The Queen Unplugged [What if...] | Queen Discussion Forum

alexmai66
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The Queen Unplugged [What if...] Aug 12, 2021 11:33:53 GMT velizar likes this

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Post by alexmai66 on Aug 12, 2021 11:33:53 GMT

As you can read on en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV_Unplugged, MTV Unplugged started in november 1989 after the Bon Jovi performance at MVA.
Let's say that it could have started in november 1986 (Led Zeppelin played part of their set unplugged in 1973, Queen probably in 1975/76 copied that idea, so the format could start in 1979...).

In my opinion, Queen in november 1986 could do the best Unplugged of all.

What about it? Do you like the idea?

Let's say that you have to select a setlist for Queen... which songs you pick (insert a large selection 1973-1986 and then the 15 candidates, including medleys) to play unplugged with Freddie and in which order?

In my large list (39 songs, but feel free to choice your number) I'm going to put some songs that aren't acoustic but could became curious...

'39
All Dead, All Dead
Body Language
Bohemian Rhapsody
Bring Back That Leroy Brown
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Don't Stop Me Now
Dreamer's Ball
Drowse
Fight from the Inside
God Save the Queen
Good Company
Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy
In Only Seven Days
Is This the World We Created...?
Jealousy
Killer Queen
Las palabras de amor (The Words of Love)
Leaving Home Ain't Easy
Long Away
Love of My Life
The Millionaire Waltz
Misfire
My Melancholy Blues
One Year of Love
Radio Ga Ga
Sleeping on the Sidewalk
Some Day, One Day
Somebody to Love
Spread Your Wings
Tenement Funster
We Are the Champions
We Will Rock You
White Queen (As It Began)
Who Needs You
Who Wants to Live Forever
You and I
You Take My Breath Away
You're My Best Friend

My final list of 15 (including medleys) is:

Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Killer Queen
Some Day, One Day

Medley:
Bring Back That Leroy Brown
Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy

Misfire
Is This the World We Created...?
Love of My Life

Medley:
Jealousy
Long Away
Who Needs You
'39

You're My Best Friend
Spread Your Wings

Medley:
Dreamer's Ball
You Take My Breath Away
My Melancholy Blues

Bohemian Rhapsody
We Will Rock You
We Are the Champions
God Save the Queen

Last Edit: Aug 12, 2021 12:07:22 GMT by alexmai66

BrƎИsꓘi
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The Queen Unplugged [What if...] Aug 12, 2021 12:41:39 GMT alexmai66 likes this

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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Aug 12, 2021 12:41:39 GMT

Aug 12, 2021 11:33:53 GMT alexmai66 said:

Ar set unplugged in 1973, Queen probably in 1975/76 copied that idea, so the format could start in 1979...).

In my opinion, Queen in november 1986 could do the best Unplugged of all.

What about it? Do you like the idea?

i like the idea, and sure, Queen could do themselves justice. but, best unplugged of all? not a bit of it!
the best unplugged sets are in a different class:
Pearl Jam, Bob Dylan, Eagles, Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Page & Plant, Mellencamp, Alice In Chains, Don Henley, CSN.

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alexmai66
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The Queen Unplugged [What if...] Aug 12, 2021 13:17:19 GMT

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Post by alexmai66 on Aug 12, 2021 13:17:19 GMT

Aug 12, 2021 12:41:39 GMT BrƎИsꓘi said:

Aug 12, 2021 11:33:53 GMT alexmai66 said:

Ar set unplugged in 1973, Queen probably in 1975/76 copied that idea, so the format could start in 1979...).

In my opinion, Queen in november 1986 could do the best Unplugged of all.

What about it? Do you like the idea?

i like the idea, and sure, Queen could do themselves justice. but, best unplugged of all? not a bit of it!
the best unplugged sets are in a different class:
Pearl Jam, Bob Dylan, Eagles, Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Page & Plant, Mellencamp, Alice In Chains, Don Henley, CSN.

Imagine Freddie on piano and the boys around on stools... pure magic.

BrƎИsꓘi
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They called it paradise, I don't know why...You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye.

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The Queen Unplugged [What if...] Aug 12, 2021 13:35:40 GMT Frank and alexmai66 like this

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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Aug 12, 2021 13:35:40 GMT

Aug 12, 2021 13:17:19 GMT alexmai66 said:

Aug 12, 2021 12:41:39 GMT BrƎИsꓘi said:

i like the idea, and sure, Queen could do themselves justice. but, best unplugged of all? not a bit of it!
the best unplugged sets are in a different class:
Pearl Jam, Bob Dylan, Eagles, Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Page & Plant, Mellencamp, Alice In Chains, Don Henley, CSN.

Imagine Freddie on piano and the boys around on stools... pure magic.

no. Freddie was too much of a showman to sit still in the intimate relaxed unplugged set. as i said they'd do themselves justice, but it wouldn't be great. it's not what Queen were about. two acoustic numbers in a 1½-hr set yes, 1hr+ acoustic only? it'd severely clip Freddie's stage wings.

Now, Roger (solo), Brian (solo) or Smile - yes definitely.

Last Edit: Aug 12, 2021 13:36:01 GMT by BrƎИsꓘi

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Frank
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The Queen Unplugged [What if...] Aug 12, 2021 16:23:43 GMT via mobile alexmai66 likes this

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Post by Frank on Aug 12, 2021 16:23:43 GMT

Aug 12, 2021 13:35:40 GMT BrƎИsꓘi said:

Aug 12, 2021 13:17:19 GMT alexmai66 said:

Imagine Freddie on piano and the boys around on stools... pure magic.

no. Freddie was too much of a showman to sit still in the intimate relaxed unplugged set. as i said they'd do themselves justice, but it wouldn't be great. it's not what Queen were about. two acoustic numbers in a 1½-hr set yes, 1hr+ acoustic only? it'd severely clip Freddie's stage wings.

Now, Roger (solo), Brian (solo) or Smile - yes definitely.

To add to this, Freddie was playing less piano on tour in 1986. He wanted to move around more, especially given the sheer size of the stage. They were also motivated to play to huge stadium audiences. So it's unlikely Freddie would have been interested in stripped down sets. That said, if he'd lived longer I'm pretty confident he'd have slowed down and done an acoustic set or two. In 1986, he was saying that he eventually couldn't continue to run around on stage. There comes a point where it'd be "ridiculous."

The Fairy King
Ploughman

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The Queen Unplugged [What if...] Aug 12, 2021 18:19:02 GMT alexmai66 likes this

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Post by The Fairy King on Aug 12, 2021 18:19:02 GMT

My favorite Unplugged performances are:
Nirvana, Mariah, Live and Bryan Adams.

I kinda expected Brian to do one and am pretty sure they offered him a spot back in the early 90's.

Whatever the reasons he didn't do it, might not be farfetched to think Queen would've had the same reasons.

That said, the fantasy is still interesting enough to muse about. So my two cents:

Realistic:
Bohemian Rhapsody
Another one bites the dust
You're My best friend
Somebody To Love
'39
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
I Want It All
Under Pressure
We will rock you
We are the champions

What I would like to hear:

The Night Comes Down
Tie your mother down
'39
Sail away sweet sister
Spread your wings
My melancholy blues
Dreamers ball
Hammer to fall
I want it all
Rock 'n roll medley

Last Edit: Aug 12, 2021 18:19:21 GMT by The Fairy King

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scapp70
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The Queen Unplugged [What if...] Aug 12, 2021 18:46:36 GMT The Fairy King, littlequeenie97, and 2 more like this

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Post by scapp70 on Aug 12, 2021 18:46:36 GMT

I always had the Beatles fantasy, that if Lennon was never murdered, they would have reunited in the late 1980s and performed a killer Unplugged set, which would include Side 2 of Abbey Road, and a solo song from each member.

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dysan
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The Queen Unplugged [What if...] Aug 13, 2021 6:10:10 GMT alexmai66 likes this

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Post by dysan on Aug 13, 2021 6:10:10 GMT

On QZ I proposed a missed opportunity for a Queen cash grab when Unplugged albums were all the rage in the nineties containing the live acoustic songs from Wembley '86, Live Killers and MMB from Houston off the CD of The Miracle. Add in stuff like YTMBA from Hyde Park and I dare say some album cuts like Long Away and The Night Comes Down blended in to sound like part of the performance and Rocks would've had a contemporary companion album. I'm glad they didn't, but also surprised they didn't.