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Rating: Jazz? Jazz? Jazz? How so? No, dear readers! That's just nonsense. This is rock!
The Queen's album from 1978 titled “Jazz” has almost nothing of that genre but can be fully classified as the album, along with the debut one, being the most rock and roll of the Queen. A return of style? In some ways, yes, but, you know, at the time it was more seen as a “fall of style.” Sales were low, don't even mention America. Let's go through the tracks together and find out why.
1) “Mustapha”. Freddie Mercury, as previously mentioned, didn't love foreign languages and didn't love to tell anything about his life before London, i.e., Zanzibar and Panchgani (Bombay). Here, however, he truly surprises us. It’s a really captivating track with an Arab-musical scent that goes hand in hand with a bouncing rhythm. Freddie shoots words, without great “philosophy,” in a language he knew well and obsessively repeats “Mustapha Ibrahim, Allah prays for you!” He knew that language, it was his childhood tongue. There's a sense of anticipation in the piece, but there's no real text. A great explosion in a finale complete with choirs. Dizzying carousel.
2) “Fat Bottomed girls”. Sure, dedicating a track to girls with big bums turned out to be too brazen for the USA, but in Europe, it didn't do too badly. Written by May, it's a pounding in a great march style, but in a rock key with a sumptuous chorus in Queen style. At the time, many didn't like it, but it wasn't an insult because May encouraged the “fat-bottomed girls to turn this crazy world around.” Messy song, too much for Brian May.
3) “Jealousy”. Mercury's most melodic piece on the album. Certainly cliché, sweet, predictable, but one can't deny a splendid vocal performance by the Indo-English singer which turns any song into a gem. We Italians love these pieces. Elsewhere it didn't meet with success. I think it's right that way.
4) “Bicycle Race”. The emblematic track of the album. Still a splash in the style of “Mustapha” but much more articulated and varied. It goes from slow to fast, from bouncing to musical interruption with an orchestra made only of bicycle bells and a very funny riff by May. Truly ironic piece: “You say coke, I say caine, you say John, I say Wayne, you say smile, I say cheese” and many more to discover. The video with naked girls on bikes shocked everyone and caused the entire album to fall into the depths. This track is, on the contrary, worthy of the best Queen.
5) “If you can't beat them”. Written by an all-round author Deacon, very engaging rock where the bassist invites you to join the stronger ones if you cannot beat them. Surely a light rock. It suffers from lengthiness but there's a strong portrayal.
6) “Let me entertain you”. One of the most compelling songs in Rock history. I'm not exaggerating when I state this. Back then, Freddie really left everyone stunned who saw him live. He was a whirlwind, a pure-blooded entertainer. This is one of those tracks to play at 2000 watts to blow everything up! Heart-racing!!!
7) “Dead on Time”. One of May's pieces par excellence! One of the cult guitar pieces! A violent storm where Brian showcases his supreme guitar technique both in accompaniment and solo. Frenetic track, Freddie sings quickly just as May's “Red Special” travels at the speed of light. It conveys the sense of pressure and obsession today for the punctuality that wears us down. Full maturity of May, breath-taking song.
8) “In only seven days”. Oh, Deacon again! Incredible! He got a taste for it but, like Mercury's “Jealousy,” this too is a track inserted in the mix only to temper slightly too high rhythms. The strategy makes sense, but these slow pieces seem to lack great attention from the group, too focused on driving rock pieces. It narrates a fantastic week spent with a girl and revisits those 7 fantastic days. Romantic, Keatsian, nostalgic but of little depth. Nonetheless, it gives a good feeling.
9) “Dreamer's Ball”. Here it is, there's finally the only jazz track on the album! By May, of course! After the mish-mash of "News of the World," the Queen may have realized that filling an album with different styles in each track was pointless. Here, a bit of jazz goes perfectly, and the piece turns out to be, although not original and shocking, quite carefree, dreamy, simple but well-crafted in every detail. Certainly not outstanding but surely of high appreciation.
10) “Fun it”. Roger Taylor doesn't agree. He said he wanted to bring disco music to Queen and he did, imposing himself. Just like “Fight from the Inside,” even here, however, his desire for disco seems a bit jarring in the album. Queen were used to rock anthems, triumph, or draw from tradition. This has been their trademark so far. That's why the disco music still feels hybrid to them. “Fun it,” sung by the Freddie/Roger duo, isn't too bad and also draws a lot from rock counter-times. Taylor paved the way for the future Queen, but the real disco turn will be by Mercury and Deacon.
11) “Leaving home ain't easy”. Another slow piece and definitely the one with the most intense theme. Written and sung by May, it talks about how difficult it is to leave home when it's the last chance. Musically speaking, I suppose it's treated the same way as the other slower pieces, but it's the text that makes it so rich with emotion.
12) “Don't stop me now”. Anthological melodic rock'n'roll, purely perfect where Freddie Mercury lays out all his creative virtuosity, all his youthful zest, and his angelically celestial voice capable of adapting to all genres. No Freddie, back in those years, you were really someone no one could stop. A song hard to hate, like a work of art.
13) “No more of that Jazz”. I wonder: 'How is it possible that in an album where almost nothing was wrong so far and where the number of tracks is abundant, this half trash-half Queen musical creature can be inserted?' Yes, because it's actually a poor composition by Taylor (of which it only has the title jazz) and then there's a collage of parts from pieces of the entire album, an idea that could have been avoided. In the last albums, Queen had the best closures, but this time it's a misstep for Taylor and Queen included.
“Jazz” which also means “nonsense, tales” is a return to the old Queen, from the debut that play rock again without taking it too seriously (so much so that the “Bicycle Race” video buries them) now that they are famous. The disc turns out to be more homogeneous than the previous but less complex and experimental compared to “Queen II,” “A Night at the Opera,” and in some ways “A Day at the Races.” This coherence, however, makes it stand out compared to “News of the World.” It's undeniable that it churned out truly beautiful tracks, but when a group is born to shock like the first Queen did, going back to old habits and styles can lead to falls even if an album is well made.
The glories of the past start to weigh heavily…
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Mustapha (03:01)
Ibrahim, Ibrahim, Ibrahim,
Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah will pray for you.
Hey!
Mustapha, Mustapha, Mustapha Ibrahim.
Mustapha, Mustapha, Mustapha Ibrahim.
Mustapha Ibrahim, Mustapha Ibrahim
Allah, Allah, Allah will pray for you.
Mustapha Ibrahim, al havra kris vanin
Allah, Allah, Allah will pray for you.
Mustapha, hey! Mustapha
Mustapha Ibrahim, Mustapha Ibrahim, hey!
Allah-i, Allah-i, Allah-i,
Ibra-Ibra-Ibrahim, yeah!
Ibrahim, Ibrahim, Ibrahim,
Allah Allah Allah-i hey!
Mustapha Mustapha - Allah-i na stolei
Mustapha Mustapha - Achtar es na sholei
Mustapha Mustapha - Mochamut dei ya low eshelei
Mustapha Mustapha - ai ai ai ai ahelei
Mustapha,
Mustapha,
Ist avil ahiln avil ahiln adhim Mustapha,
Salaam Aleikum!
Mustapha Ibrahim, Mustapha Ibrahim
Allah, Allah, Allah will pray for you.
Mustapha Ibrahim, achbar ish navin
Allah, Allah, Allah will pray for you.
Mustapha, Mustapha
Mustapha Ibrahim, Mustapha Ibrahim, hey!
Allah-i, Allah-i, Allah-i,
Ibra-Ibra-Ibrahim, yeah!
Ibrahim, Ibrahim, Ibrahim,
Allah Allah Allah-i hey!
Mustapha Mustapha
Mustapha Mustapha
Mustapha Mustapha
Mustapha Mustapha
Mustapha,
Mustapha,
Vontap ist ahiln avil ahiln adhim Mustapha,
Aleikum Salaam hey!
02 Fat Bottomed Girls (04:17)
Are you gonna take me home tonight
Ah down beside that red firelight
Are you gonna let it all hang out
Fat bottomed girls
You make the rockin' world go round
Hey I was just a skinny lad
Never knew no good from bad
But I knew life before I left my nursery
Left alone with big fat Fanny
She was such a naughty nanny
Heap big woman you made a bad boy out of me
Hey hey!
I've been singing with my band
Across the wire across the land
I seen ev'ry blue eyed floozy on the way
But their beauty and their style
Went kind of smooth after a while
Take me to them dirty ladies every time
Oh won't you take me home tonight?
Oh down beside your red firelight
Oh and you give it all you got
Fat bottomed girls you make the rockin' world go round
Fat bottomed girls you make the rockin' world go round
Hey listen here
Now your mortgages and homes
I got stiffness in the bones
Ain't no beauty queens in this locality (I tell you)
Oh but I still get my pleasure
Still got my greatest treasure
Heap big woman you gonna make a big man out of me
Now get this
Oh you gonna take me home tonight (please)
Oh down beside your red firelight
Oh you gonna let it all hang out
Fat bottomed girls you make the rockin' world go round
Fat bottomed girls you make the rockin' world go round
Get on your bikes and ride
Oooh yeah them fat bottomed girls
Fat bottomed girls
Yeah yeah yeah
Fat bottomed girls
Yes yes
03 Jealousy (03:13)
Oh how wrong can you be?
Oh to fall in love
Was my very first mistake
How was I to know
I was far too much in love too see?
Oh jealousy look at me now
Jealousy you got me somehow
You gave me no warning
Took me by surprise
Jealousy you led me on
You couldn't lose you couldn't fail
You had suspicion on my trail
How how how all my jealousy
I wasn't man enough to let you hurt my pride
Now I'm only left with my own jealousy
Oh how strong can you be
With matters of the heart?
Life is much too short
To while away with tears
If only you could see
Just what you do to me
Oh jealousy you tripped me up
Jealousy you brought me down
You bring me sorrow you cause me pain
Jealousy when will you let go?
Gotta hold of my possessive mind
Turned me into a jealous guy
How how how all my jealousy
I wasn't mad enough to let you hurt my pride
Now I'm only left with my own jealousy
But now it matters not
If I should live or die
'Cause I'm only left with my own jealousy
04 Bicycle Race (03:03)
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like
You say black I say white
You say bark I say bite
You say shark I say hey man
Jaws was never my scene
And I don't like Star Wars
You say Rolls I say Royce
You say God give me a choice
You say Lord I say Christ
I don't believe in Peter Pan
Frankenstein or Superman
All I wanna do is
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my
Bicycle races are coming your way
So forget all your duties oh yeah!
Fat bottomed girls
They'll be riding today
So look out for those beauties oh yeah
On your marks get set go
Bicycle race bicycle race bicycle race
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
Bicycle bicycle bicycle bicycle
Bicycle race
You say coke I say caine
You say John I say Wayne
Hot dog I say cool it man
I don't wanna be the President of America
You say smile I say cheese
Cartier I say please
Income tax I say Jesus
I don't wanna be a candidate for
Vietnam or Watergate
Cos all I wanna do is
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like
05 If You Can't Beat Them (04:15)
Keep your chin up when you're feelin' lonely
Don't let them get you down
Ain't no use in your sitting all alone
Hangin' around for someone to call
Ooh they won't come knocking at all
Don't run and hide
Even if it hurts you inside
So I said
Give as good as you get
If you can't beat 'em,join 'em
You'd better do it
'Cause it makes you feel good
If you can't beat 'em,join 'em
You're never gonna help yourself
Come on
Get up
You're feelin' good
Keep your fingers off my money
Don't try and pull me down
You're takin' me out to wine and dine me
Tryin' to wind me 'round and around
Invite me to your little contract Ha! Ha!
Rumour has it that you could play dirty
I'll tell you what I'll do about that
I'm playing at the wrong game yeah!
If you can't beat 'em,join 'em
You'd better do it
'Cause it makes you feel good
If you can't beat 'em,join 'em
You're never gonna help yourself
If you can't beat 'em,join 'em
You'd better do it
'Cause it makes you feel good
If you can't beat 'em,join 'em
It's everyone for themselves
Move on out
06 Let Me Entertain You (03:02)
Hey - it's a sellout
Hey - let me welcome you ladies and gentlemen
I would like to say hello
Are you ready for some entertainment?
Are you ready for a show?
Gonna rock you gonna roll you
Get you dancing in the aisles
Jazz you razzmatazz you
With a little bit of style
C'mon let me entertain you let me entertain you
Let me entertain you let me entertain you
I've come here to sell you my body
I can show you some good merchandise
I'll pull you and I'll pill you
I'll Cruela-de-ville you
And to thrill you I'll use any device
We'll give you crazy performance
We'll give you grounds for divorce
We'll give you piece de resistance
And a tour de force of course
We found the right location
Got a lot of pretty lights
The sound and amplification listen
Hey if you need a fix if you want a high
Stickells see to that
With Electra and EMI
We'll show you where it's at
So c'mon
Let me entertain you let me entertain you
Let me entertain you let me entertain you
Just take a look at the menu
We give you rock a la carte
We'll breakfast at Tiffany's
We'll sing to you in Japanese
We're only here to entertain you
If you want to see some action
You get nothing but the best
The S and M attraction
We've got the pleasure chest
Chicago down to New Orleans
We get you on the line
If you dig the New York scene
We'll have a son of a bitch of a time
C'mon
Let me entertain let me entertain
Let me entertain you tonight
Hey where's my backstage pass
That was great
What an outrageous costume
Hey that Brian May is outa sight man
Not many not many
I've always wanted to be a groupie
09 Dreamer's Ball (03:30)
Oh I used to be your baby
Used to be your pride and joy
You used to take me dancing
Just like any other boy
But now you've found another partner
And left me like a broken toy
Oh it's someone else you're takin'
Someone else you're playin' to
Honey though I'm aching
Know just what I have to do
If I can't have you when I'm wakin'
I'll go to sleep and dream I'm with you
Oh take me take me take me
To the dreamer's ball
I'll be right on time and I'll dress so fine
You're gonna love me when you see me
I won't have to worry
Take me take me
Promise not to wake me 'till it's morning
It's all been true
What you say about that hey honey?
You gonna take me to that dreamer's ball?
I'd like that
Right on down forty-second street
Way down down town dreamer's town
Oh take me take me take me
I'm your plaything now
You make my life worthwhile with the slightest smile
Or destroy me with a barely perceptible whisper
Gently take me remember I'll be dreamin' of my baby
At the dreamer's ball
Take me hold me
Remember what you told me
You'd meet me at the dreamer's ball
I'll meet you at the dreamer's ball
10 Fun It (03:29)
Ev'rybody in the mornin'
Should do a good turn all right
Ev'rybody in the night time
Should have a good time all night
Now we got a movement
Don't shun it fun it
Can't you see now you're movin' free?
Get some fun join our dynasty
Can't you tell when we get it down?
You're the one you're the best in town
Hey ev'rybody ev'rybody gonna have a good time tonight
Just shakin' the soles of your feet
Ev'rybody ev'rybody gonna have a good time tonight
That's the only soul you'll ever meet
They say that movin' the body's right it's all right
That's the only one part of bein' alive all right all right
Groove on out groove on up OK
Do your thing do your thing your way
Get your kicks get you tricks with me
Get up and dance honey fun's for free
Hey ev'rybody ev'rybody gonna have a good time tonight
Just shakin' the soles of your feet
Ev'rybody gonna have a good time tonight time tonight
time tonight
That's the only soul you'll ever meet
Don't shun it fun it
Don't shun it fun it
Don't shun it fun it
12 Don't Stop Me Now (03:29)
Tonight I'm gonna have myself a real good time
I feel alive
And the world turning inside out, yeah
And floating around in ecstasy, so
Don't stop me now
Don't stop me
'Cuz I'm having a good time, having a good time
I'm a shooting star leaping through the sky
Like a tiger defying the laws of gravity
I'm a racing car passing by like Lady Godiva
I'm gonna go, go, go
There's no stopping me
I'm burning through the sky, yeah
Two hundred degrees
That's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit
I'm a traveling at the speed of light
I wanna make a supersonic man out of you
(Don't stop me now) I'm having such a good time, I'm having a ball
(Don't stop me now) if you wanna have a good time just give me a call
(Don't stop me now) 'Cuz I'm havin' a good time
(Don't stop me now) Yes, I'm havin' a good time
I don't want to stop at all
I'm a rocket ship on my way to Mars
On a collision course
I am a satellite, I'm out of control
I am a sex machine ready to reload
Like an atom bomb about to
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, explode
I'm burning through the sky, yeah
Two hundred degrees
That's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit
I'm traveling at the speed of light
I wanna make a supersonic woman of you
Don't stop me, don't stop me
Don't stop me, hey hey hey!
Don't stop me, don't stop me
Oh, ooh, ooh, (I like it)
Don't stop me, don't stop me
Have a good time, good time
Don't stop me, don't stop me
I'm burning through the sky, yeah
Two hundred degrees
That's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit
I'm traveling at the speed of light
I wanna make a supersonic man out of you
(Don't stop me now) I'm having such a good time, I'm having a ball
(Don't stop me now) if you wanna have a good time just give me a call
(Don't stop me now) 'Cuz I'm havin' a good time
(Don't stop me now) Yes, I'm havin' a good time
I don't want to stop at all
13 More of That Jazz (04:16)
If you're feelin' tired and lonely
Uninspired and lonely
If you're thinkin' how the days seem long
All you're given
Is what you've been given
A thousand times before
Just more more
More of that jazz
More no more of that jazz
Give me no more
No more of that jazz
Only football gives us thrills
Rock'n'roll just pays the bills
Only our team is the real team
Bring out the dogs get on your feet
Lay on the floor
Can't help thinkin' I've heard that line before
Just more more
More of that jazz
More no more of that jazz
Give me no more
No more of that jazz
Oh no matter
Fool got no business hanging round and tellin' lies
Bicycle races are coming your way
If you can't beat 'em join them
Fun it
Oh you're gonna let it all hang out
Fat bottomed girls you make the rocking world go round
No more no more no more
Of that jazz
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Other reviews
By Peppe Weapon
"The real 'MASTERPIECE' of this album is certainly the FABULOUS 'Don't Stop Me Now'... an excellent quality song, the usual Queen stadium anthem."
"Jazz is not as evil as everyone says because all the songs are good, there isn’t one that dominates over another."
By led&zep
‘Jazz’ is definitely my favorite album because it reflects Queen at what I believe was the band’s peak, especially performance-wise.
‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ is a very famous track with a stellar Freddie on vocals and May supporting him brilliantly.
