A Kind of Magic
Released: June 2nd, 1986
Recorded: November 1985- April 1986 at Musicland Studios, Munich, Germany; Mountain Studios, Montreux, Switzerland; and Townhouse Studios, London, England
Genre: Rock
Length: 40:58
Label: EMI, (UK) Hollywood (US)
Producer: Queen, Mack, David Richards
Personnel:
· Freddie Mercury: lead vocals, backing vocals, piano, synthesizers, programming
· John Deacon: bass, electric guitars, synthesizers, programming
· Roger Taylor: drums, electronic drums, synthesizers, programming, backing vocals
· Brian May: electric guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals (“Who Wants to Live Forever”), synthesizers, programming
· Spike Edney: extra keyboards
· Joan Armatrading: incidental vocals on “Don’t Lose Your Head”
· Steve Gregory: alto sax on “One Year of Love”
· String Section on "One Year of Love" arranged and conducted by Lynton Naiff
· National Philharmonic Orchestra on "Who Wants to Live Forever" arranged by Michael Kamen and Brian May and conducted by Michael Kamen
· Roger Chiasson: album cover
Singles:
One Vision, released November 4th, 1985
A Kind of Magic, released March 17th, 1986
Princes of the Universe, released April, 1986 (Canada, US, Japan, Australia, New Zealand), February 28th, 2000 (Europe)
Friends Will Be Friends, released June 9th, 1986
Pain is So Close to Pleasure, released August, 1986 (US, Europe)
Who Wants to Live Forever, released September 15th, 1986
One Year of Love, released 1986 (France, Spain)
Interesting Facts:
This was Queen’s first album recorded digitally.
The album went gold in the US in 2002
This was Queen’s last album with a promotional tour.
All four band members were credited as songwriters for the song “One Vision”, however Roger Taylor stated in an interview with Australian TV that originally it had been his song, with serious lyrics about men like Martin Luther King, but joked that "that rotter Freddie" had changed all his lyrics with additions like "one shrimp, one prawn, one clam, one chicken" and even name-checking bassist John Deacon.
Mercury changed the lyrics in the song “A Kind of Magic” when Taylor was over in LA for a week.
Track Listing:
Side One:
1. One Vision (Queen)—5:10
2. A Kind of Magic (Taylor)—4:24
3. One Year of Love (Deacon)—4:26
4. Pain is So Close to Pleasure (Deacon, Mercury)—4:21
5. Friends Will Be Friends (Deacon, Mercury)—4:07
Side Two:
1. Who Wants to Live Forever (May)—5:15
2. Gimme the Prize (Kurgan’s Theme) (May)—4:34
3. Don’t Lose Your Head (Taylor)—4:38
4. Princes of the Universe (Mercury)—3:32
1991 Hollywood Record Bonus Tracks
1. Forever (May)—3:20
2. One Vision (Extended Version) (Queen)—6:23
1986 EMI CD Bonus Tracks
1. A Kind of ‘A Kind of Magic’ – 3:38
2. Friends Will Be Friends Will Be Friends… -- 5:58
3. Forever (May)—3:20
Recorded: November 1985- April 1986 at Musicland Studios, Munich, Germany; Mountain Studios, Montreux, Switzerland; and Townhouse Studios, London, England
Genre: Rock
Length: 40:58
Label: EMI, (UK) Hollywood (US)
Producer: Queen, Mack, David Richards
Personnel:
· Freddie Mercury: lead vocals, backing vocals, piano, synthesizers, programming
· John Deacon: bass, electric guitars, synthesizers, programming
· Roger Taylor: drums, electronic drums, synthesizers, programming, backing vocals
· Brian May: electric guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals (“Who Wants to Live Forever”), synthesizers, programming
· Spike Edney: extra keyboards
· Joan Armatrading: incidental vocals on “Don’t Lose Your Head”
· Steve Gregory: alto sax on “One Year of Love”
· String Section on "One Year of Love" arranged and conducted by Lynton Naiff
· National Philharmonic Orchestra on "Who Wants to Live Forever" arranged by Michael Kamen and Brian May and conducted by Michael Kamen
· Roger Chiasson: album cover
Singles:
One Vision, released November 4th, 1985
A Kind of Magic, released March 17th, 1986
Princes of the Universe, released April, 1986 (Canada, US, Japan, Australia, New Zealand), February 28th, 2000 (Europe)
Friends Will Be Friends, released June 9th, 1986
Pain is So Close to Pleasure, released August, 1986 (US, Europe)
Who Wants to Live Forever, released September 15th, 1986
One Year of Love, released 1986 (France, Spain)
Interesting Facts:
This was Queen’s first album recorded digitally.
The album went gold in the US in 2002
This was Queen’s last album with a promotional tour.
All four band members were credited as songwriters for the song “One Vision”, however Roger Taylor stated in an interview with Australian TV that originally it had been his song, with serious lyrics about men like Martin Luther King, but joked that "that rotter Freddie" had changed all his lyrics with additions like "one shrimp, one prawn, one clam, one chicken" and even name-checking bassist John Deacon.
Mercury changed the lyrics in the song “A Kind of Magic” when Taylor was over in LA for a week.
Track Listing:
Side One:
1. One Vision (Queen)—5:10
2. A Kind of Magic (Taylor)—4:24
3. One Year of Love (Deacon)—4:26
4. Pain is So Close to Pleasure (Deacon, Mercury)—4:21
5. Friends Will Be Friends (Deacon, Mercury)—4:07
Side Two:
1. Who Wants to Live Forever (May)—5:15
2. Gimme the Prize (Kurgan’s Theme) (May)—4:34
3. Don’t Lose Your Head (Taylor)—4:38
4. Princes of the Universe (Mercury)—3:32
1991 Hollywood Record Bonus Tracks
1. Forever (May)—3:20
2. One Vision (Extended Version) (Queen)—6:23
1986 EMI CD Bonus Tracks
1. A Kind of ‘A Kind of Magic’ – 3:38
2. Friends Will Be Friends Will Be Friends… -- 5:58
3. Forever (May)—3:20
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