Happiness [Import]

Roger Taylor | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 27, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI Europe Generic
• ASIN: B0000074DE
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #242,115 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Nazis 1994

2. Happiness

3. Revelations

4. Touch the Sky

5. Foreign Sand

6. Freedom Train

7. You Had to Be There

8. The Key

9. Everybody Hurts Sometimes

10. Loneliness...

11. Dear Mr. Murdoch

12. Old Friends

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Even on a bad day, better than most, October 20, 2001

By 

Penetration_Guru (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Happiness (Audio CD)

If you're browsing for a Roger Taylor CD, choose one of the other 3 - this is the worst of the bunch. Mind you, it still has moments of breathtaking quality, so my score of 3 stars is reflective of Roger's general standard being missed.

So what do we have here?

Originating from 1994, this has always felt like an unfinished album to me - too many of the songs seem like demos; ideas not quite fully formed. Take the title track for example - a couple of verses, a couple of choruses, and then it dies away as if noone could come up with an outro. The same applies to Loneliness, Everybody Hurts Sometime, and You Had To Be There - all nice enough songs, but with more potential than delivery. It's not as if Roger Taylor has to rush to finish records in order to make the lucrative Christmas release dates...

He's always been at his best when he writes with a little passion, especially in his solo work, and there are some great examples here. Dear Mr Murdoch, an extremely well written diatribe against a certain Australian media mogul, and Old Friends, a track for the (then) recently deceased Freddie Mercury both come across well. The exception to this is the first track, also bizarrely chosen as a single, Nazis 1994. Consisting almost entirely of drums and vocals, this is the most political song in Roger's history, and one of the worst too. In case you're wondering, it's anti-Nazi, which is probably the nicest thing I can say about it.

The high point, though, is the magnificent Foreign Sand which is easily worth a whole star on it's own. OK, it's a little overblown - but he was in Queen for 20 years...

It's actually a collaboration with a Japanese star by the name of Yoshiki, who contributes drums & piano to the track. 7 minutes of world peace, brotherhood, and mutual respect, all in the loveliest of epic ballad melodies (if Jim Steinman could write tasteful lyrics and was more restrained, this is what you'd get).

So should you buy this? Make sure you're heard another Roger Taylor album first, because if this is your first one, you might not buy another and that would be a shame.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Sweet Suprise!, May 31, 2000

By 

Erin Kozlowski (CT.USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Happiness (Audio CD)

I was so pleased when I heard this CD. It shows a gentle side to Roger, sweet warm songs. The song "Old Friends in Better Times" a tribute to Freddie Mercury, is hauntingly beautiful. An Excellent CD. This CD shows Roger's versatility. A nice break from his hard rock CD's (which are gereat also).5 stars for this one. Way to go Roger!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dutch fan, December 31, 1999

By 

W. Stuve (Deventer, The Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Happiness (Audio CD)

This CD was my first solo CD by Roger Taylor. And what a pleasant surprise it was. The distinct voice of Roger really comes alive. It is also one of the better produced CD's I've heard. It's really a CD that visits my cd-player on a regular basis. Musicaly divers and musical craftmanship are words that come to mind. I will not compare this CD to others (esp. by Queen). It's unique. Try this CD and judge for yourself.