The Show Must Go On (The Platinum Collection: Greatest Hits I, II & III - Queen)

Member Name: DixieChick101

Product:	The Platinum Collection: Greatest Hits I, II & III - Queen
Date:	31/08/08 (75 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A great lead singer, guitarist, drummer, lyrics.

Disadvantages: Some weak tracks

Due to the fact that this album has 51 tracks on it, I am in no way going to go into detail on each track like I do in my other reviews. This will take me days to write due to the fact that the tracks are just so good, and it will take you hours to read, so I'm just going to go into detail on the tracks I love and which one's I think will make you want to buy the album and why you should buy it.

My mum had this album in her collection and over the past few years I have gotten into the incredible music that is Queen. I had a look at her collection and decided to take a look at this wonderful collection. Here's the review.

------------------------------------------------
Who are Queen?
------------------------------------------------

Queen were an English Rock band from England, who released over 60 songs over at least two decades. This was put on hold however when their front man Freddie Mercury was killed by AIDS however, Brian May (the guitarist) and the rest of the band still carry on today.

------------------------------------------------
Greatest Hits 1
------------------------------------------------

Track 1- Bohemian Rhapsody (9/10)
Track 2- Another One Bites The Dust (5/10
Track 3- Killer Queen (4/10)
Track 4- Fat Bottomed Girls (5/10)
Track 5- Bicycle Race (5/10)
Track 6- You're my Best Friend (6/10)
Track 7- Don't Stop Me Now (10/10
Track 8- Save Me (6/10)
Track 9- Crazy Little Thing Called Love (6/10)
Track 10- Somebody To Love (9/10)
Track 11- Now I'm Here (3/10)
Track 12- Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy (3/10)
Track 13- Play The Game (2/10)
Track 14- Flash (6/10)
Track 15- Seven Seas Of Rhye (4/10)
Track 16- We Will Rock You (9/10)
Track 17- We are the Champions (10/10)
------------------------------------------------
Track 1- Bohemian Rhapsody (Rating: 9/10)
------------------------------------------------

Such a great track, I could listen to this over and over again. One of the reason's this song is so good, is that is doesn't follow the usual pattern most songs use. It has no chorus, the beat is not the same throughout, as it includes Mercury singing accapella in one bit, and then it seems to go operatic and then into heavy metal.

This is one of Queen's most famous tracks and rightly so, it's amazing how this song was put together, who came up with the idea of putting what seems to be 3 or 4 songs together to make this track was just amazingly thought out. Being a guitarist myself I love Brian May especially in this track, the solos he gets to do are just mind blowing. Not my favourite track however like most people.

------------------------------------------------
Track 7- Don't Stop Me Now (Rating: 10/10)
------------------------------------------------

Pure brilliance. I could listen to this song over and over and never get bored. This is my ultimate favourite on the album, I just love the way it starts of slow and then get's into it and becomes a fantastic rock track. It's am amazing track, and Murcury's voice is just amazing in it. I myself when listening to this track always see the scene in Shaun Of The Dead when they are beating the zombies, it really went with the scene and every time there's a beat in the track I can see one of the cast members hitting a zombie.

Released in 1979 this track was written by Murcury and is just absolute perfection. Brian May shines in this piece again, with an amazing riff in the middle which really makes this track what it is today. A brilliant and memorable track.

------------------------------------------------
Track 10- Somebody To Love (Rating 9/10)
------------------------------------------------

I love this track, what a good track? It starts off quite operatic which makes you want to turn it over however I just love Mercury's voice in this song, it's so powerful and the lyrics are just amazing. One of the best tracks out there, it's such a deep song, and one you can listen to over and over again.

The song was apparently based on a gospel choir arrangement and you can really see that, it's such a complicated song, but has been redone hundreds of times by many different artists.

Lyrics: Each morning I get up I die a little, can barely stand on my feet, take a look in the mirror and cry, lord, what are you doing to me. I have spent all my years believing you, but I just can't get no relief, lord.

------------------------------------------------
Track 16- We Will Rock You
------------------------------------------------

One of the most famous Queen tracks, everyone could easily clap along to this song and everyone knows it. This song was actually written by Brian May and is such an unforgettable track, even just the opening scene where it sounds like hundreds of people are clapping and stamping, it sounds just amazing. Then Mercury's voice joins in and it just gets even better.

This song has been covered hundreds of times by many different artists but never done to the same calibre that Queen managed to do. Brian May's guitar comes in near the end, it starts off as a whining sound and you know just what's about to come, he's a pretty amazing guitarist.

------------------------------------------------
Track 17- We Are The Champions
------------------------------------------------

This is one of there most famous songs and a very popular song. It was designed to go with We Will Rock You and you will often find the top of them being paired together with this one following We Will Rock You. It's a very upbeat and moving song and every time I listen to it, you can almost see yourself swaying along to it. It's a brilliant song, which really uplifts you, and it's joined by May's amazing guitar and he really makes it what it is today. Mercury's voice is brilliant no denying that and with Brian May it just works, everytime. If there's a good beat, good lyrics, Mercury's voice is used to it's full potential and Brian May has a solo, it's going to be a great song.

------------------------------------------------
Overall view of this CD
------------------------------------------------

This is supposed to be the best CD in the pack and it's filled with everyone's favourites from the likes of Somebody To Love and We Are the Champions. It's a very good CD however there are some weak tracks on the album. The reason I love the big anthems is because of his voice, it's so powerful and he projects so well, however not in some of these tracks. He seems to pull back a lot which is a shame.

One constant however is Brian May's guitar skills; bloody hell is this guy good. His riffs usually make the song what it is today, they are powerful, and the most important thing is they go with Mercury's voice oh so well. A brilliant addition.

I am glad however that my mum (whose CD this is) brought it as a compilation CD and not just this one on its own. It does have so many of the greats but not all of them. If your like me, then you use a lot of the songs to put onto your Ipod or MP3 and quite a few of these were pulled off but in no way were all of them.

The CD is a great addition but not really one for the die hard fans as it doesn't have everything on there.

------------------------------------------------
Greatest Hits 2
------------------------------------------------

Track 1- A Kind Of Magic (Rating 6/10)
Track 2- Under Pressure (9/10)
Track 3- Radio GA GA (6/10)
Track 4- I want it all (7/10)
Track 5- I Want To Break Free (8/10)
Track 6- Innuendo (4/10)
Track 7- It's a Hard Life (5/10)
Track 8- Breakthru (4/10)
Track 9- Who Wants To Live Forever (6/10)
Track 10- Headlong (5/10)
Track 11- The Miracle (6/10)
Track 12- I'm Going Slightly Mad (4/10)
Track 13- The Invisible Man (6/10)
Track 14- Hammer to Fall (6/10)
Track 15- Friends Will Be Friends (7/10)
Track 16- The Show Must Go On (10/10)
Track 17- One Vision (6/10)
------------------------------------------------
Track 1- A Kind Of Magic (Rating 6/10)
------------------------------------------------

Another strong track and a brilliant start to this second part of the compilation. The track was written by Roger Taylor and it hit Number 3 in Britain. It's a very upbeat song, with a great beat and Mercury's voice is very strong like usual. A great track.

------------------------------------------------
Track 2- Under Pressure (9/10)
------------------------------------------------

Featuring David Bowie this tracks is one of my favourites. I love the stars it just starts of with a simple beat, and then I assume Mercury's doing a little bit of skatting and then 'UNDER PRESSURE', it's such an amazing song and the start really get's you straight into it. This is one of the bands greatest successes and their first collaboration with another artist. I have no idea who David Bowie is as a music artist, I have seen him in The Prestige but that was only as an actor, however his voice goes so well with Freddie Mercury's in this track. It's such a well written and well put together track, that was only just the result of an impromptu recording session and this track was made. A great addition to the album.

------------------------------------------------
Track 4- I Want It All (7/10)
------------------------------------------------

Isn't this the tune to the DFS advert? It's not one of the best tracks; I just wanted to know if it was the tune from the advert. Mercury's voice is very good and the song is very catchy and the lyrics seem to be pretty good.

------------------------------------------------
Track 5- I Want To Break Free (8/10)
------------------------------------------------

Another one of their famous tracks, written by John Deacon and released in the early 80's. Such a brilliant song, I love Mercury's voice in this song, it's very raw as it almost seems like he's singing it acoustically. A brilliant addition to the album and such a nice song to listen to. The song itself remained on the chart for 15 weeks and became one of the bands best hits.

------------------------------------------------
Track 16- The Show Must Go On (10/10)
------------------------------------------------

This track was the last one Freddie Mercury ever released. 6 weeks later he died. Such an amazing song, especially the chorus. I have heard that Brian May wrote this song when he knew Freddie was going to die. It's such a powerful song and his voice is filled with such emotion and so powerful even when he knew he didn't have long left to live.

This song actually gives me when I listen to it, mainly because of Freddie's voice, such a powerful song.

Lyrics: My soul is pained like the wings of butterflies, fairy tales of yesterday will grow but never die, I can fly, my friends.

------------------------------------------------
My opinion of this CD
------------------------------------------------

Some great tracks on this album, The Show Must Go On really does give you Goosebumps, each song I have reviewed individually has one thing in common. They are all sung perfectly and sung so powerfully, I especially love The Show Must Go On as it was the last few weeks of Mercury's life but the song was sung to his best. The album itself I believe is one of the weaker ones, as there are too many weak songs on the album which is a damn shame because some of their best work is on here including the likes of Under Pressure and Somebody To Love.

This is a great CD as part of a compilation but is not good for die hard fans on its own as it's got to many weak tracks and not the brilliant ones.

------------------------------------------------
Greatest Hits 3
------------------------------------------------

Track 1- The Show Must Go On- (9/10)
Track 2- Under Pressure (4/10)
Track 3- Barcelona (7/10)
Track 4- Too Much Love Will Kill You
Track 5- Somebody To Love (7/10)
Track 6- You Don't Fall Me (5/10)
Track 7- Heaven's For Everyone (7/10)
Track 8- Las Palabras De Amor (8/10)
Track 9- Driven By You (5/10)
Track 10- Living On My Own (6/10)
Track 11- Let Me Live (8/10)
Track 12- The Great Pretender (5/10)
Track 13- Princes Of The Universe (7/10)
Track 14- Another One Bites The Dust Remix (5/10)
Track 15- No One But You (10/10)
Track 16- These Are The Days Of Our Lives (9/10)
Track 17- Thank God It's Christmas (6/10)
------------------------------------------------
Track 1- The Show Must Go On- (9/10)
------------------------------------------------

Freddie Mecury did not perform this as it was done well after his death. Elton John takes lead vocals playing alongside the rest of the band members of Queen. It was a previously unreleased song until this album, and recorded at the Theatre National De Challiot in Paris. A deep and moving performance even though Mercury isn't singing it. This song was a tribute to Freddie Mercury and like the track on the other album preformed by Freddie the lyrics give you Goosebumps. It's not as good as Freddie's version but what a tribute to have your band and a star like Elton John singing your most famous song.

Lyrics: "Empty spaces, what are we living for, abandoned places, I guess we know the score, on and on, does anybody know what we are looking for?"

------------------------------------------------
Track 2- Under Pressure (4/10)
------------------------------------------------

This is a fantastic track originally and this one is preformed after Mercury's death sung by David Bowie & Queen. It's a remix so it's not really as good as the original, I originally thought this was just David Bowie and Queen; however it's actually just a remix of the song. It's quite a disappointment however.

------------------------------------------------
Track 3- Barcelona (7/10)
------------------------------------------------

Monteserrat Caballe asked Freddie to write a song about her home town. It starts off quite boring, I'm not a big operatic fan, however when they get to the chorus his voice shines through. I'm still giving it a lower rate as Caballe's voice does peeve me off slightly. It was a hit single in 1987 and then became the anthem for the Olympic Games in 1992. This song is really a true anthem.

"I had this perfect dream, un sueno me envolvio, this dream was me and you, tal vez esta aqui, I want all the world to see, un instinto me guiaba, a miracle sensation"

------------------------------------------------
Track 4- Too Much Love Will Kill You (8/10)
------------------------------------------------

A very nice song, it's not typical Queen music and at the start I thought I wouldn't do a review on it, however his voice is so powerful in this song, especially in the chorus. A very nice slow but still slightly rocky as Mercury's voice really makes it. Near the end the drums kick in and it just makes it even more powerful. It's one of the rare songs on the album when it focuses more on Mercury's vocal talent than operatic techniques and Brian May's guitar solos. A great addition to the album.

Lyrics: "I'm the shadow of the man I used to be, and it seems like there's no way out of this for me, I used to bring you sunshine, but now all I ever do is bring you down"

------------------------------------------------
Track 5- Somebody To Love (7/10)
------------------------------------------------

This track like I said before is such an amazing track, however I'm not a big fan of this one as it's a duet for George Michael. It's not as powerful as the original which is a shame.

------------------------------------------------
Track 15- No One But You (10/10)
------------------------------------------------
This song is preformed by Brian May and was written as a tribute to all of those people who died before their time like Freddie Mercury and Diana. Such a beautiful song and such a meaniful song because I knew someone who died way too young, and there's many actors like Heath Ledger, River Phoenix etc who have been taken before their time and this song seem to be a soundtrack for them. A well written and beautifully preformed track.

Lyrics: "One by one, only the good die young, they're only flying too close to the sun, and life goes on, without you"

Track 16- These Are The Days Of Our Lives (9/10)

Another beautiful song, very well sung by Mercury. It's a very poignant song as well, and it's probably one of their most well known songs. I love the start as it's so simple, but it really makes you listen, a brilliant song with some great lyrics. A great addition to the album.

------------------------
My Opinion of this CD
------------------------

Such amazing tracks on here, this is apparently the least liked CD but I think that a lot of the songs on here are amazing. Espcially No One But You, I had never heard it before today and it's truly a moving and amazing song and a great tribute to not only just Freddie Mercury but all of those people who are taken from us too young.

There are some brilliant 'tribute' sort of tracks on this album and I think that is what it's about, these are all of the remix's and the ones other people have decided to create or that were created alongside Mercury and Queen.

A great addition to the collection and again not really one to buy on it's own but in a collection it's pretty brilliant.
------------------------
Overall Opinion
------------------------

Buy the compilation, I could listen to it over and over again. There are some weak tracks but I use Itunes for mine and deleted the ones I didn't want to listen to and put all the ones I do on shuffle. These songs are truly legendary. Freddie Mercury and the rest of the band were legends and their vocal ability, guitar ability, drummer ability and their ability to write these amazing songs that are loved by millions 20 years later is pretty fantastic.

This album really showcases what brilliance Queen really was. I once said that 80's music was full of awful lyrics and bad videos, the latter being some of Queen's as there video's weren't the best always and were always considered quite weird. However the lyrics this band created is just pure brilliance. They use their own experiences to create these lyrics that people are still signing today.

Who knows maybe the stage shock of We Will Rock You will become a big screen début like Mamma Mia did, maybe that will be my first project as a director. Everyone knows and loves the songs, they are uplifting just like the abba songs. I shall start a petition. Lol

The album is well worth buying, I've tried to review each of the songs I can, as 51 songs would have taken me days to review, so I hope this review was helpful.

All information like the dates of the tracks and who sung them was gathered from the little booklet that comes with the collection. It's full of information on each track and is such a nice little addition to the collection.

This work is completely mine, in no way copied from the likes of wikepedia, if you believe this is so, please talk to me and not other members. Thank you. If you are members of ciao you will probably know what this little rant is about.

© Kirsty.

Summary: Some weak tracks however a great addition to your collection.