What should have been the track listing to Absolute Greatest?

Now, before anyone says anything about how much they hate the album, and how much they think it's a rip off, I want to say I too think that the album was a rip off, and that the album was a waste of time for collectors and hardcore fans.
But that's not the issue here.
I was generally pissed off, not because they were releasing a new Greatest Hits album, but because the track listing wasn't really appropriate with the title.
Obviously, it had to be singles, and the ones that made it big, hence the name. But, I think that some of them should have been replaced. Although I do remember reading that it was called Queen's 20 greatest tracks... Well, that's another discussion.

My absolute perfect Absolute Greatest track listing:

01. We Will Rock You (has to stay, everyone knows it)

02. We Are The Champions (has to stay, everyone knows it)

03. Radio Ga Ga (Could have been easily replaced with something like Let Me Live or A Winter's Tale. It's a great track, there's no question, just I think that the other single from The Works is more popular worldwide.)

04. Another One Bites The Dust (has to stay, everyone knows it)

05. I Want It All (Great track, not everyone knows it, but it had to stay)

06. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (has to stay, everyone knows it)

07. A Kind Of Magic (Could have been replaced with Keep Yourself Alive. Sure KYA wasn't a hit, but it was their starting point. Plus, most people like early Queen more, and so I think only one song from AKOM would have been fine.)

08. Under Pressure (Impossible to move. Great track, too bad not everyone knows it.)

09. One Vision (I don't know about you, but One Vision is a way better track than AKOM or WWTLF.)

10. You’re My Best Friend (has to stay, everyone knows it)

11. Don’t Stop Me Now (has to stay, everyone knows it)

12. Killer Queen (has to stay, everyone knows it)

13. These Are The Days Of Our Lives (Had to stay, it's one of those tracks that makes you cry, but in a good way.)

14. Who Wants To Live Forever (Overrated. I'm sorry, I just don't like the track that much. I don't really like the AKOM album, other than the first and last tracks. Plus, it wasn't really a big hit.)

15. Seven Seas Of Rhye (The first to make it in the top 10. This one is more for history.)

16. Heaven For Everyone (OK, I know it was a big hit. But come on people! Flash was, and still is more popular. Flash should have been here.)

17. Somebody To Love (has to stay, everyone knows it)

18. I Want To Break Free (has to stay, everyone knows it)

19. The Show Must Go On (I know, it charted out of the top 15, but it's a great track. Innuendo is a great album.)

20. Bohemian Rhapsody (Self-explanatory.)

Honestly, I think that the only ones that were missing were Innuendo and Flash, and that Who Wants To Live Forever and Heaven For Everyone should have been replaced. The one that really pissed me off was Flash. It's one of Queen's most famous tracks EVER, and it still made it into the top 10! I mean seriously, how many non-Queen fans know songs like Heaven For Everyone?

Lastly, before anyone writes anything about how stupid they think the post is, and how out of date it is, and all other truthful, but hurtful things, this is just and OPINION. One of many.

But in the end, you need to appreciate what you have. And so, I bought the album. Twice, in fact. The second was a gift to my closest non-Queen fan, who is now, a Queen fan.

I would keep the current track listing of the release, except swap "Who Wants To Live Forever" with "Flash." Both are May compositions, but "Flash" was a Top 10 and WWTLF was not. That would establish a set full of Top 10 UK hits.

I view Absolute Greatest as a distillation of the three UK Greatest Hits collections, aimed that those interested in casually owning a single Hits disc covering much of their career. They may as well be the best of the best in terms of chart position and diversity.

It's a nice collection. I've never owned it nor do I think i ever will, but Queen have been far more lucky having fewer compilation than other artists of comparable age. Look at the mess of Bowie's back catalogue. 'Best' tracklisting is of course totally subjective, but I've never seen more contradiction in one post in my life! Good effort though :o)

CD 1

1. Procession (standalone version)
2. Father To Son (standalone version)
3. Son And Daughter (any of the BBC versions with "shovel shit" restored
4. Ogre Battle (full BBC version)
5. Death On Two Legs
6. Keep Yourself Alive (De Lane Lea demo)
7. Seven Seas Of Rhye (with original instrumental ending)
8. Doing Alright (live at Earls Court)
9. Killer Queen
10. White Queen (BBC version)
11. The March Of The Black Queen (standalone version)
12. Liar (live at Rainbow, March '74)
13. Flick Of The Wrist (live at Hyde Park)
14. Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll
15. Silver Salmon
16. Jesus (De Lane Lea demo)
17. Mad The Swine (with "I've" restored)
18. In The Lap Of The Gods ...revisited

CD 2

1. Brighton Rock
2. Tie Your Mother Down (live at Knebworth Park)
3. White Man
4. The Prophet's Song (with extended "heavy" part)
5. Now I'm Here (live at Hammersmith Odeon '79)
6. I'm In Love With My Car ("Rocks" remix)
7. Stone Cold Crazy (Trent Reznor remix)
8. '39
9. Love Of My Life (live at Rock In Rio)
10. The Millionaire Waltz
11. You're My Best Friend
12. Spread Your Wings (BBC version)
13. Somebody To Love
14. It's Late
15. Bohemian Rhapsody
16. Teo Torriatte (HD remix single edit)
17. Sheer Heart Attack (live at Hammersmith Odeon '79 with the full ending, where audience shouts "We Are The Champions"
18. We Are The Champions

CD 3
1. We Will Rock You
2. We Will Rock You (fast version - edited from BBC version)
3. Mustapha
4. Let Me Entertain You (alternate mix with WATC ending)
5. If You Can't Beat Them (live in Paris  '79)
6. Fat Bottomed Girls (single edit)
7. Bicycle Race
8.  Another One Bites The Dust
9. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (live in Japan '82)
10. Flash (single remix)
11. Back Chat (extended version)
12. Staying Power (live at Milton Keynes)
13. Under Pressure (Mike Spencer remix)
14. Dead On Time
15. Save Me
16. I Go Crazy
17. Don't Stop Me Now (live at Hammersmith Odeon '79)
18. Thank God It's Christmas

CD 4
1. One Vision
2. Radio Ga Ga
3. I Want It All ("Rocks" remix)
4. A Kind Of Magic (original version)
5. Tear It Up
6. I Want To Break Free (live at Knebworth Park)
7. Gimme The Prize
8. It's A Hard Life (extended version)
9. Princess Of The Universe
10. Who Wants To Live Forever
11. Hammer To Fall (Headbanger's remix)
12. The Invisible Man (video version)
13. I Go Crazy
14. Scandal
15. Breakthru
16. I'm Going Slightly Mad
17. The Hitman (remix with bass improved)
18. The Show Must Go On

CD 5
1. Innuendo
2. Headlong (video version)
3. Don't Try So Hard
4. I Can't Live With You ("Rocks" retake)
5. Affairs
6. Ride The Wild Wind
7. Heaven For Everyone
8. Stealin (full 12 min. demo)
9. Too Much Love Will Kill You
10. I Was Born To Love You
11. Let Me Live
12. You Don't Fool Me
13. Born To Rock'n'roll (Freddie's vocal version)
14. Love Kills (Queen original version)
15. 46664 / The Call
16. No-One But You / Only The Good Die Young

2 bonus DVDs containing ALL ORIGINAL versions of Queen videos

Absolute Greatest really amazes me.  Not only because they used a single track listing for all areas of the world, but that the track selections were (to me) so great.  It's an incredible collection of 'hits' that really should please most.

Considering they only had the space of a single CD to work with in this case, about the ONLY thing I would change is Heaven For Everyone - not sure how they decided THAT was the track to include from Made In Heaven.  I would have probably used Mother Love instead.

Sales-wise, the band's greatest singles world-wide were:

1. Another One Bites the Dust
2. Bohemian Rhapsody (some of those sales were from its double-A issue with TATDOOL).
3. We Are the Champions (in some territories a double-A with WWRY).
4. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
5. A toss-up between Ga Ga and Break Free.
7. Killer Queen / Flick of the Wrist (double-A).
8. Somebody to Love.
9. Flash's Theme.
10. A toss-up between You're My Best Friend and A Kind of Magic.
12. Under Pressure.
13. Bicycle Race / Fat Bottomed Girls (double A).
14. Heaven for Everyone.
15. The Show Must Go On.
16. Toss-up between Body Language, Innuendo and I Want It All.
19. Don't Stop Me Now.
20. Play the Game & It's a Hard Life.

So, sales-wise, those should've been the 'Absolute Greatest'. Who Wants to Live Forever is one of the band's best songs ever (possibly in their top 5, IMO) but, sales-wise, there are at least 32 more successful Queen singles including Tie Your Mother Down, Save Me, You Don't Fool Me, Spread Your Wings, A Winter's Tale and Invisible Man, so strictly speaking, all of them were more deserving to be there.

Same for One Vision: great song, but largely outsold by the likes of Flash, Bicycle Race, Innuendo and Body Language.

My only change on Absolute Greatest was "a Winter's Tale" Instead Of "Who Wants To Live Forever" but i think they easly could a double cd.
Look at the songs they left out.

Breakthru nº 7
A Winter's Tale nº 6
Flash nº 10
Innuendo nº 1
Bicycle Race nº 11
Save Me nº 11
Let Me Live nº 9
No One But You nº 13
The Invisible Man nº12
Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy nº 17
Headlong nº 14
Play The Game nº 14
Friends Will Be Friends nº 14
Now I'm Here nº 11
Fat Bottomed Girls nº 11
it's a Hard Life nº 6
Hammer To Fall nº 13

pittrek wrote: CD 1

1. Procession (standalone version)
2. Father To Son (standalone version)
3. Son And Daughter (any of the BBC versions with "shovel shit" restored
4. Ogre Battle (full BBC version)
5. Death On Two Legs
6. Keep Yourself Alive (De Lane Lea demo)
7. Seven Seas Of Rhye (with original instrumental ending)
8. Doing Alright (live at Earls Court)
9. Killer Queen
10. White Queen (BBC version)
11. The March Of The Black Queen (standalone version)
12. Liar (live at Rainbow, March '74)
13. Flick Of The Wrist (live at Hyde Park)
14. Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll
15. Silver Salmon
16. Jesus (De Lane Lea demo)
17. Mad The Swine (with "I've" restored)
18. In The Lap Of The Gods ...revisited

CD 2

1. Brighton Rock
2. Tie Your Mother Down (live at Knebworth Park)
3. White Man
4. The Prophet's Song (with extended "heavy" part)
5. Now I'm Here (live at Hammersmith Odeon '79)
6. I'm In Love With My Car ("Rocks" remix)
7. Stone Cold Crazy (Trent Reznor remix)
8. '39
9. Love Of My Life (live at Rock In Rio)
10. The Millionaire Waltz
11. You're My Best Friend
12. Spread Your Wings (BBC version)
13. Somebody To Love
14. It's Late
15. Bohemian Rhapsody
16. Teo Torriatte (HD remix single edit)
17. Sheer Heart Attack (live at Hammersmith Odeon '79 with the full ending, where audience shouts "We Are The Champions"
18. We Are The Champions

CD 3
1. We Will Rock You
2. We Will Rock You (fast version - edited from BBC version)
3. Mustapha
4. Let Me Entertain You (alternate mix with WATC ending)
5. If You Can't Beat Them (live in Paris  '79)
6. Fat Bottomed Girls (single edit)
7. Bicycle Race
8.  Another One Bites The Dust
9. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (live in Japan '82)
10. Flash (single remix)
11. Back Chat (extended version)
12. Staying Power (live at Milton Keynes)
13. Under Pressure (Mike Spencer remix)
14. Dead On Time
15. Save Me
16. I Go Crazy
17. Don't Stop Me Now (live at Hammersmith Odeon '79)
18. Thank God It's Christmas

CD 4
1. One Vision
2. Radio Ga Ga
3. I Want It All ("Rocks" remix)
4. A Kind Of Magic (original version)
5. Tear It Up
6. I Want To Break Free (live at Knebworth Park)
7. Gimme The Prize
8. It's A Hard Life (extended version)
9. Princess Of The Universe
10. Who Wants To Live Forever
11. Hammer To Fall (Headbanger's remix)
12. The Invisible Man (video version)
13. I Go Crazy
14. Scandal
15. Breakthru
16. I'm Going Slightly Mad
17. The Hitman (remix with bass improved)
18. The Show Must Go On

CD 5
1. Innuendo
2. Headlong (video version)
3. Don't Try So Hard
4. I Can't Live With You ("Rocks" retake)
5. Affairs
6. Ride The Wild Wind
7. Heaven For Everyone
8. Stealin (full 12 min. demo)
9. Too Much Love Will Kill You
10. I Was Born To Love You
11. Let Me Live
12. You Don't Fool Me
13. Born To Rock'n'roll (Freddie's vocal version)
14. Love Kills (Queen original version)
15. 46664 / The Call
16. No-One But You / Only The Good Die Young

2 bonus DVDs containing ALL ORIGINAL versions of Queen videos
=============================================================================

Really?

This is your idea of a mass-market 'best of' release aimed at the casual music buyer a la 'Absolute Greatest'?

Really?

I actually think they did a pretty good job of choosing the tracks.  Mine is just a little different.

Assuming it has to be a single disc:

Seven Seas of Rhye
Killer Queen
You're My Best Friend
Bohemian Rhapsody
Somebody to Love
We Will Rock You
We are the Champions
Fat Bottomed Girls
Bicycle Race
Don't Stop Me Now
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Another One Bites the Dust
Under Pressure
Radio Ga Ga
I Want to Break Free
One Vision
Who Wants to Live Forever
I Want it All
These are the Days of Our Lives
Show Must Go On

I actually want to include Flash, but I'm not sure what to take out to make room for it.  So for now, I'd leave it like this.

pittrek wrote: CD 1

1. Procession (standalone version)
2. Father To Son (standalone version)
3. Son And Daughter (any of the BBC versions with "shovel shit" restored
4. Ogre Battle (full BBC version)
5. Death On Two Legs
6. Keep Yourself Alive (De Lane Lea demo)
7. Seven Seas Of Rhye (with original instrumental ending)
8. Doing Alright (live at Earls Court)
9. Killer Queen
10. White Queen (BBC version)
11. The March Of The Black Queen (standalone version)
12. Liar (live at Rainbow, March '74)
13. Flick Of The Wrist (live at Hyde Park)
14. Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll
15. Silver Salmon
16. Jesus (De Lane Lea demo)
17. Mad The Swine (with "I've" restored)
18. In The Lap Of The Gods ...revisited

CD 2

1. Brighton Rock
2. Tie Your Mother Down (live at Knebworth Park)
3. White Man
4. The Prophet's Song (with extended "heavy" part)
5. Now I'm Here (live at Hammersmith Odeon '79)
6. I'm In Love With My Car ("Rocks" remix)
7. Stone Cold Crazy (Trent Reznor remix)
8. '39
9. Love Of My Life (live at Rock In Rio)
10. The Millionaire Waltz
11. You're My Best Friend
12. Spread Your Wings (BBC version)
13. Somebody To Love
14. It's Late
15. Bohemian Rhapsody
16. Teo Torriatte (HD remix single edit)
17. Sheer Heart Attack (live at Hammersmith Odeon '79 with the full ending, where audience shouts "We Are The Champions"
18. We Are The Champions

CD 3
1. We Will Rock You
2. We Will Rock You (fast version - edited from BBC version)
3. Mustapha
4. Let Me Entertain You (alternate mix with WATC ending)
5. If You Can't Beat Them (live in Paris  '79)
6. Fat Bottomed Girls (single edit)
7. Bicycle Race
8.  Another One Bites The Dust
9. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (live in Japan '82)
10. Flash (single remix)
11. Back Chat (extended version)
12. Staying Power (live at Milton Keynes)
13. Under Pressure (Mike Spencer remix)
14. Dead On Time
15. Save Me
16. I Go Crazy
17. Don't Stop Me Now (live at Hammersmith Odeon '79)
18. Thank God It's Christmas

CD 4
1. One Vision
2. Radio Ga Ga
3. I Want It All ("Rocks" remix)
4. A Kind Of Magic (original version)
5. Tear It Up
6. I Want To Break Free (live at Knebworth Park)
7. Gimme The Prize
8. It's A Hard Life (extended version)
9. Princess Of The Universe
10. Who Wants To Live Forever
11. Hammer To Fall (Headbanger's remix)
12. The Invisible Man (video version)
13. I Go Crazy
14. Scandal
15. Breakthru
16. I'm Going Slightly Mad
17. The Hitman (remix with bass improved)
18. The Show Must Go On

CD 5
1. Innuendo
2. Headlong (video version)
3. Don't Try So Hard
4. I Can't Live With You ("Rocks" retake)
5. Affairs
6. Ride The Wild Wind
7. Heaven For Everyone
8. Stealin (full 12 min. demo)
9. Too Much Love Will Kill You
10. I Was Born To Love You
11. Let Me Live
12. You Don't Fool Me
13. Born To Rock'n'roll (Freddie's vocal version)
14. Love Kills (Queen original version)
15. 46664 / The Call
16. No-One But You / Only The Good Die Young

2 bonus DVDs containing ALL ORIGINAL versions of Queen videos

================================

Pittrek, I think that this is a little excessive. I get the point you're trying to make, and I agree with you. But, it's supposed to be a single disc, and only made up of hit singles that are popular. You can't say that most people know Affairs, since it's unreleased. Either way, not too many non-Queen fans know Hitman.

Had Capitol Records put a decent effort behind the Breakthru single release here in the USA, it could have easily been a hit and then would have ended up on basically all of the 'Best Of' or 'Greatest' compilations (which, I think, it deserves).

Damn lousy American marketing...

lists of songs, lists of songs, lists of songs, lists of songs, lists of songs, lists of songs, lists of songs, lists of songs

hit single
B-side
alternate version
live version
demo
hit single
biggest hit single
album track
popular favourite
personal favourite
extended version
single edit
unreleased song
solo track that shouldn't really be on the list
controversial choice: (i.e.) post Freddie song that people will argue isn't really Queen
Vultan's Theme (Attack of the Hawk Men)

I think the track listing is pretty good.  Its better then Greatest Hits 1.  Well, i guess there are more tracks on it (which is why its better lol).  I don't have this, although i saw it agaiin the other day and thought i probably should get it just to be loyal.  I still like my greatest hits cds, even though that's a very NON-obsessed fan type of thing to like, and i probably shouldn't admit that i like them!  Although, i don't like the second and third as much as the first, and i normally rather listen to proper albums or my own playlists.

Its very subjective but a double cd  would be made up of hits and faves. As with most compilations someone's faves always gets left off. This is mine.
Vol 1 1973-81

Bohemian Rhapsody
Under Pressure
Tie Your Mother Down
Now I'm Here
Seven Seas of Rhye
Killer Queen
Its Late
Save Me
Keep Yourself Alive
Another one Bites the Dust
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Don't Stop Me Now
Flash
Stone Cold Crazy
I'm In Love with my car
Somebody to Love
We Will Rock You
We are the Champions

Vol 2 1984-91

One Vision
Radio Ga Ga (Live at Knebworth)
Princes of the Universe
A Kind of Magic (Live at Knebworth)
Tear it Up
Its a Hard Life
Hammer to Fall
Innuendo
Headlong
I Want it All
These are the Days of Our Lives
Scandal
Breakthru
Was it All Worth It
I Want To Break Free
Mother Love
No one But You
Celebrity

If I'm allowed two discs of 80 minutes each, it would look like this:

Disc One:
Keep Yourself Alive
Seven Seas of Rhye
Killer Queen
Now I'm Here
Stone Cold Crazy
I'm in Love With My Car
You're My Best Friend
Bohemian Rhapsody
Tie Your Mother Down
Somebody to Love
Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy
We Will Rock You
We Are the Champions
Fat Bottomed Girls
Bicycle Race
Don't Stop Me Now
Play the Game
Another One Bites the Dust
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Save Me
Flash
Under Pressure

Disc Two:
Radio Ga Ga
It's a Hard Life
I Want to Break Free
Hammer to Fall
One Vision
A Kind of Magic
Friends Will Be Friends
Who Wants to Live Forever
I Want it All
The Miracle
Invisible Man
Breakthru
Innuendo
I'm Going Slightly Mad
Headlong
These Are the Days of Our Lives
Show Must Go On