I truly appreciate the fact that you give the true honest thought that you're not very fond of the style change (I feel similarly) but still actively engage and praise the music and aspects you enjoy and find value in. You bring a lot of intellect and constructive thought to songs that many quicjly dismiss. It makes each of your videos, especially for Queen, very insightful. You bring new perspectives, that i had never thought of. Thank you for that.
Who wants to live forever and one year of love is beautiful on this album. I feel the music conveys the chaos of the hate, race division and war, but also gives a possible celebration of coming together. I personally love the album. Great reaction
For me, it's kinda "imagine" of the beatles.. "One God"? So.. Each one? ("Imagine no religion" - so.. Nobody can't believe what they want?) I love Queen's art, but these utopian messages feel (philosophically) vague to me.
@@sirsancti5504 I think most have a hope that people could become one with no war, hate and live together without all the division. But of course it's never been that way, but people still hope for it. Hopeful music makes people happier.
I love your reactions, straight from the heart. Every time you do Queen your face breaks into a smile or grin & there it stays... Freddie would have loved that. Thank you. 😊
Amy you need to look at the documentary called vision. It shows Queen in the studio making the song one vision its a chance to see them putting a song together. I think you will appreciate its and be able to explain to us all.
Queen was able to put together interesting music in every album. One Vision became such an energizing opening! Love your magic ears Amy. Thanks for your insights! ❤
One Vision was Roger's idea but then Queen worked together on a song, so it is credited to all of them. Roger "complained" that his lyrics were changed and when asked who changed them, he growled: THAT ROTTER FREDDIE! 😂😂 They had a lot of fun putting the song together in a studio and you really have to watch the Making😅 of One Vision (short) documentary... 😅
@@CS-tc4zy Freddie asked them to come in and write a song together but Roger turned up with a completed song! They basically pulled it apart kept the idea and made something new
It's worth mentioning that by 1986, when this was released, Queen were playing massive stadiums on the It's A Kind Of Magic Tour. The natural direction for Queen's new material was to go towards songs that would work in big open spaces and to large groups of people. Freddie saw shows as performances so the new songs allowed the band to really perform on a big stage and if you were lucky enough to see Queen play live at this period you'd know the stage show was something to behold.
FRIED CHICKEN ✌🏼🥰👑 They loved ordering off take out menus when they were working all day in the studio. Fried chicken was their favorite takeout. The video showing the making of One Vision shows Freddie’s fabulously fun word changes while they would practice and practice and practice Gee I miss Freddie and his fertile irreverent crazy mind 😂🥰👑
One of your best so far Amy... Really enjoyed that. Good to hear yer man singing "I want to break free"... made me smile. Keep doing your thing team Amy. Thank you dear folk xxx
This is a Queen song where the video is such fun to watch (the documentary is so interesting too) Of course at the beginning of the video we see Brian playing a pinball machine!!
You’ve analysed quite a few songs by Queen now, and I really enjoy the way you break the songs down and highlight different elements. At the same time as Queen was at their peak (mid 70’s, early 80’s) ABBA had nine songs reach first place in the British charts. They were often dismissed as bubblegum pop or disco, but Benny Andersson, who did most of the song writing, came from a folk music background and even though he was self taught on the piano he was a great admirer of Bach, and their songs are often way more complex than they may seem on the surface. I would love to hear your analysis of eg SOS, Chiquitita or The Winner Takes it All. I would also recommend listening to Benny Andersson playing the theme from Chess on his piano solo album released by Deutsche Grammophone. That is not pop/rock but from the musical he and Björn Ulvaeus wrote with Tim Rice during ABBA’s 39 year break between albums. In this recording it is just Benny and his piano, and the theme from the musical. This could easily pass as a classical piece. Amazing. But probably not the stuff you analyse here.
This song was written for another movie entirely - it was in the movie "Iron Eagle". It's about a young pilot that plans a rescue mission when his father is shot down in enemy territory. The movie starred Lou Gossett Jr. The lyrics also fit loosely with the movie plot.
Hello Amy, the 1985 Live Aid Concert was a benefit event for the famine relief in Africa. Many bands and artists were given about 20 minutes to play their music on stage and when Queen came onto the stage, they stole the show! Brian May said himself that he knew they would be performing in front of a non-Queen audience and yet, the audience responded to them positively. If you have a chance to watch the video on your free time, it is worth the watch. Radio Ga Ga is one of the songs that the audience responded to wonderfully by way of the double clapping, just like from the music video seen in Radio Ga Ga. After that, he commands the attention of the audience, and their response was awesome! That concert was viewed worldwide too at the time, and I remember watching that event on television too! The music video to this song One Vision is Queen inside the studio in various days of recording this song. There is a documentary of making this video and excerpts from all of the band members about the making of the song. When you have a chance, you may want to check out that documentary on UA-cam. I enjoyed this music reaction! Peace. ☮
One Vision (Extended Version) 6:28 Written by Queen Appears on: UK & US One Vision 12" vinyl, A Kind of Magic Hollywood Remaster (1991) To coincide with the 7" Single Version of One Vision, a 12" Extended Version was released in most territories. The Extended Version is more similar to the album version than the Single Version. When compared to the album take, the Extended Version has a much longer solo in the middle with plenty of drums and various vocal bits from Freddie.
I would also suggest watching how they made this you'll see how they put it together lyrical changes so Freddie could sing it, it's on for about 20-odd minutes on Queen channel
If you like this one you should listen to "Princes of the Universe" from the same album!!! That is a total masterpiece and a complete return to form for Queen, after fucking around for years with synthesizers and pop mentality.
This song was also featured in the movie "Iron Eagle". While not, perhaps, exactly Oscar quality material I'd like to say it was an important movie to many young people interested in aviation, and by proxy so was the song. I occasionally rewatch the movie and wonder how I thought the movie was good. The music is still awesome though.
Well, good music aside, you have a rebellious teenage hero you can identify with saving the day, getting rewarded, and some action and fighter jets. It's not about the objective, it's about the subjective.
You have to focus on the line “look what they’ve done to my dream” - then the arcade music makes sense. Plus it is a song very much if it’s time. The fried chicken line is just typical of Queen’s tongue in cheek humor. They used it while trying to come up with a more serious line and Mercurys boyfriend said just keep it.
So THAT'S what's being said in the intro!! "God works in mysterious ways"! 😃 I'd never understood that voice, and for 38 years! 😅 And I love the sound of the thunder rumbling in the background 😍
I'm not sure this kind of center existed at that time… You should see the documentary showing them working this song, very interesting and funny… and by the way, the voice you was talking about is Brian. thank you Amy !
Brian got a new guitar for this one! He plays his new American made Guild BM1; the first authorized copy from a collaboration between Guild's luthiers and Brian. It's a great guitar, though not quite the same as Brian's homemade 'Red Special'. It has some features that were more popular in 80's hard rock, but the tone and the switching were pretty much the same. This was a powerful show opener!
The coarseness in the singing voice has been around forever, but on the radio in the 1950s we had Little Richard, Big Momma Thornton, and of course, Elvis doing it for everyone to copy, like Lennon in 'Twist and Shout' & McCartney in 'I'm Down'. Blues singers and gospel singers had been doing it a long time. Sometimes being old gives perspective on these things. : )
Remember the members of Queen were born in the 1940’s and were influenced by all the older musicians from classical to Blues, Jazz, etc. They were all voracious consumers of music and you can hear the different influences in their music. 😊
It makes me smile when people try to intellectualise rock songs. If you really want to see how this song was developed I urge you to watch the video "the making of one vision"
A Kind of Magic is easily my favorite queens album. Not only a huge fan of the film I also love how they dived into hardrock and heavy metal with it. The most hardcore metal piece is undoubtedly "Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme)".
@@ianjones6107It was one of my favorite aggressive driving songs. When speeding down the highway, and Freddie shouts: “Move over, I said MOVE OVER!” …It was a wonder I was never pulled over!
I looove Gimme the Prize, too :) The energy I get from it is amazing. And I'm not a fan of villains in general, nor of the Kurgan! But this song is fire.
I wondered if this might happen, but you didn't react to the full album version! It has a much longer preamble which really builds anticipation for the song. It was also used as the opening for their Wembley Concert on the Magic Tour, which I highly recommend you watch, a masterpiece of live performance.
Use of harsh vocals is ancient, tho' probably first record of use in metal was by Venom in 1981, five years before this. Also, talking bout metal and origins, Queen is credited to invent thrash metal in their 1973? Song "Stone Cold Crazy"
This album has some real vitality to it. After their performance during Live Aid, it gave them an enormous boost in terms of wanting to tour and write new music. After, 'The Works', album of 1984, the band were in a bit of a doldrum, with Freddie in particular feeling a little bit put out by the reaction of the US to the, 'I Want To Break Free', video being banned, and subsequent lack of sales, Stateside. So much so, that he went and made a solo album away from the band. Something each other member had already done previously, so it was kind of to be expected that Freddie would follow suit. The, 'A Kind of Magic', album has a number of movie soundtrack related tracks within, but they're by no means exclusive. 'Friends Will Be Friends', is a good example of a more traditional Queen sounding single. 'One Vision', itself was for a movie but not the Highlander one. In fact, it wasn't written for a movie, unlike some of the others were. That's not to say the songs within aren't exceptional on their own, of course. The most obvious one being, 'Who Wants To Live Forever.' A rather emotive song, to say the least.
I love it when you react to Queen. They are a long time favorite. But growling vocals had been around for a while at this point with thrash and oldschool metal already established. I think here, it’s really just for texture and to cop some of the vibe of the film it’s tied to. And yes most of the album is featured in the movie. The song “Princes of the universe” especially is still associated with the franchise
Death metal came to be in the late 80s, but it wasn't exactly mainstream even in the 90s. Growling wasn't thrash metal. This isn't proper growling, though. It's just slowed down, which is a technique used for "beastly" sounds in e.g. all sorts of movies.
I have always loved this song. And it wasn't until your reaction that I realized that my ADHD enjoys the multiple styles that switch up and keep it new.
I was watching previous videos and realized you've never done a Sleep Token song. I really enjoy their stuff and Im sure it would do well # wise, its almost a cheat code for views (not to discredit or devalue the insight and thoughtfulness you bring to your reactions/breakdowns). They have a wide range of material with great lyrics and instrumentation.
Performance-wise, in Rock: Queen embodies the grace of British elegance with the precision of German engineering! (Flick of the Wrist, is the only song where a section goes off-beat, for a moment; else...)
This was the soundtrack album for the movie "Highlander" with Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert. The growling voice effects were in context of the film.
I bought this single back then and loved this version. Queen one of my faves. I’d recommend listening to Sting, Ten Sumners Tales for some really interesting music both instrumentally and lyrically.
The growly voice at the beginning has been slowed down, so if you speed it up you will hear it spoken normally. I think it's a line from Highlander. I don't remember the first part, but the second half is "Must we slay thee?" You can also hear an extremely sped up Freddie singing the "It's Magic" line.
Not very keen on One vision or A kind of magic but Who wants to live forever is definitely one of the best and most epic Queen songs. Princess of the Universe and Friends will be friends are also amazing!
Great review, as always. When you understand the supernatural ethos of the film "Highlander", you may appreciate why Queen used these types of sound effects at the start of this track. "One vision - looking towards the future ..." Oh, yes ! "Flashing lights and noises ..." Oh, yes !! "It's a game." Yes, yes, YES !!! You have worked out the film from the music, without seeing it !
It was Roger's intention that what he originally wrote was about Martin Luther King. It's not really about that anymore (thanks to "Rotter Freddie"). Worth watching the One Vision doc. It's fun watching them write as they record and it explains some things ;)
"In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" had some serious growl (Iron Butterfly, 1968). The band Steppenwolf released “Born to Be Wild” in 1969, generally considered to be the first heavy metal song. Born to Be Wild also contains the first use of the phrase heavy metal in a rock song “I like smoke and lightnin' / Heavy metal thunder ….”
Roger came up with the idea for this song and if you listen to A kind of magic, which is also credited to Roger, you'll find somewhat similar lyrics there. Regarding this album, Friends will be friends was indeed a single, but I don't think it's very complex and I like One year of love way more. Perhaps it isn't very complex either, I don't know, but Freddie sounds absolutely amazing. Btw, don't think that they stayed "simple" for much longer. Was it all worthy? is great and Innuendo has brilliant songs, some of their best ❤
The "Doom Metal" voice you're talking about is just a slowed down version of Freddie speaking. It wasn't the band trying to sing in a different style. It was just to add to the atmospherics of the track
I think the whole Album needs to be put into context with the Highlander movie, it is after all the unofficial soundtrack. Many soundeffects in different songs are coming directly from the movie. To me, this album will always be special in Queen's discography and I still love this music/the movie to this very day.
Similar story, but from the other side. I was just getting into Queen and Hollywood Records was re-releasing their albums a couple at a time leading up to the Innuendo release. I was working at a Sam Goody at the time, and I had bought three of the four Queen albums that were out so far. The only one I was missing was "A Kind of Magic," because I had heard their later stuff wasn't as good ("They started using synthesizers!? Yuck!"). A customer called in to the store, and asked if we had the Highlander soundtrack by Queen, and I said "No." He was like "Are you sure?" and in my teenage cocksuredness, I was like "Oh, trust me. I'm the Queen fan here. If that album was out, I'd know." The guy was disappointed and after talking up the movie and soundtrack briefly, hung up. Well, the Sam Goody I worked at had a video rental section, and so I looked and sure enough, we had Highlander available, so I rented it that night. I got home, and when I hear "A Kind of Magic" play at the end of the movie, I realize my mistake. I bought the album the next day at work, and every day hoped the guy would call back again, but he never did...I'm sure he got it eventually, but if you're out there (guy from Ventura in 1991) and happen across this comment, my apologies for delaying your purchase of this album.
The "fried chicken" line reminds me of the song "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies, where at the end they sing, "It'll still be two days till we say we're sorry / It'll still be two days till we say wasabi."
Regarding Live Aid, the tickets had sold out before Queen agreed to appear, so none of the audience bought tickets to see Queen, however it was a concert in England, at Wembley Stadium, the home of English football, and When we're an English band, so it's my guess that 99% or more of the audience knew who Queen were.
Funny how Vlad talks about the final "God works in mysterious ways" and then they play the inferior singles version that doesn't have it (also a much shortened intro).
Well, death metal started in commercial 'mode' in late '80s.. but This is just Freddie Mercury recording with a 'slow motion' film.. Queen alredy uses this kind of things in QueenII if i well remember.. it was 1973. Ah, about this song as about some of this album and some of the 'works' album and as some of the next, there's to says that those songs has been cutted due to the commercial iusse. I mean, originally those were too long for commercial uses and than that has been cutted. They are : Hammer to fall, One vision, A Kind of Magic and I want it all. As far as i know those were the cutted songs but, may be i forgot some.😘
This song was written for another movie, not "Highlander" - it was in the movie "Iron Eagle". It's about a young pilot that plans a rescue mission when his father is shot down in enemy territory. The movie starred Lou Gossett Jr. The lyrics also fit loosely with the movie plot.
They were asked to do a song for the movie and asked to do the whole film. Not every song is from the movie, though. I think some of the growly bits were parts from the moivie that were slowed down. Clancy Brown has a bvery growly voice in the movie. I think right before Freddy's initial 'Ah', we hear Kurgan's laugh. Speaking of wild swirly mix in the music, the finale of the movie is exactly that, with colors. You describe the movie very well in ]several places, just from the music.
Another great driving song! I never knew that it was about Martin Luther King Jr. And to be honest, I don't think my appreciation was any poorer for it. Sometimes you just have to listen to the music and enjoy the ride. Over-analysing lyrics can utterly sap enjoyment from a track like this, which is normally filled with adrenaline and air-guitars (hopefully not while driving).
A Kind of Magic was the first album I bought, back in 1986 when I got some Record Tokens (which I'm amazed to discover they still sell!) for my 11th birthday and I took myself off to Melody House record store on Bond Street in Fleetwood, Lancashire. Even now Roger Chiasson's incredible, colourful artwork from the front cover of the album brings back such an emotional rush of getting home, putting it on the Hi-Fi, plugging in my headphones, turning the thing up as high as it would go and driving both my eardrums fully six inches into my skull. Inspired by Amy I have been making an effort to learn more about classical music, so when she mentioned Caitrin Finch I was delighted to recognise the name. I heard her piece Listen to the Grass Grow on BBC Radio 3 and it became an immediate favourite of mine. I'd definitely recommend it.
Most of the music on that particular record, were the soundtrack of the original film " Highlander" . that's why the music sounds typical QUEEN, but follows a different emotion.
This reminds me, I really want to see Amy review Flash Gordon on her movie channel. Queen did the soundtrack. ETA oh and Highlander too (can't forget that since this song was on their unofficial sound track to that film as well).
As far as I know some songs of this album are actually in the movie. But I might misremember. I think the distorted voice at the beginning of the song is a reference to the big bad enemy in the movie: The Kurgan. He had his throat slit in combat, so his voice was all screwed up. And he was a very primal evil kind of guy, rather punk and metal as well. What might help you understand the song better is a basic outline of the movie. In the highlander storyline some people in history could come back to life as immortals after being killed unnaturally. This happens to the protagonist and a mentor seeks him out to train him. His mentor explains that when one immortal kills another by beheading them (the only way an immortal can be killed) the absorp the immortal power of the one they killed. The idea is that these immortals contest with each other in duals and the best of them remains with all the power, and thus all the power under one vision. I think the chorus singing "one vision" is a reflection of the fact that the last remaining immortal has the power of all immortals that ever lived. His mentor believes god set this up so that the best among them would become a guardian of the world. The bad guy in the movie however is a ruthless evil guy who just wants the power for himself, which would doom mankind. The protagonist simply wants to win to protect humans from this evil outcome, he wants family, love, and so on, preferably for everyone. But everyone he loves eventually dies, because they aren't immortal or are killed in a duel. That's what "Who wants to live forever?" on the same album is about, the pain of being the last one remaining (and one of the biggest rewards of winning this competition is the power to become mortal, and have the ability to have children again.) Which is a much more vulnerable orchestral song than this one, which would be much more in your ballpark I think. The whole flashing lights and noises thing... that's how the fights in the movie are. Especially once an immortal is killed because it releases a tremendous amount of energy which blows up all lights and electronics in the vicinity. Interesting you'd talk about games. The duals between immortals until one is left is called The Game. But it's actually the most serious game possible in the movieworld; the prize gives you dominion over all.
The topic of deliberate vocal distortion can be an entire discussion all it's own. "Screaming" Jay Hawkins was using natural voice distortion and the iconic "metal scream" in 1956 and the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Motorhead and Queen were all hugely popular groups that used their own variations of voice distortion, growls and screams in their music. By the 1980's multiple sub-genres had begun to develop around the metal voice. And the use of technology to alter the voice is another discussion in itself.
Only some of the songs off the album are from Highlander. In a nutshell.. It's a film about 15c Scottish man who discovers he's immortal and is shunned by his tribe. The story gradually moves to modern day where he has to fight other immortals (you can be killed by decapitation) for "The Prize", which it's to be able to impart knowledge and understanding to the world. The filmed bombed at the first screenings and then Queen supplied the soundtrack... one of my favourite films.
Leaving fried chicken in the released version was Jim Hutton's idea, he liked it so Fred agreed. The only track where a documentary film crew recorded them making it, and the first song of the magic tour sets. The strings are of course keyboard.
Hi 👋 Mrs Amy, that’s another vinyl that I reduced in nothing listening and listening to. You said they aren’t the early, theatrical ones. Well I would say they still are, but the opera is more modern. You said kind of arcade center, I thought a starships battle scenario with laser beams and other noisy stuff. You also told they change rhythm seamlessly within the song, and that’s house’s speciality. Wait until you listen to “innuendo” if you want something that starts in a (musical) place and jumps to another at the antipodes. Or even more evident in the now distant song you didn’t react to, the prophet song, which is really a modern musical masterpiece in my opinion. Anyway, in this song there is not a note out of place, especially the lead guitar that sometimes seems irritating your ears a little bit. they’re absolutely great, who can’t like this song? Thank you in advance for reading. Have a nice summer.
Yep, VR.. definitely see the movie.. it's not "great" but entertaining anyway.. and features quite a few Queen song... they were originally going to do just one... but after seeing the movie, Freddie really wanted to do more.. one of the most beautiful is Brian's "Who wants to live forever"... appreciate your reaction, as always... (p.s. playing with the synths, finally.. also, if you see the movie, there is continuing theme that "there can be only one"... lol... and in end everyone just wants fried chicken...
One Vision was included in the sound track for the film Iron Eagle not Highlander. Both movies are great fun. Have a date night with Vlad and watch them both. It'll be fun.
About the growling voice: here it is not naturally produced by a human, it is a recording trick, I think they slowed the tape down. That's what it sounds like to me, at least. I'm not sure about the history of metal growling/screaming either, but I don't think 1985 is too early for it. I can definitely think of high screams before then; low growls, I don't know, but I'm not very familiar with the topic. This one is as fantastic live as anything at Live Aid. This is the opening on The Magic Tour - their last tour. They play the very beginning from tape, but do almost everything else live, so it's a bit different again, but the spirit is the same.
Fried Chicken!
Lol...only Freddie
One tit, one turd, John deacon, woah woah woah woah woah woah yeah
He knew what's good!🤣
I truly appreciate the fact that you give the true honest thought that you're not very fond of the style change (I feel similarly) but still actively engage and praise the music and aspects you enjoy and find value in. You bring a lot of intellect and constructive thought to songs that many quicjly dismiss. It makes each of your videos, especially for Queen, very insightful. You bring new perspectives, that i had never thought of. Thank you for that.
Who wants to live forever and one year of love is beautiful on this album. I feel the music conveys the chaos of the hate, race division and war, but also gives a possible celebration of coming together. I personally love the album. Great reaction
For me, it's kinda "imagine" of the beatles..
"One God"? So.. Each one?
("Imagine no religion" - so.. Nobody can't believe what they want?)
I love Queen's art, but these utopian messages feel (philosophically) vague to me.
@@sirsancti5504 I think most have a hope that people could become one with no war, hate and live together without all the division. But of course it's never been that way, but people still hope for it. Hopeful music makes people happier.
I love your reactions, straight from the heart. Every time you do Queen your face breaks into a smile or grin & there it stays... Freddie would have loved that. Thank you. 😊
Amy you need to look at the documentary called vision. It shows Queen in the studio making the song one vision its a chance to see them putting a song together. I think you will appreciate its and be able to explain to us all.
yes, it's a must
Thanks for the support @@modernclics
Queen was able to put together interesting music in every album. One Vision became such an energizing opening! Love your magic ears Amy. Thanks for your insights! ❤
One Vision was Roger's idea but then Queen worked together on a song, so it is credited to all of them. Roger "complained" that his lyrics were changed and when asked who changed them, he growled: THAT ROTTER FREDDIE! 😂😂
They had a lot of fun putting the song together in a studio and you really have to watch the Making😅 of One Vision (short) documentary... 😅
He didn't just complain - he said his lyrics were originally about MLK, but after Freddie changed them, he had no idea what they were about. 🤣
@@CS-tc4zy
Freddie asked them to come in and write a song together but Roger turned up with a completed song!
They basically pulled it apart kept the idea and made something new
It's worth mentioning that by 1986, when this was released, Queen were playing massive stadiums on the It's A Kind Of Magic Tour. The natural direction for Queen's new material was to go towards songs that would work in big open spaces and to large groups of people. Freddie saw shows as performances so the new songs allowed the band to really perform on a big stage and if you were lucky enough to see Queen play live at this period you'd know the stage show was something to behold.
Yes saw everybody at the old Wembley stadium..Jackson The Who Madonna ..the real standout was Queen in 1986.Awesome.
FRIED CHICKEN ✌🏼🥰👑 They loved ordering off take out menus when they were working all day in the studio. Fried chicken was their favorite takeout. The video showing the making of One Vision shows Freddie’s fabulously fun word changes while they would practice and practice and practice Gee I miss Freddie and his fertile irreverent crazy mind 😂🥰👑
Not all songs on the album are in the movie Highlander. One Vision is in the movie Iron Eagle, not in Highlander.
One of your best so far Amy... Really enjoyed that. Good to hear yer man singing "I want to break free"... made me smile. Keep doing your thing team Amy. Thank you dear folk xxx
My Dad had the Kind Of Magic album on cassette. I remember him playing this song full volume in the Ford Sierra 😀 Happy days.
You can really tell these guys are/were all super smart. It's in the music, in the lyrics, in the arrangement, in the production. incredible.
This song was the main title in the movie Iron Eagle in 86.
Prices of the universe, same album. It’s a must listen
You are the most musically intelligent reaction/content creator I have heard. So brilliant. Freddie would be proud! :)
one year of love the next song I hope
Only Queen-song with a sax.
@@hermannus3894 yes! ❤️
@@hermannus3894 Wrong. "Action This Day" and I presume "Staying Power" from Hot Space also have saxophones in them.
This is a Queen song where the video is such fun to watch (the documentary is so interesting too) Of course at the beginning of the video we see Brian playing a pinball machine!!
You’ve analysed quite a few songs by Queen now, and I really enjoy the way you break the songs down and highlight different elements. At the same time as Queen was at their peak (mid 70’s, early 80’s) ABBA had nine songs reach first place in the British charts. They were often dismissed as bubblegum pop or disco, but Benny Andersson, who did most of the song writing, came from a folk music background and even though he was self taught on the piano he was a great admirer of Bach, and their songs are often way more complex than they may seem on the surface. I would love to hear your analysis of eg SOS, Chiquitita or The Winner Takes it All. I would also recommend listening to Benny Andersson playing the theme from Chess on his piano solo album released by Deutsche Grammophone. That is not pop/rock but from the musical he and Björn Ulvaeus wrote with Tim Rice during ABBA’s 39 year break between albums. In this recording it is just Benny and his piano, and the theme from the musical. This could easily pass as a classical piece. Amazing. But probably not the stuff you analyse here.
Highlander was not the only movie Queen wrote songs for. They also wrote the soundtrack for Flash Gordon.
He'll save every one of us!
There is a difference though.
For Highander they just wrote Songs, while Michael Kamen wrote the score.
For Flash Gordon they wrote the score.
GORDON'S ALIVE!!
This song was written for another movie entirely - it was in the movie "Iron Eagle". It's about a young pilot that plans a rescue mission when his father is shot down in enemy territory. The movie starred Lou Gossett Jr. The lyrics also fit loosely with the movie plot.
YEah sadly we skipped that. I mean the album is essentially Bri after the others lost interest. But Flash .... thats a song to review
That is Brian on the opening synth part as well.
Hello Amy, the 1985 Live Aid Concert was a benefit event for the famine relief in Africa. Many bands and artists were given about 20 minutes to play their music on stage and when Queen came onto the stage, they stole the show! Brian May said himself that he knew they would be performing in front of a non-Queen audience and yet, the audience responded to them positively. If you have a chance to watch the video on your free time, it is worth the watch. Radio Ga Ga is one of the songs that the audience responded to wonderfully by way of the double clapping, just like from the music video seen in Radio Ga Ga. After that, he commands the attention of the audience, and their response was awesome! That concert was viewed worldwide too at the time, and I remember watching that event on television too! The music video to this song One Vision is Queen inside the studio in various days of recording this song. There is a documentary of making this video and excerpts from all of the band members about the making of the song. When you have a chance, you may want to check out that documentary on UA-cam. I enjoyed this music reaction! Peace. ☮
One Vision (Extended Version) 6:28
Written by Queen
Appears on: UK & US One Vision 12" vinyl, A Kind of Magic Hollywood Remaster (1991)
To coincide with the 7" Single Version of One Vision, a 12" Extended Version was released in most territories. The Extended Version is more similar to the album version than the Single Version. When compared to the album take, the Extended Version has a much longer solo in the middle with plenty of drums and various vocal bits from Freddie.
I would also suggest watching how they made this you'll see how they put it together lyrical changes so Freddie could sing it, it's on for about 20-odd minutes on Queen channel
If you like this one you should listen to "Princes of the Universe" from the same album!!! That is a total masterpiece and a complete return to form for Queen, after fucking around for years with synthesizers and pop mentality.
Nice reaction as always. I hope you guys will do Princes Of The Universe from this album.
This song was also featured in the movie "Iron Eagle". While not, perhaps, exactly Oscar quality material I'd like to say it was an important movie to many young people interested in aviation, and by proxy so was the song. I occasionally rewatch the movie and wonder how I thought the movie was good. The music is still awesome though.
Well, good music aside, you have a rebellious teenage hero you can identify with saving the day, getting rewarded, and some action and fighter jets. It's not about the objective, it's about the subjective.
You have to focus on the line “look what they’ve done to my dream” - then the arcade music makes sense. Plus it is a song very much if it’s time. The fried chicken line is just typical of Queen’s tongue in cheek humor. They used it while trying to come up with a more serious line and Mercurys boyfriend said just keep it.
So THAT'S what's being said in the intro!! "God works in mysterious ways"! 😃 I'd never understood that voice, and for 38 years! 😅
And I love the sound of the thunder rumbling in the background 😍
I always thought it was “all these excuses… excuses” and thought it was a commentary on how this grand unifying vision never happens. Ah well!
@@gavinboytersunforeseentale7820 - I'd always heard something like "Masses in the citayyy" 😄
I'm not sure this kind of center existed at that time… You should see the documentary showing them working this song, very interesting and funny… and by the way, the voice you was talking about is Brian. thank you Amy !
Brian got a new guitar for this one! He plays his new American made Guild BM1; the first authorized copy from a collaboration between Guild's luthiers and Brian. It's a great guitar, though not quite the same as Brian's homemade 'Red Special'. It has some features that were more popular in 80's hard rock, but the tone and the switching were pretty much the same. This was a powerful show opener!
The album was my first CD in back in the 80s.
Also Slovenian band Laibach did a cover in 87
Sung in German and with a video that gives the lyrics sinister overtones.
@@hadz8671 Indeed - they do like to make things uncomfortable. Major influence on Rammstein.
The coarseness in the singing voice has been around forever, but on the radio in the 1950s we had Little Richard, Big Momma Thornton, and of course, Elvis doing it for everyone to copy, like Lennon in 'Twist and Shout' & McCartney in 'I'm Down'. Blues singers and gospel singers had been doing it a long time. Sometimes being old gives perspective on these things. : )
Remember the members of Queen were born in the 1940’s and were influenced by all the older musicians from classical to Blues, Jazz, etc. They were all voracious consumers of music and you can hear the different influences in their music. 😊
It makes me smile when people try to intellectualise rock songs. If you really want to see how this song was developed I urge you to watch the video "the making of one vision"
A Kind of Magic is easily my favorite queens album. Not only a huge fan of the film I also love how they dived into hardrock and heavy metal with it.
The most hardcore metal piece is undoubtedly "Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme)".
I absolutely LOVE Gimme The Prize!
@@douglasgonzalez7561absolute banger, his voice is like doing 80 in third :)
@@ianjones6107It was one of my favorite aggressive driving songs. When speeding down the highway, and Freddie shouts: “Move over, I said MOVE OVER!” …It was a wonder I was never pulled over!
@douglasgonzalez7561 I know where you're coming from, been there :)
I looove Gimme the Prize, too :) The energy I get from it is amazing. And I'm not a fan of villains in general, nor of the Kurgan! But this song is fire.
I wondered if this might happen, but you didn't react to the full album version! It has a much longer preamble which really builds anticipation for the song. It was also used as the opening for their Wembley Concert on the Magic Tour, which I highly recommend you watch, a masterpiece of live performance.
a really good 80s Queen song...just realize how good this is
Use of harsh vocals is ancient, tho' probably first record of use in metal was by Venom in 1981, five years before this.
Also, talking bout metal and origins, Queen is credited to invent thrash metal in their 1973? Song "Stone Cold Crazy"
At some point, please watch the one vision documentary. Only 20min long and you can see the behind the scenes of how the song came along. Its amazing
Highlander is possibly my favourite film of all time. I met Christopher Lambert once!
You need to watch the making of One Vision video. It's great!
This album has some real vitality to it. After their performance during Live Aid, it gave them an enormous boost in terms of wanting to tour and write new music. After, 'The Works', album of 1984, the band were in a bit of a doldrum, with Freddie in particular feeling a little bit put out by the reaction of the US to the, 'I Want To Break Free', video being banned, and subsequent lack of sales, Stateside. So much so, that he went and made a solo album away from the band. Something each other member had already done previously, so it was kind of to be expected that Freddie would follow suit. The, 'A Kind of Magic', album has a number of movie soundtrack related tracks within, but they're by no means exclusive. 'Friends Will Be Friends', is a good example of a more traditional Queen sounding single. 'One Vision', itself was for a movie but not the Highlander one. In fact, it wasn't written for a movie, unlike some of the others were. That's not to say the songs within aren't exceptional on their own, of course. The most obvious one being, 'Who Wants To Live Forever.' A rather emotive song, to say the least.
*Who Wants to Live Forever
@@blechtic Corrected. I was rather tired and wanting to go to bed to sleep when I wrote this, last night. That's my excuse, anyway.. 😁
I love it when you react to Queen. They are a long time favorite.
But growling vocals had been around for a while at this point with thrash and oldschool metal already established.
I think here, it’s really just for texture and to cop some of the vibe of the film it’s tied to.
And yes most of the album is featured in the movie. The song “Princes of the universe” especially is still associated with the franchise
Death metal came to be in the late 80s, but it wasn't exactly mainstream even in the 90s. Growling wasn't thrash metal.
This isn't proper growling, though. It's just slowed down, which is a technique used for "beastly" sounds in e.g. all sorts of movies.
I have always loved this song. And it wasn't until your reaction that I realized that my ADHD enjoys the multiple styles that switch up and keep it new.
Sadly, this is the single version, not the album version which is longer, better and what the band intended to be.
I was watching previous videos and realized you've never done a Sleep Token song. I really enjoy their stuff and Im sure it would do well # wise, its almost a cheat code for views (not to discredit or devalue the insight and thoughtfulness you bring to your reactions/breakdowns). They have a wide range of material with great lyrics and instrumentation.
Performance-wise, in Rock:
Queen embodies the grace of British elegance with the precision of German engineering!
(Flick of the Wrist, is the only song where a section goes off-beat, for a moment; else...)
This was the soundtrack album for the movie "Highlander" with Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert. The growling voice effects were in context of the film.
Not this song.
This Song is from the movie Iron Eagle.
I love this album. "It's a Kind of Magic", and "Who Wants to Live Forever" are great also.
I bought this single back then and loved this version. Queen one of my faves. I’d recommend listening to Sting, Ten Sumners Tales for some really interesting music both instrumentally and lyrically.
The growly voice at the beginning has been slowed down, so if you speed it up you will hear it spoken normally. I think it's a line from Highlander. I don't remember the first part, but the second half is "Must we slay thee?" You can also hear an extremely sped up Freddie singing the "It's Magic" line.
It's definitely "God works in mysterious ways ...mysterious ways"
Not very keen on One vision or A kind of magic but Who wants to live forever is definitely one of the best and most epic Queen songs. Princess of the Universe and Friends will be friends are also amazing!
Great review, as always. When you understand the supernatural ethos of the film "Highlander", you may appreciate why Queen used these types of sound effects at the start of this track. "One vision - looking towards the future ..." Oh, yes ! "Flashing lights and noises ..." Oh, yes !! "It's a game." Yes, yes, YES !!! You have worked out the film from the music, without seeing it !
Only that this song has no connection to Highlander.
@@Quotenwagnerianer Of course it does. There can be only one!
Interesting thing I learned. I just thought it was something backtracked in the opening.
Have you analyzed to U2’s Mysterious Ways?
It was Roger's intention that what he originally wrote was about Martin Luther King. It's not really about that anymore (thanks to "Rotter Freddie"). Worth watching the One Vision doc. It's fun watching them write as they record and it explains some things ;)
I seem to remember the video having cut scenes from some F16 flying movie (with Lou Gossett Jr?) - Iron Eagle
"In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" had some serious growl (Iron Butterfly, 1968). The band Steppenwolf released “Born to Be Wild” in 1969, generally considered to be the first heavy metal song.
Born to Be Wild also contains the first use of the phrase heavy metal in a rock song “I like smoke and lightnin' / Heavy metal thunder ….”
Interesting that Amy mentions arcade games - in the video for One Vision we see Brian playing pinball.
Roger came up with the idea for this song and if you listen to A kind of magic, which is also credited to Roger, you'll find somewhat similar lyrics there. Regarding this album, Friends will be friends was indeed a single, but I don't think it's very complex and I like One year of love way more. Perhaps it isn't very complex either, I don't know, but Freddie sounds absolutely amazing. Btw, don't think that they stayed "simple" for much longer. Was it all worthy? is great and Innuendo has brilliant songs, some of their best ❤
God works through.... Blessings
The "Doom Metal" voice you're talking about is just a slowed down version of Freddie speaking. It wasn't the band trying to sing in a different style. It was just to add to the atmospherics of the track
I think the whole Album needs to be put into context with the Highlander movie, it is after all the unofficial soundtrack. Many soundeffects in different songs are coming directly from the movie. To me, this album will always be special in Queen's discography and I still love this music/the movie to this very day.
Similar story, but from the other side. I was just getting into Queen and Hollywood Records was re-releasing their albums a couple at a time leading up to the Innuendo release. I was working at a Sam Goody at the time, and I had bought three of the four Queen albums that were out so far. The only one I was missing was "A Kind of Magic," because I had heard their later stuff wasn't as good ("They started using synthesizers!? Yuck!"). A customer called in to the store, and asked if we had the Highlander soundtrack by Queen, and I said "No." He was like "Are you sure?" and in my teenage cocksuredness, I was like "Oh, trust me. I'm the Queen fan here. If that album was out, I'd know." The guy was disappointed and after talking up the movie and soundtrack briefly, hung up.
Well, the Sam Goody I worked at had a video rental section, and so I looked and sure enough, we had Highlander available, so I rented it that night. I got home, and when I hear "A Kind of Magic" play at the end of the movie, I realize my mistake. I bought the album the next day at work, and every day hoped the guy would call back again, but he never did...I'm sure he got it eventually, but if you're out there (guy from Ventura in 1991) and happen across this comment, my apologies for delaying your purchase of this album.
The "fried chicken" line reminds me of the song "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies, where at the end they sing, "It'll still be two days till we say we're sorry / It'll still be two days till we say wasabi."
Even though this album was more or less for a movie, there are still some good tracks on here, my favorite being Who Wants to Live Forever.
2:00 - I just paused the video to see if it was Thunder here locally!! 😂
I loved Highlander back in the day. I could probably still sing along with every song on this album.
This song is from the Iron Eagle soundtrack. But to your point Queen was great on the Highlander soundtrack as well
Please watch one vision documentary the making of this song its a lot of fun and a different thing in the middle of the series
Regarding Live Aid, the tickets had sold out before Queen agreed to appear, so none of the audience bought tickets to see Queen, however it was a concert in England, at Wembley Stadium, the home of English football, and When we're an English band, so it's my guess that 99% or more of the audience knew who Queen were.
Funny how Vlad talks about the final "God works in mysterious ways" and then they play the inferior singles version that doesn't have it (also a much shortened intro).
The first recognized metal song is The Beatles' Helter Skelter
Well, death metal started in commercial 'mode' in late '80s.. but This is just Freddie Mercury recording with a 'slow motion' film.. Queen alredy uses this kind of things in QueenII if i well remember.. it was 1973. Ah, about this song as about some of this album and some of the 'works' album and as some of the next, there's to says that those songs has been cutted due to the commercial iusse. I mean, originally those were too long for commercial uses and than that has been cutted. They are : Hammer to fall, One vision, A Kind of Magic and I want it all. As far as i know those were the cutted songs but, may be i forgot some.😘
This song was written for another movie, not "Highlander" - it was in the movie "Iron Eagle". It's about a young pilot that plans a rescue mission when his father is shot down in enemy territory. The movie starred Lou Gossett Jr. The lyrics also fit loosely with the movie plot.
One vision was a song that was released before the album... if you watch the video about the making of the song it will make more sense to you 🙂🙂🙂
They were asked to do a song for the movie and asked to do the whole film. Not every song is from the movie, though. I think some of the growly bits were parts from the moivie that were slowed down. Clancy Brown has a bvery growly voice in the movie. I think right before Freddy's initial 'Ah', we hear Kurgan's laugh. Speaking of wild swirly mix in the music, the finale of the movie is exactly that, with colors. You describe the movie very well in ]several places, just from the music.
Just gimme!! one one one one... reaction!! 🇦🇷 (Who Wants to Live Forever)
Another great driving song! I never knew that it was about Martin Luther King Jr. And to be honest, I don't think my appreciation was any poorer for it. Sometimes you just have to listen to the music and enjoy the ride. Over-analysing lyrics can utterly sap enjoyment from a track like this, which is normally filled with adrenaline and air-guitars (hopefully not while driving).
1986, Magic Tour, the perfect song to start the show. You need to watch the Wembley or the Budapest film
A Kind of Magic was the first album I bought, back in 1986 when I got some Record Tokens (which I'm amazed to discover they still sell!) for my 11th birthday and I took myself off to Melody House record store on Bond Street in Fleetwood, Lancashire. Even now Roger Chiasson's incredible, colourful artwork from the front cover of the album brings back such an emotional rush of getting home, putting it on the Hi-Fi, plugging in my headphones, turning the thing up as high as it would go and driving both my eardrums fully six inches into my skull.
Inspired by Amy I have been making an effort to learn more about classical music, so when she mentioned Caitrin Finch I was delighted to recognise the name. I heard her piece Listen to the Grass Grow on BBC Radio 3 and it became an immediate favourite of mine. I'd definitely recommend it.
Most of the music on that particular record, were the soundtrack of the original film " Highlander" . that's why the music sounds typical QUEEN, but follows a different emotion.
UNITY
This reminds me, I really want to see Amy review Flash Gordon on her movie channel. Queen did the soundtrack.
ETA oh and Highlander too (can't forget that since this song was on their unofficial sound track to that film as well).
They did more than the Soundtrack for Flash Gordon. They did the entire score.
She's doing the albums in order of release for some reason she chose to omit Flash Gordon.
@@andrewcarr5923 Because that is not really a Queen Album, but a Movie Score album by Queen.
As far as I know some songs of this album are actually in the movie. But I might misremember.
I think the distorted voice at the beginning of the song is a reference to the big bad enemy in the movie: The Kurgan. He had his throat slit in combat, so his voice was all screwed up. And he was a very primal evil kind of guy, rather punk and metal as well.
What might help you understand the song better is a basic outline of the movie. In the highlander storyline some people in history could come back to life as immortals after being killed unnaturally. This happens to the protagonist and a mentor seeks him out to train him. His mentor explains that when one immortal kills another by beheading them (the only way an immortal can be killed) the absorp the immortal power of the one they killed. The idea is that these immortals contest with each other in duals and the best of them remains with all the power, and thus all the power under one vision. I think the chorus singing "one vision" is a reflection of the fact that the last remaining immortal has the power of all immortals that ever lived. His mentor believes god set this up so that the best among them would become a guardian of the world.
The bad guy in the movie however is a ruthless evil guy who just wants the power for himself, which would doom mankind. The protagonist simply wants to win to protect humans from this evil outcome, he wants family, love, and so on, preferably for everyone. But everyone he loves eventually dies, because they aren't immortal or are killed in a duel. That's what "Who wants to live forever?" on the same album is about, the pain of being the last one remaining (and one of the biggest rewards of winning this competition is the power to become mortal, and have the ability to have children again.) Which is a much more vulnerable orchestral song than this one, which would be much more in your ballpark I think.
The whole flashing lights and noises thing... that's how the fights in the movie are. Especially once an immortal is killed because it releases a tremendous amount of energy which blows up all lights and electronics in the vicinity.
Interesting you'd talk about games. The duals between immortals until one is left is called The Game. But it's actually the most serious game possible in the movieworld; the prize gives you dominion over all.
After hearing it the 1st time feels like a mix of ML Kings speech and The Great John Lennons Brilliant "Imagin"
Patiently and anxiously waiting on more Grateful Dead
It's Brian May baby ❤
The first growl recorded was on a The Who song called Boris the Spider in 1966.
The topic of deliberate vocal distortion can be an entire discussion all it's own. "Screaming" Jay Hawkins was using natural voice distortion and the iconic "metal scream" in 1956 and the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Motorhead and Queen were all hugely popular groups that used their own variations of voice distortion, growls and screams in their music. By the 1980's multiple sub-genres had begun to develop around the metal voice. And the use of technology to alter the voice is another discussion in itself.
Only some of the songs off the album are from Highlander.
In a nutshell..
It's a film about 15c Scottish man who discovers he's immortal and is shunned by his tribe. The story gradually moves to modern day where he has to fight other immortals (you can be killed by decapitation) for "The Prize", which it's to be able to impart knowledge and understanding to the world.
The filmed bombed at the first screenings and then Queen supplied the soundtrack... one of my favourite films.
Leaving fried chicken in the released version was Jim Hutton's idea, he liked it so Fred agreed. The only track where a documentary film crew recorded them making it, and the first song of the magic tour sets. The strings are of course keyboard.
Yes - please watch the film!!!
Hi 👋 Mrs Amy, that’s another vinyl that I reduced in nothing listening and listening to.
You said they aren’t the early, theatrical ones. Well I would say they still are, but the opera is more modern. You said kind of arcade center, I thought a starships battle scenario with laser beams and other noisy stuff.
You also told they change rhythm seamlessly within the song, and that’s house’s speciality. Wait until you listen to “innuendo” if you want something that starts in a (musical) place and jumps to another at the antipodes.
Or even more evident in the now distant song you didn’t react to, the prophet song, which is really a modern musical masterpiece in my opinion. Anyway, in this song there is not a note out of place, especially the lead guitar that sometimes seems irritating your ears a little bit.
they’re absolutely great, who can’t like this song?
Thank you in advance for reading. Have a nice summer.
Yep, VR.. definitely see the movie.. it's not "great" but entertaining anyway.. and features quite a few Queen song... they were originally going to do just one... but after seeing the movie, Freddie really wanted to do more.. one of the most beautiful is Brian's "Who wants to live forever"... appreciate your reaction, as always... (p.s. playing with the synths, finally.. also, if you see the movie, there is continuing theme that "there can be only one"... lol... and in end everyone just wants fried chicken...
This track was the opening on their final 1986 magic tour.
I’ve been waiting for the Highlander era
I think the opening lines are" our missions to save, your mysterious ways"
One Vision was included in the sound track for the film Iron Eagle not Highlander. Both movies are great fun. Have a date night with Vlad and watch them both. It'll be fun.
I would highly recommend "floor jansen and hank port - phantom of the opera"
You wont regret it.
About the growling voice: here it is not naturally produced by a human, it is a recording trick, I think they slowed the tape down. That's what it sounds like to me, at least. I'm not sure about the history of metal growling/screaming either, but I don't think 1985 is too early for it. I can definitely think of high screams before then; low growls, I don't know, but I'm not very familiar with the topic.
This one is as fantastic live as anything at Live Aid. This is the opening on The Magic Tour - their last tour. They play the very beginning from tape, but do almost everything else live, so it's a bit different again, but the spirit is the same.
Oh I can relate totally to the fuzzyness of this song, but I promise, the song will grow on you if tou give it some time!
Hi Amy,
To understand the song you have to watch the movie.
All will become Clear❤