Who Wrote What?

Thank you very much for this info! Keep up the good work!

awesome Thanks Sebastian!
and Merry Christmas!

Seb, if all your information is spot on, then your book would never get out-dated. Of course, there's always scope for revised editions for any new tracks that emerge :)

Seriously, you should consider it - there are many out there who like hard-copies, indexed, for quick reference: there are tonnes who may not know that your site, or indeed this one, exists.

Make some cash if you can: it's all well sharing your great knowledge here for free, but for all you know there may just be someone collating YOUR work for their own gain.....

Get it done!!

The problem is, the whole research is still in embryonic form, and the possibilities of ever getting a 'spot on' one get reduced by the minute: some of the people who were there have retired, others have died, others have a less than perfect memory, and in the case of 'who wrote what?', the whole point of crediting everything to the band was that they didn't want people to assign direct 1:1 ownerships (well, the main reason was financial, but there was also this).

Quoting radio and press interviews would require sorting out the relevant copyright situation for each of them, etc.

What I would really like to do one day, or to see someone more capable doing it, would be a song analysis thing, like what my friend PD used to do (e.g., http://www.queensongs.info/the-book/songwriting-analyses/modern-era-queen/the-miracle/the-miracle.html), but right now my knowledge is still rather basic.

I'm not saying 'no', I'm saying 'not yet.' Such a project, should it happen, will take time, and if (when?) I'm finally ready, I'll let you know... or not - it'd be nice to surprise everyone. Either way, there are many factors to consider.

[QUOTE] [b]Sebastian wrote:[/b]

The problem is, the whole research is still in embryonic form, and the possibilities of ever getting a 'spot on' one get reduced by the minute: some of the people who were there have retired, others have died, others have a less than perfect memory, and in the case of 'who wrote what?', the whole point of crediting everything to the band was that they didn't want people to assign direct 1:1 ownerships (well, the main reason was financial, but there was also this).

Quoting radio and press interviews would require sorting out the relevant copyright situation for each of them, etc.

What I would really like to do one day, or to see someone more capable doing it, would be a song analysis thing, like what my friend PD used to do (e.g., http://www.queensongs.info/the-book/songwriting-analyses/modern-era-queen/the-miracle/the-miracle.html), but right now my knowledge is still rather basic.

I'm not saying 'no', I'm saying 'not yet.' Such a project, should it happen, will take time, and if (when?) I'm finally ready, I'll let you know... or not - it'd be nice to surprise everyone. Either way, there are many factors to consider.[/QUOTE]

Aye, fair play. I hope it's something you do eventually get the chance to do, because this stuff is great, well articulated and, above all, interesting. I know it would take a great deal of time, and a lot of "loose ends" and obstacles have to be tied up and overcome, but I really think it would be a great piece of work.

So....hoping for that surprise one day :)

[QUOTE] [b]Sebastian wrote:[/b]

when John wrote a song in those days he'd record a demo first and then show it to Freddie. The demo wouldn't have any vocals, but instead a melody played on piano or synth.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for your reply!
This leads me to another question: before "those days", or better when synths/keyboards were not used, how John did record his demos? Similarly playing the vocal melody on guitar or piano?

[QUOTE] [b]Sebastian wrote:[/b]


THE MIRACLE: Freddie and John sat together and came up with a basic outline, then Freddie worked on it further and the four of them discussed and edited the lyrics until they agreed on the final version of them, which were a collaboration between Freddie and Roger.

[/QUOTE]

First i just want to congratulate you for your post. I used to read everything i could about Queen in the press - before the internet - and then the official sources on the internet, for my personal pleasure. I can attest the amount of research that went on for you to be able to write this post and the MIH timeline one. This is the kind of stuff that stimulates me. It´s great stuff, and this is what Queenzone is about.

The reason i´m focused on "The Miracle" song is because i just want to express what an extraordinary piece of music this is. Outstanding!

I just have one question about "Let me live":

Who plays the piano?
I was listening to this song the other day, and the piano playing during Roger´s "you know where i will beeeee" it´s outstanding to my ears. It´s a great piano moment in Queen music along many other moments. Do you know who´s playing the piano?

The part that mesmerizes me it´s the part on 1:51- 1:57
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lmp26aHBZus

Again, great post Sebastian.

[QUOTE] [b]agrasso wrote:[/b]

This leads me to another question: before "those days", or better when synths/keyboards were not used, how John did record his demos? Similarly playing the vocal melody on guitar or piano?[/QUOTE]

This is all speculation at this point, but I'd imagine there were not many individual demo versions John did in those days. Instead, he'd play the songs to Freddie and sing the melody to him so Freddie could learn it. That way, even the earliest take would already have Freddie's vocals. There's a comment about John singing AOBTD to Frederick, which the latter then of course transformed into one of his most celebrated vocal recordings ever.

[QUOTE] [b]Mr.QueenFan wrote:[/b]

I just have one question about "Let me live":

Who plays the piano?
[/QUOTE]

I'd suppose (again, *suppose*) Freddie did it back in '83. The very brief excerpt (about 5 seconds) broadcast on the documentary has piano, so he was still alive back then. Now, whether the middle-eight comes from that era or not, I've no idea. These are the things QPL could (should?) be clearing up rather than re-re-re-re-re-releasing 'Greatest Hits' and 'Wembley' for the umpteenth time.

Perhaps the same person who plays the piano on It's a hard life? (Freddie)

The piano at

.... to fall from the sky.....waiting for lo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-v-e ... (2nd verse) sounds similar to me

Is true about Soul Brother was a very fast composition. About Brian's said it was dedicated to him, well, he said that, but I think is more about all the members of the band.

Just wanted to point out, Seb, that Lost Opportunity wasn't on that list. (It was written by Brian, but you – and most of us – knew that.)

Good point. Thanks.

[QUOTE] [b]Sebastian wrote:[/b]


A WINTER'S TALE: Freddie wrote it in Montreux inspired by the scenery. He'd planned to spend Christmas '91 there with his boyfriend, but sadly couldn't make it.

[/QUOTE]

Just a quick note to add that Brian wrote the guitar solo. I believe there was a question in Queenzone somewhere about the actual finished state that Freddie left the song. I know the credits are still Mercury, but i like to know these little things about the process of music creation.

This is what Brian has to say:

http://www.brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssbdec13a.html#09

**Wed 04 Dec 13**
RETURN TO SWISS TIMES

"(...)and although I had a great walk around ton in Montreux these days. Maybe I always did … the beauty and freshness of the surroundings seem to bring things to the surface … I could hear Freddie singing "A Winters Tale" in my head as I strolled in the crisp air under a blue sky. And I remember how I carried a recipe in my head for many months as to how to bring the track to fruition, Freddie having left us such a wonderful frame to build around. I could hear the solo in my head long before I finally got to play it back in the UK in my own studio, and I remember feeling that I could close my eyes at that moment and be back in Mountain Studios with Freddie, in his element, relaxed, living in the moment, creating."

And since i don´t wanna bump the other threads with this information, i think that there´s a higher chance the guitar solo comes from the 1993/95 sessions for MIH, since he´s talking in past tense about "Freddie having left us such a wonderful frame to build around".

There are many guitar solos Brian created (though not all of them), but that doesn't make him a co-author. Same for the others and their respective roles.

When GnR covered 'Knocking on Heaven's Door', they came up with an original bass-line, several original guitar solos, piano parts, rhythm guitar parts, drum beats, keyboard parts, backing vocal parts ... but the song is still Bob Dylan's.

Brian writing the solo for, say, 'Days of Our Lives', doesn't make him a co-author. The song is still Roger's. Same if Roger came up with the drum part for, say, 'Keep Yourself Alive'. The song is still Brian's.

And yeah, I agree that the solo most likely comes from the 93-95 era.

I agree about the composition theory of Sebastian.
Other thing, is at the end they wanted, in The Miracle and Innuendo signed as Queen for being more free to create without fights for singles, royalties and this things.