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It’s been over 40 years since Queen launched their experimental and funky Hot Space album first released May 1982, and now one of its hidden gem B-sides is set to be released as a single for the very first time.
Arriving as a limited edition 7″ pink vinyl, “Cool Cat,” a track penned and performed solely by Freddie Mercury and John Deacon, is to become available exclusively for Record Store Day, April 20th, with the additional bonus of a never-before-heard instrumental version B side.
Public demand for the track, one of just four the band’s Hot Space tracks never performed live by the band, has surged following its use in an extremely popular Amazon Prime promotional spot directed by actress and filmmaker Olivia Wilde which to date has amassed over 25 million YouTube views.
The 30-second short called “‘Tache,” soundtracked by “Cool Cat,” features a young girl, actress Morgan Quin, in her bedroom worried about her personal appearance. Spurred on by Freddie’s individuality, the girl is suddenly inspired to find the means not care what others think but to embrace her uniqueness, just like the late star himself.
As one of the top online responses to the promotion spot enthused: “This is one of the best commercials I have seen in a very long, long time. Go be yourself and love the life you are living.” A message Freddie would have heartily endorsed.
The two Queen legends Freddie Mercury and John Deacon penned and recorded the upbeat song together. What’s particularly unique about the recording is that Deacon plays every instrument on “Cool Cat.” That’s apart from Freddie accompanying the bassist on the electric piano and singing in an extraordinary falsetto throughout, the only song he sang entirely in falsetto, further highlighting his amazing vocal range.
“Cool Cat” was first released in 1982 as the B-side to “Las Palabras De Amor.” Both tracks appear on Queen’s Gold-certified Hot Space album. Fun fact: The song originally featured a guest backing vocal by David Bowie, which was scratched prior to the album’s release.
The B-side will be a brand-new previously-unreleased instrumental mix of the song.
Check out Record Store Day here: https://recordstoreday.com/
