Tuesday, March 31, 1992

Lyle Lovett released Joshua Judges Ruth

Joshua Judges Ruth

Lyle Lovett


Released: March 31, 1992


Peak: 57 US, 48 CN


Sales (in millions): 0.5 US


Genre: alt-country/Americana


Tracks:

Song Title (Writers) (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts.

  1. I’ve Been to Memphis (1992? single, --)
  2. Church
  3. She’s Already Made Up Her Mind (1992 single, --)
  4. North Dakota (Lyle Lovett/Willis Alan Ramsey) (1993? single, --)
  5. You’ve Been So Good Up to Now (9/19/92, 36 AR)
  6. All My Love Is Gone
  7. Since the Last Time
  8. Baltimore
  9. Family Reserve
  10. She’s Leaving Me Because She Really Wants To
  11. Flyswatter/ Ice Water Blues (Monte Trenckmann’s Blues)
  12. She Makes Me Feel Good (1992 single, --)
All songs written by Lyle Lovett unless noted otherwise.


Total Running Time: 57:15

Rating:

4.269 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)


Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album:

With his elegantly drawled tenor and modulated sense of country, gospel, and R&B inflections, the Texan songwriter extends the larger ensemble settings and contrasting moods achieved with his preceding album, Lyle Lovett and His Large Band.” SS “While Lyle Lovett and His Large Band wasn’t a massive chart hit, it was successful enough to establish an audience for Lovett outside the boundaries of the country market, and 1992’s Joshua Judges Ruth found Lovett seemingly free to follow his muse wherever it cared to go.” AMG Incidentally, “the album's title is a pun made up of the names of three books that appear sequentially in the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, and Ruth. WK “Leave it to the poker-faced Lovett to use a biblical joke to underline the thread of tangled relationships.” SS

Joshua Judges Ruth only bore the faintest glimmers of Lovett’s country leanings (notable exception: She’s Leaving Me Because She Really Wants To), and more surprisingly it suggested he was also moving away from the broad-shouldered jazz and blues accidents that dominated much of Pontiac and Large Band. Compared to his previous work, Joshua Judges Ruth sounds startlingly spare – producer and engineer George Massenburg brings a clear and keenly detailed sound to these sessions that allows all the details of the low-key arrangements to be heard, and She’s Already Made Up Her Mind, Baltimore,” AMG, one of his “atmospheric portraits of places and people,” SS, and Family Reserve seem to have been recorded with this in mind.” AMG

“While the album does not have one theme that binds all the songs, several tracks deal with ‘high concepts’ such as religion (Church) and death (‘Family Reserve’).” WK Overall, “the songs also reflect a shift toward more serious and introspective themes for Lovett.” AMG “Lovett’s renowned sense of humor and whimsy” WK “is conspicuous in its absence,” AMG “temporarily set aside in favor of reflective musings on heartbreak and loss.” WK The few exceptions are “the gospel-influenced ‘Church’ and the easygoing She Makes Me Feel Good.” AMG

Often his songs here acknowledge a “debt to other Lone Star songwriters like Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and Nanci Griffith. Yet his ease with frank rock elements, and an often urbane outlook, point up a musical kinship with L.A.'s folk-rock wing, notably Jackson Browne.” SSSS “While the craft of Joshua Judges Ruth ranks with the finest work of Lovett’s career, its spare and sober surfaces aren’t especially engaging, and it’s the sort of album fans are more likely to admire than embrace with pleasure.” AMG

Resources and Related Links:


Other Related DMDB Pages:


First posted 1/12/2010; last updated 5/18/2022.

Saturday, March 28, 1992

Eric Clapton reached #2 with “Tears in Heaven”

Tears in Heaven

Eric Clapton

Writer(s): Eric Clapton, Will Jennings (see lyrics here)


Released: January 8, 1992


First Charted: January 11, 1992


Peak: 2 US, 11 CB, 13 GR, 3 RR, 13 AC, 9 AR, 5 UK, 12 CN, 37 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.)


Sales (in millions): 3.3 US, 0.4 UK, 4.91 world (includes US + UK)


Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 4.0 radio, 198.95 video, 378.52 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

Eric Clapton launched his career in the 1960s, making a name for himself with the Yardbirds, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Cream, and Blind Faith before launching his solo career in the ‘70s (and making an album under the Derek + the Dominoes banner). On the charts, he reached #1 in 1974 with his version of Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff.” His biggest selling song, however, came nearly two decades later with 1992’s “Tears in Heaven.” WK

The song peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Grammys for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. It was originally featured on the Rush soundtrack, but then appeared on Clapton’s Unplugged album. The later is the best-selling album of Clapton’s career, selling over 25 million worldwide and winning the Grammy for Album of the Year.

Clapton had seen plenty of tragedy in his life, but the one-two punch of late 1990 and early 1991 might have been the most devastating. In August 1990, his friend and fellow musician Stevie Ray Vaughan and Clapton’s manager and two of his roadies were killed in a helipcoter accident. On March 20, 1991, his four-year-old son Conor died when he fell from a 53rd-floor window of a New York City apartment. WK

Clapton poured his grief into “Tears in Heaven.” The song was ambiguous enough that it worked in the context of the score he was crafting for the movie Rush about a narcotics agent who becomes an addict. He asked Will Jennings for help on the song. Jennings had worked with Steve Winwood and written the #1 movie songs “Up Where We Belong” for An Officer and a Gentleman and “My Heart Will Go On” for Titanitc. Jennings thought it was too personal and that Clapton should write it alone, but he relented. Clapton wasn’t sure he wanted to release the song, but was convinced by the Lili Zanuck, the director of Rush, that the song might help others cope with grief. SF


Resources:


Related Links:


First posted 1/28/2021; last updated 12/24/2022.

Tuesday, March 24, 1992

Arrested Development released their debut album

First posted 4/2/2008; updated 9/8/2020.

3 Years, 5 Months, & 2 Days in the Life

Arrested Development


Released: March 24, 1992


Peak: 7 US, 3 UK, -- CN, 4 AU


Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, 0.3 UK, 5.0 world (includes US and UK)


Genre: rap


Tracks: (Click for codes to singles charts.)

  1. Man’s Final Frontier
  2. Mama’s Always on Stage
  3. People Everyday (8/15/92, 8 US, 2 UK, 2 RB, sales: ½ million)
  4. Blues Happy
  5. Mr. Wendal (12/19/92, 6 US, 4 UK, 6 RB, sales: ½ million)
  6. Children Play with Earth
  7. Raining Revolution
  8. Fishin’ 4 Religion
  9. Give a Man a Fish
  10. U
  11. Eve of Reality
  12. Natural (4/4/92, 90 RB)
  13. Dawn of the Dreads
  14. Tennessee (4/4/92, 6 US, 18 UK, 1 RB, sales: ½ million)
  15. Washed Away
  16. People Everyday (Metamorphosis Mix)

Rating:

4.200 out of 5.00 (average of 9 ratings)


Awards:

About the Album:

“Arrested Development was one of the genre’s most promising groups when it released” JD 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life of..., named for “the amount of time that it took to secure a recording contract.” JD Critically, “its positive messages” AMG about “pleas for black unity and brotherly compassion, as well as a devotion to the struggle for equality” AMG “were the chief selling point for many rock critics” AMG and the band “claimed an armful of Grammy Awards, including best new artist and best rap group, in 1993.” JD

On a commercial level “the band, shot to the top of the Billboard charts [and] sold 5 million albums worldwide.” JD “But it was pegged as…‘alternative hip-hop’ – rap’s equivalent to the alternative explosion then dominating the rock world – and that tag would come to haunt the outfit.” JD

“Though the group successfully toured as part of Lollapalooza ‘93, rock radio turned a deaf ear. It was branded as ‘too black’ for the white music media, and ‘not black enough’ for many hip-hop outlets” JD due to the band’s “outspoken opposition to the glorification of drug dealing and the violent gangsta pose.” JD Instead, the band “addressed prejudice, the need for African-American unity, safe sex and the role of religion in bringing about social change. Speech advocated a revolution, but one that started not with guns, but changing the way that African-Americans think about themselves and their community.” JD “The issues the group was addressing had much more common in many African-Americans’ lives than the tales of violence delivered by other rappers.” JD

“The group’s instrumental backings were fluid, grooving, absurdly catchy and grounded in a long tradition of soul, funk, R&B, gospel and rock ‘n’ roll.” JD “It’s determinedly down to earth, and that aesthetic informs the group’s music as well. Their sound is a laid-back, southern-fried groove informed by rural blues, African percussion, funk, and melodic R&B.” AMG “The artful craftsmanship of the backing tracks was well suited to Speech’s smooth, laid-back rapping – a mellow style that belied the potent urgency of his lyrics.” JD

“All of it comes together on the classic single Tennessee, which takes lead rapper Speech on a spiritual quest to reclaim his heritage in a south still haunted by its history.” AMG The song, “which celebrates familial roots, is based on his teenage experiences visiting his grandparents in the town of Henning, Tenn.” (DeRegotis).

Mr. Wendal is a moving portrait of a homeless man encountered on the street, and Give a Man a Fish is a call for positive thinking as the road out of the ghetto.” JD

People Everyday was a sharp rewrite of Sly and the Family Stone's ‘Everyday People,’ and other tracks sampled Earth, Wind & Fire, Minnie Riperton, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells and Bob Dylan (a snippet of ‘Mighty Quinn’ appears in Arrested Development’s U).” JD

“In retrospect, 3 Years... isn’t quite as revolutionary as it first seemed.” AMG “There’s a distinct political correctness – even naïveté – in the lyrics, which places the record firmly in the early ‘90s; it's also a bit self-consciously profound at times.” AMG Nonetheless, 3 Years... is “still a fine record that often crosses the line into excellence.” AMG

In addition, the album “was a major influence on a new breed of alternative southern hip-hop, including Goodie Mob, OutKast, and Nappy Roots, and it still stands as one of the better albums of its kind.” AMG Also, “the influence of its music and its positive lyrical message live on in artists such as Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, the Roots and Common, many of whom are part of the so-called neo-soul or natural R&B movement.” JD

Resources and Related Links:

Saturday, March 14, 1992

Metallica “Nothing Else Matters” charted

Nothing Else Matters

Metallica

Writer(s): James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich (see lyrics here)


Released: April 20, 1992


First Charted: March 14, 1992


Peak: 34 US, 31 CB, 27 GR, 35 RR, 11 AR, 6 UK, 41 CN, 6 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.)


Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.6 UK, 2.16 world (includes US + UK)


Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 1100.0 video, 870.1 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

Metallica was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles. They built a loyal following with their brand of thrash metal throughout the 1980s. Each album charted higher and sold more than its predecessor. With their 1988 album And Justice for All, the band even managed a top-ten album which sold eight million copies and even landed a song (“One”) in the Billboard top 40!

It wasn’t their commercial peak, though. With their 1991 self-titled album, they rose to unimaginable heights. The album reached #1 and has sold more than 16 million copies in the U.S. The first single, “Enter Sandman,” reached the top 20 and two more singles made it to the top 40. This was no longer a band just for the metal heads.

Lead singer and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield said that Metallica songs were supposed to be “about destroying things, head banging, bleeding for the crowd, whatever it is, as long as it wasn’t about chicks and fast cars.” WK However, “Nothing Else Matters” is about missing his girlfriend and being depressed about being on the road away from home. WK He explained that it was written in such a way, though, that “it connected with so many people…it was about a connection with your higher power, lots of different things.” SF

Hetfield was reluctant to share the song with the band, but once drummer Lars Ulrich heard it, he pushed for it to be considered for the album. The song is one of the few in Metallica’s repertoire that doesn’t feature guitarist Kirk Hammett. Instead, it is Hetfield who plays the guitar solo. WK The song also features orchestration by Michael Kamen.

The song’s “relative softness was more accessible…and it opened new doors for the band.” SF This was no longer a band just intent on showing off how fast they could play. This was a band intent on showing how powerful they could be even when they slowed things down.


Resources:


Related Links:


First posted 12/27/2022.

Tuesday, March 10, 1992

A Queen Retrospective: 1973-1992

Queen

A Retrospective: 1973-1992

Overview:

Glam-rock/classic rock group formed in England in 1972. After lead singer Freddie Mercury’s death from AIDS in 1992, the group continued to tour and record with other singers, including Paul Rodgers (best known for his work with Bad Company) and American Idol contestant Adam Lambert. Otherwise, the band’s lineup stayed consistent throughout.


The Players:


Links:

Awards:

The Studio Albums:

Hover over an album cover to see its title and year of release. Click on the album to go to its dedicated DMDB page.


Compilations:

Under each album snapshot, songs featured on the anthologies are noted. If the song charted, the date of the song’s release or first chart appearance and its chart peaks are noted in parentheses. Click for codes to charts.

Queen I

Queen

Released: July 13, 1973


Peak: 83 US, 24 UK, -- CN, 77 AU


Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.1 UK, 2.5 world (includes US + UK)


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Rating:

3.043 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Tracks:

  1. Keep Yourself Alive (May) [3:32] (7/6/73, 89 CB, 6 CL) US1,CQ
  2. Doing All Right
  3. Great King Rat
  4. My Fairy King
  5. Liar (2/14/74, --)
  6. The Night Comes Down
  7. Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll
  8. Son and Daughter
  9. Jesus
  10. Seven Seas of Rhye (instrumental)


Total Running Time: 38:46


Queen II

Queen

Released: March 8, 1974


Peak: 49 US, 5 UK, -- CN, 79 AU


Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.1 UK, 2.5 world (includes US + UK)


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Rating:

2.924 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

  1. Procession
  2. Father to Son
  3. White Queen (As It Began)
  4. Some Day One Day
  5. The Loser in the End
  6. Ogre Battle
  7. The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke
  8. Nevermore
  9. The March of the Black Queen
  10. Funny How Love Is
  11. Seven Seas of Rhye (Mercury) [2:47] (2/25/74, 40 CL, 10 UK) UK1


Total Running Time: 40:42


Sheer Heart Attack

Queen

Released: November 8, 1974


Peak: 12 US, 2 UK, -- CN, 19 AU


Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.3 UK, 3.5 world, 12.02 EAS


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Rating:

3.685 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

  1. Brighton Rock
  2. Killer Queen (Mercury) [2:57] (10/11/74, 12 US, 12 CB, 11 HR, 10 RR, 2 CL, 2 UK, 15 CN, 24 AU, sales: 0.6 million) UK1,US1
  3. Tenement Funster
  4. Flick of the Wrist
  5. Lily of the Valley
  6. Now I’m Here (May) [4:10] (1/17/75, 34 CL, 11 UK) UK1
  7. In the Lap of the Gods
  8. Stone Cold Crazy (Queen) [2:15] (40 CL) CQ
  9. Dear Friends
  10. Misfire
  11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown
  12. She Makes Me (Stormtrooper in Stillettoes)
  13. In the Lap of the Gods…Revisited


Total Running Time: 38:41


A Night at the Opera

Queen

Released: November 21, 1975


Peak: 4 US, 14 UK, 2 CN, 12 AU


Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.3 UK, 10.0 world, 43.5 EAS


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Rating:

4.436 out of 5.00 (average of 23 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

  1. Death on Two Legs
  2. Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon
  3. I’m in Love with My Car (13 CL)
  4. You’re My Best Friend (Deacon) [2:52] (5/22/76, 16 US, 9 CB, 15 HR, 7 RR, 2 CL, 7 UK, 2 CN, 40 AU) UK1,US1
  5. 39 (18 CL)
  6. Sweet Lady
  7. Seaside Rendezvous
  8. The Prophet’s Song
  9. Love of My Life (7/14/79, 30 CL)
  10. Good Company
  11. Bohemian Rhapsody (Mercury) [5:57] (10/31/75, 2 US, 1 CB, 4 HR, 3 RR, 1 CL, 16 AR, 1 UK, 1 CN, 1 AU) UK1,US1,CQ
  12. God Save the Queen (instrumental)


Total Running Time: 43:08


About the Album:
Go to the DMDB page for this album.

A Day at the Races

Queen

Released: December 10, 1976


Peak: 5 US, 11 UK, 4 CN, 8 AU


Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.1 UK, 4.0 world, 18.73 EAS


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Rating:

3.531 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

  1. Tie Your Mother Down (May) [3:45] (3/4/77, 49 US, 54 CB, 64 HR, 6 CL, 13 UK, 68 CN, 47 AU) CQ
  2. You Take My Breath Away
  3. Long Away (6/7/77)
  4. The Millionaire Waltz
  5. You and I
  6. Somebody to Love (Mercury) [4:56] (11/12/76, 13 US, 9 CB, 18 HR, 15 RR, 2 CL, 2 UK, 5 CN, 15 AU) UK1,US1
  7. White Man
  8. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy (Mercury) [2:54] (5/20/77, 41 CL, 17 UK) UK1
  9. Drowse
  10. Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) (3/25/77)


Total Running Time: 44:24


News of the World

Queen

Released: October 28, 1977


Peak: 3 US, 4 UK, 2 CN, 8 AU


Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, 0.6 UK, 9.0 world, 32.47 EAS


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Rating:

3.768 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

  1. We Will Rock You (May) [2:01] (10/7/77, 4 US, 44 CB, 1 HR, 4 RR, 1 CL, 1 UK, 3 CN, 8 AU, sales: 7.5 million) UK1,US1
  2. We Are the Champions (Mercury) [3:00] (10/7/77, 4 US, 3 CB, 1 HR, 4 RR, 1 CL, 2 UK, 3 CN, 8 AU, sales: 6.84 million) UK1,US1
  3. Sheer Heart Attack
  4. All Dead, All Dead
  5. Spread Your Wings (2/10/78, 12 CL, 34 UK)
  6. Fight from the Inside
  7. Get Down, Make Love (21 CL)
  8. Sleeping on the Sidewalk
  9. Who Needs You
  10. It’s Late (4/25/78, 74 BB, 66 CB, 80 HR, 25 CL)
  11. My Melancholy Blues


Total Running Time: 39:10


Jazz

Queen

Released: November 10, 1978


Peak: 6 US, 2 UK, 13 CN, 15 AU


Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.3 UK, 4.5 world, 23.43 EAS


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Rating:

3.637 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

  1. Mustapha (4/79)
  2. Fat Bottomed Girls (May) [3:22] (10/13/78, 24 US, 18 CB, 31 HR, 2 CL, 11 UK, 17 CN, 25 AU) UK1,US1
  3. Jealousy (4/27/79)
  4. Bicycle Race (Mercury) [3:01] (10/13/78, 24 US, 18 CB, 31 HR, 9 CL, 11 UK, 17 CN, 25 AU) UK1,US1
  5. If You Can’t Beat Them
  6. Let Me Entertain You
  7. Dead on Time
  8. In Only Seven Days
  9. Dreamer’s Ball
  10. Fun It
  11. Leaving Home Ain’t Easy
  12. Don’t Stop Me Now (Mercury) [3:29] (1/26/79, 86 US, 77 CB, 84 HR, 7 CL, 9 UK, 53 AU) UK1
  13. More of That Jazz


Total Running Time: 44:39


The Game

Queen

Released: June 30, 1980


Peak: 15 US, 12 UK, 15 CN, 11 AU


Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, 0.1 UK, 8.0 world, 34.74 EAS


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Rating:

4.136 out of 5.00 (average of 18 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

  1. Play the Game (Mercury) [3:33] (5/30/80, 42 US, 38 CB, 44 HR, 15 CL, 14 UK, 22 CN, 85 AU) UK1,US1
  2. Dragon Attack
  3. Another One Bites the Dust (Deacon) [3:36] (8/8/80, 1 US, 1 CB, 1 HR, 2 RR, 1 CL, 7 UK, 1 CN, 5 AU) UK1,US1
  4. Need Your Loving Tonight (11/18/80, 44 BB, 66 CB, 63 HR, 36 CL)
  5. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Mercury) [2:42] (10/5/79, 1 US, 1 CB, 1 HR, 1 RR, 17 AC, 1 CL, 2 UK, 1 CN, 1 AU) UK1,US1
  6. Rock It (Prime Jive)
  7. Don’t Try Suicide (25 CL)
  8. Sail Away Sweet Sister
  9. Coming Soon
  10. Save Me (May) [3:48] (1/25/80, 41 CL, 11 UK, 76 AU) UK1


Total Running Time: 35:42


About the Album:
Go to the DMDB page for this album.

Flash Gordon (soundtrack)

Queen

Released: December 8, 1980


Peak: 23 US, 10 UK, -- CN, 29 AU


Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.1 UK, 2.5 world (includes US + UK)


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Rating:

2.396 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Tracks:

  1. Flash’s Theme (May) [2:48] (10/6/80, 42 US, 39 CB, 53 HR, 22 CL, 10 UK, 24 CN, 16 AU) UK1,US1
  2. In the Space Capsule (The Love Theme)
  3. Ming’s Theme (In the Court of Ming the Merciless)
  4. The Ring (Hypnotic Seduction of Dale)
  5. Football Fight
  6. In the Death Cell (Love Theme Reprise)
  7. Execution of Flash
  8. The Kiss (Aura Resurrects Flash)
  9. Arboria (Planet of the Tree Men)
  10. Escape from the Swamp
  11. Flash to the Rescue
  12. Vultan’s Theme (Attack of the Hawk Men)
  13. Battle Theme
  14. The Wedding March
  15. Marriage of Dale and Ming (And Flash Approaching)
  16. Crash Dive on Mingo City
  17. Flash’s Theme Reprise (Victory Celebrations)
  18. The Hero


Total Running Time: 35:11


Greatest Hits

Queen


Released: November 3, 1981


Recorded: 1973-1981


Peak: 11 US, 14 UK, 4 CN, 2 AU


Sales (in millions): 8.0 US, 6.0 UK, 27.6 world (includes US and UK)


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Tracks (UK version): (1) Bohemian Rhapsody (2) Another One Bites the Dust (3) Killer Queen (4) Fat Bottomed Girls (5) Bicycle Race (6) You’re My Best Friend (7) Don’t Stop Me Now (8) Save Me (9) Crazy Little Thing Called Love (10) Somebody to Love (11) Now I’m Here (12) Good-Old Fashioned Lover Boy (13) Play the Game 914) Flash (15) Seven Seas of Rhye (16) We Will Rock You (17) We Are the Champions

Tracks (US version): (1) Another One Bites the Dust (2) Bohemian Rhapsody (3) Crazy Little Thing Called Love (4) Killer Queen (5) Fat Bottomed Girls (6) Bicycle Race (7) Under Pressure (with David Bowie) (8) We Will Rock You (9) We Are the Champions (10) Flash (11) Somebody to Love (12) You’re My Best Friend (13) Keep Yourself Alive (14) Play the Game


Total Running Time: 58:19 (UK version), 47:48 (US version)

Rating:

4.561 out of 5.00 (average of 17 ratings)


Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About Greatest Hits:

The UK and U.S. versions of Queen’s first compilation differed with the former highlighting 17 songs and the latter including only 14. The U.S. version includes twelve of the songs featured on the UK version plus “Under Pressure” and “Keep Yourself Alive.” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Save Me,” “Now I’m Here,” “Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy,” and “Seven Seas of Rhye” are unique to the UK edition. In 2004, the UK version was released in the U.S. as Greatest Hits: We Will Rock You with “I’m in Love with My Car” and live versions of “Under Pressure” and “Tie Your Mother Down” from 2004.

Hot Space

Queen

Released: May 3, 1982


Peak: 22 US, 4 UK, -- CN, 15 AU


Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.1 UK, 3.5 world, 22.8 EAS


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Rating:

3.309 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Tracks:

  1. Staying Power (7/82)
  2. Dancer
  3. Back Chat (8/9/82, 40 UK)
  4. Body Language (4/19/82, 11 BB, 11 CB, 15 RR, 30 RB, 19 AR, 25 UK, 3 CN, 23 AU)
  5. Action This Day
  6. Put Out the Fire (5/29/82, 15 AR)
  7. Life Is Real (Song for Lennon) (6/19/82, 57 AR)
  8. Calling All Girls (7/19/82, 60 BB, 61 CB, 40 AR, 33 CN)
  9. Las Palabras de Amor (The Words of Love) (6/1/82, 17 UK)
  10. Cool Cat
  11. Under Pressure (Queen, David Bowie) [4:05] (with David Bowie, 10/26/81, 29 US, 22 CB, 26 HR, 23 RR, 7 AR, 1 CO, 1 UK, 3 CN, 6 AU) US1,UK2,CQ


Total Running Time: 43:29


The Works

Queen

Released: February 27, 1984


Peak: 23 US, 2 UK, -- CN, 12 AU


Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.3 UK, 4.5 world, 28.28 EAS


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Rating:

3.469 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

Tracks:

  1. Radio Ga Ga (Taylor) [5:43] (1/16/84, 16 US, 14 CB, 22 RR, 22 AR, 2 UK, 11 CB, 2 AU) UK2,CQ
  2. Tear It Up (3/31/84, 52 AR)
  3. It’s a Hard Life (Mercury) [4:09] (7/16/84, 72 US, 79 CB, 6 UK, 65 AU) UK2
  4. Man on the Prowl
  5. Machines (Or “Back to Humans”)
  6. I Want to Break Free (Deacon) [4:18] (4/2/84, 45 US, 53 CB, 3 UK, 26 CN, 8 AU) UK2
  7. Keep Passing the Open Windows
  8. Hammer to Fall (May) [3:40] (4/7/84, 35 AR, 13 UK, 69 AU) UK2,CQ
  9. Is This the World We Created…?


Total Running Time: 37:15


A Kind of Magic

Queen

Released: June 3, 1986


Peak: 46 US, 11 UK, -- CN, 12 AU


Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.6 UK, 6.0 world, 14.74 EAS


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Rating:

3.486 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

Tracks:

  1. One Vision (Taylor) [4:02] (11/4/85, 61 US, 52 CB, 19 AR, 7 UK, 76 CN, 35 AU) UK2,CQ
  2. A Kind of Magic (Taylor) [4:22] (3/17/86, 42 US, 42 CB, 3 UK, 64 CN, 25 AU) UK2,CQ
  3. One Year of Love (Deacon) [4:28] (9/86, --) CQ
  4. Pain Is So Close to Pleasure (8/20/86)
  5. Friends Will Be Friends (Mercury, Deacon) [4:08] (6/21/86, 14 UK) UK2
  6. Who Wants to Live Forever (May) [5:16] (9/15/86, 24 UK) UK2,CQ
  7. Gimme the Prize (Kurgan’s Theme)
  8. Don’t Lose Your Head
  9. Princes of the Universe (3/12/86, 32 AU)


Total Running Time: --


About the Album:
Go to the DMDB page for this album.

The Miracle

Queen

Released: May 22, 1989


Peak: 24 US, 11 UK, -- CN, 4 AU


Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.3 UK, 4.5 world, 8.68 EAS


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Rating:

3.062 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Tracks:

  1. Party
  2. Khashoggi’s Ship
  3. The Miracle (Mercury, Deacon) [5:01] (11/27/89, 21 UK) UK2,CQ
  4. I Want It All (May) [4:01] (5/2/89, 50 US, 3 AR, 3 UK, 34 CN, 10 AU, sales: 0.2 million) UK2,CQ
  5. The Invisible Man (Taylor) [3:58] (8/7/89, 12 UK) UK2
  6. Breakthru (Mercury, Taylor) [4:09] (6/19/89, 7 UK, 45 AU) UK2
  7. Rain Must Fall
  8. Scandal (10/9/89, 25 UK)
  9. My Baby Does Me
  10. Was It All Worth It


Total Running Time: 41:22


Innuendo

Queen

Released: February 4, 1991


Peak: 30 US, 12 UK, -- CN, 6 AU


Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.3 UK, 5.5 world, 14.12 EAS


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Rating:

3.652 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

Tracks:

  1. Innuendo (Mercury, Taylor) [6:27] (1/14/91, 17 AR, 1 UK, 28 AU) UK2
  2. I’m Going Slightly Mad (Mercury) [4:22] (3/4/91, 22 UK) UK2,CQ
  3. Headlong (May) [4:37] (1/26/91, 3 AR, 14 UK) UK2,CQ
  4. I Can’t Live with You (6/8/91, 28 AR)
  5. Don’t Try So Hard
  6. Ride the Wild Wind
  7. All God’s People
  8. These Are the Days of Our Lives (Taylor) [4:14] (9/5/91, 1 UK, 18 CN) CQ
  9. Delilah
  10. The Hitman
  11. Bijou
  12. The Show Must Go On (May) [4:37] (10/14/91, 40 AR, 16 UK, 75 AU) UK2,CQ


Total Running Time: 53:48


Greatest Hits II

Queen


Released: October 30, 1991


Recorded: 1981-1991


Peak: -- US, 15 UK, -- CN, 4 AU


Sales (in millions): -- US, 3.64 UK, 22.3 world (includes US and UK)


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Tracks: (1) A Kind of Magic (2) Under Pressure (with David Bowie) (3) Radio Ga Ga (4) I Want It All (5) I Want to Break Free (6) Innuendo (7) It’s a Hard Life (8) Breakthru (9) Who Wants to Live Forever (10) Headlong (11) The Miracle (12) I’m Going Slightly Mad (13) The Invisible Man (14) Hammer to Fall (15) Friends Will Be Friends (16) The Show Must Go On (17) One Vision


Total Running Time: 76:32

Rating:

4.253 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)


Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About Greatest Hits II:

Queen’s second compilation was released just weeks before lead singer Freddie Mercury’s death. It picks up where the first set left off, covering from 1981’s “Under Pressure” to the Innuendo, released earlier in 1991. The album wasn’t released in the United States where Classic Queen was released instead. The two compilations share eleven songs. Unique to this collection are “I Want to Break Free,” “It’s a Hard Life,” “Friends Will Be Friends,” “Breakthru,” “The Invisible Man,” and “Innuendo.”

Classic Queen

Queen


Released: March 10, 1992


Recorded: 1973-1991


Peak: 4 US, -- UK, 113 CN, -- AU


Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, -- UK, 3.5 world (includes US and UK)


Genre: glam rock/classic rock


Tracks: (1) A Kind of Magic (2) Bohemian Rhapsody (3) Under Pressure (with David Bowie) (4) Hammer to Fall (5) Stone Cold Crazy (6) One Year of Love (7) Radio Ga Ga (8) I’m Going Slightly Mad (9) I Want It All (10) Tie Your Mother Down (11) The Miracle (12) These Are the Days of Our Lives (13) One Vision (14) Keep Yourself Alive (15) Headlong (16) Who Wants to Live Forever (17) The Show Must Go On


Total Running Time: 75:10

Rating:

4.465 out of 5.00 (average of 6 ratings)


Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About Classic Queen:

This was the North American version of Queen’s Greatest Hits II. It shares eleven songs from that compilation. Five songs from 1973-1981 are included here: “Keep Yourself Alive,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Stone Cold Crazy,” and “Tie Your Mother Down.” The first two were on the U.S. Greatest Hits. “Bohemian Rhapsody” was included here because of its revival in the movie Wayne’s World. This collection also includes two songs from the 1981-1991 era which weren’t on Greatest Hits II: “One Year of Love” and “These Are the Days of Our Lives.”


Resources and Related Links:

First posted 3/26/2008; last updated 9/20/2024.