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Rating: Everyone knows Queen by now, who doesn't know them? However, not everyone knows that before debuting with the album Queen, our heroes had recorded some demos for the program "Sound of The 70's" that would later come to life on the debut albums Queen and Queen II. Some of these demos, actually, those that could be improved in quality, were included in an album, WHICH IS NOT A BOOTLEG, but an official album: Queen At The Beeb (called in the USA Queen At The BBC).
This album features eight demos, of which the first 4 were recorded on February 5th, 1973, and the other 4 on December 3rd of the same year. The differences between the versions on this album and those released in the debut albums are, in some aspects, different, with fewer arrangements (logically, they are all recorded live) and with some changes. "My Fairy King" opens the album and is almost identical to the version on Queen I. "Keep Yourself Alive," apart from some word changes at the end of the chorus, is practically identical to the original version. "Doing All Right" is the same, except in the last verse, where it's not Freddie singing, but Roger. "Liar" is practically identical to the original, except for some changes in the middle part (the one that goes "Mama I'm Gonna Be Your Slave"). "Ogre Battle" is the only demo from Queen II taken on this album, but it is shortened in the first part, too damaged to be remastered (just listen to it in the bootleg Golden Demos to understand why...).
The rest is almost identical to the final version, with a Freddie, however, with a subdued voice compared to the appearances of the early 70s, as it seems he has a cold when singing this song, but this effect can be heard in practically all the songs on this album. "Great King Rat" doesn't have the stereo effects and is much more similar to the live version. "Modern Times Rock'n'Roll" is the one that differs a bit more from the final version, as it is longer and more heavy metal.
So, we arrive at the song that is most different from the final version, that is, "Son & Daughter," where the first part is almost identical (but "shovel shit" is replaced by "shovel it"...) to the version on Queen I, but after the 2nd verse, there's an instrumental part of almost 5 minutes that turns out to be very boring in certain parts, with unnecessary extremes from May, in which more than ever he shows a big weak point of his: long solos, which turn out to be monotonous, bland even if not bad. In reality, the solo is in the style of "Blag" (a song by Smile), which will then be included and modified in "Brighton Rock." Then the first verse starts again (with the usual censored "shovel shit" which for the record means "shovel shit") and then there's a thrilling final part, with Taylor's tolling and perpetual drums accompanying this epic conclusion! This version will be used in live performances.
Queen At The Beeb is penalized by the lack of knowledge (at least among non-Queen fans) of the original songs and the poor advertising it received, but also by the idea, which isn't bad, but that perhaps would have deserved a repetition with other demos (but bootlegs have thought of that to solve the situation!).
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 My Fairy King (04:06)
In the land where horses born with eagle wings
And honey bees have lost their stings
There's singing forever
Lions den with fallow deer
And rivers made from wine so clear
Flow on and on forever
Dragons fly like sparrows thru' the air
And baby lambs where Samson dares
To go on on on on on on
My fairy king can see things
He rules the air and turns the tides
That are not there for you and me
Ooh yeah he guides the winds
My fairy king can do right and nothing wrong
Then came man to savage in the night
To run like thieves and to kill like knives
To take away the power from the magic hand
To bring about the ruin to the promised land
They turn the milk into sour
Like the blue in the blood of my veins
Why can't you see it
Fire burnin' in hell with the cry of screaming pain
Son of heaven set me free and let me go
Sea turn dry no salt from sand
Seasons fly no helping hand
Teeth don't shine like pearls for the poor man's eyes
Someone someone has drained the colour from my wings
Broken my fairy circle ring
And shamed the king in all his pride
Changed the winds and wronged the tides
Mother Mercury Mercury
Look what they've done to me
I cannot run I cannot hide
04 Liar (06:28)
I have sinned dear Father
Father I have sinned
Try and help me Father
Won't you let me in?
Liar
Oh nobody believes me
Liar
Why don't they leave me alone?
Sire I have stolen
Stolen many times
Raised my voice in anger
When I know I never should
Liar
Oh ev'rybody deceives me
Liar
Why don't you leave me alone?
Liar I have sailed the seas
Liar from Mars to Mercury
Liar I have drunk the wine
Liar time after time
Liar you're lying to me
Liar you're lying to me
Father please forgive me
You know you'll never leave me
Please will you direct me in the right way
Liar liar liar liar
Liar that's what they keep calling me
Liar liar liar
Listen are you gonna listen
Mama I'm gonna be your slave
All day long
Mama I'm gonna try behave
All day long
Mama I'm gonna be your slave
All day long
I'm gonna serve you till your dying day
All day long
I'm gonna keep you till your dying day
All day long
I'm gonna kneel down by your side and pray
All day long and pray
All day long and pray
All day long and pray
All day long all day long all day long
All day long all day long all day long
All day long all day long all day long
Liar liar they never ever let you win
Liar liar everything you do is sin
Liar nobody believes you
Liar they bring you down before you begin
Now let me tell you this
Now you know you could be dead before they let you
05 Ogre Battle (03:56)
Words and music by Freddie Mercury
Now once upon a time
An old man told me a fable
When the piper is gone
And the soup is cold on the table
And if the black crow flies
To find a new destination
That is the sign
Come tonight
Come to the ogre site
Come to the ogre battle fight
He gives a great big cry
And he can swallow up the ocean
With a mighty tongue he catches flies
And the palm of his hand incredible size
One great big eye has to focus in your direction
Now the battle is on
Yeah yeah yeah!
Come tonight
Come to the ogre site
Come to the ogre battle fight
Ah ah ah ah ah
The ogre men are still inside
The two way mirror mountain
You gotta keep down
Right out of sight
You can't see in but they can see out
Keep a look out
The ogre men are coming out
From the two way mirror mountain
They're running up behind
And they're coming all about
Can't go east 'cause you gotta go south
Ogre men are going home
The great big fight is over
Bugle blow let trumpet cry
Ogre battle lives for ever more
You can come along
You can come along
Come to ogre battle
08 Son and Daughter (07:08)
I want you
to be a woman
Tried to be a son and daughter rolled into one
You said you'd equal any man for having your fun
Now didn't you feel surprised to find
The cap just didn't fit
The world expects a man
To buckle down and to shovel shit
What'll you do for loving
When it's only just begun?
I want you to be a woman
Tried to be a teacher and a fisher of men
An equal people preacher
Will you lead us all the same?
Well I travelled all round the world
A brand new word for day
Watching the time mustn't linger behind
Pardon me I have to get away
What'll you think of heaven
If it's back from where you came?
I want you to be a woman
I want you to be a woman yeah
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