Episode 74: Queen - The Works (1984) Part 1

 

After an extended break, first due to holiday celebrations, then due to winter colds, Brian and Sarah are finally back and ready to talk classic albums!  The first record up for discussion in 2019 is one the duo had originally planned to cover in 2018: Queen's 1984 endeavor, The Works. Brian and Sarah originally chose this album because of the release of the Queen/Freddie Mercury biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody. And our hosts are happy to report that Bohemian Rhapsody is still in the public spotlight, winning two Golden Globes and receiving five Oscar nominations-- not to mention the more than $800 million in worldwide box-office receipts it's earned.  So our hosts have dusted off their notes-- and their microphones-- and are giving you The Works! (Well, just the first side for now!)

 

Part 1 - Album History

This album could be considered contradictory, in that it represents both a break from-- and a return to-- the past. As Brian and Sarah explain in this episode, the break from the past is Queen's decision to finally part ways with the Elektra record label. The return to the past refers to the content of the album, which confirms the musical experiment of Hot Space was just that-- an experiment.  Our hosts discuss the circumstances prior to and during the recording of the album, and they talk about how the album was received all over the world, but particularly in America. And this section wouldn't be complete without chart position statistics, album reviews, and album art information, so they bring that to you as well.

 

Part 2 - Personal History

Following a common theme for this portion of the podcast, Sarah says her personal history of this album is tied to Brian's personal history. However, by the time Brian purchased this album (on CD, not cassette!), he and Sarah were already dating, so there was no need for him to make her a 'backup copy.' Brian's personal history for The Works includes a rather remarkable show of patience and restraint (for him, anyway!), despite persuasion from the local record merchant.

 

Part 3 - Track by Track

Our hosts jump into the track-by-track discussion with a great lead-off song-- and perhaps an even greater video. Side One of The Works only has four songs, but it contains quite a variety of musical styles. Brian and Sarah have a lot of fun discussing the songs and the videos. Along the way, they mention such 80s staples as REALLY big hair, shoulder pads, drum machines and synthesizers; but they also find reason to talk about Jerry Lee Lewis, opera, clowns, prawns and Zardoz!!

Radio Ga Ga Tear It Up It's a Hard Life Man on the Prowl

See the videos discussed here:

Radio Ga Ga

It's a Hard Life

The Cross - Power to Love

"It's a Hard Life" sung by Tom Chaplin (Keane) at the Prince's Trust, 2011

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