A Kind of Magic
(2 June 1986)
Tracklisting: One Vision / A Kind of Magic / One
Year of Love / Pain Is So Close to Pleasure / Friends
Will Be Friends / Who Wants to Live Forever / Gimme
the Prize / Don’t Lose Your Head / Princes of the
UniverseOne Vision ����
‘One man one goal one mission, One heart one soul just one
solution, One flash of light yeah one God one vision.’ It has been
argued that ‘One Vision’ leans toward big dumb stadium rock, but
its more admirable than ‘We Are the Champions’.
A Kind of Magic ����
A classic pop song, ‘A Kind of Magic’ is technically astounding, and
timeless in its composition. ‘The waiting seems eternity, The day
will dawn of sanity, Is this a kind of magic, It’s a kind of magic.’
One Year of Love ��
A Deacon piece, ‘One Year of Love’ sees the band going for a more
soulful, slow ballad track with passable effect.
Pain Is So Close to Pleasure ���
Released as a single, but only making it to No. 26 in the Dutch
charts, ‘Pain Is So Close to Pleasure’ finds Mercury in pure camp
mode, as he sings falsetto in this mimicking of 1960s girl-group
pop.
Friends Will Be Friends ���
‘It’s not easy love but you’ve got friends you can trust, Friends will
be friends, When you’re in need of love they give you care and
attention.’ A Mercury-led piano ballad, ‘Friends Will Be Friends’