Hot Space

Alternate Versions

Extended Version
Issued only on a promo 12" in the US, which is now very hard to find, but recently bootlegged onto "Demories Please Majesties", on CD and cassette. A fine mix, superior to the album version and nearly six minutes long. Some very nice touches, and noticeably different almost straight away. Nothing new is added, but by clever editing there are some "new" instrumental and almost a capella sections to be heard. The remix is by John Luongo, and its highly recommended even if you didn't like the original mix.

Live Version, Milton Keynes 1982
From "Opera Omnia". Faster than the LP version, with some heavy percussion by Roger. Many tracks from "Hot Space" sound very different (usually much better) live, as the keyboards and synthesizers were replaced by drums and bass. This made the tracks sound much closer to the "funk" ideal chased after on the album, and is why so many live versions are included in this section. This take is maybe a bit rushed at 3:49, but worth a look none the less. And at least there's no "hot and spacey" horns this time.

Single Remix
Remixed for 7" by John Deacon, this surprisingly snappy mix sounds slightly crisper than the 4:33 LP version, and makes a great single. Not very different, but nice anyway and it does grab your attention. The start is a little more immediate, and it just gets better from there really. It's such a shame this hasn't been put onto CD yet - what with three Greatest Hits albums and various other compilations, it's one of very few single A-sides still only on vinyl. It hasn't even been put on a bootleg CD yet! Time 4:10

Extended Version
Extended to 6:58, with some good additional guitar near the end and some extra percussion and instrumental. This is easily one of the best extended mixes, even if it does get a touch predictable in the middle. Remixed by John Deacon, this was the band's first official 12" mix. Available on the UK 12" of "Back Chat", but not on the European 12". The US promo 12" of "Staying Power" also has it as the B-side. This mix has been heavily bootlegged, in varying quality, and can be found on many compilation bootlegs including "The Ultimate Collection Vol. 2" and "The Ultimate Queen Back Catalogue Vol. 2".

Live Version, USA 1982
From the "Queen Live USA '82" bootleg. Combining the best bits from all the studio mixes, and with Brian providing some superb guitar, this has a much heavier, almost rock / funk sound, which ironically is kind of what they were aiming for with the album! Wonderful, with a particularly powerful intro. Other live versions exist, notably one on "The Ultimate Collection" bootleg, but they vary a bit in quality. This version, however, is definitely recommended.

Live Version, "Hot Space" Tour
Versions are available on "Queen Live USA '82", "Opera Omnia" and "Get Down" (all versions very similar). The synths are largely replaced by percussion, and the song benefits from it immensely. Usually around 3:00 long, and very good. Nowhere near as "dancey" as the album mix, this sounds very different though some versions can seem a little rushed.

Hollywood Remix 1991
A dancey track to begin with, this was perhaps the obvious choice for the "bonus remix" treatment, and for once the result is actually quite good. Has some extra guitar and some very noticeable piano, both of which work very well. Rather less effective is the relentless extra percussion, that never lets up. Which is a shame, as the original mix used pauses to very good effect several times, and in this version that's missing. Remixed by Susan Rogers, and found on the US "Hot Space" CD as a bonus track. Time 4:44, so its about 10 seconds longer than usual too. Worth a listen, although its unlikely to change your opinion of the track. Time 4:44

Live Version, Osaka 1982
On the bootlegs "Get Down" and "Opera Omnia". Has a notably different feel live, with different instruments used in places. No saxophone this time either, instead there's some sort of keyboards. Very different. Time 5:00

Live Version, "Hot Space" Tour
A bit faster and with more percussion than the album take, this has Roger in full swing on the drums throughout. Brian's guitar complements it well, and the result lifts an average song (well, it is!) to one of the concert highlights. Good versions are on the bootlegs "Get Down", "Queen Live USA '82" and "Opera Omnia" (all versions are pretty much the same).

Long Version / Short Version
This is another of those infamous "rumoured US 12" promos", one of what must be at least two for this track (a mono/stereo definitely exists, with the album mix on both sides). The disc claims to have "Long / Short Versions", so presumably at least one is unique. Its probably that the "Short Version" is a very slight edit, as there have never been any reports of a longer version anywhere. I have seen this advertised, but not recently, so its possible this is just a myth, or a typing error. But its a recurring one, so look out for it just in case.

Acetate Version
On a 10" promo acetate only, and a major rarity. Described as "Las Palabras De Amor (Mix 2)" on the label, which is exactly what it is - there are no new elements, it is simply the album take mixed slightly differently. The biggest difference is that the keyboards are much fuller in the album mix, whereas here the acoustic guitar tends to dominate. The bass frequencies are also less evident here, with perhaps a little less production all round. However, its really very hard to spot these changes, and it would be easy to mistake this for the album mix. I'm reliably informed though that the album uses "Mix 1", and that this "Mix 2" is basically Brian's own mix. Very interesting, though not quite as exciting as its name would suggest. Time approx 4:20

Demo Duet With David Bowie
On many bootlegs, including "The Ultimate Collection" and "In The Lap Of Queen". A nearly finished version rather than a demo, possibly intended as the B-side to "Under Pressure"? Rumour says Bowie wasn't too happy about it, and he does seem under-used. His vocals are distinctive though, and this is a nice alternative. Unfortunately the sound quality is a little rough, but don't hold your breath for an official release. Very different and very good.

12" Version
On the French "I Want It All" promo CD, and not on the actual 12". Despite the sleeve labels, this is in fact just the standard version. No extended version was ever recorded.

Edited Version
In the original version, the line "This is our last dance" repeats near the end. However, on CD copies of "Greatest Hits II" it only appears once, and the running time is 3:59 and not the normal 4:04. It may seem pedantic, but is actually very noticeable! Supposedly only edited for inclusion on "Greatest Hits II", although its actually much more widespread than that. The same edit also appears on several other compilations, most notably the Bowie "Singles Collection" in the UK.

Classic Queen Version
On the "Classic Queen" CD this is actually a remix, although the fact isn't announced on the sleeve. Which is a shame, as this is certainly worth investigating. The sound has been polished and tweaked to give a clearer, crisper edge, especially on the backing vocals. Nothing has really been changed, just re-vamped, but the overall effect is still quite nice. Its spoilt slightly however by the fact that once again Hollywood Records have managed to drop a line of vocals from the middle. The line "That's O-kay!", just before "It's the terror of knowing", about a minute or so into the song, is gone. I guess you really can't have everything... Incidentally, this version is also on Bowie's "Singles Collection" in the US. I wonder if any of his "Singles" releases actually include the original single version?

Demo
On a number of bootlegs, this is invariably just the version recorded by Brian at KEWB in America (KEWB is a radio station Brian made a promotional appearance at, see the Brian section for details). However, there are a number of Bowie bootlegs that also claim to have demos of this track, and there is some evidence to suggest there is a real one out there somewhere. One to investigate further, perhaps.

Live Version
Hardly a rarity, and notable mainly for not having Bowie to sing any vocals. Roger provides some backing, but Freddie sings lead throughout. Faster and more dynamic than the original, and with slightly different instruments. On numerous bootlegs, and the official releases "Live Magic" and "Live At Wembley '86" (not to mention several live videos). Interesting more than stunning. Incidentally, Bowie himself has released a good live version of this, taken from his "Outside" tour, as the B-side to "Hallo Spaceboy". This has Gail Ann Dorsey doing Freddie's vocals (I guess those notes are a bit high!).

US TV Version
From the same "Saturday Night Live" as "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", i.e. their first and only live US TV appearance. Presumably similar to all the other live versions of it (but I bet a video recording of it is nice!). Haven't heard it, can't find it. Yet.

B-sides & Bonus Tracks etc.

Original B-side
The B-side to "Under Pressure", on 7" and the CD3 (not to mention the Dutch 12"). Available in remastered form too, on the US "Heaven For Everyone" CD5 and the Japanese CD3. A song with a nice tongue-in-cheek lyric (see how many references to Queen songs you can spot) that is at least as good as most of the album tracks. Also on a large number of bootlegs now. Highly recommended, this is probably the best B-side they ever recorded. Note the version on the US "Heaven For Everyone" CD has the stereo channels reversed for some reason.