This song seems to be almost totally ingonerd by fans, so this is actually a good choise for a song discussion. I actually like the song, though it's nothing spectacular. Not John's best but not his worst either. What a shame they didn't include it on the Live Killers. It would have raised the appreciation of the song among fans. I have a couple of live versions of this on bootlegs, and the song really found a new life when played live. Especially Brian seemed to have much fun with this one.
This song is also often compared to Need Your Loving Tonight, and I have to admit, there is some resemblance... (Well, they're both rockers by John's standards :) And yes, IYCBT is better, imo.
A lot of songs with Queen were better live. Especially songs like If You Can't Beat Them and Need Your Loving Tonight, fast forward rockers you know. Perhaps they sounded too polished in the studio and needed the more raw live feel to be delivered the way they were supposed to.
Yeah, I've always liked this one, too. It's great to sing and play along with as well. I can't remember hearing a live version. Does anyone have something to post? I'd be very interested in hearing it.
Adam.
Adam Baboolal wrote: Yeah, I've always liked this one, too. It's great to sing and play along with as well. I can't remember hearing a live version. Does anyone have something to post? I'd be very interested in hearing it.
Adam.
link
If You Can't Beat Them
Queen
Live at The Hammy
1979
In my opinion this in my top 10 Queen songs. It's a very underrated song and I do believe to be one of John's best....His best being "Need Your Loving Tonight"....It just has great guitar to it and its just one of those "feel good" kinda songs.....Great Song!
As soon as I listened through that live version, I broke out my RS and started playing along! There's something infectious about it. It's awoken something I've felt about the song. Glad to hear a live version. I've probably heard it before.
Thanks,
Adam.
That song has always annoyed me for some reason, it's just one of those basic rock songs that has no real originality. It's just an alright track that some how managed to creep its way onto the Jazz album. Hell, I never liked Jazz to begin with. The quality in sound and its overall effect is not what I would call "Queen quality." For heaven's sake, the drums sounded horrendous (and its not the drummer's fault...it's just the recording of it).
I find If You Can't Beat Them a very catcy song... and it's especially fun to sing along to. My sister and I always duet when we're in the kitchen :) It's definately not one of John's best, but it's a fun song.
It's a fun song, but still my 3rd least favorite song on jazz. Only "fun it" and "more of that jazz" are worst. Jazz is underated, it has amazing moments, but still the most inconsistent album they did in the 70's.
<font color=FF0033 face=symbol>Freddie wrote: That song has always annoyed me for some reason, it's just one of those basic rock songs that has no real originality. It's just an alright track that some how managed to creep its way onto the Jazz album. Hell, I never liked Jazz to begin with. The quality in sound and its overall effect is not what I would call "Queen quality." For heaven's sake, the drums sounded horrendous (and its not the drummer's fault...it's just the recording of it).
I agree with you on the sound of that album. It sure doesn't sound like an album produced by Roy Thomas Baker. Doesn't seem to have his touch on it anywhere. It kind of sounds like they were simply going through the motions.
Oh, I think this song has a great energy to it. To me, it's a precursor to "Need Your Lovin'," and I love it when Brian lets loose on a John song. Something about how incongruous they are, being in the same band.
And -- didn't think about this -- it's one of the longest songs on the album!
Yeah, the end of that solo has the phaser pedal effect (I guess that's what you call it) that's so ELO.
As for the lyrics, who knows what goes on in Deaky's head?