Mr. Bad Guy

Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: 29 April 1985 | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Barcelona1988studioMr. Bad GuyFreddie Mercury Mr. Bad Guy.jpgFreddie Mercury29 April 1985Early 1983 – January 1985<ref>Mr. Bad Guy (album) queenpedia.com Retrieved 7 October 2014.</ref>Musicland Studios, Munich, West GermanyTemplate:Hlist40:41 (LP)
60:40 (Original UK CD)Columbia* Reinhold Mack

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Template:Music ratings Template:Quote box Mr. Bad Guy is the only solo studio album by British musician Freddie Mercury, lead singer of Queen. Released in 1985, during a period in which Queen were on hiatus from recording, it contains eleven songs, all written by Mercury himself.<ref name="natureofanimals.com"/>

The album was reissued on 11 October 2019, in newly remixed form, on CD, vinyl, digital and streaming services, via Mercury Records.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Background

In contrast to Queen's typically rock-oriented work, Mercury and co-producer Reinhold Mack drew on disco, dance music and pop influences for Mr. Bad Guy, all of which had surfaced on Queen's previous studio album, Hot Space (1982), also produced by Mack.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Mercury stated, "I had a lot of ideas bursting to get out and there were a lot of musical territories I wanted to explore which I really couldn't do within Queen."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Co-producer Mack added, "he used to get pretty annoyed working with the others, because there was always Brian saying, 'It needs to be more rock 'n' roll.'"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Mr. Bad Guy took nearly two years to record, as Mercury had to gather enough material together while committing to band activities.<ref name=queen/>

Initially, the album was supposed to feature duets with Mercury and Michael Jackson.

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However, other sources state that personal conflicts were to blame for unfinished tracks. Mercury reportedly dropped out of any further collaboration after feeling uncomfortable working with Jackson's pet llama in the studio.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> One track from these collaborative sessions, "There Must Be More to Life Than This", was reworked for the Mr. Bad Guy album, although the original recording featuring Jackson was eventually released on Queen Forever in 2014.

Production

Recording was taxing on Mercury, as he took part in everything from performing the tracks (including vocals, piano and synthesizer), arranging the orchestration and working with the sound engineers. Mercury's use of synthesizers and orchestration in track development added to the diversity of each piece.<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The songs are not trying to be anything else but Freddie. A lot of people were expecting Freddie to be catering to the audience. He didn't want that. He just wanted the songs as they are. I didn't try to get involved in the mixing, because he may not have wanted a lot of new ideas at that stage. It was already great and I would not want to have gone in and made changes for the sake of it, like someone painting a nose on a Rembrandt portrait at the very end.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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The album's original title was Made in Heaven, but Mercury changed his mind weeks before the album went to press.<ref name="youtube.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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Originally released on Columbia/CBS, copyrights for Mercury Songs, a company owned by Freddie Mercury's estate, had been revoked following his death in 1991. Mr. Bad Guy would remain out of print on CD until 2000, where it was included on The Solo Collection. Then in 2019, when it was reissued and remixed due to the commercial success of the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.Template:Citation needed

Singles

Lead single "I Was Born to Love You" with the non-album B-side "Stop All the Fighting" debuted at number 50 on 14 April 1985, peaking at number 11 on 5 May 1985.<ref>Official Singles Chart Top 100 - 5 May 1985 - 11 May 1985</ref> It also reached number four in South Africa and number 20 on 1 June in Austria.<ref>AUSTRIA TOP 40 - SINGLES 01.06.1985</ref> "Made in Heaven" peaked at number 57 on the UK Singles Chart on 21 July 1985 and charted for four weeks.<ref>Official Singles Chart Top 100 - 21 July 1985 - 27 July 1985</ref> "Living on My Own" charted at number 50 in the United Kingdom, while the fourth and final single, "Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow," debuted and peaked at number 76 on the UK chart on 24 November 1985.<ref>Official Singles Chart Top 100 - 24 November 1985 - 30 November 1985</ref>

Re-worked singles

"Living on My Own" was re-released in 1993 (almost two years after Mercury's death) in a remixed form by No More Brothers. The single reached number one in the UK, becoming his most successful solo single release, albeit posthumously. "I Was Born to Love You" became Mercury's only solo chart success in Australia, reaching number 13. That song, and "Made in Heaven", were later reworked by the three surviving Queen members and included on the 1995 studio album Made in Heaven.<ref name="ARCHIVE MR. BAD GUY 1985">ARCHIVE MR. BAD GUY (1985) - freddiemercury.com</ref>

Track listing

All songs written by Freddie Mercury.

Personnel

The following personnel are credited in the liner notes.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Freddie Mercury – vocals, piano, synthesizer
• Fred Mandel – additional piano, synthesizer, rhythm guitar
• Paul Vincent – lead guitar
• Curt Cress – drums
• Stephan Wissnet – bass guitar
• Jo Burt – bass guitar on "Man Made Paradise"
• Mack and Stephan Wissnet – programming
• Rainer Pietsch - orchestral arrangements

Technical

• Mack, assisted by Stephan Wissnet – engineering
• The Artful Dodger – cover art
• Andrzej Sawa – photograph

Charts

Weekly charts

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Chart (1985)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)<ref name=aus>Template:Cite book</ref>	38

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Chart (2019)	Peak position

Year-end charts

Chart (1985)	Peak position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	57