WIWS Banner

The Second Disc

Expanded and Remastered Music News

  • Home
  • News
    • Classic Rock
    • Rock
    • Pop
    • Jazz
    • Popular Standards/Vocal
    • R&B/Soul
    • Country
    • Folk
    • Cast Recordings
    • Soundtracks
    • Everything Else
      • Classical/Opera
      • Disco/Dance
      • Funk
      • Gospel
      • Rap/Hip-Hop
  • Features
    • Release Round-Up
    • Giveaways!
    • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Classic Rock
    • Rock
    • Pop
    • Jazz
    • Popular Standards/Vocal
    • R&B/Soul
    • Country
    • Folk
    • Cast Recordings
    • Soundtracks
    • Everything Else
      • Classical/Opera
      • Disco/Dance
      • Funk
      • Gospel
      • Rap/Hip-Hop
  • Release Calendar
    • Coming Soon
    • Now Available
  • About
  • Second Disc Records
    • Full Catalog
  • Contact

/ News

I Want It All: Queen's "The Miracle" Gets Super-Sized in Upcoming Box Set

October 13, 2022 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

Queen The Miracle Packshot

BUY NOW FROM AMAZON.COM

Queen's thirteenth studio album, The Miracle, is coming back in a big way.  On November 18, EMI (U.K.) and Hollywood Records (U.S.) will expand The Miracle into a 5CD/Blu-ray/DVD/LP box set adding alternate takes, demos, rough mixes, backing tracks, B-sides, and more.  A 2-CD "highlights" edition will also be available as well as cassette and picture disc vinyl versions of the original album only.

The marathon recording period commenced in December 1987 with the specter of Freddie Mercury's HIV diagnosis (as yet unknown to the public) lingering over the band, and continued through March 1989.    Fifteen months before recording began, Queen had triumphantly concluded their Magic tour at Knebworth in Great Britain, playing before an estimated 160,000 fans.  It would turn out to be Queen's final live concert with Mercury.

The Miracle was a true collaborative effort, with the decision made early on that songwriting credits would be shared by the band - Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon - regardless of which member conceived or primarily wrote a particular song.  This democratic spirit animated the bandmates who happily checked their egos at the studio door.  The cover art of their four faces blending into one underscored this crucial point.  Even as his health was declining, Mercury's creativity and voice remained undiminished.  Five singles would ultimately be released from the album including the anthemic "I Want It All" (No. 3 U.K./No. 3 U.S. Mainstream Rock), "Breakthru" (No. 7 U.K.), "The Invisible Man" (No. 12 U.K.), "Scandal" (No. 25 U.K.), and "The Miracle" (No. 21 U.K.).  The album was similarly successful worldwide upon its release in May 1989.  It topped the U.K. Album Chart as well as charts in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Finland, and the Netherlands, while it reached a respectable No. 24 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

The new box set edition presents Bob Ludwig's 2011 remaster of the original 10-track album on the first disc.  CD 2, The Miracle Sessions, dives into the album sessions with 16 previously unreleased tracks including early, work-in-progress takes, demos, alternative versions ("My Baby Does Me" in its original guise as "My Baby Loves Me," "Breakthru" with real drums and bass), and the outtake "Face It Alone" which is now streaming as a preview of the box.  Other previously unissued outtakes include "Dog with a Bone," "I Guess We're Falling Out," and "You Know You Belong to Me."  Fly-on-the-wall studio chatter is also featured on this disc.  The third CD, Alternative Miracle, collates nearly a dozen unique 7" and 12" single versions and B-sides.  CD 4, Miracu-Mentals, offers the entire original album in instrumental form with the backing tracks only.  The fifth and final CD is a spoken-word set with period interviews with the band members.

The video component of The Miracle (included on both DVD and Blu-ray) brings together six promotional videos plus featurettes and interviews.  Among the material is John Deacon's final interview to date, from the set of the "Breakthru" music video.  A vinyl LP rounds out the package which adds "Too Much Love Will Kill You" (otherwise unavailable on the box set) to the album sequence.  The track was originally planned for the LP but pulled at the last minute due to a conflict over publishing rights; it would later appear on 1995's Made in Heaven.  It's included here on Side One as originally intended.  The Miracle box fleshes out the story of the album's creation with a 76-page hardcover book of liner notes, photos, memorabilia, and more, plus swag (photo prints, postcards, and a poster).

A 2CD "highlights" version pairs the 2011 Ludwig remaster with the Sessions disc.  Queen's online store is offering an exclusive cassette and limited, numbered picture disc LP of the Ludwig remaster (note that "Too Much Love Will Kill You" is not on this LP) as well as various bundles.  A 7-inch single of "Face It Alone" is also available, with an exclusive instrumental "Karaoke Version" on the B-side.

Look for all versions of Queen's The Miracle on November 18 from EMI and Hollywood Records.  You'll find the track listing and pre-order links below!

Queen, The Miracle: Collector's Edition (Parlophone (U.K.) CDP 7 92357 2, 1989 - reissued EMI/Hollywood, 2022)

5CD/BD/DVD/LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Cassette / Picture Disc LP / All Bundles: Queen Online Store

CD1 - 2011 Bob Ludwig Master

  1. Party
  2. Khashoggi's Ship
  3. The Miracle
  4. I Want It All
  5. The Invisible Man
  6. Breakthru
  7. Rain Must Fall
  8. Scandal
  9. My Baby Does Me
  10. Was It All Worth It

CD2 - The Miracle Sessions

  1. Party (Original Take)
  2. Khashoggi's Ship (Original Take)
  3. The Miracle (Original Take with John's Ending)
  4. I Want It All (Original Take)
  5. The Invisible Man (Early Version with Guide Vocal)
  6. When Love Breaks Up (Demo)
  7. Breakthru (Real Drums and Bass)
  8. Rain Must Fall (Demo)
  9. Scandal (Original Rough Mix)
  10. My Baby Loves Me
  11. Was It All Worth It (Original Take)
  12. You Know You Belong to Me
  13. I Guess We're Falling Out (Demo)
  14. Dog With a Bone
  15. Water (Demo)
  16. Face It Alone

CD3 - Alternative Miracle

  1. I Want It All (Single Version) (Parlophone CD single QUEEN 10, 1989)
  2. Hang On In There [B-Side] (Parlophone CD single QUEEN 10, 1989)
  3. Breakthru (12" Version) (Parlophone 12-inch single 12QUEEN 11, 1989)
  4. Stealin' [B-Side] (Parlophone 12-inch single 12QUEEN 11, 1989)
  5. The Invisible Man (12" Version) (Parlophone 12-inch single 12QUEEN 12, 1989)
  6. Hijack My Heart [B-Side] (Parlophone 12-inch single 12QUEEN 12, 1989)
  7. Scandal (12" Version) (Parlophone 12-inch single 12QUEEN 14, 1989)
  8. My Life Has Been Saved [B-Side] (Parlophone 12-inch single 12QUEEN 14, 1989)
  9. Stone Cold Crazy (Live At The Rainbow, London '74) [B-Side] (Parlophone 12QUEEN 15, 1989)
  10. My Melancholy Blues (Live At Houston, Texas '77) [B-Side] (Parlophone 12QUEEN 15, 1989)
  11. Chinese Torture [Instrumental] (from The Miracle, Island CD 277 998 7, 2011)

CD4 - Miracu-mentals

  1. Party (Instrumental)
  2. Khashoggi's Ship (Backing Track)
  3. The Miracle (Backing Track)
  4. I Want It All (Backing Track)
  5. The Invisible Man (Backing Track)
  6. Breakthru (Backing Track)
  7. Rain Must Fall (Backing Track)
  8. Scandal (Backing Track)
  9. My Baby Does Me (Backing Track)
  10. Was It All Worth It (Backing Track)

CD5 - The Miracle Interviews

  1. Queen For An Hour (Trailer)
  2. Queen For An Hour (Roger, John, Freddie & Brian with Mike Read)
  3. Queen For An Hour (Trailer Outtakes)
  4. Rockline (Brian & Roger with Bob Coburn)

DVD / Blu-ray - The Miracle Promo Videos

  1. I Want It All (Promo Video)
  2. Breakthru (Promo Video)
  3. The Invisible Man (Promo Video)
  4. Scandal (Promo Video)
  5. The Miracle (Promo Video)
  6. Was It All Worth It (Promo Video)
  7. The Making of The Miracle Videos (Compiled by Rudi Dolezal, this feature contains behind the scenes footage of "I Want It All," "Scandal," "The Miracle," and "Breakthru" videos)
  8. The Miracle Interviews (Interviews with Roger, Brian and John on the set of the "Breakthru" film shoot in June 1989 by Gavin Taylor. John has given no further interviews since that day.)
  9. The Making of The Miracle Album Cover (Filmed in 1989, Queen's graphic designer Richard Gray talks about and demonstrates how he made the ground-breaking The Miracle album cover)

LP - Long Lost Original LP Cut

Side A

  1. Party
  2. Khashoggi's Ship
  3. The Miracle
  4. I Want It All
  5. Too Much Love Will Kill You
  6. The Invisible Man

Side B

  1. Breakthru
  2. Rain Must Fall
  3. Scandal
  4. My Baby Does Me
  5. Was It All Worth It

Categories: News Formats: Blu-Ray, Box Sets, Cassette, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, DVD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Rock Tags: Queen

Avatar photo

Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with Real Gone Music, has released newly-curated collections produced by Joe from iconic artists such as Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Chet Atkins, and many others. He has contributed liner notes to reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, and Andy Williams, and has compiled releases for talents including Robert Goulet and Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray. Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

Connect With Joe: FacebookTwitter

You Might Also Like

  • Thriller 40 realRelease Round-Up: Week of November 18
  • Brian May Back to the LightBrian May Goes 'Back to the Light' with Expansion of Solo Debut
  • Queen A Night at the Opera VMPBohemian Rhapsodies: A Closer Look at Vinyl Me Please's Reissues of Queen's "A Night at the Opera" and Al Green's "Call Me"
  • VMP 100Ladies and Gentlemen...: Vinyl Me Please Marks 100 "Essentials" Releases with New Pressings of Sold-Out Titles

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Upcoming Releases

  • Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon SDE
    The Dark Side of the Moon / Live at Wembley 1974
    Pink Floyd
    March 24, 2023
  • Nancy and Lee Again
    Nancy and Lee Again [Various Formats]
    Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood
    March 24, 2023
  • Honky Chateau
    Honky Château (50th Anniversary Edition)
    Elton John
    March 24, 2023
See Full Calendar

Connect

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 4,570 other subscribers

Popular

  • Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane OJC
    In Your Own Sweet Way: Craft Announces Original Jazz Classics Relaunch with Miles Davis, Monk and Coltrane posted on March 16, 2023 | under News
  • Talking Heads Stop Making Sense Deluxe 2LP
    What a Day That Was: Talking Heads' 'Stop Making Sense' Expanded for Vinyl, Film Reissue posted on March 17, 2023 | under News
  • Songs of Surrender
    Release Round-Up: Week of March 17 posted on March 17, 2023 | under Release Round-Up

Comments

  • small faces here come the nice2
    Return To Itchycoo Park: Small Faces' "Here Come The Nice" Deluxe Box Set Arrives In January [UPDATED 12/3] 84 comments | by Joe Marchese | posted on December 3, 2013 | under News
  • the beatles u s albums box2
    British Invasion! The Beatles Unveil "The U.S. Albums" Box Set in January 69 comments | by Joe Marchese | posted on December 12, 2013 | under News
  • Rolling Stones in Mono
    Out of Their Heads: Stones Plan Mono Box Set 47 comments | by Mike Duquette | posted on August 10, 2016 | under News

Music Resources

  • Addicted to Vinyl
  • Crap from the Past
  • Discogs
  • Film Score Monthly
  • IMWAN Forum – From the Vaults
  • MusicTAP
  • Musoscribe
  • Pause & Play
  • Popblerd
  • Popdose
  • Record Racks
  • Slicing Up Eyeballs
  • Steve Hoffman Music Forums
  • Ultimate Classic Rock
  • Vintage Vinyl News
  • Viva La Mainstream
  • Wolfgang's Vault

Labels of Note

  • Ace Records
  • Analog Spark
  • Bear Family
  • BGO Records
  • Big Break Records
  • Blixa Sounds
  • Cherry Red Label Group
  • Craft Recordings
  • Demon Music Group
  • Friday Music
  • Funky Town Grooves
  • Iconoclassic Records
  • Intervention Records
  • Intrada
  • Kritzerland
  • La La Land Records
  • Legacy Recordings
  • Light in the Attic
  • Masterworks Broadway
  • Now Sounds
  • Omnivore Recordings
  • Real Gone Music
  • Resonance Records
  • Rhino Entertainment
  • Rock Candy Records
  • SoulMusic Records
  • Sunset Blvd. Records
  • Supermegabot
  • Varese Sarabande
  • Vinyl Me, Please
  • Wounded Bird
Copyright © 2023 The Second Disc. All rights reserved. · Site by Metaglyphics

The Second Disc is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk.

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy