Amazon.co.uk Review: As its title suggests, a companion-piece to A Night At The Opera in almost every sense: "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy" recalls the fey, music-hall spirit of the previous album's "Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon", just as "White Man" echoes "The Prophet's Song". "Somebody to Love", meanwhile, attempts to outdo even the grandiosity of "Bohemian Rhapsody"--this time substituting the influence of American gospel for Italian opera, and allowing Mercury's diva inclinations to run riot. Over-the-top, undoubtedly--but the band knew it. Even at their most wilfully indulgent, Queen were always redeemed by a knowing sense of irony. Unlike many of their peers, they not only recognised the inherent absurdity of stadium-rock, but actively embraced it: the larger-than-life posturing, the overblown emotions, the operatic need for catharsis--all were worked into their music, and exploited to the hilt. But ultimately, it was the songs that mattered most--and they were, with very few exceptions, superb. --Andrew McGuire
From Amazon.com: Both regal and raunchy, Queen was at the height of its powers in the mid-70s, riding the soaring vocals of Freddie Mercury, the ringing guitar crunch of Brian May and the band's shameless theatrical flourishes. Coming so quickly after the band's A Night At the Opera opus, this 1976 album works hard at repeating the same hit-making elements, down to the matching cover art. If A Day At the Races lacks the same level of pop tunesmanship, there is still energy in these tracks, particularly in the rocking "Tie Your Mother Down" and the emotional "Somebody to Love," which set a blueprint for future ballads by the band. --Steve Appleford
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - too smart by half!
The highly anticipated follow-up to A Night At The Opera arrived on the shelves in late '76, heralded by the hit Somebody to Love. Queen were flying at the time, and they knew it. After their mega-successful year, they decided to play it safe, much like The Works, and basically did a rehash of their best bits!
The production is completely unrestrained - having lost Roy Thomas Baker to bigger things in the USA, the vocal and guitar overdubs are so over the top - the render themselves not only ... Read More
Rating: - Great album until the last 2 tracks.....
The first 8 tracks of A Day At The Races are as good as anything on A Night At The Opera or Sheer Heart Attack, but unfortunately, the album is let down by 2 rather poor tracks at the end. Tracks like Tie Your Mother Down (hard rock), You Take My Breath Away (surely Mercury's loveliest track) and the Millionaire's Waltz are very impressive indeed. Add to that the Mercury classics Somebody To Love and Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy and you almost have Queen's most consistent album. Then along comes Drowse ... Read More
Rating: - Took My Breath Away
As many people say, A Night At The Opera would be a very difficult album to top, but in my opinion this one does in some aspects. Freddie himself described A Day At The Races as an extension of 'ANATO' anyway, because they obviously couldn't have all of the tracks on the one album.
I literally do love every single song on this album; with my favourites being "You Take My Bbreath Away", "Long Away", "The Millionaire Waltz" and "Teo Torriate (Let Us Cling Together)". However all of the songs ... Read More
Rating: - 5th Album, and still going strong!!!
After their successive 4th Album "A Night at the Opera", Queen started doing A Day at the Races which is almost as good as their predecessor. Personnal favourates are Tie Your Mother Down and Somebody to Love.
Rating: - classic
how can you top the previous album, a night at the opera? not easily. but with hard rocking tie your mother down, and somebody to love, it comes close. good old fashioned lover boy adds a gay moment to the album, but not as good as other albums. its still worth a listen.
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