Bursting out with a killer horn chart, “God Save the Queen” is perhaps one of the most classic Chicago-sounding Chicago songs of the post-Columbia era.
Lyrically, the song is even more appropriate now than when it was recorded:
“God save the Queen, dear Mother Earth is dying away
Time’s running out, one more tomorrow depends on today”
Unfortunately, like most of the Humberto Gatica remixes of 1991’s Twenty 1, “God Save the Queen” suffers. Gatica tried to put too much into his mix. The horns are given absolutely no space to really breathe and stretch out. If one can find the Ron Nevison version: It’s much cleaner and really gives the horns the space they need to really be appreciated.
Either way, “God Save the Queen” fell prey to the adage about throwing baby out with the bathwater. After Chicago’s disastrous performance of “You Come to My Senses” on the Arsenio Hall Show, they avoided the material on Twenty 1 like the plague.
“God Save the Queen” sounds more like one would expect Chicago to sound than anything on Chicago 18 or 19 (and for that matter much of the material on Chicago 17, as well). Musically, it’s punchy and fun. It’s got some serious brass balls and would have made for a great opener for a live set.
Instead, “God Save the Queen” has remained ignored and forgotten by the band. Luckily, many of us fans have neither ignored nor forgotten this stellar song – perhaps the best track on Twenty 1 and easily one of the band’s better post-Terry Kath moments.
If there’s any song worthy of Chicago’s re-consideration from Twenty 1 it’s “God Save the Queen.” So, how ‘bout it, boys? Why not dust this one off and put it in your live set?
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