Queen “Jazz” released 40 years ago today in the US, November 14th, 1978, released on November 10th in the UK. Jazz was Queen’s 7th studio LP and as one of the biggest bands in the world in the 70′s it hit #2 in the UK and #6 in the US. It was often critically panned at the time of its release, called “dull,” “fascist,” “dumb” and – I love this summation from the website queenpedia.com  “Critics were quick to lambaste the album for being overcooked and pretentious, though it should be mentioned that every album since Queen II received the same criticisms.” Of course in retrospect, and after the wild success of the album, Jazz is now viewed as sleek, sophisticated, fun, “wildly hysterical” and a gem of a record.

The first single from Jazz was a double A-side of “Fat Bottomed Girls” and “Bicycle Race” (#11 UK, #24 US) which had “a bizarre marketing campaign, in which sixty-five naked women were perched atop bicycles rented from Halford’s Cycles and sent racing around Wimbledon Stadium. Video footage from the day’s photo shoot was later used for the accompanying promotional film for “Bicycle Race,” though it was a poster included with early releases of the album that caused the most controversy: banned in the USA, second run pressings included an order form to be sent off for the fold-out.” (Queenpedia). “Legend has it that the band borrowed the bicycles from a store (Halfords, according to the liner notes), but upon returning them were informed that they would have to purchase all the seats, as they had been used in an improper manner (i.e. without clothing).” (Wiki)

Queen released three other singles from Jazz though not globally. “Mustapha,” an up-tempo Arabic rocker (according to Circus magazine), was only released in West Germany, Spain, Yugoslavia, and – weirdly – Bolivia. “Don’t Stop Me Now,” a fantastically Queen-style anthem was a bigger release and went to #9 in the UK but only to #86 in the US; however it eventually became one of Queen’s best-known songs. Finally there is “Jealousy” which did not have a UK release, just US, Canada, Brazil, New Zealand and the USSR; it did not chart in any of those countries. Though not singles, I’m also fond of the big-rocking “Let Me Entertain You” and the wild-tempo’d “Dead on Time.” I’m not crazy about the only vaguely “jazz” track on Jazz, the New Orleans-ish bluesy “Dreamers Ball.”