| The Real Wizard 28.10.2005 17:01 |
I listened to this album today for the first time in a while, and I totally enjoyed it. While it receives some criticism for not being as stylistically diverse as its predecessors, it still has some fantastic music on it. Also, I found it much more enjoyable when I shifted the track listing around a bit. I always found some of the song transitions to be a bit choppy, so here's my optimal Jazz running order: Let Me Entertain You Fat Bottomed Girls Bicycle Race Mustapha In Only Seven Days Dead On Time ----- Jealousy Don't Stop Me Now Dreamers Ball Fun It If You Can't Beat Them Leaving Home Ain't Easy More Of That Jazz Let Me Entertain You is a total opener, and you can't separate FBG and Bicycle. Dead On Time seems right to close side 1 with the thunder fading out. Jealousy didn't seem to seem right after FBG, or anything else for that matter, so why not start side 2 with it? And finally, I always found there to be too many non-singles in a row on side 2, and so Don't Stop Me Now came a bit too late. So I thought it'd make sense to throw in a rocker after DSMN and Fun It. Comments? |
| Penetration_Guru 28.10.2005 17:05 |
1. Jealousy's too soft to open a side 2. I disagree with the principle. The album runs fine. |
| Lord Fickle 28.10.2005 18:18 |
In my opinion, the only problem with the Jazz album, is the sound. I don't know what it is about it, technically, but to me it has always been the worst sounding Queen album. I think it's mainly the drum and bass sound which is the problem. |
| Lester Burnham 28.10.2005 18:39 |
The production is, indeed, a bit of a problem. Roger's drums sound tinny and crappy. If I had my way, I'd've made Roger rewrite 'Fun It' and 'More Of That Jazz' into something more acceptable, and booted off 'Mustapha' (I just don't like it). Here's my tracklisting: Side One: 1. Let Me Entertain You 2. Fat Bottomed Girls 3. Bicycle Race 4. If You Can't Beat Them 5. Fun It 6. Dead On Time Side Two 7. Dreamers Ball 8. In Only Seven Days 9. Jealousy 10. Leaving Home Ain't Easy 11. Don't Stop Me Now 12. More Of That Jazz (without that terrible montage at the end) Of their entire 1970s output, I find Jazz to be the least likeable of the bunch, although it has some excellent songs on it. In fact, the weakest are 'Mustapha' and Roger's two, but what drives me away is not only the programming (agreed that it's terrible; you can't split 'FBG' and 'Bicycle Race', no matter how stupid 'Bicycle Race' is) but the aforementioned production. Queen would've been better off with Mike Stone again, or just producing themselves; as Roy Thomas Baker had just worked with The Cars, this sounds very much like Queen copying that band. If you listen to their first album, you may note a lot of the same production values. Also, the singles from Jazz were way off. Here's what I would've done: 'Fat Bottomed Girls' / 'If You Can't Beat Them' (double A-side) 'Let Me Entertain You' / 'Dead On Time' (double A-side) 'Don't Stop Me Now' / 'Mustapha' (non-album B-side) |
| The Real Wizard 28.10.2005 19:21 |
Thanks for the input, all. Agreed, Jealousy wasn't the best choice for a single... but I still like it as a side opener. Side B's first song doesn't always have to be a rocker. If not, then with my track listing, there would be 3 weaker tracks in a row. Opinions make the world go round. That's why I like this place. |
| stateside fan 28.10.2005 19:47 |
great thread idea GH the thing that boggles the mind is the choice of Mustapha as the 1st track.although a great song,would have been better suited as a tail ender ala Teo Torriate.That being said i love this record and Dead on time is the undisputed champion of overlooked songs.Can anyone tell me why that is?surely someone at electra or emi could have figured that out right? |
| Dear Friends 28.10.2005 20:23 |
Songs I love from this album Fat Bottomed Girls Bicycle Race Mustapha Dead On Time Don't Stop Me Now Leaving Home Ain't Easy More Of That Jazz This is definitely one of my favorite Queen albums and I don't know why it is so underrated. FBG and BR go together better than other other double sided single in existance. Mustapha is a fun upbeat track just below DSMN in terms of that style. DOT is a great hard rock track, MOTJ and a cool sounding little track with Roger giving one of his best vocal preformances and LHAE always make me sad and really shows how good of a vocalist is and how somehow his voice is definitely better suited for certain songs (like TMLWKY). |
| Adam Baboolal 28.10.2005 20:54 |
Yup, Jazz is one my big favourites. But the drums sound tinny?? No way. A bit flat and kinda thumpy. But certainly not tinny. And I like the tracklisting as it is. Peace, Adam. |
| bohemianrhap84 28.10.2005 21:02 |
Jazz is one of the worst (I say worst but it's still good) Queen albums. Mustapha is stupid!! Bicycle Race and Fat Bottomed Girls are good. Jealousy is tied for the best song on the album with Don't Stop Me Now and Let Me Entertain You. Rest is not very good. Jazz isn't underrated, it's very overrated!! |
| Shane Jazz 29.10.2005 00:29 |
I simply adore Jazz and, perhaps even more so, the accompanying tour. But how can Let Me Entertain You not open the album? Dead on Time and In Only Seven Days are personal favorites. Great pic inside the album of them laying around in the studio. (yes there were other pics besides the naked hotties!) |
| ibanez122 29.10.2005 00:52 |
Lord Fickle wrote: In my opinion, the only problem with the Jazz album, is the sound. I don't know what it is about it, technically, but to me it has always been the worst sounding Queen album. I think it's mainly the drum and bass sound which is the problem.It does sound a bit "raw", if you want to call it that. It does lack a little but none the less a good record. I believe they shoudl have put Let Me Entertain you as the openin track, its sooo perfect |
| My Melancholy Blues 29.10.2005 01:52 |
It's really an interesting topic. I love Jazz and it's my third favorite album. I think "Fun It" and "More Of That Jazz" are weak, though. Btw, I'm not dissatisfied with the original running order. "Mustapha" is suitable for the opening all the more for its weirdness and "Jealousy" is pretty good between "Fat Bottomed Girls" and "Bicycle Race". But "Let Me Entertain You" might be suitable for the second position. In Jazz, I've enjoyed the difference between two songs next to each other about some pairs. And Jazz is the one in which we could appreciate their honed skills, especially Freddie's various vocal skills. |
| egret 29.10.2005 03:59 |
"Let Me Entertain You" sounded bad on the album, very choppy and strained. Actually irritating. But it was brilliant live. I think this is an "album vs. live contrast" as great as the Hot Space songs. (Though I like the Hot Space songs.) --Egret |
| Rick 29.10.2005 04:35 |
I think Roger's drums sound very powerfull on the album. Also a very nice clear bassguitar of John, just listen to Jealousy or Let Me Entertain You. Vocally, it's one of the best Queen albums, maybe THE best. Many underrated songs, I love the album. |
| Lord Fickle 29.10.2005 06:36 |
What the album needs is a bloody good remix! I did one of DSMN some time ago, which I think sounds good, even without the extended before and after parts. link I think the running order is OK, but I would definitely move Jealousy to allow the pairing of Fat Bottoms and Bicycle Race. I think a straight swap between Jealousy and Bicycle would do. The two RT tracks are definitely the weakest links. I found a review of Jazz, which may be of interest, as it echoes many of the comments here:- link |
| Asterik 29.10.2005 07:42 |
I'm a big fan of Jazz; it's much less plodding than News of the World and the songs are very energetic. I think it sounds great in terms of production, certainly better than what they did with mack, that Austrian dance producer. Let Me Entertain You and Dead on Time are great rockers and Jealousy is a stunning ballad. I don't think Roger Taylor's songs are that bad. Fun it is a a good stab at disco and More of That jazz sounds great with those strange guitar effects. |
| goodco 29.10.2005 11:39 |
First of all, I still appreciate the poster!! Moving on...in the ancient days of stone tablets and 8-tracks, a good ol' 90 minute tape had 22 1/2 minutes per track. Side two of 'Jazz' runs around 24 minutes. Something had to be deleted, so I chose 'Fun It'. Made for a better segue from 'Dreamer's Ball' to 'Leaving Home'. In more advanced times, that's still the running order of one of my tapes. Another has 'Jealousy' and 'Fun It' flip-flopped. It makes each side sound more consistant. The first LP in which I thought the running order should have been changed. I can't argue against LMEY opening either side one or two, but there's too much Pavlovian in me to think of 'Mustapha' not opening the album. They always did start with something unique (other than 'Hot Space'). You gotta give them credit for having the balls to begin with this. And it does work. I agree that ending it with 'Don't Stop Me Now' probably would have been a good idea. We've got a young friend who, due to computer programming, grew up listening to the 70s albums with all the songs in alphabetical order. Envision BRace / DOTime / DSMNow / DBall / FBG / Fun It IYCBThem / IOSDays / Jealousy / LHAEasy / LMEYou / MOTJazz / Mustapha Would love to hear this album remixed, with the percussion sounding more like SHA. And, perhaps, FBG single version, but with the album version ending. I thought that '7 Days' was the lamest track that they'd ever released up to that point. Comparing it now to some of the later synth tracks, it's actually quite good. Thinking back, I remember how irritated I was that the album did not include the lyrics. Or the times for the songs. Anyone here spend one listen jotting down the times while keenly observing a wall or desk clock? Oh, the youth of today, how lucky they are. |
| queenmagicvision 29.10.2005 11:46 |
I think that 'Jazz' started a transition time on Queen music but it's an interesting album. It has one of my John's favourites (If You Can Beat Them) and I agree that the drum sound is not as great as the previous albums even on 'Queen I' (which Roger was never happy with the drum sound) is better. I really think that 'Entertain you', 'Dead an Time' and 'Fat Bottomed Girls' should sound much more rocker with a better drum sound... I also think that if would be better if 'Rock You/Champions' close 'News of the world'. IMO I think those are songs that you do not expect to hear on the beggining of a recording. |
| Boy Thomas Raker 29.10.2005 11:57 |
Interesting thread. I always loved Mustapha as an opener because if you were a fan at the time and putting the vinyl on the turntable for the first time with a Queen album, you could prepare to be a bit shocked. Hearing the openings of songs like Brighton Rock, WWRY, Mustapha, Staying Power, and Radio Ga Ga were definitely WTF? moments for me, as they were sounds and styles Queen hadn't incorporated before. Good thoughts all round on the production values, interesting to hear knowledgeable opinions. |
| David Jones 29.10.2005 12:10 |
I don't know why the production was iffy on this album. Maybe the boys didn't need to bring Roy back. I like all the songs on it apart from More Of That Jazz. I always think that Let Me Entertain you is too tame and theres not enough energy in it. It was always better live. |
| Hot Maxïmo Space 29.10.2005 13:32 |
Jeesss, I simply adore Fun It! Best bit by far: put on those headphones and listen to Rogers voice on "That's the only soul you'll ever meet", especially "only"! Other genius bits: - Freddie's "can't you see" and "groove on out" and Brians guitar going with those lines. - Just before the end of this underrated gem, and right after that annyoning keyboardish whizzle-kinda sound (y'know what I mean), on 3m22 Brians guitar getting back into groove... genius! Cheerz, H.M.S. |
| Nummer2 29.10.2005 14:25 |
I agree with most of the posts, very interesting because I also like JAZZ very much. It's not my Queen Fav but I like it better than all 80s albums. One thing about Mustapha: When I started to listen to Queen (back then JAZZ was the latest album!) I wasn't too good at English, so I think the "stupid" Lyrics of that song didn't irritate me because I never cared about the lyrics anyway. They could have sung in Chinese, they still would have been my favourite band. And one very clear fact about the album: Every song was much better when done live. That indicates clearly that something with the production as well as the dedication of the band members to studio work at that time was somehow weak. Bye, Nummer2 |
| motbq 01.11.2005 03:41 |
jazz is a great album, but they made a few mistakes in the process. First of all my least two favorite songs on the album are "more of that jazz" (horrible song) and "fun it" they have 13 tracks and could easily threw "more of that jazz" in the trash bin, but, "fun it" was at least a decent enough song to keep. The album should have ended with the classic "don't stop me now" also, Some people like to say the album should have opened with "let me entertain you" that might have worked, but in my opinion the brilliant "mustafa" was the perfect choice for that slot. people tend to forget that mustafa was a fan favorite in the late seventies, you could hear proof of that on live killer's. |
| DrBilliam 01.11.2005 23:04 |
Anybody know where the album title came from? I don't think the drums were the problem with the sound (the drum roll at the end of the second verse of FBG is awesome), but I think the whole thing sounded dry. The comment about the studio version of LMEY was spot on - live it was lethal, but it just sounds flat on the record. There's no ambient sound on the album, save for the thunderclap! That said, when I was a kid I loved the album. The diversity from track to track blew my mind. Mustafa may not be best song ever written, but it sure stopped you cold when you threw the record (remember those?) on the turntable. Yeah, Roger's songs were a drag, but otherwise the guys were knocking out some solid tunes in a short amount of time and tearing them up on stage. A great time for Queen, and a good album. |
| Boy Thomas Raker 02.11.2005 12:18 |
According to Brian circa 1978, Roger saw the word 'Jazz' painted on a wall in Berlin and thought it looked powerful. |