OK, here is my review of "Queen's Greatest Hits II".
01. "A Kind Of Magic" - Nothing to not like about this song. Inspiring, melodic, nice groove. Lifts me up every time.
02. "Under Pressure" - Seems like one of those songs that we can't say enough good things about. Unique, melodic, deep, inspiring, one of the best duets in rock and roll history. Both vocalists at their best. (And probably at their peak between takes. ba-doom-kshhh!!!). Just an amazing song all around.
03. "Radio Ga Ga" - On the one hand, it's very nice, historical, and inspiring. On the other hand, sheesh, they're trying to make a comeback with this album, they need a better chorus, then "all we hear is radio ga ga, radio goo goo, radio ga ga". They're asking to be taken seriously against after "Hot Space", but then what's with this silly chorus to a dramatic song.
All that said, I still love the song! I like the remark about MTV that was made when he sings about the radio: "We might miss you when we get tired of all this vision."
04. "I Want It All" - Great song about human nature, a very good reflection on how we sometimes get. Perfect rock song.
05. "I Want To Break Free" - Good memories of playing ping-pong with a high school buddy to this one, we would go from this one to "Radio Ga Ga", and back again. To me, it's kind of spiritual, lyrically. Musically, perhaps a bit too dated for comfort at some parts.
06. "Innuendo" - Drumroll please. ... Very inspiring music! Love the slow-down and Spanish guitar break!
07. "It's A Hard Life" - Reminds me of "Play the Game". Nice, hook-filled chorus. In the past, I wasn't fond of this song, I found it and remembered it as pure sap. But hearing it again after all these years, it sounds a little bit better now. I think it's biggest problem might be that it sounds like so many recycled elements of many other Queen hits, maybe like they were trying to hard on it. Plus a little heavy on the syrup for the lyrics.
08. "Breakthru" - Kind of neat, but doesn't warrant repeated listens for me.
09. "Who Wants To Live Forever" - Therepeutic is the name of the game with this one. For my part I don't want to live down here forever, but I do want my soul to live eternally.
10. "Headlong" - Too contrived. They sound out of their natural element, trying to make another "Tie Your Mother Down". Doesn't work, despite a really good try to make it work.
11. "The Miracle" - For all the sentimentalism, etc. that songs like these on here can be criticized for, I really have to say, "Dang man, these guys are holding on to hope." That's a pretty good thing.
12. "I'm Going Slightly Mad" - At last another song that sounds totally natural and not forced at all. I really like this one, and God knows can relate to it.
And it's genuinely funny, I don't just laugh to be polite when hearing it. Great vocal performance.
13. "The Invisible Man" - Similar to the last one, but not as catchy to me.
14. "Hammer To Fall" - A pretty good rocker, but I don't think "just surrender and it won't hurt at all" is as good a strategy for dealing with ISIS as Obama seems to.
15. "Friends Will Be Friends" - This one is fantastic right from Brian May's soulful guitar touch at the beginning. I can agree with Chippa that only Queen can do magic with a song like this, from someone like Elton John it might com off too sentimental and not work as well.
16. "The Show Must Go On" - Powerful, sober, and hopeful, and a great performance as well. My radar missed this song way back when, but it's on my radar now. Very good.
17. "One Vision" - I remember thinking this was a good comeback song for them. I think they tried hard for a comeback with the album "The Works"; but this song sounds much more natural to their true form. Set the tone for what the bulk of their 80s work would be like. A perfect inspiring song to cap off the collection.
Star Rating: 4.3 out of 5
Prime Cuts: "A Kind of Magic", "Under Pressure", "I'm Going Slightly Mad" , "Friends Will Be Friends", "The Show Must Go On", "One Vision"
Bottom Line: A very solid collection of anthematic songs from a band in a period that wasn't necessarily their natural habitat.
A little bit more on the anthematic and sometimes sappy side, compared to their first batch of greatest hits. But maybe more mature in many respects than their first greatest hits.
Another observation is, man, these guys remind us that we're alive, not dead and going through the motions. They really know how to get down, even if on a couple of the songs it sounds they are trying to force them to work, to get their footing going in the 80s.
Seems like the one constant train that keeps chugging down the tracks through these, is Brian May's commanding guitar; it's like whatever is going on, he's leading the songs steady down the tracks and in full control.
Thanks Brax, it was very fun playing this one and analyzing the songs. Got you marked down again for late November!
Jim