Oh yes he did. I'm sure more than once, but I think the worst case was in the song "My Melancholy Blues" where, after the instrumental solo, Fred sang "I'm causin' a mild sensation..." The first note, "I'm" is definitely way off. It sounds like something that would happen live, but it's a studio recording! Maybe this is just a reminder that Fred was human, and a precious flaw to treasure. Maybe it was mere laziness in production. Anyway, tell me if you've found more vocal imperfections on album versions of songs. Cheerio.
Hate to push my credentials here, but, since I'm currently comping together the best parts of vocal takes for a band's album mixes, I'm pretty sure I know (as others here know as well as I) there's nothing wrong with Freddie's notes where you mention them. *Gasps for air*
What you should know is that, there are people who thought Roger sang lead on Sheer Heart Attack. I'm guessing you must be in the same ballpark with your claim here.
Peace,
Adam.
I listened to it again just to make sure. All I know is, he does it differently the second time than he does it the first. The first time, the whole phrase "I'm causin' a mild sensation" is one constant note. The second time, the word "I'm" starts a semitone higher than it should be and kind of slides down on that same syllable. Someone must also hear this!
Zoroaster wrote: I listened to it again just to make sure. All I know is, he does it differently the second time than he does it the first. The first time, the whole phrase "I'm causin' a mild sensation" is one constant note. The second time, the word "I'm" starts a semitone higher than it should be and kind of slides down on that same syllable. Someone must also hear this!
Look even IF he did sound not intune does that matter to much if it was just one word or sentance he did everything in perfection and to his best standerds, you shouldnt worry about it too much and i still hear it intune.
I'm gonna back up Zoroaster here.
It's not wildly out of tune, and it's barely even out of tune, but at the very start of the note Fred is a microtone sharp. He very quickly adjusts it to be bang in tune, but it IS there.
I now can't stop noticing it every time I hear it...
Hmm... at 2:41.. it's not out of tune.. but it's not perfect either. Maybe you could say it's a bit weak.
But! He did make a mistake on an album, yes. In Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy he hits a false note: "Just take me back to yours that will be fine". "Fine" is out of tune, too low. In de BBC recording, which is on GVH1, he sings it right ;).
Houdoe,
GaLiLe0
Is that it?? The way he talks about it - "The first note, "I'm" is definitely way off." - he make's it sound far worse. I still don't think it's worth noting, never mind a thread like this! lol
Peace,
Adam.
Adam Baboolal wrote: Is that it?? The way he talks about it - "The first note, "I'm" is definitely way off." - he make's it sound far worse. I still don't think it's worth noting, never mind a thread like this! lol
Peace,
Adam.
um, isn't this a studio album? So it probably means that he hit the note seeing as no one would put out the song if he is not happy with it. He probably couldve just did another take if Freddie didnt like it.
Adam Baboolal wrote: Is that it?? The way he talks about it - "The first note, "I'm" is definitely way off." - he make's it sound far worse. I still don't think it's worth noting, never mind a thread like this! lol
Peace,
Adam.
Yeah, I guess I overreacted a bit. In grade school they always said I was a bit of a spaz. Pardon my enthusiasm.
Well, since we're nit-picking, LOL.
In "Somebody to Love," the falsetto 'to' towards the end is flat at first, but then Freddie bends it and adds vibrato, and the pitch becomes more true.
I happen to think that it was a conscious vocal choice, but it still kinda bugs me at times. :P
Ravenetta wrote: well you gotta remember they couldnt fix one note back then, bri even said, its the take and that was it.
Not entirely true. Tape can be spliced to remove those little problems. And then just stick in a corrected word, or heck, even syllables!
I'm not 100% familiar with tape as I've only worked with it when pieceing together a speech. But it's not that difficult.
Peace,
Adam.
beautifulsoup wrote: Well, since we're nit-picking, LOL.
In "Somebody to Love," the falsetto 'to' towards the end is flat at first, but then Freddie bends it and adds vibrato, and the pitch becomes more true.
I think it was a conscious vocal choice, but it still kinda bugs me at times. :P
I've noticed that too. I think it was intentional, because in the last few moments of the song, during the repetitions of "Find me somebody to love", Fred is doing all sorts of improv style vocal embellishments. One of these embellishments sounds exactly like the "to" you're speaking of, only it's just an "oo". It starts flat and goes up to true Eb. I've always considered it a kind of echoing of that line for effect.
On "Melancholy Blues", is it possible it was done "live" (at least the vocals)? I'm pretty sure that Brian said "Sleeping on the sidewalk" was a sort of first take/guide track done live in the studio and that when they went to try to do a better/improved version, they didn't like them and went back to the first take. Perhaps Freddie did multiple takes and decided to he liked that one the best?