The live version of this on Live at the Rainbow 1974 is stunningly beautiful - they perform both Lap and Lap (Revisted), both are great, but the live version of this song is one of my favorite live Queen performances. Hope you react to the entire Rainbow concert.
When I saw that a few years back I was in tears... had heard that since I was 7 or 8 in 1976 and to be transported back was great. My mother and father always talked about going to the cinema and seeing the Live At The Rainbow concert back in the day...
okay so i am only 13, but this song is absolutely amazing. queen is my favorite band and it will be forever, i just love rogers voice it’s so beautiful and really needs more credit. and then john and his bass just randomly going in for a solo. this group is absolutely amazing and will be until the world ends. really hope the legacy of this group goes on forever because they really do deserve it!
In The Lap Of The Gods - by Freddie Mercury John Deacon: Acoustic guitar and bass Brian May: Electric guitar Freddie Mercury: Piano, lead and backing vocals Roger Taylor: Backing vocals, timpani and drums
This monolith of a band used to close their concerts with 'In the Lap of The Gods' before they created 'We will Rock You & We are the Champions. We who were privileged to see Queen perform live, knew instinctively that we were witnessing inimitable greatness. I was so very fortunate to attend several of their concerts in different parts of the world in the mid 80's...This band were the perfect storm, and Freddie was the God with pockets full of fairy dust, who ensured each and every ticket holder experienced the absolute time of their lives. Dear Freddie showed us inside his heart...and we will love him forever for it.❤
This song is so magical, and beautiful. The distorted Freddie vocal were supposedly recorded at a high speed, then re-recorded at a slower speed to give it that unique sound. Great reaction 😊
I'm guessing you've already completed the album and have listened again. The tape was sped up when they recorded the vocal, then was slowed on playback. You've probably also been surprised that the Revisited track doesn't reference this one so much musically, but is a continuation of the concept of indecision vs fate. "But in the end, I leave it to the lords" vs "It's in the lap of the gods" There's a great live version of this at The Rainbow in 1974. Imagine being able to sing really well, but your front man is a legend. Taylor did a lot of the heavy lifting higher range vocals on tour and it allowed Freddie to save his voice. They played both songs at the Beacon in NYC, but that was the last time I saw them perform this, and I saw every American tour from 1976 on. Roger always delivered.
There was once a noisy party in the dorm room next to mine, crazy early in the morning, so I turned a speaker to the wall, cranked the volume to 11 and dropped the needle on this song. Played the first minute, picked the needle back up -- silence from the room next door. I love this song.
Taylor is impeccable, Vocally STUNNING! I was Blessed to meet them @ the Penrose Dinner in Philly after a show, I had no idea they were there! All but Freddie. I had to say Hello, I just left your Show, Thank you guys, they were so polite & cordial.❤
Thanks, Justin - such an astonishing song.. Freddie so smooth and Roger on those crazy high vocals.. the whole band on harmonies.. with Brian's "wandering" guitar ... then of course, later there is the "revisited" version... yep, they all blend on those albums... like your reactions a lot...
The way it's recorded here is so unique and interesting. In concert, because there is no distortion on Freddie's vocals, it's quite a gorgeous song. Then, as you know, when you get to the concerts, you have to be careful to chose "In The Lap Of The Gods" and NOT, "In The Lap Of The Gods - Revisited" which is a totally different song altogether. (different lyrics & melody). Clear on the album, not so much when you try to get these two songs separate in the same concert as the videos often label them incorrectly
One of my favourite Queen tracks and one of the songs I learned on piano as a young lad back in the 80s... you hear a lot of familiar chords that Freddie would utilise again and again on tracks (the drop down to the F#dim7 chord appears in lots of tracks by Queen - Take My Breath Away, We are the Champions, etc). The voice is simply slowed down... probably he recorded it at a higher speed with an accent and slowed it down back to normal speed adding some phasing...
It builds into Stone Cold Crazy. Such a heavy banger. I really forward to your reaction to that one. You are really good with this man! I love listening to your analyzes. You do know your stuff. Keep them coming man!
This beginning ALWAYS gets me as a “Holy F” moment!!!!! In a small way, with the mentality of making more radio hits as they were constantly being forced with, this song is a throw back to the previous album’s ambitious delivery.
This song is my favourite from this album but it’s my favourite album absolutely love it 😍 Roger’s voice is so angelic loving your reaction I hope you do react to the whole Rainbow concert you won’t be disappointed xx
Love this whole album, the next song ( stone cold crazy) is one I just can’t listen to without stopping whatever I’m doing and sing along. A lot of lyrics in a short time, took me some time to learn it ( many) years ago when reading and singing along to Queen songs was my way of learning more English ( since I’m not a native speaker)
I think they slowed down the vocal track and played the instruments over it. But I am not entirly sure. It also happens on the song "Bring Back my Leroy Brown" and "Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon". The latter is from A Night at the Opera.
"Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon" was Freddie singing into a mic, headphones were placed in a tin can, tin can was mic'd up and whatever came from the tin can went to tape. Freddie wanted the old Megaphone effect for the 'story'. There was no slowing of pitch on 'Bring Back That Leroy Brown', it's just a very low note and prob took a few takes just on it's own, you have to calm your breathing and get very relaxed to hit it. Impossible for a lead singer live, unless another person does it. With Lap, I think there's no doubt the pitch is messed with. I don't agree with Justin that it sound normal. Amazing music, amazing times with little technology.
R.T.'s range is ridiculous.....I love the way the guitar comes in after Taylor's high bellow. Must have been hard for RT to relegate most vocals but there's only one Freddie! For a short stint, Journey's drummer, D. Castronovo, sang after S. Perry left. I always marvel on how vocalist/drummers can add yet one more element to their performance. Have a great weekend!
There will be variations of this song - Queen would evolve it to be their first audience participation effort. Nobody did big better or took that risk so boldly. Yes, theatrical - but why not when you have four bandmates all on board?
You could’ve listened to it twice, would’ve been fine by me lol! Just think, if you didn’t listen to the album, you would’ve missed it. It pays to be a Queen fan!
The effect on Freddie's voice is the same as on Lennon's voice in Strawberry Fields Forever. It's not even an effect, it's a method/plan during recording
loved loved the reaction ! I have never heard this reacted to but Michael Schenher had a song on his first solo album called lost horizons that is really exceptional... Hope you check it out
The live version of this on Live at the Rainbow 1974 is stunningly beautiful - they perform both Lap and Lap (Revisted), both are great, but the live version of this song is one of my favorite live Queen performances. Hope you react to the entire Rainbow concert.
Yes that live version is perfection.
The live medley is fantastic!
When I saw that a few years back I was in tears... had heard that since I was 7 or 8 in 1976 and to be transported back was great. My mother and father always talked about going to the cinema and seeing the Live At The Rainbow concert back in the day...
okay so i am only 13, but this song is absolutely amazing. queen is my favorite band and it will be forever, i just love rogers voice it’s so beautiful and really needs more credit. and then john and his bass just randomly going in for a solo. this group is absolutely amazing and will be until the world ends. really hope the legacy of this group goes on forever because they really do deserve it!
In The Lap Of The Gods - by Freddie Mercury
John Deacon: Acoustic guitar and bass
Brian May: Electric guitar
Freddie Mercury: Piano, lead and backing vocals
Roger Taylor: Backing vocals, timpani and drums
This monolith of a band used to close their concerts with 'In the Lap of The Gods' before they created 'We will Rock You & We are the Champions. We who were privileged to see Queen perform live, knew instinctively that we were witnessing inimitable greatness. I was so very fortunate to attend several of their concerts in different parts of the world in the mid 80's...This band were the perfect storm, and Freddie was the God with pockets full of fairy dust, who ensured each and every ticket holder experienced the absolute time of their lives. Dear Freddie showed us inside his heart...and we will love him forever for it.❤
This fascinating track has always been one of my favorites by Queen.
This song is so magical, and beautiful. The distorted Freddie vocal were supposedly recorded at a high speed, then re-recorded at a slower speed to give it that unique sound. Great reaction 😊
I'm guessing you've already completed the album and have listened again. The tape was sped up when they recorded the vocal, then was slowed on playback.
You've probably also been surprised that the Revisited track doesn't reference this one so much musically, but is a continuation of the concept of indecision vs fate.
"But in the end, I leave it to the lords" vs "It's in the lap of the gods"
There's a great live version of this at The Rainbow in 1974. Imagine being able to sing really well, but your front man is a legend. Taylor did a lot of the heavy lifting higher range vocals on tour and it allowed Freddie to save his voice.
They played both songs at the Beacon in NYC, but that was the last time I saw them perform this, and I saw every American tour from 1976 on. Roger always delivered.
Courageous and ultra talented entertainers, Queen! Aren't they amazing?
i LOVE queen forever and ever!!
My fav Queen song!!! 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
From what i hear, they wrote over 20 songs per album, and selected from those... Just imagine what still may be out there, unheared.
The only band as creative as Queen in the studio was The Beatles. One reason they are so highly regarded. They were innovators.
There was once a noisy party in the dorm room next to mine, crazy early in the morning, so I turned a speaker to the wall, cranked the volume to 11 and dropped the needle on this song. Played the first minute, picked the needle back up -- silence from the room next door. I love this song.
Taylor is impeccable, Vocally STUNNING! I was Blessed to meet them @ the Penrose Dinner in Philly after a show, I had no idea they were there! All but Freddie. I had to say Hello, I just left your Show, Thank you guys, they were so polite & cordial.❤
Thanks, Justin - such an astonishing song.. Freddie so smooth and Roger on those crazy high vocals.. the whole band on harmonies.. with Brian's "wandering" guitar ... then of course, later there is the "revisited" version... yep, they all blend on those albums... like your reactions a lot...
The harmonies are so beautiful, and I love the way Brian holds those sustained notes through it all that subtly tie it all together.
The way it's recorded here is so unique and interesting. In concert, because there is no distortion on Freddie's vocals, it's quite a gorgeous song. Then, as you know, when you get to the concerts, you have to be careful to chose "In The Lap Of The Gods" and NOT, "In The Lap Of The Gods - Revisited" which is a totally different song altogether. (different lyrics & melody). Clear on the album, not so much when you try to get these two songs separate in the same concert as the videos often label them incorrectly
One of my favourite Queen tracks and one of the songs I learned on piano as a young lad back in the 80s... you hear a lot of familiar chords that Freddie would utilise again and again on tracks (the drop down to the F#dim7 chord appears in lots of tracks by Queen - Take My Breath Away, We are the Champions, etc).
The voice is simply slowed down... probably he recorded it at a higher speed with an accent and slowed it down back to normal speed adding some phasing...
It builds into Stone Cold Crazy. Such a heavy banger. I really forward to your reaction to that one. You are really good with this man! I love listening to your analyzes. You do know your stuff. Keep them coming man!
Yes, wow! Thanki you Justin for super reactions! God bless all...
If you like this you'll love the live version at the Rainbow 1974.
Very cool song.
Lovin your journey! "I wanna hear that again"
This beginning ALWAYS gets me as a “Holy F” moment!!!!!
In a small way, with the mentality of making more radio hits as they were constantly being forced with, this song is a throw back to the previous album’s ambitious delivery.
This is definitely one of their best in my book. You really have a great pair of ears to recognize that almost immediately ! :) Cheers !
The advancement of recording equipment is what you are hearing.
A tuned down harmonizer?
it sounds recorded at a slightly faster speed.
And Roger is channeling "The Great Gig in the Sky"
Fuck Yeah !! 🧡
This is my favorite album from Queen for it's diversity. Jazz may be my second favorite for the same reason.
This song is my favourite from this album but it’s my favourite album absolutely love it 😍 Roger’s voice is so angelic loving your reaction I hope you do react to the whole Rainbow concert you won’t be disappointed xx
Love this whole album, the next song ( stone cold crazy) is one I just can’t listen to without stopping whatever I’m doing and sing along. A lot of lyrics in a short time, took me some time to learn it ( many) years ago when reading and singing along to Queen songs was my way of learning more English ( since I’m not a native speaker)
Rogerrr !!!
I think they slowed down the vocal track and played the instruments over it. But I am not entirly sure. It also happens on the song "Bring Back my Leroy Brown" and "Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon". The latter is from A Night at the Opera.
"Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon" was Freddie singing into a mic, headphones were placed in a tin can, tin can was mic'd up and whatever came from the tin can went to tape. Freddie wanted the old Megaphone effect for the 'story'.
There was no slowing of pitch on 'Bring Back That Leroy Brown', it's just a very low note and prob took a few takes just on it's own, you have to calm your breathing and get very relaxed to hit it. Impossible for a lead singer live, unless another person does it.
With Lap, I think there's no doubt the pitch is messed with. I don't agree with Justin that it sound normal. Amazing music, amazing times with little technology.
R.T.'s range is ridiculous.....I love the way the guitar comes in after Taylor's high bellow. Must have been hard for RT to relegate most vocals but there's only one Freddie! For a short stint, Journey's drummer, D. Castronovo, sang after S. Perry left. I always marvel on how vocalist/drummers can add yet one more element to their performance. Have a great weekend!
Both Genesis singers, Peter Gabriel & Phil Collins are actually drummers. Genesis drummer Phil Collins became their singer after Peter Gabriel left.
There will be variations of this song - Queen would evolve it to be their first audience participation effort. Nobody did big better or took that risk so boldly. Yes, theatrical - but why not when you have four bandmates all on board?
I think Roger cracked my phone screen on that one.
There is another Lap of the Gods version as well, I am confused. The Revisited version…ow wait you are going to that as well
You could’ve listened to it twice, would’ve been fine by me lol! Just think, if you didn’t listen to the album, you would’ve missed it. It pays to be a Queen fan!
The effect on Freddie's voice is the same as on Lennon's voice in Strawberry Fields Forever. It's not even an effect, it's a method/plan during recording
loved loved the reaction ! I have never heard this reacted to but Michael Schenher had a song on his first solo album called lost horizons that is really exceptional... Hope you check it out
0:07
(Revisited) is just as good
Must of run it through a vocoder to get the effect .
They slowed the recording to get that distortion on Freddie's voice. Why? I am not sure at all.
I guess I’m the odd man out. Musical appreciation aside, this song is rough to listen to.
"All that crap" maybe you could create a better album without including "all that crap"!