h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

OK...I've only joined recently..and i feel i should make my presence known...so how about starting a convo about what people think of all of this rejigging and re-releasing of Queen songs with other artists taking the place of our boy Freddie. I mean....the music is timeless...and the fact that the rest of the band are still doing the music means that musically the new versions are nearly impeccable...but...isn't it p**sing on the grave of one of the greatest musicians that ever lived to hear what they've done with it. I mean...Five (or 5ive or whatever they call themselves) absolutely destroyed 'We will rock you' if only by putting those cheesy little rap bits into the verses. Robbie Williams is less of an offender...but i mean....he's no Freddie Mercury..that's for sure (as if anyone is). I have a lot more respect for Robbie than i do for Five..mostly derived from when i found out that the song that shot Robbie to fame (Let me Entertain you) was originally penned by the man himself...dear old Freddie. But i can't help but think that when you have songs as good as the originals...there really is no need for new versions especially using artists with infinitely less presence, style, panache and most of all talent than the man himself.
So come on...what do the rest of you think...am i talking out of my a**e..or are you with me

With you

OK, there is a song called Let Me Entertain You on the album Jazz but it is *not* the same song as that by Robbie Williams. Are you sure Freddie wrote it?

I'm not entirely certain...maybe somebody got confused when and told me that he wrote it...on the basis of the fact that he wrote a song called let me entertain you....i'm not sure....for obvious reasons I don't own the Robbie Williams album and therefore can't verify who got the writing credit...although I suspect next time I'm in the old Muso shop (sorry..i mean music shop ) i'm gonna have a look (i just hope nobody I know sees me looking at a Robbie Williams CD)
And thanks for the support

Yeah!! You know what, You haven't changed my mind one bit if that's what you head out to do with this conversation! And Youw wanna know why? I've had this view ever since the first remake was done; Personally I Think Queen stopped at made in heaven.. If they wanted money they could easily go back in the charts as solo or something, and that's how they should've kept it; Remaking the old songs shows lack of respect in this sense; to me, even though I'm sure they have more respect for the man, But that's just what it looks like from my point. I agree totally with your dis-like of the bands that call themselves Normal words spelled differently just to stand out a little but.. "S Club 7", "5Ive", "Steps", "Hear'say" ... All a bunch of no-brained No-talent I wanna be famous Big Brother rejectees in my eye

aka

I agree totally with you..and just for your information...if you thought i was trying to make people like Robbie..you are sorely wrong...i was merely pointing out his one (and only) redeeming feature...i would rather spend the rest of my life listening to Chesney Hawkes than hear the entirety of any one of his albums...just so you know

Well, here's my theory (and I'm making this up as I go along, so feel free to stamp all over it )

Queen want to release some new material, but there's an entire generation out there who have never heard of them (unless it's as 'something my parents listen to'). So, they decide to rehash some old stuff with stars of the moment (Robbie Williams, Five, whoever) so that, when they do release their new stuff, kids will have heard of them and buy it in large quantities...

I didn't say it was a _good_ theory

Danny B.

I Don't know, Danny, it has a good leg to stand on!
I can see how you think that, well, because isn't that the way that record comany agents and the like think?

To be honest, BTW, I Think Robbie had one half decent song, by the name of "Angels" which I like quite a bit, but my fanaticalism stops right there!Still, I'd much rather listen to March of the Black Queen than "Angels" anyday, though!

I hope you're not accusing _me_ of being a record company exec.? Mind you, it's probably worth selling your soul for the money they earn

And if I confess to being a bit of a Robbie fan (though not as much as I'm a Queen fan, obviously), do I get thrown out of the fan club

Danny B.

Course not, Like I said, I Don't mind "Angels", myself... But Still, more of a Queen fan..

Plus, I just found a website that lets you get fee downloadable sound clips, and they have QUEEN!!!!!!!!! I Know have some of them on my website.. But I'm not adding more just yet as I'm listening to Internet Radio - The HitchHiker station!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A624836

If you're interested!

aka