Queen: Jazz Album (1978)

The Jazz Wall's Berlin Echo

Queen’s Jazz LP, released in the UK on November 10, 1978, on EMI Records (catalogue: EMA 788 / 0C 064-61820 / EMA 788(I)), was their seventh studio album. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker, the artwork—suggested by Roger Taylor after seeing a similar mural on the Berlin Wall—featured an embossed gatefold sleeve with a 12x36-inch Bicycle Race poster (detachable via perforations). Recorded at Mountain and Super Bear Studios, it included a glossy laminated inner sleeve and optional poster. The infamous Wimbledon Stadium bicycle race (September 17, 1978) supplied bikes from Halfords. Peaking at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart for 27 weeks (plus re-entries).

In March 2011, a remastered and expanded version of the album was released as part of a new record deal between Queen and Universal Music, marking the end of Queen's nearly 40-year association with EMI Records. All Queen albums were remastered and reissued in 2011. The deluxe edition features five additional tracks on a separate EP. The second set of albums, consisting of the band's middle five albums, was released in June 2011. The bonus tracks include the single version of "Fat Bottomed Girls," an instrumental version of "Bicycle Race," a version of "Don't Stop Me Now" with "long lost guitars," a live version of "Let Me Entertain You," and an early acoustic take of "Dreamer's Ball."

The 2011 reissue fixed the tape glitch at the start of "Fat Bottomed Girls," a problem that existed on all earlier compact disc versions of the album and the 1997 compilation album Queen Rocks. However, it introduced a previously unused kick-drum part to the track "Jealousy," causing it to sound significantly different from all earlier versions.

Album Overview

Release Details:

Label: EMI Records (UK).

Formats: Vinyl LP (embossed gatefold, with/without poster), later CD/cassette.

℗ & ©: 1978 Raincloud Productions Ltd. / RTB Audio Visual Productions. Mastered at Sterling Sound. Pressed by EMI Records. Printed by Garrod & Lofthouse.

Notes: Poster attached to inner back gatefold (right edge, sealed). Detachable by tearing perforations. Black/white inner sleeve: thin glossy card, rounded corners. “Bicycles courtesy of Halfords!”

UK Release Formats and Track Listings

Jazz was released in the UK in 1978 as a vinyl LP, Cassette and 8-Track Cartridge.

Vinyl LP, Embossed Gatefold (Catalogue: EMA 788):

Side A:

Mustapha (2:59, Mercury)

Fat Bottomed Girls (4:15, May)

Jealousy (3:08, Mercury)

Bicycle Race (3:00, Mercury)

If You Can't Beat Them (4:15, Deacon)

Let Me Entertain You (3:02, Mercury)

Side B:

Dead On Time (3:22, May)

In Only Seven Days (2:28, Deacon)

Dreamers Ball (3:29, May)

Fun It (3:30, Taylor)

Leaving Home Ain't Easy (3:14, May)

Don't Stop Me Now (3:29, Mercury)

More Of That Jazz (4:16, Taylor)

Packaging: Embossed gatefold, glossy inner sleeve, optional 12x36 poster.

UK Variations

All 1978

LP, Album, Stereo, Embossed Gatefold

EMI – EMA 788, EMI – 0C 064-61820, EMI – EMA 788(I)

LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo, Embossed Gatefold

EMI – EMA 788, EMI – 0C 064-61820, EMI – EMA 788(I)

LP, Album, Test Pressing, Stereo

EMI – EMA 788

LP, Album, White Label, Gatefold

EMI – EMA 788, EMI – 0C 064-61820

Tape Cassette Album:

EMI – TC-EMA 788, EMI – 0C 262-61 820

A1 Mustapha

A2 Fat Bottomed Girls

A3 Jealousy

A4 Bicycle Race

A5 If You Can't Beat Them

A6 Let Me Entertain You

B1 Dead On Time

B2 In Only Seven Days

B3 Dreamer's Ball

B4 Fun It

B5 Leaving Home Ain't Easy

B6 Don't Stop Me Now

B7 More Of That Jazz

Blue Writing On Cream/White Cassette.

Some copies may include a poster offer reply slip.

UK Variations

EMI – TC-EMA 788

Grey cassette with paper labels

8-Track Cartridge

EMI – 8X-EMA 788

A1 Mustapha

A2 In Only Seven Days

A3 Bicycle Race

A4 Let Me Entertain You

B5 Fun It

B6 Leaving Home Ain't Easy

B7 If You Can't Beat Them

C8 Dead On Time

C9 Jealousy

C10 Fat Bottomed Girls

D11 Dreamer's Ball

D12 Don't Stop Me Now

D13 More Of That Jazz

Published By – Queen Music

Published By – EMI Music Publishing Ltd.

Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Raincloud Productions Ltd.

Printed By – Garrod & Lofthouse

Production and Context:

Produced by Queen/Roy Thomas Baker. Musicians: Freddie Mercury (vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), Roger Taylor (percussion, vocals), John Deacon (bass). Engineered by Geoff Workman/John Etchells. Recorded at Mountain/Super Bear. Jazz was Queen’s eclectic follow-up to News of the World (No. 4 UK, 1977).

Singles Released and Chart Performance

Jazz spawned two singles:

Bicycle Race / Fat Bottomed Girls (1978, EMI 2870): No. 11 UK.

Don't Stop Me Now / In Only Seven Days (1979, EMI 2910): No. 9 UK.

Album Chart Performance

Jazz charted across multiple runs:

UK: Peak: No. 2. November 26, 1978 - December 2, 1978

Total Weeks on Chart: 27 (1978–1979) + 2 re-entries.

Run 1: 27 weeks (November 25, 1978 – May 26, 1979).

Run 2: 1 week (November 22, 2018): No. 89.

Run 3: 1 week (October 24, 2019): No. 74.

International Charts

Chart (1978–1979) Peak Position

Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) 15

Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) 8

Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM) 13

Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) 3

Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts) 15

French Albums (SNEP) 7

German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) 5

Japanese Albums (Oricon) 5

New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) 20

Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) 6

Portuguese Albums (Musica & Som) 6

Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) 6

UK Albums (OCC) 2

US Billboard 200 6

Legacy and Collectibility

Jazz is Queen’s bold glam-disco hybrid, with Bicycle Race poster a collector’s prize. Original UK embossed vinyls (with poster) fetch £20–£60 on eBay/Discogs, poster-less (£10–£30). Verify catalogue EMA 788.

Streams on Spotify via reissues preserve the analog joy. This LP is a must-have for Queen fans and ‘70s rock collectors.

Do you have Jazz in your vinyl stack? Which track pedals your heart? Share in the comments!

Sources

Information is drawn from my personal knowledge and supplemented by web sources, including Prince Vault, Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts Company, Billboard Chart History and YouTube

What’s the next classic vinyl you’d like to feature? Share in the comments!

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