What songs do you prefer live?

Spread Your Wings

Now I'm Here. And that's about it I think.

I agree with Russian Headlong that a lot of Queen's pop material such as Magic, Break Free sounded far better and cathcier live. Guitar work during Wembley concert is great on those type of songs, particulary I Want to Break Free. It seemed that Queen who were predominatly a pop/rock band in the 80s decided to rock out with their most successful hits. I just wish that Queen would have had that same hard edge in 1980s studio albums as the live concerts.

They did..."Gimme The Prize", Princes Of The Universe", One Vision", "Hammer To Fall", "Machines", "Tear It Up", "Khasshoggis SHip", "I Want It All", "Was It All Worth It".

They kept a hard edge on much of the '80's studio output.

Depends on my mood....the reason i never get  sick of Queen is because their studio songs are so different sounding live.  almost like completely different songs.  Some songs i might like more live are Radio Ga Ga and A kind of magic.  the studio versions are both good and catchy, but Ga Ga is magic live.  A kind of magic turns into a epic masterpiece, kind of like their 70's work with operatic vocals and amazing guitar work.

Fair enough Mike...but I just think that Freddie's vocals on "Staying Power"(in Particular) "Radio Ga Ga" and"A Kind Of Mgic" were so much better on the studio versions.

Let's see,

Keep Yourself Alive (my edge goes to 1981 with "Sex Show" improv at intro and segues to Drum and Tympani Solo and Guitar Solo)
Liar (toss up between Earls Court 1977 and Houston 1977)
Son and Daughter
Father to Son
Ogre Battle (Earls Court 1977)
White Queen (Earls Court 1977)
In the Lap Of the Gods (Rainbow 1974)
Brighton Rock (the 1977/78 News Of The World Tour versions are the best and the Jazz tour in close second)
Now I'm Here (especially live versions from 1978 to 1982)
Death On Two Legs (like studio but rocks live)
Bohemian Rhapsody (Houston 1977 and Montreal 1981 tops for me)
Sweet Lady (Boston 1976)
'39 (Houston 1977)
The Prophet's Song (Boston 1976)
Somebody to Love (Montreal 1981 and Earls Court 1977 get my votes)
Tie Your Mother Down (Montreal 1981)
White Man (Houston 1977 and Zurich 1978, as both lead into excellent Freddie vocal canon and ten minute Brian May guitar solo spot)
You Take My Breath Away (Earls Court 1977)
We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions (Houston 1977 and Milton Keynes 1982)
Get Down Make Love (Houston 1977 wins by large margin)
My Melancholy Blues
Spread Your Wings
It's Late
Let Me Entertain You
Fat Bottomed Girls
If You Can't Beat Them
Dreamers Ball
Don't Stop Me Now
Another One Bites the Dust
Crazy Little Thing Called Love (any live 1981 and 1982 version)
Rock It (Prime Jive)
Dragon Attack
Back Chat
Staying Power
Action This Day
Radio Ga Ga (Rio 1985 is my favorite version)
It's a Hard Life (Japan 1985)
A Kind of Magic (unedited Wembley and Budapest versions)
One Vision

PrimeJiveUSA wrote: Fair enough Mike...but I just think that Freddie's vocals on "Staying Power"(in Particular) "Radio Ga Ga" and"A Kind Of Mgic" were so much better on the studio versions.

I'm gonna add a few other's to this list.....son and daughter,  Maybe Dragon attack?...that one's pretty close......Action this day,  Back chat,  Staying Power?...maybe, it's close.  sheer heart Attack.

We 'prefer' Spread Your Wings, Now I'm Here, and Sheer Heart Attack live as to the studio versions.  This does not mean we don't like the studio versions.

Later on, of course we love Staying Power from MK, AOBTD and Radio from Wembley..........because the studio offerings are weak and lame and we don't listen to them.    But we love them live.

Goodco...you really think that "Radio Ga Ga" and "AOBTD" studio versions are" weak and lame"?

Oh my...we hear things differently!

I've already stated how I much prefer "Staying Power" studio version...but another one that pops up from time to time is how many of you prefer "SHA" live than in the studio.

To *me* I can't comprehend it...but...alas...we are all different.

PrimeJiveUSA wrote: I've already stated how I much prefer "Staying Power" studio version...but another one that pops up from time to time is how many of you prefer "SHA" live than in the studio.

To *me* I can't comprehend it...but...alas...we are all different.

I agree with you on AOBTD,  the studio kicks the live versions ass easliy.  I want to break free the studio version was much much better.  I can't understand why some like the live versions of those songs.  we all like different things.  In the lap of the gods revisisted was better on the studio album, but must say the 86 wembley version has so much power.  I love it almost equally.

Tonight I'm really liking Son & Daughter - Rainbow March 1974, which means ....
I ... WANT .... to hear it AGAIN!

Radio Gaga was/is brilliant live,you get total audience participation

Somebody mentioned Tie your Mother down from Wembley and i have to agree because its fantastic

Boh Rap,wwry,watc,aobtd,cltcl are excellent live

With Queen you know you are not going to get a studio version of the live song and that is what makes them so good live because they can put there own take on a live song and the audience responds very well

I agree with PrimeJiveUSA regarding "Staying Power"'s studio version. I love it to bits, particularly, the extended 12" version from that USA promo record (I have a spare one for sale, if anybody cares).

Freddie's voice is great and the production fits the theme and tone of the song and the album.

Sometimes I wish it played 10% faster and it had extra guitar on top of the synths but that song certainly has a "Feel" that would be altered if any change was made.

A similar case with Body Language but for some reason, right now I think it sounds better live, but maybe because of that live version where you can hear someone in the audience saying "Yeah!!!" everytime Freddie says "Give me... body", hehe :)