Barcelona (album)

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Barcelona
Barcelona cover
Studio album by Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé
Released October 10, 1988
Recorded 1987-1988 at Townhouse and Mountain Studios
Genre Rock, Classical Crossover
Length 39:56
Label Polydor, Hollywood
Producer Freddie Mercury, Mike Moran and David Richards
Professional reviews
Freddie Mercury chronology
Mr. Bad Guy
(1985)		 Barcelona
(1988)		 The Freddie Mercury Album
(1992)

Barcelona is an album recorded by Freddie Mercury, the front-man of the popular British rock band Queen, and operatic soprano Montserrat Caballé. The album was recorded in 1987 and 1988, and released in 1988.

After Barcelona was selected to be the next Olympic city, Freddie was approached to write a song as a theme for the forthcoming games. The idea was to create a duet with Montserrat, as she is from that city. During the initial meetings, Freddie and Montserrat had developed a respect for each other's music and voices. They soon decided to work on an album together, with Mercury and Mike Moran taking the creative lead as songwriters.[1]

Some opera fans thought the music was too pop influenced. Similarly, some rock fans found it to be far too operatic.

Contents

[edit] Track listing

All songs by Freddie Mercury & Mike Moran, except where noted.

Side 1

  1. "Barcelona" – 5:37
  2. "La Japonaise" – 4:49
  3. "The Fallen Priest" (Mercury/Moran/Rice) – 5:46
  4. "Ensueño" (Mercury/Moran/Caballé) – 4:27

Side 2

  1. "The Golden Boy" (Mercury/Moran/Rice) – 6:04
  2. "Guide Me Home" (Mercury/Moran) – 4:10
  3. "How Can I Go On" – 3:51
  4. "Overture Piccante" – 6:40

[edit] Track information

[edit] Barcelona

The song was composed by Mercury and includes violins by Homi Kanga and Laurie Lewis, cello by Deborah Ann Johnston, horn by Barry Castle and percussion by Frank Ricotti. It was written to be the theme song of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, but was replaced due to Freddie's death. It was however performed live at the opening by Montserrat, with Freddie's voice recordings.

Russell Watson covers it on his album The Voice.

[edit] La Japonaise

The song was recorded on 9 November 1987 (an early demo comes from 1 September). Mercury wrote all the lyrics including the ones in Japanese, and sang some parts in falsetto which were kept on the final version.

[edit] The Fallen Priest

Originally a virtuoso piano piece by Mike Moran with some high vocals from Mercury, it was named "Rachmaninov's Revenge" (demos come from January 26 and February 19 respectively). Then it was named "The Duet" and finally "The Fallen Priest" when Tim Rice wrote the lyrics for it. Elaine Paige was living with Rice at the time and she was working on an album of Queen covers. Also released in 1987 it was also produced by Mike Moran who conducted the orchestra, wrote the arrangements and played piano and keyboards.

[edit] Ensueno

When Mercury first met Caballé on March 1987, he brought in a piece he and Mike Moran had composed called "Exercises In Free Love," to which Caballé added lyrics and became "Ensueño" later on. She asked him to sing it in his baritone voice.

[edit] The Golden Boy

This song also included lyrics from Tim Rice as well and was recorded on December 1, 1987 (early demos come from May 2 and November 9). The celebrity gospel choir featured Madeline Bell, Debbie Bishop, Lance Ellington, Miriam Stockley, Peter Straker, Mark Williamson and Carol Woods. Peter Straker was Mercury's friend who helped him out with some lyrics of "I'm Going Slightly Mad," and Miriam Stockley sang later on with Brian May.

[edit] Guide Me Home

Originally titled "Freddie's Overture", it was one of the last numbers to be written (early 1988).

[edit] How Can I Go On

This song comes from spring 1987. On the album its beginning is seamlessly merged with the end of the previous track.

It features John Deacon playing bass.

[edit] Overture Piccante

The last track on the album mixes parts of other tracks into a new piece.

[edit] Personnel

  • Freddie Mercury: Vocals, producer, arranger.
  • Montserrat Caballé: Vocals.
  • Mike Moran: all keyboards; production, arrangements.
  • David Richards: production.
  • John Deacon: Bass guitar ("How Can I Go On").
  • Homi Kanga: Violin ("Barcelona").
  • Laurie Lewis: Violin ("Barcelona").
  • Deborah Ann Johnston: Cello ("Barcelona").
  • Barry Castle: Horn ("Barcelona").
  • Frank Ricotti: Percussion ("Barcelona").
  • Madeline Bell: Backing vocals ("The Golden Boy").
  • Debbie Bishop: Backing vocals ("The Golden Boy").
  • Lance Ellington: Backing vocals ("The Golden Boy").
  • Miriam Stockley: Backing vocals ("The Golden Boy").
  • Peter Straker: Backing vocals ("The Golden Boy").
  • Mark Williamson: Backing vocals ("The Golden Boy").
  • Carol Woods: Backing vocals ("The Golden Boy").

[edit] Charts

[edit] Album

Album Barcelona

Country Charts Sales
1988: 1992 reissue: Certification
Peak position Weeks Peak position Weeks
Austria 24 6 –
Germany 41 18 –
Japan 93 1
Netherlands 9 22
Sweden 37 1
Switzerland 18 5 platinum[2]
United Kingdom 25 15 8 silver[3]
USA 6 –

[edit] Singles

Single Barcelona (1987/1992)

Country Charts
Peak position Weeks
1987:
United Kingdom 8 9
Sweden 15
Netherlands 34 3
1992 reissue:
Netherlands 2 10
United Kingdom 2 8
Switzerland 8 13
Sweden 12
Australia 42 3

Single The Golden Boy (1988)

Country Charts
Peak position Weeks
United Kingdom 80

Single How Can I Go On (1989)

Country Charts
Peak position Weeks
United Kingdom 95

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Freestone, Peter (1999), Freddie Mercury: An Intimate Memoir By the Man Who Knew Him Best, London: Omnibus Press, ISBN 0711978010 
  2. ^ swisscharts.com.
  3. ^ BPI. Certified Awards.


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Freddie Mercury
Studio albums
Mr. Bad Guy · Barcelona
Compilations
Related