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Potentially difficult and slightly embarrassing question for Queen fans:
What are your top 5 tracks from The Miracle?
(Why yes, I have been listing to @LapPods )
What are your top 5 tracks from The Miracle?
(Why yes, I have been listing to @LapPods )
First day off in a while, so here's the album, track by track:
Track 1: Party
I remember liking this as a kid (it came out in 1989. I was 6, but didn't come across it until a few years later). Listening back as an adult, it's awful in both production and lyrically, leaving a nasty taste in the mouth. Began as a jam. So did Under Pressure.
I remember liking this as a kid (it came out in 1989. I was 6, but didn't come across it until a few years later). Listening back as an adult, it's awful in both production and lyrically, leaving a nasty taste in the mouth. Began as a jam. So did Under Pressure.
Track 2: Khashoggi's Ship
Builds on (and segues from) Party's themes both musically and lyrically, also developing that nasty taste by seemingly glorifying an arms dealer. Pass the bleach.
Builds on (and segues from) Party's themes both musically and lyrically, also developing that nasty taste by seemingly glorifying an arms dealer. Pass the bleach.
Track 3: The Miracle
Much better and a decent song on its own, but a bit weird to have "peace on Earth and and end to war" following on directly from "we're partying on an arms dealer's boat and that's cool". The video is fantastic. I wonder what those kids are doing now?
Much better and a decent song on its own, but a bit weird to have "peace on Earth and and end to war" following on directly from "we're partying on an arms dealer's boat and that's cool". The video is fantastic. I wonder what those kids are doing now?
Track 4: I want it All
Yes! A rock track! Suffering a little from Queen's tendency in the later albums to over-produce, and the guitars could definitely be meatier. I'm being picky though: this is definitely a non-skipper and a genuinely decent part of Queen's legacy.
Yes! A rock track! Suffering a little from Queen's tendency in the later albums to over-produce, and the guitars could definitely be meatier. I'm being picky though: this is definitely a non-skipper and a genuinely decent part of Queen's legacy.
Track 5: The Invisible Man
A utterly ridiculous song, apparently designed to appeal to this 40+ year-old band's child audience, but I secretly (and possibly controversially) really like it. It's good fun, if very disposable.
A utterly ridiculous song, apparently designed to appeal to this 40+ year-old band's child audience, but I secretly (and possibly controversially) really like it. It's good fun, if very disposable.
Track 6: Breakthru
One of the better songs on a generally weak album. Lyrically lovely, and musically great but too much synth-for-the-sake-of-synth. This could be rocked-up into a great power-ballad. I bet it would make a great live track, but I don't think they ever did it.
One of the better songs on a generally weak album. Lyrically lovely, and musically great but too much synth-for-the-sake-of-synth. This could be rocked-up into a great power-ballad. I bet it would make a great live track, but I don't think they ever did it.
Track 7: Rain Must Fall
Weird, and verging on cultural-appropriation. Not terrible lyrically but feels very disposable-synth-pop musically.
Weird, and verging on cultural-appropriation. Not terrible lyrically but feels very disposable-synth-pop musically.
Track 8: Scandal
One of the best songs on the album and I'm not entirely sure why it isn't played more (it was the 4th single). A good rock track with a poignant message if you realise the very personal circumstances behind the lyrics. Plenty of synth that should be guitar.
One of the best songs on the album and I'm not entirely sure why it isn't played more (it was the 4th single). A good rock track with a poignant message if you realise the very personal circumstances behind the lyrics. Plenty of synth that should be guitar.
This is a brief interlude to say that I don't have anything against synths specifically. It's just that the synths used in this album are crap and it all feels like mucking around in your bedroom on that cheap keyboard you got for Christmas. They seem to have forgotten that...
... they have one of the BEST ROCK GUITARISTS OF ALL TIME in the band. I think there are some weak digital drums here and there too, despite having one of the BEST ROCK DRUMMERS OF ALL TIME in the band.
Track 9: My Baby Does Me
Lazy lyrics, forgettable music. Feels kind of seedy.
Lazy lyrics, forgettable music. Feels kind of seedy.
Track 10: Was it All Worth It
Odd whale-sound intro, but a corking riff. Lyrically fairly sound, but with a couple of cringey bits. Again, I'd like to have seen what the band would do with a live version of this.
Odd whale-sound intro, but a corking riff. Lyrically fairly sound, but with a couple of cringey bits. Again, I'd like to have seen what the band would do with a live version of this.
Track 11: Hang on in There
Originally a B-side (to I Want it All) and you can tell. Weird choice to end the album as it's a bit of forgettable filler. Feels like background music in a movie bar scene.
Originally a B-side (to I Want it All) and you can tell. Weird choice to end the album as it's a bit of forgettable filler. Feels like background music in a movie bar scene.
Track 12: Chinese Toture
OK, so Hang on in There doesn't actually end the album... but this feels like a "bonus track" tagged on at the end. A bit of Brian May self-indulgence (not always a bad thing by any means), but not an example you'd pick to show non-Queen fans.
OK, so Hang on in There doesn't actually end the album... but this feels like a "bonus track" tagged on at the end. A bit of Brian May self-indulgence (not always a bad thing by any means), but not an example you'd pick to show non-Queen fans.
There are some notable B-sides: Hijack My Heart isn't a bad Taylor-vocals track, but it doesn't sound very Queen. Stealin' is fun (the track, not the act), and My Life Has Been Saved came back as an album track on Made In Heaven.
