Freddie on "Never Let Her Slip Away": true or false?

Poll here

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While doing research, I keep on reading that this track seemingly features uncredited backing vocals from Freddie Mercury. When listening to it, I don't really think he's in there, but others think differently.

This wikipedia article references some sources claiming Freddie's contribution, but they don't actually provide any solid proof.

Queenzone member splicksplack seems to have reached out to Andrew Gold's producer five years ago:

splicksplack wrote:

Ok. First reply in. Brock Walsh was producer and vocalist on the album. Also a Queen fan. He has emphatically stated that the story is just that. A story.
Freddie did not sing on Never Let Her Slip Away.
That's from the producer himself.

However, he does not actually provide proof beyond this quote. Not to doubt his word, but we could use at least some screen capture or some other solid argument. Perhaps someone like Sebastian can provide a deep enough insight on this rumour?

My opinion is that this is some baseless rumor (I don't recognise Freddie's voice in this song, not in this particular version at least). But I don't really have much more than that to support my claim.

I can't seem to be able to create a forum poll (it always returns an error), so here's one:

Poll: Does Freddie Mercury sing backing vocals on 1978's "Never Let Her Slip Away" by Andrew Gold?

It's true mate. You can clearly here it's him.

Freddie's on the version on the album All This And Heaven Too, I believe.

Asking for proof of a negative is.....ambitious

If producer says no, it's most likely no - all I can say is I used to think I could hear Freddie on backing vocals LONG BEFORE I heard the story of him supposedly being on backing vocals.

I was kinda embarrassed to be replaying this song a few times at the job. People must think I'm a 50 year old white dude waxing nostalgic or something ....cause the song isn't very good.

Anyways to the point:

I really don't hear it.

I hear some similarity in the multi tracked OOHHS but that's as close as it gets for me. Maybe i gotta flush my sinuses

Love that song. Freddie seemed to help arrange the backing vocals in some way, cos Andrew and Freddie were friends according to almost all the sources cited in those articles.

Hi Golden Salmon, yep I remember looking into that. The reason I did was because I was convinced that FM was on there.

I remember getting in touch with an old school friend to tell him. He came back amazed that it hadn't been spotted before.

So with all the doubt floating around I started looking into who worked on the album and, if they were still alive. get something definite.

I located producer Brock Walsh and emailed him at the college he worked at.

After a couple of days I got a short reply stating that it was just a story he had heard before and sadly not true. He said he would have loved to have FM on there.

I will have a root in my email accounts and see if I can find it. But why not look yourself. All I remember is the college was in the States.

^Yay, thank you! Anything you can provide to end the myth is welcome. We can edit the Wikipedia article and reference this thread. It would have been nice to confirm Freddie's presence, but truth must prevail.

Golden Salmon, check this out https://www.facebook.com/andrewgoldmusic/posts/urban-legend-in-many-places-on-the-net-is-that-freddie-mercury-did-background-vo/280313182069724/

This came from the official Andrew Gold FB page.

If he'd been on there you'd think that Andrew Gold himself would have promoted the fact at some point in the last 40 years.