Queen II
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| Queen II | ||
|---|---|---|
| Missing image Queen_Queen_II.jpg Queen II | ||
| LP by Queen | ||
| Released | March 1974 | |
| Recorded | August 1973 | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 40 min 42 sec | |
| Record label | EMI (UK), Hollywood Records (US) | |
| Producer | Roy Thomas Baker and Queen "Nevermore" and "Funny How Love Is": Robin G. Cable and Queen "The March of the Black Queen": Roy Thomas Baker, Robin G. Cable and Queen | |
| Professional reviews | ||
| Allmusic.com | 2.5 stars out of 5 | link (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDSUB020403270718212652&sql=Afnfpxqyaldke) |
| Queen Chronology | ||
| Queen (1973) | Queen II (1974) | Sheer Heart Attack (1974) |
Queen II is a rock album by British band Queen originally released in 1974. The album was recorded at Trident Studios, United Kingdom in August 1973, and engineeed by Mike Stone. The LP used 'Side White' and 'Side Black' instead of Sides A & B, whith corresponding photos of the band dressed all in white and all in black. The album cover photograph was frequently used by the band throughout its career, most notably in the music video for the song Bohemian Rhapsody.
Again Freddie was the dominant songwriter, composing and arranging the entire Black Side and contributing virtuoso piano and harpsichord instrumental supporting as well as wide range of vocals. The White Side is very diverse: one track is composed and sung by Taylor, and of the other four (composed by May), one is sung by Mercury, one by May, one by Mercury & Taylor (with May at the piano) and one is instrumental. John Deacon played acoustic guitars in most of the album (except White Queen where it's Brian and a cheap old acoustic he had since his childhood).
"Funny How Love Is" and "Nevermore" were produced by Robin Cable because Freddie wanted them to have a Phil Spector-like sound. Robin Cable produced the last part of March Of The Black Queen as well.
Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins and Axl Rose of Guns 'N Roses regard this as one of their favourite albums. Extreme's Nuno Bettencourt and Gary Cherone became friends because they both enjoyed Queen II.
Track listing
- Side White
- "Procession" (May) - 1:12
- "Father to Son" (May) - 6:14
- "White Queen (As It Began)" (May) - 4:33
- "Some Day One Day" (May) - 4:21
- "Loser In The End" (Taylor) - 4:01
- Side Black
- (6) "Ogre Battle" (Mercury) - 4:08
- (7) "The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke" (Mercury) - 2:41
- (8) "Nevermore" (Mercury) - 1:17
- (9) "March Of The Black Queen" (Mercury) - 6:33
- (10) "Funny How Love Is" (Mercury) - 2:48
- (11) "Seven Seas of Rhye" (Mercury) - 2:48
Bonus Tracks on 1991 Hollywood Records re-issue
- "See What A Fool I've Been" (May)
- "Ogre Battle (1991 Remix)" (Mercury)
- "Seven Seas of Rhye (1991 Remix)" (Mercury)
Personnel
- Freddie Mercury - vocals, piano, harpsicord (Fairy Feller's Master Stroke)
- Brian May - guitars, vocals, bells (March Of The Black Queen), piano (Father To Son)
- John Deacon - bass guitar, acoustic guitar
- Roger Taylor (as Roger Meddows Taylor) - percussion, vocals