Roger Taylor of Queen Rarites Fansite
"I am a musician by profession, that's my whole life, and I didn't want to waste it in easy retirement"
Lyrics VideosTours Roger & Brian Gallery Links Guestbook 
Wersja polska
"I am a musician by profession, that's my whole life, and I didn't want to waste it in easy retirement"
Lyrics VideosTours Roger & Brian Gallery Links Guestbook Wersja polska
"Heartland" was a B-side to "Life Changes" 7" single, issued in Germany only and soon withdrawn. That's why it is highly collectable these days.
The song is sung by The Cross' guitarist, Clayton Moss I guess (or it may be Peter Noone). The chords are sung by Roger though. Roger's voice seems very husky at times, in this song especially. Seems like he wanted to make us all believe he is going to do what he sings for sure.
A rather speedy song, not like some of Roger's ballads. As all The Cross' songs (comparing to Roger's solo work) there is more backing vocals. Sometimes both singers sing separately, sometimes they sing together. A guitar solo inside. Makes all that a real rare worth listening.
"Here I'll stay on my own
Here I'll pray all alone
On this stage
In the heartland"
This version is just as called: edited. It was Germany only 7" single, withdrawn soon after its introduction. What a pity. B-side to it was "Heartland" (see below).
The beginning is the same as the album version. Not my best loved song, so it surely doesn't need a longer version. Though Roger sings good as always. Some parts are made longer. Nothing significant to the version.
This version of the song is put here because it was a so called B-side to The Cross' CD single "New Dark Ages", which was released in Germany only. It was also a B-side to the CD single of "Final Destination", which was issued Germany only. This version is a bit different to The Cross' version from 1988 (played live). It has more 'belly' piano sound. And it probably sounds to me even more little "Man On Fire"-original-like than all the other versions. Little lack of power in Rogers voice to my opinion. There were two versions of the song, one with people cheering, one without it. But beside that the versions are exactly the same as they are from the same concertjust edited slightly different. Oh, I'd have forgotten - it has those cowboy-like shouts almost at the end! Maybe it sound a bit like Christmas song with those bells. Ends with: "Good night from The Cross".
"New Dark Ages" was issued only in Germany and as a CD single. That's where we find that edit version of the song. It is also called a 7" version. So called B-side to it was "Ain't Put Nothing Down", "Man On Fire" (live by The Cross) and a LP version of "NDA".
Calling it an edit version is a good idea. The song is as its album version, but there are some words missing (whole fragments of song with music and words), just cut from the centre of the song. As all edited songs, thought to be a radio version, just not to make people bored. But that's funny as it is a good song, at least I do think so. But you may say I'm not impartial anymore.
Mix of the song was used on The Cross' CD single to "Liar". The original version was used as single "Liar"'s B-side and was released in Germany only. It is a longer version, and it's a better version. It has longer intro and sounds friendlier. It is rather a strong song, the version has more sing-a-longs and seems more appliable for a Taylor fan. The longer version of this song was performed by the band The Cross at concerts.
This is the original version of the song. It was a B-side to issued only in Germany "Liar" single. The song was never released separately or on any album.
"Liar" was issued as a single A-side. But it had "In Charge Of My Heart" as a B-side. This 12" version comes from a CD single of this song, where B-side's role play "In Charge Of My Heart" (extended) and 7" "Liar" (I guess 7" version is the same as album version). This CD single was issued only in Germany, so it's highly collectable.
This 12" mix could also be called extended version, because it is longer. It also brings some changes to the original one.
This version is almost the same as the album one but has two major differences: starts with additional drum sound (although short) and has some women singing 'hoohoo' here and there (but one hears it very clearly, surely one can hear the difference).
This "Power To Love" version comes from The Cross' CD single of the same title. It contains this prolonged version and also "Passion For Trash" (as original LP single to the song) and "Power To Love" 7" version.
This Hendrix song was added to a CD version of The Cross' album "Mad: Bad: And Dangerous To Know". The song was then performed by the band during their concerts.
"Manipulator" was issued as an A-side of a single. The B-side to it was "Stand Up For Love". It was issued on Virgin only.
It is slowly sung although music isn't that slow. One can find it a bit spread and extended in time. Nobody hurries in this song.
"Manipulator... and here comes trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble..."
It is a bit, really a bit, faster version than the original one. No other changes to the song, neither lyrics nor music nor singing style.
This version of the song was used on the USA "Shove It" album (in Europe we had Freddie Mercury on lead vocals).
This "Heaven For Everyone" version starts with a short story, just like that first The Cross' version with Freddie Mercury on vocals. There are just changes to the roles, Roger sings all lyrics and Freddie does bvc's. Whispers at the beginning are the same as in Freddie's version. The music seems almost the same.
"Feel The Force" was put on US version of "Shove It" album. There were some rights problems to the song as it was co-written with someone from outside The Cross. The song was also a B-side to "Shove It" single, also in the USA. The song wasn't issued on CD single.
For me this song is as its title. Make you fell the force. That's the best song from the whole "Shove It" album, you just can't stop it makes you sing and wanna shout, tear down your prison wall like they ain't there at all". Roger on vocals and one of the best songs to get out of blue!
This version was used as a B-side to the single of the name "Shove It" (untypical version). It is different mainly because the stereo widening and echo was added to it. It sounds like it was more clear than the album version. No other big changes. Though interesting.
This second shelf mix was put on The Cross' CD version of the album "Shove It". The song represents a prolonged version of the title song and probably is named after where it came from ;)
"Cowboys & Indians" was The Cross' first ever single. There are three versions of this song: album, 7" and 12". But I cannot tell you now the difference. This edit one is shorter but I'm not sure whether this is 7" or 12" version, probably the latter. LP version of the single has original version of the song, a CD version has all those three versions. Though CD single was issued as promo only.
This song was also a CD B-side to singles: "Shove It" and Japanese edition of "Heaven For Everyone".