Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2020 18:09:57 GMT
Hi y’all! Just another discussion thread.
What do you guys think of the Smile recordings and songs?
I think Earth is amazing, and Step On Me is catchier than k-pop!
I like Doing All Right too!
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georg
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Post by georg on Oct 10, 2020 22:01:33 GMT
Always thought they were pretty good, and it’s obvious that a lot of the characteristics of Queen (block harmonies and guitars especially) had their basis in many of the songs. However, the songwriting was lacking, though I like all of the songs; I don’t love them though, and thought that Queen’s debut was much more solid than the six songs Smile recorded.
Keep in mind I’m not damning the songs; I’m sure Smile could have developed further if they had stuck together, but it clearly be took Freddie and John to make Queen. (“Thanks, Cap’n Obvious!“ I hear you shout...)
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NathanH
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Post by NathanH on Oct 10, 2020 22:29:07 GMT
I very much like all six songs.
Earth I think is the strongest track (very well constructed and produced) but there's absolutely nothing wrong with April Lady either in my opinion. AL is simple but done very well and sounds commercial.
Doin' Alright doesn't sound as superior as the Queen arrangement but it's still a very nice recording.
Polar Bear I've grown to really like as I love the simplicity of the lyrics but it's still got the Queen harmonies on it. It's also nice to hear a recording of Queen playing it in a studio outtake?
Step On Me and Blag are probably my least favourites but they are still great: SOM is perhaps symbolic as it's got a short but dramatic intro something which would prove to be the forumula for Queen's first hit single (Seven Seas Of Rhye) and Blag has the early Brighton Rock solo.
The thing which confuses me about Blag is that it's stated to be a Roger song but I couldn't imagine him coming up with the idea for the guitar solo. Any ideas?
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Ri
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Post by Ri on Oct 11, 2020 4:14:14 GMT
Love all of them but I have soft spots for April Lady and Polar Bear. Earth is my next favorite.
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Steve
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Post by Steve on Oct 11, 2020 7:41:01 GMT
Love all of them but I have soft spots for April Lady and Polar Bear. Earth is my next favorite. Love April Lady and Earth. |
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NathanH
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Post by NathanH on Oct 11, 2020 8:23:31 GMT
Love all of them but I have soft spots for April Lady and Polar Bear. Earth is my next favorite. My favourite three I think. |
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Post by badboybez on Oct 11, 2020 9:03:37 GMT
Remember back in the day actually finding a vinyl Jap copy with obi-strip in HMV - must be early nineties? Student then so spent that weeks food money on it
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Post by dragonkiller on Oct 11, 2020 10:04:12 GMT
Found my copy in the 80`s in HMV and spent ages listening to it. Doing all right became one of my favs. It was a bit different with Tim on vocal at first, but still nice to listen to.
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ted
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Post by ted on Oct 17, 2020 17:39:47 GMT
Always thought they were pretty good, and it’s obvious that a lot of the characteristics of Queen (block harmonies and guitars especially) had their basis in many of the songs. However, the songwriting was lacking, though I like all of the songs; I don’t love them though, and thought that Queen’s debut was much more solid than the six songs Smile recorded. I basically agree with everything stated above regarding Smile's released output.
Ted
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Strange_frontier
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Post by Strange_frontier on Apr 2, 2021 0:30:32 GMT
April Lady is quite nice. as is the original Doing All Right  I'm also v surprised as to how much more hype Smile has gotten since Doing All Right's inclusion in the bo rhap movie...it's as if at this point (at least, in my mind) Smile is getting more hype than any of the solo projects/Cross....That's like ( using the Beatles as an example...) if the Quarrymen were to get more hype than Wings. And though it be weird, it's fascinating how many people are latching on to the pre-Queen stuff. I could have never imagined. |
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Post by pimderks on Apr 2, 2021 6:22:42 GMT
Would be so nice for the three of them to get together and do a session playing some of the material, talking about their past. Film it, put it out in a boxset with a reissue of the Earth 7" etc, some nice reproductions of promo material from the time (the pictures in front of the RAH, a poster etc). But hey, we got a badly edited remake of Doing All Right on the soundtrack.
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BrƎИsꓘi
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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Apr 2, 2021 10:59:53 GMT
I'm also v surprised as to how much more hype Smile has gotten since Doing All Right's inclusion in the bo rhap movie...it's as if at this point (at least, in my mind) Smile is getting more hype than any of the solo projects/Cross....That's like ( using the Beatles as an example...) if the Quarrymen were to get more hype than Wings. And though it be weird, it's fascinating how many people are latching on to the pre-Queen stuff. I could have never imagined. i'm not. it's about the origins - the "starter" is more important than the "after dinner mint". and anyhow, the movie was about Freddie and to show where the band met is important for the Freddie narrative. As the film ends with Live Aid, the solo stuff is very much irrelevant - esp as Freddie's only solo stuff (at that point) was pretty forgettable. Roger and Brian's solo stuff are not really a significant part of any Freddie Story, are they? being a huge fan of late 60s rock/pop, i love the Smile vibe - even if the writing is a bit "paint by 60s numbers". one thing that leaps out at me: it's very 1967 - but that ship had long-sailed. Smile missed out by a year. who knows, maybe had their album been "ready to serve" a year earlier, then things may have been different? In an parallel universe, Smile catch the "peace n love boat" at inception - becoming commercially successful. Freddie never joins (ends up as a graphic artist. Smile ride the whole psychedelia train but evolve well in advance of their contemporaries. With Brian's guitar and electronics expertise, Smile steal a march on Floyd - their Smile: Like You Mean It 1973 opus (cover design by: Farrokh Bulsara & Storm Thorgerson ) remains in the top 40 worldwide album charts for ten years. Floyd are consigned to the annals of forgotten curios and DSOTM never happens. David Gilmour joins Sparks - who end up as support on the Smile: From Ear To Ear (1978 World Stadiums tour) - ending with 10 consecutive nights at Wembley Stadium. Just a thought. |
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georg
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Post by georg on Apr 2, 2021 13:17:27 GMT
But hey, we got a badly edited remake of Doing All Right on the soundtrack. Ugh, why did you remind me of that? They should've just given us the original recording – how cool would that have been! |
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Post by akirafish on Apr 21, 2021 1:07:51 GMT
When it come to Polar Bear, it's said that "Brian wrote 'Polar Bear' and sings lead.", but I think in the Queen In Nuce album it's Tim's vocal. Cound any one throw light on my confusion? Thanks.
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georg
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Post by georg on Apr 21, 2021 1:16:58 GMT
From memory, Polar Bear is a May composition with Tim on vocals.
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Post by akirafish on Apr 21, 2021 1:23:52 GMT
From memory, Polar Bear is a May composition with Tim on vocals. Yes I believe it's Tim's vocal. But in Complete Works, under Polar Bear entry: Recorded in September 1969 at De Lane Lea Studios and produced by Fritz Freyer, the song was later issued on Gettin’ Smile in 1982 and Ghost Of A Smile in 1998. “Brian wrote ‘Polar Bear’ and sings lead,” Tim remembered. “It was a gentle song about … a polar bear! It was a bit out of character, I suppose. Although, it was in that sense that Smile wanted to be dynamic, meaning we could be sensitive when called upon.” |
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georg
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Post by georg on Apr 21, 2021 2:20:44 GMT
Heh, I wrote that. That should’ve been noted as incorrect, but I quoted it directly from the CD booklet. Maybe I’ll fix that for the 4th edition that’ll never come out...
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Post by akirafish on Apr 21, 2021 2:54:07 GMT
Heh, I wrote that. That should’ve been noted as incorrect, but I quoted it directly from the CD booklet. Maybe I’ll fix that for the 4th edition that’ll never come out... Thanks for clarification! Your wonderful book is enjoyable and always reliable. |
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n39
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Post by n39 on Apr 21, 2021 9:11:35 GMT
Brian and Tim share lead. Brian starts off the verses: 'In a bright shop window sits a polar bear...' and then Tim takes over the 2nd part of the verse into the chorus: 'Amongst the tinsel he gives everyone a smile...'
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emrabt
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Post by emrabt on Apr 21, 2021 9:28:34 GMT
Earth is a beautiful song, I think the later version on aMIGO really shows what could have been done with it, but even the smile version as rough as it sounds in places is beautiful. www.youtube.com/watch?v=R93KfI8bZiU |
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Lplix
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Post by Lplix on Apr 21, 2021 11:40:50 GMT
I've always loved Earth, so much so that I made a remix version of it. if you are interested it is in the dedicated section.
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pg
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Post by pg on Apr 21, 2021 16:43:22 GMT
Your wonderful book is enjoyable and always reliable. Didn't we just prove it wasn't always reliable  |
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Post by soundfreak1 on Apr 29, 2021 13:31:21 GMT
I remember finally finding "Gettin' Smile" as a japanese import in a shop in the 80s. And I thought I found a "treasure". I like "Earth" and most amazing to me are the five seconds in the song at 1:50. It sounds like an excerpt from "Flash Gordon"....
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chowder
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Post by chowder on Jun 30, 2021 11:50:54 GMT
The Smile stuff is ok. I probably wouldn't have listened to it more than once in case it wasn't Queen related.
Blag and April Lady are great songs though.
And I still hear the bad vinyl scratch on April Lady in my mind thanks to In Nuce, even though I only listen to the Ghost Of A Smile album for the Smile tracks these days.
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Jakelic
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Post by Jakelic on Jul 27, 2021 16:55:48 GMT
I love it and I think Tim killed the vocals on polar bear!
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BrƎИsꓘi
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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Jul 31, 2021 17:16:27 GMT
I love it and I think Tim killed the vocals on polar bear! did you not like Brian's singing then? Tim sings the pre-chorus and chorus. Brian sings the verses? |
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n39
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Post by n39 on Jul 31, 2021 18:33:14 GMT
Brian's vocals on it aren't anything special. Tim absolutely nails his bit, including some tricky falsetto that Freddie struggled with, and is the standout player on the track.
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Jakelic
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Post by Jakelic on Jul 31, 2021 20:15:51 GMT
did you not like Brian's singing then? Tim sings the pre-chorus and chorus. Brian sings the verses? Sure I did, what's not to like! Brian has a "cold" color tone in his voice which I like a LOT. I think he is really a very distinctive singer, even though I heard people say he has more of a backing vocal quality. I never heard a singer that sounds similar to Brian, and you can't say that for many singers. Personaly I treasure vocal "interpretation" over capabillites and Brian is fantastic there. A correct emotion in the phrasing that delivers the song to the listener, the thing that "buys you", makes you believe the vocalist every word he says.. Not to put down his capabillities, of course. Not my first language, maybe I'm clumsy in explaining, but I hope you get me. For example his phrasing of TMLWKY I like better than Freddie's, and Freddie is the phrasing overlord in my opininon. World's best. But Brian wrote it, he sang it the best. He felt it, brought it the most accurate and perfect way, you can hear it in your bones.
Still, on Polar Bear I am fascinated by Tim's singing the most. The prechoruses are beautiful and my favourite part of the song. He is very resonant, nonshallant and has a wild raw vibrato. The unexpected falsetto jump on the last bridge followed by the "minor contempment" harmony is just plain gorgeous. He was a more complete vocalist that Freddie was in those days, I think. It sounds to me he belted this out in one take without much thinking, with all the flaws... I find it just fantastic. Makes you wonder if Tim could have made it really big, considering his singing, playing and writing skills... Well, I like this Polar Bear better than Freddie's version. I really think it is the best Song smile recorded. |
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Strange_frontier
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Post by Strange_frontier on Oct 5, 2021 12:09:56 GMT
Polar Bear and April Lady are perfection
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Makka
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Post by Makka on Oct 24, 2021 13:02:26 GMT
I prefer Smile's version of Polar Bear over Queen's. I really don't like the way Freddie sings that one.
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