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Queen Reissue First Five Albums in Honour of 40th Anniversary

Brian May, QueenIan Gavan, Getty Images

Queen has confirmed that its first five studio albums will be reissued March 14 through Island Records. The reissues come with more than two dozen bonus tracks, many of which weren't included when the albums were initially reissued by Hollywood Records in 1991.

According to a statement Jan. 26 on Queen guitarist Brian May's site, each album has been re-mastered and will be released as a standard album and a two-disc deluxe edition set with bonus content. The deluxe albums will also be released on iTunes and accompanied with "additional sleeve notes, unseen pictures and videos."

A total of 27 bonus tracks are spread out over the deluxe editions of the five albums. Queen's self-titled 1973 debut features five demos from December 1971 of album cuts, as well as the song 'Mad the Swine' from June 1972. Meanwhile, 'Queen II' comes with five bonus cuts, including a live version of 'White Queen,' a 2011 instrumental mix of 'Seven Seas of Rhye,' material culled from BBC Sessions and a B-side version of 'See What a Fool I've Been.'

Watch Queen Perform 'Fat Bottom Girls'

The five bonus songs on Queen's 1974 album 'Sheer Heart Attack' feature BBC Session recordings of album tracks, a live version of 'Now I'm Here' and 'In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited' from the band's famed 1986 show at London's Wembley Stadium. But perhaps the bonus material on 'A Night at the Opera' is the true treasure, with live versions of '39' and 'Love of My Life,' and an "operatic section a cappella" version of the band's signature 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' among the five additional selections.

Finally, 'A Day at the Races' includes a 1977 'Top of the Pops' performance of 'Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy,' live versions of 'Somebody to Love' and 'You Take My Breath Away,' and a "HD Mix" of 'Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together).'

In related news, 'We Believe' -- a song May wrote during the Queen and Paul Rodgers collaboration period but was never released -- has been translated into Italian and will be included on a new EP by Martha Rossi, a singer performing in the Italian version of the Queen musical, 'We Will Rock You.'

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Mike

John Arnold
at 1-29-2011Queen has made a major contribution to the garbage heap that passes for "music" today.
>>>>>>>>>>

What passes as "music" today then? Freddy Mercury attended a very prestigious music school in Britan. Their music transcends generations.

Go back to listening to Lady Gaga!

January 29 2011 at 7:48 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sherlock Homie

My first rock album way back in 1976 was A Night At The Opera. Queen was definitely different; they had a great sound and a lot of good songs. It was an act that was very professional but at the same time totally outrageous.

January 29 2011 at 7:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John F.C. Taylor

From one John to another. I've got to tell you that I think you are completely wrong in your assessment of Queen and music of the last 40 years. I'm 60 years old and the greatest surprize I ever had was to hear my mother praise Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. This from a woman who thinks any music made since the mid-50s was just trash. As for the re-released albums, I wish they'd included the soundtrack from Flash Gordon.

January 29 2011 at 7:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Steve

Not only did Freddy Mercury have the greatest lead voice of any rock band ever, but as a preformer he held the audience in is hand. Best perfomer bar none in RR history.

January 29 2011 at 4:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Steve's comment
kryjef

freddie is good no doubt about it but i think peter wolf of j geils band is a damn good front man

January 29 2011 at 5:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Johnny

Queen has made a major contribution to the garbage heap that passes for "music" today.The fact that anyone can listen to this trash and see musical value in it is a sad commentary on how far Americas youth has been corrupted in the name of "entertainment".

January 29 2011 at 3:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Johnny's comment
greg

hey if you have issues with music, life is, but dont trash the past 40 yrs old music even if you can only listen to rap=crap stuff. Your text shows you really have nothing to say worthwhile ..lets keep it that way?
Elvis, Beatles, rolling stones.. totally long rad list..

January 29 2011 at 4:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Shelly B.

John:
You definately have not listened to "The Show Must Go On" or the "Days of Our Lives" which are very good songs compared to the better known songs like "We are the Champions" and "We Will Rock You".

Happy listening to the songs you enjoy! :-)

January 29 2011 at 7:15 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply