What songs do you prefer live?

I am not a big fan of Action this Day from Hot Space but I love the live version on Live at the Bowl. I like AOBTD on the game but if ever I want to listen to it I always play the live version as I think it is far better live.

Did Queen ever do a full live version of March of the Black Queen? I have it as part of a medley but no full versions. I saw a tribute band do a full version last week and it was fantastic.

squidgy...I'm probably in a minority here, but there are very few occaisions where I prefer a live version from Queen.

For example...most Queen fans prefer the live version of "Staying Power".  I just don't get it at all.  To me, there's no comparison...the studio version towers over the live version.

I think it mainly comes down to the fact that I really prefer the way Freddie sang in the studio over the way he sang live. 

But anyways here's the exceptions:

Love Of My Life(Live Killers)
We Will Rock You(fast)(Live Killers)
'39(Return Of The Champions)
Spread Your Wings(Live Killers)

to close to call:

Don't Sto Me Now(Live Killers)

Another one that many cite is "Somebody To Love" from Milton Keynes.

For *me*, that's ANOTHER case of "not even close".  I've never heard a live version of STL that approaches the beauty and brilliance of the studio version(INCLUDING this performance).

Queen on fire - Live at the bowl are the best live album. I love this album very much :))

> Another one that many cite is "Somebody To Love" from Milton Keynes. For *me*, that's ANOTHER case of "not even close".  I've never heard a live version of STL that approaches the beauty and brilliance of the studio version(INCLUDING this performance).

I agree. 'The bigger the better', and two-three guitars beat one, piano all throughout beats piano on most of the song, loads of backing vocals beat three, IMO.

All 80's songs except Who Wants TO Live Forever

So many of the poppier numbers sound some much better live and rocked up. A Kind of Magic, Radio Ga Ga, I Want to Break Free are three examples which sound better live. Somebody to Love and Loveof My Life are better live too although Don't stop me now doesnt sound as good live

pittrek wrote: All 80's songs except Who Wants TO Live Forever

Finally someone who agrees with me. That song sucked live.

jamster1111 wrote: pittrek wrote: All 80's songs except Who Wants TO Live Forever

Finally someone who agrees with me. That song sucked live.
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I wouldn't say it sucked live, but it's one of those songs where it sounds completely different outside the studio environment. You just can't get all the overdubs, orchestra, etc in that live environment, so it sounds very "empty" (imagine Bo Rhap's Opera section played "live" with just the 4 members of Queen).

Although the song is more of a "studio" song, the one thing that I love about the live versions is the chorus--the harmonies are fantastic (the Vienna versions are a prime example). That's the one thing better about the live version--the chorus harmonies.

There are many songs live, in fact also have sound great

example:

We Will Rock You ( Live Killers , Hot Space Tour , The Works Tour , Magic Tour)
Another One Bites The Dust (Magic Tour)
Radio Gaga
Mustapha
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Hammer To Fall
Now I'm Here
In the Lap of the Gods...Revisited
Tie Your Mother Down (Magic Tour)
Ogre Battle

As far as I know, only the 'I reign with my left hand, I rule with my right...' verse of MBOTQ was done live. Of course during 1976 and 1977 the band slipped this into the Bo Rhap medley. Now, songs I prefer live, hmm... I would have to say I have a strong preference to the Wembley '86 version of Tie Your Mother Down over the studio cut. I know Brian flares on the '76 cut, but at Wembley he roars and makes hell break loose! The Rainbow renedition of Liar is excellent, especially the 'all day long' section - Deaky's backing vocals are brilliant! I agree the Milton Keynes performance of Somebody to Love is good, but the studio version has a magic you can't get live. And, to be brutally honest, the MK version isn't even my fave live incantation of the song. That award MUST go to the Hannah Jane Fox version on the WWRY soundtrack - I bet Freddie was smiling down when she did that. Getting back to Wembley, the live versions of the songs are mostly brilliant. The vocal improv is fab! I love that the improv is sampled in Mother Love then it rewinds to Goin' Back. Which raises the question: What if the band had done Goin' Back live during the early days? I'm sure it would have rocked, being such a magic song.

My favorite song performed live has to be "Radio Ga Ga".....Its so much heavier than the poppy studio version. However there are many songs that Queen do that sound great live, but that one kinda stands out a bit. For the guy who said "he don't get why people think Staying Power sounds great live" then all I can say is you must be a disco lover or something, cuz that song is straight trash on the record. It actually sounds great live and has more of a rock feel...

^^^

Hehe...I'm "that guy".

I didn't say I don't unsterstand why people think "Staying Power" sounds good live.  I said I don't understand why most fans PREFER the live version over the studio version.

As far as the studio version being "pure trash"...wow...just ...wow.  If that's what you think...well I don't know how to respond to that other than to say "one man's trash is another man's gold"!

"Staying  Power"(studio version) features one of Freddie's best vocal performances PERIOD.  And I love the production...it totally fits the song.  Totally bounces along!

Liar, White Queen (fantastic piano solo!) Seven Seas of Rhye (great outro), Flick of the Wrist (fantastic guitar riff, it's a shame that this riff is omitted on the album version), Now I'm Here, '39, You Take My Breath Away, Sheer Heart Attack, Spread Your Wings, Staying Power, Calling All Girls, A Kind of Magic.

Is this the world we created.......?
'39