SO SAD HER EYES
SMILING DARK EYES
Queen II
is the second
studio album
by the
British Rock band
It was released on
March,8th 1974
by EMI Records
in the UK
and Elektra Records
in the US.
It was recorded at
Trident Studios
and
Langham 1 Studios,
London,
in August 1973
with co-producers
Roy Thomas Baker
and
Robin Geoffrey Cable,
and engineered by
Mike Stone.
It is significant fo
being the first album
to contain elements
of the band's
signature sound
of multi-layered
overdubs,
vocal harmonies,
and varied
musical styles.
Described as
"arguably the heaviest Queen album",
Queen II
marked the end
of the first phase
of the band's career.
The album combines
a heavy rock sound
with art rock
and progressive
rock elements,
and has been called
"a pillar of grandiose,
assaultive hard rock"
by the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Queen II
is a concept album
set in the same
medieval faery-realm
as their
first album,
following a
royal line's
magical battle
against forces
of darkness.
The two sides
of the original LP
were labelled
"Side White"
and
"Side Black"
(instead of the conventional sides A and B),
with corresponding
photos of the band
dressed in black
on the front cover
and white
on the inner gatefold.
The white side
has songs with a
more emotional theme
and the black side
is almost entirely
about fantasy,
often with
quite dark themes.
Mick Rock's
cover photograph
was frequently
re-used by the band
throughout its career,
including the
music videos
for the songs
"Bohemian Rhapsody"
(1975)
and
"One Vision"
(1985).
Released to an
initially mixed
critical reception,
Queen II
remains one of the band's
lesser-known albums.
Nonetheless,
it has retained a
cult following
since its release,
and garnered praise
from critics,
fans,
and fellow
musicians alike.
TRACK LIST
CD 1
(Side White)
Procession
Father to Son
White Queen (As It Began)
Some Day One Day
The Loser in the End
(Side Black)
Ogre Battle
The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke
Nevermore
The March of the Black Queen
Funny How Love Is
Seven Seas of Rhye
CD 2
(BONUS DISC)
Procession
(Live At The Rainbow, London / March 1974)
Father To Son
(Live At The Rainbow, London / March 1974)
Ogre Battle
(Live At The Rainbow, London / March 1974)
Son And Daughter
(Live At The Rainbow, London / March 1974)
White Queen (As It Began)
(Live At Hammersmith Odeon, December 1975)
Seven Seas Of Rhye
(Live)
See What a Fool I’ve Been
(BBC session, July 1973 - remix 2011)
Ogre Battle
(BBC session December 3rd 1973)
Nevermore
(BBC session, April 1974)
White Queen (As It Began)
(Session 4 - April 1974)
Seven Seas Of Rhye
(Long Remix)
See What a Fool I’ve Been
(B-side version, February 1974)
Seven Seas of Rhye
(instrumental mix 2011)
White Queen (As It Began)
(Just Vocals)
Nevermore
(Just Vocals)
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