wrong. And I agree about Shove It being a Roger solo :-) |