"Disco. Deacon"--Queen--

DISCO.DEACON

Queen

*QUEEN *QUEEN II *SHEER HEART ATTACK *A NIGHT AT THE OPERA *A DAY AT THE RACES *NEWS OF THE WORLD *JAZZ *LIVE KILLERS *THE GAME *FLASH GORDON *GREATEST HITS *HOT SPACE *THE WORKS *A KIND OF MAGIC *LIVE MAGIC *THE MIRACLE *AT THE BEEB *INNUENDO *GREATEST HITS II *LIVE AT WEMBLEY *MADE IN HEAVEN *QUEEN ROCKS *GREATEST KARAOKE HITS *QUEEN+ GREATEST HITS III *QUEEN IN VISION *QUEEN JEWELS

QUEEN (13 Jul. 1973) UK date Top
Instruments	Bass Guitar	Order of Credit	Freddie - Brian - "Deacon John" - Roger
Comments	Brian "We used to call him Deacon John, and it appeared like that on the first album, but after that, he objected to it and said he wanted to be called John Deacon. I don't really know why we called him Deacon John in the first place - just one of those silly things." (Tear-out Photo Book)

QUEEN II (8 Mar. 1974) Top
Instruments	Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar	Order of Credit	Freddie - Brian - John - Roger
Comments	John "Sounds very boring doesn't it but we couldn't find a title we all agreed on. Our first LP didn't do too badly because it sold about 15 thousand copies. One of the tracks written for this LP by Freddie was an inspiration he got from a painting he saw in the Tate Gallery, which was a gathering of fairies bundled together in a wood" (OIQFC 2001(spring), 1974)

SHEER HEART ATTACK (8 Nov. 1974) Top
Instruments	Bass Guitar, Double Bass, Acoustic Guitar, almost all guitars on 'Misfire'	Order of Credit	Roger - Freddie - John - Brian
Songs and Comments	"Misfire" 1:46 (B-4) Covered by Neko Case & Her Boyfriends : Virginian (1997)

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (21 Nov. 1975) Top
Instruments	Electric Bass, Electoric Piano, Double Bass('39)	Order of Credit	Freddie - Brian - Roger - John
Songs and Comments	"You're My Best Friend" 2:50 (A-4) Highest chart position in UK 7 Highest chart position in USA 16 John "Possibly Veronica." (to whom he devoted this song) (OIQFC 1997(spring), 1997) Brian "John just came from nowhere with this song. It was only the second song he'd written for the group and it was just this perfect pop song." (Bassist & Bass Techniques, 1996) from Guitarist.co.uk "I think You're My Best Friend is amazing. He went out completely on a limb to do that. It's not the kind of thing we'd done before but he knew exactly what he wanted." (Queen - A Salute) Freddie* "I'm very pleased with that actually. John has really come into his own. Brian May and myself have mostly written all the songs before, and he's been in the background; he's worked very hard, and his song's very good, isn't it? It's nice. It even adds to the versatility, y'know what I mean. It's nice that four people can write and they're all strong, 'cos y'know, if John or anyone else wrote a song that we thought was weak, it would never be on the album. So he has had to work really hard on it to keep up the standard." (radio interview, 1976)*from Jazz Web

A DAY AT THE RACES (10 Dec. 1976) Top
Instruments	Fender Bass, Acoustic Guitar("You and I")	Order of Credit	Freddie - Brian - Roger - John
Songs and Comments	"You and I"3:27 (A-5) Freddie "That's the end of side one of "A Day At The Races". That was a track by John Deacon, he's contribution to this album. His songs are good and are getting better every time actually. I'm getting a bit worried actually." (CAPITOL RADIO Interview, 1976) "This is John Deacon's track. It's very John Deacon, with more raucous guitars. After I'd done the vocals, John put all these guitars in, and the mood has changed. I think it's his strongest song to date." (Circus Magazine, 1977) Melody Maker "Deacon is probably the poppiest of Queen's writers, as "You're My Best Friend" verifies. This One is a lot more exacting, but still remains the softest track on the album. The song gives the band a chance to try out harmonies on a straight pop song and it works well." (Dec.4, 1976)

NEWS OF THE WORLD (28 Oct.1977) Top
Instruments	Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar("Who Needs You")	Order of Credit	John - Brian - Freddie - Roger
Songs and Comments	"Spread Your Wings" 4:36 (A-5) Covered by Blind Guardian : Somewhere Far Beyond(1992), Forgotten Tales (1996) "Who Needs You" 3:07 (B-3)

JAZZ (10 Nov.1978) Top
Instrument	Bass Guitar	Order of Credit	Freddie - Brian - Roger - John
Songs and Comments	"If You Can't Beat Them" 4:15 (A-5) "In Only Seven Days" 2:22 (B-2) John seems to say some words "Not many, not many" in the song "Let Me Entertain You"...?

LIVE KILLERS (22 Jun.1979) Top
Instruments	Bass Guitar, Vocals(!!)
Songs	"You're My Best Friend" 1:58 (A-5) "Spread Your Wings" 4:42 (C-2)

THE GAME (30 Jun. 1980) Top
Instrument	Bass Guitar
Songs and Comments	"Another One Bites The Dust" 3:33 (A-3) Highest chart position in UK 7 Highest chart position in USA 1 John "I listened to a lot of soul music when I was in school, and I've always been interested in that sort of music. I'd been wanting to do a track like 'Another One Bites the Dust' for awhile, but originally all I had was that line and the bass riff. Gradually, I filled it in, and the band added ideas. But I wanted the kind of sound we got, with the heavy bass. I could hear it as a song for dancing but had no idea it would become as big as it did. The song got picked up off our album, and some of the black radio stations in the U.S. started playing it, which we've never ever had before." (An Illustrated Biography) Brian "He(Freddie) would certainly fight for things he believed in, like 'Another One Bites the Dust', which was a bit of a departure for Queen. Roger, at the time, certainly felt that it wasn't rock and roll and was quite angry at the way that was going. And Freddie said, "Darling, leave it to me. I believe in this." John had written the song. But it took Freddie's support to make it happen." (Guitar World, 1998) from Philipp's Studio Info Page Covered by* Denise LaSalle : Love Me Right (1992) "Need Your Loving Tonight" 2:47 (A-4) Highest chart position in USA 44 "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" Roger "(As an all-round musician, did you ever feel restricted by the drums?)We were very much a team, Brian would play piano here and there and I played rhythm guitar on some things. John played keyboards and acoustic guitar on 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' for instance, so we weren't that restricted." (Rhythm Magazine, 2002)

THE GAME (30 Jun. 1980) Top

Instrument

Bass Guitar

Songs and Comments

"Another One Bites The Dust" 3:33 (A-3)

Highest chart position in UK 7

Highest chart position in USA 1

John: "I listened to a lot of soul music when I was in school, and I've always been interested in that sort of music. I'd been wanting to do a track like 'Another One Bites the Dust' for awhile, but originally all I had was that line and the bass riff. Gradually, I filled it in, and the band added ideas. But I wanted the kind of sound we got, with the heavy bass. I could hear it as a song for dancing but had no idea it would become as big as it did. The song got picked up off our album, and some of the black radio stations in the U.S. started playing it, which we've never ever had before." (An Illustrated Biography)
Brian: "He(Freddie) would certainly fight for things he believed in, like 'Another One Bites the Dust', which was a bit of a departure for Queen. Roger, at the time, certainly felt that it wasn't rock and roll and was quite angry at the way that was going. And Freddie said, "Darling, leave it to me. I believe in this." John had written the song. But it took Freddie's support to make it happen." (Guitar World, 1998) *from Philipp's Studio Info Page

Covered by: Denise LaSalle : Love Me Right (1992)

"Need Your Loving Tonight" 2:47 (A-4): Highest chart position in USA 44

"Crazy Little Thing Called Love"

Roger: "(As an all-round musician, did you ever feel restricted by the drums?)We were very much a team, Brian would play piano here and there and I played rhythm guitar on some things. John played keyboards and acoustic guitar on 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' for instance, so we weren't that restricted." (Rhythm Magazine, 2002)

FLASH GORDON (8 Dec.1980) Top
Instruments	Bass Guitar, Guitar-Synthesizer	Order of Credit	John - Roger - Brian - Freddie
Songs and Comments	"Excecution Of Flash" 0:43 (A-7) "Arboria - Planet Of The Tree Man" 1:41 (B-1) The only song of John that was used "The eYe".

GREATEST HITS (2 Nov.1981) Top
Songs	"Another One Bites The Dust" (A-2) "You're My Best Friend" (A-6)

HOT SPACE (21 May 1982) Top
Songs and Comments	"Back Chat" 4:33 (A-3) Highest chart position in UK 40 Brian "In one track called Back Chat there wasn't going to be a guitar solo because John, who wrote the song, had gone perhaps more violently black than the rest of us. We had lots of arguments about it, and what he was heading for in his tracks was a totally non-compromise situation, doing black stuff as R&B artists would do it with no concessions to our methods at all. I was trying to edge him back towards the central path and get a bit of heaviness into it. So one night I said I wanted to see what I could add to it - it's called Back Chat and it should have some guts - and he agreed, so I went in and tried a few things." (Bassist & Bass Techniques, 1996) from Guitarist.co.uk "Cool Cat"* 3:27 (B-10) The first Deacon/Mercury collaboration.

HOT SPACE (21 May 1982) Top

Songs and Comments

"Back Chat" 4:33 (A-3)

Highest chart position in UK 40

Brian: "In one track called Back Chat there wasn't going to be a guitar solo because John, who wrote the song, had gone perhaps more violently black than the rest of us. We had lots of arguments about it, and what he was heading for in his tracks was a totally non-compromise situation, doing black stuff as R&B artists would do it with no concessions to our methods at all. I was trying to edge him back towards the central path and get a bit of heaviness into it. So one night I said I wanted to see what I could add to it - it's called Back Chat and it should have some guts - and he agreed, so I went in and tried a few things." (Bassist & Bass Techniques, 1996) *from Guitarist.co.uk

"Cool Cat" 3:27 (B-10): The first Deacon/Mercury collaboration.

THE WORKS (27 Feb 1984) Top
Songs and Comments	"I Want To Break Free" 3:20 (B-6) Highest chart position in UK 3 (His Best in UK) Highest chart position in USA 45 Covered by Masterboy : Best of (2000), Ketama : Sabor (2000)

A KIND OF MAGIC (2 Jun.1986) Top
Instruments	Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Occasional Guitar	Order of Credit	Freddie - John - Roger - Brian
Songs and Comments	"One Year Of Love" 4:26 (A-3) Brian "There's a song called "One Year Of Love" which John wrote, and that was written around a different romantic interest. It's about the Highlander as he is in the 20th century when he's just about to fall in love again, even though he said he wouldn't - har-har! That's a romantic song too." (interview LP, 1986) from DJAnnie's Freddie Mercury/Queen Page Covered by* Elaine Paige : Queen Album (1997) "Pain Is So Close To Pleasure" 4:21 (A-4) Mercury/Deacon collaboration. Brian "Here's a song called "Pain Is So Close To Pleasure" which I started off, and I think again John and Freddie worked together on it. That's really sort of a motown sounding track, very unusual for us." (interview LP, 1986) from DJAnnie's Freddie Mercury/Queen Page "Friends Will Be Friends"* 4:07 (A-5) Mercury/Deacon collaboration. Highest chart position in UK 14 Brian "Freddie's written a song called "Friends Will be Friends", and I think Freddie and John worked on it together. It's something which I took to heart very much as well because it's kind of traditional Queen sound. It has this... If you can remember "We are The Champions" or "Play The Game", it's in that kind of mood, it has all the Queen trademarks. And yet it's a new song and a new idea, and that'something I instantly related to. Very nice, very good track. It sounds very complete." (interview LP, 1986) from DJAnnie's Freddie Mercury/Queen Page "Mister Mercury"* (by Peter Freestone) "The co-composition credit on FRIENDS WILL BE FRIENDS and on PAIN IS SO CLOSE TO PLEASURE was merely because John Deacon insisted that Freddie's contribution be recognised and acknowledged. John's honesty and integrity would not have allowed him to do otherwise."

A KIND OF MAGIC (2 Jun.1986) Top

Instruments

Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Occasional Guitar

Order of Credit

Freddie - John - Roger - Brian

Songs and Comments

"One Year Of Love" 4:26 (A-3)

Brian: "There's a song called "One Year Of Love" which John wrote, and that was written around a different romantic interest. It's about the Highlander as he is in the 20th century when he's just about to fall in love again, even though he said he wouldn't - har-har! That's a romantic song too." (interview LP, 1986) *from DJAnnie's Freddie Mercury/Queen Page

Covered by: Elaine Paige : Queen Album (1997)

"Pain Is So Close To Pleasure" 4:21 (A-4)

Mercury/Deacon collaboration.

Brian: "Here's a song called "Pain Is So Close To Pleasure" which I started off, and I think again John and Freddie worked together on it. That's really sort of a motown sounding track, very unusual for us." (interview LP, 1986) *from DJAnnie's Freddie Mercury/Queen Page

"Friends Will Be Friends" 4:07 (A-5)

Mercury/Deacon collaboration.

Highest chart position in UK 14

Brian: "Freddie's written a song called "Friends Will be Friends", and I think Freddie and John worked on it together. It's something which I took to heart very much as well because it's kind of traditional Queen sound. It has this... If you can remember "We are The Champions" or "Play The Game", it's in that kind of mood, it has all the Queen trademarks. And yet it's a new song and a new idea, and that'something I instantly related to. Very nice, very good track. It sounds very complete." (interview LP, 1986) *from DJAnnie's Freddie Mercury/Queen Page

"Mister Mercury"

LIVE MAGIC (1 Dec.1986) Top
Songs	"Another One Bites The Dust" (A-6) "I Want To Break Free" (B-1) "Friends Will Be Friends" (B-13)

THE MIRACLE (22 May 1989) Top
Songs and Comments	(So-called John's song) "The Miracle" (A-3) Mercury/Deacon collaboration In 1989, Freddie said that he and John offered chords and decided outline of lyric. "Rain Must Fall" (B-7) Freddie's song?("Mister Mercury" P.90) David Richards: "The bassline is John's and the lyrics is Freddie's." (The Queen File Japanese) "My Baby Does Me"* (B-9) Mercury/Deacon collaboration. BBC Interview John"(to Freddie)You came up with the bass line." Freddie"No, it was you." John"No, YOU came up!" Freddie "(laugh) Anyway, John and myself create the line."(1989) David Richards: "'Rain Must Fall' and 'My Baby Does Me' electric piano sound came from a Yamaha DX7 Keyboard played by John Deacon".

THE MIRACLE (22 May 1989) Top

Songs and Comments

(So-called John's song)

"The Miracle" (A-3): Mercury/Deacon collaboration
In 1989, Freddie said that he and John offered chords and decided outline of lyric.

"Rain Must Fall" (B-7): Freddie's song?("Mister Mercury" P.90)
David Richards: "The bassline is John's and the lyrics is Freddie's." (The Queen File *Japanese)

"My Baby Does Me" (B-9)

Mercury/Deacon collaboration.

BBC Interview: John"(to Freddie)You came up with the bass line."
Freddie"No, it was you."
John"No, YOU came up!"
Freddie "(laugh) Anyway, John and myself create the line."(1989)

David Richards: "'Rain Must Fall' and 'My Baby Does Me' electric piano sound came from a Yamaha DX7 Keyboard played by John Deacon".

AT THE BEEB (4 Dec. 1989) Top
Instrument	Bass Guitar

INNUENDO (4 Feb.1991) Top
Instruments	Bass Guitar, Keyboards	Order of Credit	Freddie - Brian - Roger - John
Comments	"The Hitman" Brian "I had very little to do with the original idea. Most of the riff came from Freddie. I wasn't even in the room when they wrote it. I changed the key and some of the notes to make it playable on the guitar. We finished the backing track, but it seemed to ramble. John sat down and decided to reconstruct the track. He changed the order. He changed everything. I went back and played on that. Then we filled in the gaps on the lyrics, did the harmonies and generally tidied up." (Rip Magazine, 1991) from Queen-Headquarters According to David Richards, "You Don't Fool Me" is a collaboration song with Roger and Freddie (not John's). (The Queen File Japanese)

INNUENDO (4 Feb.1991) Top

Instruments

Bass Guitar, Keyboards

Order of Credit

Freddie - Brian - Roger - John

Comments

"The Hitman"

Brian: "I had very little to do with the original idea. Most of the riff came from Freddie. I wasn't even in the room when they wrote it. I changed the key and some of the notes to make it playable on the guitar. We finished the backing track, but it seemed to ramble. John sat down and decided to reconstruct the track. He changed the order. He changed everything. I went back and played on that. Then we filled in the gaps on the lyrics, did the harmonies and generally tidied up." (Rip Magazine, 1991) *from Queen-Headquarters

According to David Richards, "You Don't Fool Me" is a collaboration song with Roger and Freddie (not John's). (The Queen File *Japanese)

GREATEST HITS II (28 Oct.1991) Top
Songs	"I Want To Break Free"

LIVE AT WEMBLEY (26 May 1992) Top
Songs	"Another One Bites The Dust" "I Want To Break Free" "Friends Will Be Friends"

MADE IN HEAVEN (18 Nov.1995) Top
Instruments	Bass Guitar, Keyboards	Order of Credit	Freddie - John - Roger - Brian
Songs and Comments	(So-called John's song) "My Life Has Been Saved" David Richards "The song is very definately from John Deacon. I helped him record the demo and the keyboards. Freddie loved it and sang on it!" (David Richards interview, 2001) *from Mr-Bad-Guy.com

QUEEN ROCKS (1997) Top
Order of Credit	John - Freddie - Brian - Roger

GREATEST KARAOKE HITS (Japanese original : 1998) Top
Songs	"You're My Best Friend" "Spread Your Wings" "Another One Bites The Dust" "I Want To Break Free" "Friends Will Be Friends"

QUEEN+ GREATEST HITS III (1999) Top
Songs	"Another One Bites The Dust" (Wyclef Jean)

QUEEN IN VISION (Japanese original : 2000) Top
Songs	"You're My Best Friend"

QUEEN JEWELS (Japanese original : 2004) Top
Songs	"You're My Best Friend" "Another One Bites The Dust"

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