This album is a great compilation of queens early hits. Containing 17 of their best songs, spanning the 70s and 80s, this album shows the full range of Queen's talents.
The album contains a variety of styles.
<Rock Anthems>
Two classic Rock anthems start you off, We Will Rock You, and We Are the Champions. These songs are often heard at sports events and are instantly recognizable. Freddie Mercury almost chants the lyrics as the guitar of Brian May thunders around the stadium.
<Ballads>
Somebody to Love is perhaps a cross between a ballad and a rock song, starting off quietly and ending in a mass of rock & roll. Now I'm Here, again not quite a ballad, but close enough. Beautiful harmonics in this song give it an interesting edge as again we have a cross between a ballad and a soft rock song.
<Others>
Most of the other songs are really hard to classify. A mixture of soft and hard rock, mixed in with a little ballad and love song, and some good old fashioned rock & roll! There's even a bit of Pop thrown in!
This album really has something for everyone, songs to inspire, to laugh at, to cry along to, to relax to or to pump you up! It is a very good cross section of the early years of Queen and is a must for all music fans!
The only thing missing is Bohemian Rhapsody, perhaps their most famous song of all! This classic Rock / Ballad / Operatic song would have finished off this collection nicely (I note that Bohemian Rhapsody does appear on Greatest Hits 2, but I feel it should have been on the first one!)
Here is a brief comment on some of my favourite song on the album:
<We Will Rock You >
Perhaps one of the most recognisable rock anthems of all time. This song epiimizes the power and passion of Freddie Mercury and Queen. It is very catchy and will soon have you singing along. It is a typical queen song with heavy guitar combining with Freddie's strong voice to produce a classic hit.
<We Are The Champions>
Often played with 'We will Rock You' this is another rock anthem that combines heavy guitar, but also has a softer feel to it than 'We will Rock You'. It is played most often at sports events to stir the crowd into a frenzy.
<Another One Bites The Dust>
Hard to categorize this song; it is very repetitive in stlye and verse but is somehow catchy. The lyrics are fairly simple; the music is staright forward allowing Freddie to somehow add a little passion and humour into this song.
<Killer Queen>
A great example of Queen's use of humour and yet subtle lyrics to provide an interesting and enjoyable story. This song's style varie throughout as Freddie shows his full vocal range as he moves up and down the key. The tempo is slower than many of the rock songs.
<Somebody To Love>
A beautifully soft ballad at first that builds up in tempo and sound and becomes very powerful. It basically says that everyone needs somebody to love at some point. At times Freddie is quietly singing accompanied softly by the rest of the band giving it an almost dream like quality.
<You're My Best Friend>
An upbeat soft rock song hat tells of friendship between best friends. The tempo is fairly quick combining with the soft chords and the gentle vocals to produce a very good song.
<I Want To Break Free>
Perhaps more famous for the video in which Freddie dresses as a cleaning lady, this song almost reaches out to all that are oppressed and gives them a message to be who they are.
It is a combines great guitar work with some wonderful lyrics to provide a very powerful message.
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Good review. Better CD, an absolute classic which will never date.
Littleswamp1 23.03.2005 22:40
Everyone has favouriites and dislikes on a compilation and, great though the band are, Queen are no exception to this. Some of my favourites on this CD you did not mention. each to their own.
none-blonde 04.10.2004 17:21
Good op. I've been meaning to get my hands on one of Queen's greatest hits album, We will Rock you and We are the Champions, are classics, I always thought one of the two should be Englands national anthem !
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