Freddie's Coffee Club

This thread is intended for general discussion and chit chat that is tangentally related to Freddie, rather than discussion of a coffee table book.

I hope that this new thread is acceptable, and that posters will find it friendly.

So ...

Do you prefer Freddie's vocal version of Exercises in Free Love over the Monserrat / Freddie duet version of Ensueno?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOySL4GYaDY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkuBUWykrIU

I thought i preferred Exercises until I listened to both versions consecutively. Although I am not a fan of genuine opera vocals, I prefer Ensueno, as it somehow gives me goosebumps.

Thanks for starting this new thread and for the links as I haven't seen these before. As far as the two songs, I prefer the duet with Freddie and Monserrat. I don't know much about opera, but in the duet, I could hear Freddie's voice. The solo piece was equally beautiful though and highlighted Freddie's incredible talent. It's reassuring to know that during Freddie's last years, some of his dreams were fulfilled by creating music with Monserrat and by making a solo album. xo

Saint Joub. Great start! Thanks for the new thread. I’ll have a decaf with cream for the conversation around the coffee table. Haha!!

Thanks for the links- I’ll take a look.

Is Ensueno the song that Peter F mentions as being the only one where Freddie sang in his “true register”? that Monserrat was the only one who could get him to do that.

I 2nd that HD!

Jiub. I’ve been autocorrected. Haha.

Exercises for me. I just love the sheer rawness of it.

Anything with Freddie on vocals is brilliant.

They're both fantastic in my opinion. But Ensueno is a proper song, so I prefer it to EIFL. But, EIFL is amazing, and as stevelondon20 pointed out, is raw. That rawness is a nice counterpart to the finished version, and all of the Barcelona album. Great stuff from that period.

[QUOTE] [b]Jazz+ wrote:[/b]

Anything with Freddie on vocals is brilliant.[/QUOTE]

Right you are. Keep Smilin', Yellow Breezes, all brilliant stuff, absolutely top notch.

Lol!!

[QUOTE] [b]cobohall wrote:[/b]

They're both fantastic in my opinion. But Ensueno is a proper song, so I prefer it to EIFL. But, EIFL is amazing, and as stevelondon20 pointed out, is raw. That rawness is a nice counterpart to the finished version, and all of the Barcelona album. Great stuff from that period.[/QUOTE]

Just love the vocals on it mate. Superb.

It was a bit weird buying the Great Pretender 7" and flipping it over and hearing that. Was like O.....Kay....

Then I got bollocked by my mum for the b side being shit. Same with My Baby Does Me on The Miracle. She heard it coming from my room after I'd got all excited about getting the album. 'That was worth it then' she said, cuttingly. The irony of the next song being called Was It All Worth It was not lost on her either. 'See? Even they don't know'.

Haha!

[QUOTE] [b]cobohall wrote:[/b]

They're both fantastic in my opinion. But Ensueno is a proper song, so I prefer it to EIFL. But, EIFL is amazing, and as stevelondon20 pointed out, is raw. That rawness is a nice counterpart to the finished version, and all of the Barcelona album. Great stuff from that period.[/QUOTE]

I'm with you on this. Raw, powerful, and I think it is a highlight of Freddie's vocals.
But dang what a hard choice.

Nice one Jiub.
While 'Ensueno' stands up as a great Duet, 'Exercises I F L' steals it for me. It is a wonderful demonstration of this incredible voice. I remember putting it on the jukebox, in my local back in '87 and witnessing the reactions of the great unwashed, (which were negative, I hasten to add, but what did they know - Ha ! )
And then, at the funeral of my dear friend, a couple of years ago, at the service , in the crematorium, it was played. Given the occasion and the brilliant acoustics, it was a most profound experience . I'll never forget it.

Nice one Jiub.
While 'Ensueno' stands up as a great Duet, 'Exercises I F L' steals it for me. It is a wonderful demonstration of this incredible voice. I remember putting it on the jukebox, in my local back in '87 and witnessing the reactions of the great unwashed, (which were negative, I hasten to add, but what did they know - Ha ! )
And then, at the funeral of my dear friend, a couple of years ago, at the service , in the crematorium, it was played. Given the occasion and the brilliant acoustics, it was a most profound experience . I'll never forget it.