@ALBUM: barcelona Freddie Mercury Barcelona 1988 ========= This album constitutes a unique combination of rock and opera. When Freddie Mercury was interviewed on Spanish television for the Spanish Arts programme 'Informe Semanal' in 1986 he astounded the interviewer by announcing that he was actually in Barcelona because he wanted to meet Montserrat Caball‚. The message was heard and nine months later, in March 1987 thanks to efforts on Pino Sagliocco, Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caball‚ met at the Ritz Hotel in Barcelona for lunch. Freddie had flown in specially with composer/arranger Mike Moran and his manager Jim Beach. He had already recorded two songs which he had specially written for Montserrat Caball‚. He played these songs to her over lunch and they immediately agreed to record an album together. Th rest of the afternoon was spent with Freddie Mercury and Montserrat singing at the piano with Mike Moran in the garden room of the Ritz Hotel. That following Sunday Montserrat Caball‚ surprised her audience (including Freddie Mercury) by performing one of the songs 'Exercises in Free Love' as the final encore at her sold out recital in Covent Garden, London. Over dinner at Freddie's house in London after that recital, Montserrat Caball‚ asked him to write a song about her home town Barcelona. The resulting song 'Barcelona' was recorded in April 1987 and First performed at the Ku Club in Ibiza 29th May 1987 for inclusion as the finale for the worldwide TV show Ibiza 92'. The enormously emotional reception that the song received from the Spanish crowd spurred Freddie and Montserrat to push on with their project and 'Barcelona' has now fittingly become the title track for this unique album. FREDDIE MERCURY Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar. On moving back to England he eventually went to Ealing College of Art where he gained a diploma in graphic art. During those college years he met Brian May and Roger Taylor, eventually joining the group they had started - which was then completed by John Deacon. Freddie designed the now-famous Queen crest, an intertwining of the group member's star signs including his own Virgo, and Queen was born. As Queen's lead singer he has captivated audiences worldwide over the last 17 years both with recorded and live performances and has performed in 27 countries around the world to live audiences in excess of ten million. It was not until April 1985 that Freddie Mercury released his first solo album 'Mr. Bad Guy'. There had been one other solo single the previous September, 'Love Kills' - the song from the soundtrack of the 1984 version of Fritz Lang's classic film, Metropolis. 'Mr. Bad Guy' was softer and in some ways more melodic than Queen material, it emphasised a side of Freddie that perhaps few would guess at, but which had always been part of his personality. Certainly the variety of flavours embodied in the album gave just some ideas of the many musical tatstes that fascinate him from Brazilian rythyms to symphonic orchestral pieces. The visual aspects of Freddie's work and the musical have always been inextricably bound together. The videos of the first three singles from 'Mr. Bad Guy' plus the subsequent one 'Time' (a track for the stage musical of the same name, and filmed on the spectacular stage set) and his cover version of the Platters 30 year old hit 'The Great Pretender' all emphasise his theatrical genius. He was unique. A flamboyant blend of supreme musical talent and consummate showmanship. Freddie died at his house in London in November 1991. He was undoubtedly one of the great creative forces of modern rock music. MONTSERRAT CABALLE When listening to the extraordinary vocal technique of Montserrat Caball‚ it is difficult to believe that she sang for some years before her exceptional qualities were recognised. However on April 20th 1965 she received the true recognition due to her when she sang Lucrezia Borgia by Donizetti in Carnegie Hall. Although virtually unknown in the US beforehand, when the evening was over she was a star. This huge success resulted in the immediate invitation to sing at the Metropoliton Opera House, where she made her equally stunning debut as Marguerite in Gounod's Faust. Her performances have taken her to the greatest opera houses of the world like La Scala, Vienna and Paris. Montserrat Caball‚ has alternated her operatic performances with recitals and concerts appearing frequently in the great halls of the world. She has sung as soloist with the world's most prestigious orchestras and conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Herbert von Karajan, Seiji Ozawa, Riccardo Muti and Sir Georg Solti. Her repertoire includes well over 100 operas, and she has made over 80 recordings including complete operas, recitals and concerts for all the leading record companies, and as well she has appeared in many telecasts. Recipient of many awards and honours, she was given the highest title of the Spanish government, The Order of Do¤a Isabel La Cat¢lica, and France honoured her with the Cross of Commander of Arts and Letters. 1992 sees her perfoming as much as ever. A Zarzuela Gala at the New Auditorium of Sevilla EXPO 92', two concerts with Mstislav Rostropovich at the Festival d'Evian, a recital at the R O H, Covent Garden and a new production of Il Viaggio a Reims to celebrate Rossini's anniversary, the final performance Gala on July 24th 1992 in the existing theatre of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera prior to its rebuilding. She is participating in the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic and paraplegic Games in Barelona 92', a gala concert of the Centennial for the Grand Regatta Columbus in Liverpool and the opera Semiramide at the Zurich Opera among others. @SONG: "Barcelona" (Mercury/Moran) I has this perfect dream Un sue¤o me envolvi¢ This dream was me and you Tal vez est s aqu¡ I want all the world to see Un instinto me guiaba A miracle sensation My guide and inspiration Now my deam is slowly coming true The wind is a gentle breeze El me habl¢ de ti The bells are ringing out El canto vuela They're calling us together Guiding us forever Wish my dream would never go away ­Barcelona! It was the first time that we met ­Barcelona! How can I forget The moment that you stepped in the room You took my breath away ­Barcelona! La m£sica vibr¢ ­Barcelona! Yella nos uni¢ And if god is willing We will meet again Someday Let the songs begin D‚jalo macer Let the music play Ahhhhhhh... Make the voices sing Nace un gran amor Start the celebration Ven a mi ­And cry! ­Grita! Come alive ­Viva! And shake the foundations from the skies Shaking all our lives ­Barcelona! Such a beautiful horizon Like a jewel in the sun Por ti ser‚ gaviota de tu bella mar ­Barcelona! Abre tus puertas al mundo If god is willing If god is willing If god is willing Friends to the end ­Viva! ­Barcelona! @SONG: "La Japonaise" (Mercury/Moran) I feel the power of the stranger inside me A force of magic surrounds me This fountain within me is overflowing Peaceful and inviting Beautiful and enticing Rising sun bless me morning with a smile A magic pearl from the seas Born in a willow breaze Loyal friend my guardian angel in the sky You've served me well all these years Greeting with both hands trusting with no fears Till the end When everything is golden and everything is oh And everything is oh My only living treasure on this eartg When everything is golden Everything and everyone is oh @SONG: "The Fallen Priest" (Mercury/Moran/Rice) Free me, free yourself A life of sacrifice controlled me But those promises I made No longer hold me Mercurial more wayward by the hour The shackles fall away I'm in your power Free me, and free yourself Come to me and let me lead you I beg you, I beseech you to let go My heaven is yours And heaven is all I know We are mortal In the hands of God who roll the dice Searching for an earthly paradise So hard to find We are mortal Victims of our weaknesses and passion We are reaching for the heights (I am falling from the heights) But I promise I would serve I should be a rock against depravity and sin Oh no sin no sin Free yourself, let your life begin Oh To yourself be true I am a man of God I should not be here with you Free me we are mortal ah Come a little closer to the fire To love and live that one desire Denial of that love is treason The love that we make The force of our lives and it's reason We are mortal In the hands of Gods who roll the dice Searching for an earthly paradise So hard to find We are mortal Victims of our weaknessess and passion. (I am falling, I am falling we, we are mortal) Why do I believe in you You're destroying my world Hold nothing back Give me all there is I want it all This is all there is Prisoners of each others love Prisoners of each others love @SONG: "Ensue¤o" (Mercury/Moran/Caball‚) En mi sue¤o te v¡ Tu luz llegaba de tan lejos Tu voz penetra en mi Vibra en ti Vibra en mi Suavemente me llevaba a ti O¡ el sonido Tu voz dulcemente Me dec¡a: "Ven" "Ven junto a mi" Volver a vivir Saber que mi sue¤o no est  solo. Alienta en ti T£ y yo cantando los dos Yo so¤aba en ser tu mismo mar, tu mar, Es peunte de uni¢n De nuestras almas Vuelan, nos llaman Al son de eternidad @SONG: "The Golden Boy" (Mercury/Moran/Rice) The boy had a way with words, he sang, he moved with grace He entertained so naturally, no gesture out of place His road in life was clearly ddrawn, he didn't hesistate He played, they saw, he conquered as the master of his fate. The girl had an iron soul no-one could recognise Material ambition that her gentleness disguised She gave herself to him certain of his fame Wanted him for luxury, for limelight and his name. And then he sang to her I love you for your silence I love you for your peace The still and calm releases That sweep into my soul That slowly take control I love you for your passion I love you for your fire The violent desire That burns me in its flame A love I dare not name His rise was irresistable - he grew into the part His explanation simply that he suffered for his art No base considerations of some glittering reward The prize was knowing that his work was noticed and adored I love you for your silence I love you for your peace The still and calm releases That sweep into my soul That slowly take control Yes he told the truth Accepting every honour with a masterly display Of well rehearsed reluctance to be singled out this way He started to believe that he was all they said and more While she forgot - she forgot the reasons she had wanted him before I love you for your passion I love you for your fire The violent desire That burns me in its flame A love I dare not name The still and calm releases That sweep into my soul That slowly take control And when at last they fell apart she wished that she could be The hardened heart of yesterday, as cynical as he. By changing for the better, she had changed things for the worse. The words that made them happy once now echoed ... echoed as a curse. @SONG: "Guide Me Home" (Mercury/Moran) Now the wind has lost my sail Now the scent has left my trial Who will find me Take care and side with me Guide me back Safely to my home Where I belong... Once more Where is my star in heaven's bough WHere is my strength, I need it now Who can save me Lead me to my destiny Guide me home Safely to my home Once more Guide me back Safely to my home Once more But how can I go on? How can I go on this way... @SONG: "How Can I Go On" (Mercury/Moran) When all the salt is taken from the sea I stand dethroned I'm naked and I bleed But when your finger points so savagely, Is anybody there to believe in me To hear my plea and take care of me? How can I go on From day to day Who can make me strong in every way Where can I be safe Where can I belong In this great big world of sadness How can I forget Those beautiful dreams that we shared They're lost and they're no where to be found How can I go on? Sometimes I tremble in the dark I cannot see When people frighten me I try to hide myself so far from the crowd Is anybody there to comfort me Lord... take care of me. How can I go on From day to day Who can make me strong in every way Where can I be safe Where can I belong In this great big world of sadness How can I forget Those beautiful dreams that we shared They're lost and they're no where to be found How can I go on? Produced by Freddie Mercury, Mike Moran and David Richards All songs composed by Freddie Mercury and Mike Moran except lyrics on 'Ensue¤o' by Montserrat Caball‚ and lyrics on 'The Fallen Priest' and 'The Golden Boy' by Time Rice Assistant engineers: Richard Dodd, John Brough and Andy Mason Musical associate: Fevin Townsend Songs arranged by Mike Moran and Freddie Mercury All keyboards: Mike Moran Bass guitar on 'How Can I Go On' by John Deacon Assisted pn 'Barcelona' by: Homi Kanga, Violin; Laurie Lewis, Violin; Deborah Ann Johnston, Cello; Barry Castle, Horn; Frank Ricoffi, Percussion. Assisted on 'The Golden Boy' by: Backing vocals: Madeline Bell, Debbie Bishop, Lance Ellington, Miriam Stockley, Peter Straker, Mark Williamson, Carol Woods. Recorded at: The Townhouse Studios, London Mountain Studios, Montreux Mastered by Kevin Metcalfe at The Townhouse Studios John Deacon appears courtesy of EMI Records Ltd. Special thanks to Jim Beach and Carlos Caball‚ Thanks to: Mary Austin, Joe Fannelli, Peter Freestone, Terry Giddings, Jim Hutton, John Libson, Roxy Meade, Julie Golver, Susan Vila, Montse Caball‚, Reuel Sherwood, Montsita and Ana, Bernab‚ Senior and Junior, Isabel Caball‚, Carlos Su rez, Fefa Cirera, Pilar Cicera, Brigette and Carlitos. And thank you Pino Sagliocco for your special contribution in instigating this project and for all your help and enthusiam Design by: Richard Gray Cover Photography by: Peter Hince