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Rating: Riding the wave of the global success of "News Of The World," Queen returned to the studio, and in just over a month and a half they gave birth to their seventh album, 'Jazz', emphasizing the trademarks of its successful predecessor, namely: very aggressive lyrics, arrangements that are more stripped-down compared to their beginnings, and performances closer to metal than to the glam-hard/rock they had accustomed us to.
The album, which a crude Rolling Stones article from '78 labeled as fascist, opens with the quirky yet original "Mustapha", anticipating by a few years the so-called world music so dear to the future maestro of the genre Peter Gabriel; the track turns out to be a powerful hard rock in an oriental key with an amazing Freddie both in vocal performance and in the tongue-twisting lyrics in the Arabic language. The rush of adrenaline from the opener does not lessen but increases with the aggressive "Fat Bottomed Girl", a hard rock piece with a country twist, with rather crude lyrics but sure to have an impact in live performances, as evidenced by the recent DVD "Live At The Bowl". We then arrive at the third track of the album "Jealousy", a classic ballad, a bit sappy to be honest, in the Mercury fashion, which nonetheless has the gift of softening up the so far heated atmosphere of the platter and preparing the ground for another of the group's very famous tracks, "Bicycle Race", a typical example of crazy rock that made history with the infamous-famous race of the nude girls on bicycles.
And now hold on, here comes what I consider the beating heart of the album, the triptych "If You Can't Beat Them", "Let Me Entertain You", "Dead On Time" written respectively by Deacon, Mercury, and May. The first is a fun hard rock that suggests joining the enemy when you can't beat them, the second is the manifesto of the Mercury philosophy in a metal key, where Freddie promises to sell us his body, his soul, and to serve us rock à la carte; while May showcases his guitar technique with one of the first examples of tapping, a technique later launched by Van Halen in his debut album which, incidentally, would be released a few months after 'Jazz'....
After so much force and aggression, Freddie brings us back to lighter tones with the tender "In Only Seven Days", telling us of an adolescent love that ended after just 7 days. The ninth track of the album is "Dreamer's Ball", the only piece, and a successful one at that, in a jazz style, where the band succeeds in recreating the cotton club-like atmospheres with a sensual and enchanting Freddie. "Fun It" on the other hand turns out to be a piece of electronic pop that foreshadows some 80s sounds, the utility of which, however, is not seen in the context of the work. Leaving Ainty features May taking on vocals in a nice, light pop song that makes a sure impact and precedes the true masterpiece of the album: don’t stop me now, a very famous track with a stellar Freddie on vocals and May supporting him brilliantly with his trusty Red Special. The album closes with Roger on one of his classic experimental tracks, more of that jazz.
'Jazz' is definitely my favorite album because it reflects Queen at what I believe was the band's peak, especially performance-wise, being at their apex and therefore free to play for fun without worrying about topping the charts, something which, by the way, they would achieve with this album; confirming this is the Jazz tour from which what would become one of the greatest live albums ever, 'Live Killers', was later produced, where Queen would reach a live potency perhaps never touched again later.
I therefore recommend everyone to listen to the album, especially those who think that rock is above all music of the body.
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 Walterstarman
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.
One of the most compelling songs in Rock history... Freddie really left everyone stunned who saw him live. He was a whirlwind, a pure-blooded entertainer.
