News of the World
	Produced by Queen assisted by Mike Stone
	Released on November 1, 1977
	UK CHART POSITION #4 . . . US CHART POSITION #3 . . . PLATINUM RECORD (11/28/77), 4x PLATINUM (11/14/02)
	Find it at GEMM
6E-112 cover [high resolution gatefold photo]

T his comes on like gangbusters, then steps back from itself to become just another Day. Of course, just another Day is hour pleasure, as all four members do their best to while away the moments with great music. There is the opening “We Will Rock You” and “We Are The Champions,” and you’re over the wall to examine tracks like “Spread Your Wings” and “Who Needs You” at your leisure. If you’re looking for a change in the weather, News of the World does rock harder more often: “Sheer Heart Attack,” “Fight From The Inside,” “Get Down, Make Love.” And then there’s the crushing chorus of “It’s Late” to consider. Heavy stuff, way intense, but it’s balanced brilliantly by deft musical exercises like “Melancholy Blues” and the sublime “All Dead, All Dead” (shades of “Jesus”). If it’s not their best album (most prefer A Night at the Opera), News of the World features some of the band’s best songwriting. Contributions from Roger Taylor and John Deacon are no longer icing but essential ingredients to the cake, and split conveniently along the Mercury (Taylor) and May (Deacon) axis. So sometimes the News is hot (searing on “Get Down, Make Love”) and sometimes it blows cool (“Sleeping On The Sidewalk”). Nearly half of the album could be considered classic material; maybe the whole thing qualifies. “We Are The Champions” is a defining moment for Queen, much as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and “We Will Rock You” has permeated the collective consciousness alongside Gary Glitter’s “Rock And Roll Part II” as an international ambassador to sports arenas everywhere. In fact, if alien visitors have actually visited Earth, you can be sure that somewhere in a distant sports arena green tentacles are stomping out a beat that goes boom-boom-chick. Despite the range of material on News of the World, it represents a tightening since A Day At The Races, which suffered a bit from rococo sensibilities. Queen has scaled back the towering harmonies and elephantine arrangements, returning to the relatively intimate setting of Night. One of their most popular records, and deservedly so. If you find anyone who rates this album as average, smack ‘em for me.

6E-112 inner gatefold	6E-112 lyric sleeve

TRACK LISTING

1. WE WILL ROCK YOU    (Brian May)    2:01
2. WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS    (Freddie Mercury)    3:00
3. SHEER HEART ATTACK    (Roger Taylor)    3:24
4. ALL DEAD, ALL DEAD    (Brian May)    3:10
5. SPREAD YOUR WINGS    (John Deacon)    4:36
6. FIGHT FROM THE INSIDE    (Roger Taylor)    3:02
7. GET DOWN, MAKE LOVE    (Freddie Mercury)    3:54
8. SLEEPING ON THE SIDEWALK    (Brian May)    3:05
9. WHO NEEDS YOU    (John Deacon)    3:02
10. IT'S LATE    (Brian May)    6:26
11. MY MELANCHOLY BLUES    (Freddie Mercury)    3:33
    
    CD reissue bonus track
    
12. WE WILL ROCK YOU (1991 REMIX)

CREDITS

JOHN DEACON -- bass guitar
BRIAN MAY -- guitar, backing vocals
FREDDIE MERCURY -- vocals, piano
ROGER TAYLOR -- drums, backing vocals
Mike Stone -- engineer
Frank Kelly Freas -- original artwork
Cream -- layour and sleeve coordination

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