Live at Wembley '86 [2003]

• Artist: Queen
• Rating:
• Release Date: August 19, 2003
• Type: Lyrics are included with the album, Compilation (best of), Live
• Genre: Rock

Review

The posthumously released two-disc Live at Wembley '86 proves once and for all that Queen was a superior live band, and like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and others, had far too many hits to fit into a two-hour show. Recorded in the band's native England at the gigantic Wembley Stadium on the A Kind of Magic tour, the group was at their peak of popularity back home. This would unfortunately turn out to be the band's last tour, and it showed the group including old rock & roll covers, classics, then-current songs, improv, and overlooked album tracks. Queen opens up the show with the near-heavy-metal roar of "One Vision," and adds lively renditions of the well-known "Tie Your Mother Down," the David Bowie collaboration "Under Pressure," and the band's very first hit, "Seven Seas of Rhye." Also included on disc one is the early, forgotten show-closer "In the Lap of the Gods," the beautiful (and sadly prophetic) ballad "Who Wants to Live Forever," and a downright funky version of "Another One Bites the Dust." Disc two opens with a pair of acoustic numbers, including the perennial crowd fave "Love of My Life," but soon switches gears to some good old rock & roll covers. Spirited and fun versions of "You're So Square (Baby I Don't Care)" and "Tutti Frutti" expose Queen's roots, while the band's own "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" fits in perfectly with all the '50s hoopla. Casual fans will recognize "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Radio Ga Ga," and "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions." Although most Queen fans prefer the unfairly criticized 1979 concert album Live Killers, Live at Wembley '86 does a good job of balancing the well-known for the uninitiated and the lesser-known for the hard-core fan. (Note: Live at Wembley '86 should not to be confused with the double album/single-disc Live Magic, which was released in 1986 in England and 1996 in the U.S.) [The 2003 edition of Live at Wembley '86 adds four songs -- "A Kind of Magic," "Another One Bites the Dust," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," and "Tavaski Szel Vizet Araszt" -- culled from other shows on the A Kind of Magic tour.] ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide

Tracks

CD 1

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
One Vision	Queen	Queen	(5:49)
Tie Your Mother Down	Brian May	Queen	(4:06)
In the Lap of the Gods	Freddie Mercury, Queen	Queen	(2:29)
Seven Seas of Rhye	Freddie Mercury	Queen	(1:18)
Tear It Up	Brian May	Queen	(2:12)
A Kind of Magic	Roger Taylor	Queen	(8:41)
Under Pressure	David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon	Queen	(3:41)
Another One Bites the Dust	John Deacon	Queen	(5:58)
Who Wants to Live Forever	Brian May	Queen	(4:07)
I Want to Break Free	John Deacon	Queen	(3:34)
Impromptu	Queen	Queen	(2:56)
Brighton Rock (Solo)	Brian May	Queen	(9:10)
Now I'm Here	Brian May	Queen	(6:20)

CD 2

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Love of My Life	Freddie Mercury	Queen	(4:48)
Is This the World We Created...?	Freddie Mercury, Brian May	Queen	(2:58)
(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care	Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller	Queen	(1:36)
Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart)	Gene Pitney, Alfonso Cayetano	Queen	(1:50)
Tutti Frutti	Little Richard, Robert "Bumps" Blackwell, Dorothy LaBostrie	Queen	(3:24)
Gimme Some Lovin'	Steve Winwood, Spencer Davis	Queen	(0:54)
Bohemian Rhapsody	Freddie Mercury, Queen	Queen	(5:50)
Hammer to Fall	Brian May	Queen	(6:03)
Crazy Little Thing Called Love	Freddie Mercury	Queen	(5:58)
Big Spender	Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields	Queen	(1:06)
Radio Ga Ga	Roger Taylor	Queen	(5:57)
We Will Rock You	Brian May	Queen	(2:47)
Friends Will Be Friends	Freddie Mercury, John Deacon	Queen	(2:06)
We Are the Champions	Freddie Mercury	Queen	(4:04)
God Save the Queen	Queen	Queen	(1:35)
A Kind of Magic [*]	Roger Taylor	Queen	(7:10)
Another One Bites the Dust [*]	John Deacon	Queen	(4:28)
Crazy Little Thing Called Love [*]	Freddie Mercury	Queen	(5:55)
Tavaski Szel Vizet Araszt [*]	Traditional	Queen	(1:53)

Credits

Freddie Mercury (Group Member), Queen (Producer), Brian May (Arranger), Brian May (Group Member), John Miles (Stage Design), Roy Bennett (Lighting Design), John Brough (Engineer), Henry Crallan (Staging), John Deacon (Group Member), Spike Edney (Keyboards), Mack (Engineer), Brian Malouf (Mixing), Pat McDougal (Assistant), Peter Mew (Engineer), Justin Shirley-Smith (Engineer), Neal Preston (Photography), Kevin Metcalfe (Remastering), Peter Hince (Keyboard Technician), Peter Hince (Bass Technician), Trip Khalaf (Engineer), Richard Gray (Design), Denis O'Regan (Photography), Roger Chiasson (Illustrations), Kris Fredriksson (Engineer), Grant Fleming (Staging), John Collins (Keyboard Technician), John Collins (Bass Technician), Brian Zellis (Guitar Technician), Torleif Svensson (Photography), Brian Croft (Pre-Production), Roger Taylor (Assistant), Roger Taylor (Group Member), Jim Devenny (Monitor Engineer), John McGraw (Stage Design), Diana Moseley (Costume Design), Mike Wiesman (Production Stage Manager), Simon Tutchner (Lighting Director), Tony Williams (Wardrobe)