Greatest Hits III - Queen > Reviews > Greatest Hits 3 More like 3 good songs

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Unmemorable
Value for Money

Advantages:	There are some great songs on here
Disadvantages:	but there are far too many 'filers' to make it a true Greatest Hits comilation !

Recommend to potential buyers:

no

Full review

An often asked question amongst Queen fans is 'how often can Queen Productions keep repackaging the old material before the hardcore stop buying it?'. It appears that before long we'll have the answer. This is another shamelessly exploitative compilation package that almost struggles to fill it's 74 minute running time -after all, there's only been one album of new material released since the last package. Here, however, the Queen catlogue is combed through to find hidden 'gems' that had been previous rejects of the last two Greatest Hits albums. 'Las Palabras Des Amor' was left of GHII, as was 'Thank God It's Christmas' - both because of dubious chart placings that stretched the word 'hit' to its limits. They both appear here, however, to satisfy completists who feel that every Queen single must therefore qualify as a hit, regardless of its chart position. Worse is to follow however, as those in charge have decided to include solo material from the band members - Brian May's 'Driven By You' makes an unwelcome addition to the package, as does the inclusion of 'dubious' versions of Queen songs performed by Elton John and George Michael. Michael's version of Somebody To Love is, admittedly, very impressive, and it did reach number one after all, but the addition of Elton John's never released version of The Show Must Go On, sung about an octave lower than Freddie, and lacking in any of the power that made the original such a classic seems only to be related to the fact that they had video footage to accompany it on the VHS release of same package. Then there is that Wyclef Jean remix of Another One Bites The Dust - it's not that it is a particularly bad interpreastion of the song, it is just so out of place on this compilation. There are redeeming features however. 'Princes Of The Universe' appears - why it was left off the last compilation is still mysitfying, even though it only ever had a stateside release. 'No One But You', the Queen sans Freddie song also features - and is glorious in every way. The 'rah' remix of Under Pressure is a pleasant surprise - a mix that actually adds something to the original, althoguht the first vocal introdution from Freddie does make it sound like the producers were routing around the vaults for and new material of the great man to include.

And so the package ends. And questions still surround it. Where was Scandal - a bigger hit than anything Queen released from Hot Space save Under Pressure? But more worrying, where was 'A Winters Tale', the second biggest song off the Made In Heaven album, and with a glorious video to match? Two opportunities missed - perhaps they're saving them for Greatest Hits 4 including outtakes from Freddie singing in the bath and some cover versions by tribute bands and pan pipe orchestra's. Don't laugh, at this rate it is a distinct possibiility.