Roger Taylor of Queen Rarites Fansite

"I am a musician by profession, that's my whole life, and I didn't want to waste it in easy retirement"

The Cross

Official releases

"Heartland"

"Heartland" was a B-side to "Life Changes" 7" single, issued in Germany only and soon withdrawn. That's why it is highly collectable these days.
The song is sung by The Cross' bassist, Peter Noone. The chords are sung by Roger though.
A rather speedy song, not like some of Roger's ballads. As all The Cross' songs (comparing to Roger's solo work) there is more backing vocals. Sometimes both singers sing separately, sometimes they sing together. A guitar solo inside. Makes all that a real rare worth listening.
Author: Peter Noone. Produced by: The Cross. Length 4:45.
No other naming of this version exists.

"Life Changes" (7" version)

This version was released in Germany only as 7" single, withdrawn soon after its introduction. B-side to it was "Heartland" (see above). 7" version misses these fragments: 0:04-0:38, 2:55-3:00, 3:05-3:17, 4:05-4:19, 5:08-5:53 (4:43 faeds out).
Authors: Clayton Moss, Peter Noone, Spike Edney, Joshua J Macrae. Produced by: Mark Wallis. Length 3:52
Other naming of this version: edit, 7", single version, single.

"Ain't Put Nothing Down" (long version)

The beginning is the same as the album version. Not my best loved song, so it surely doesn't need a longer version. Though Roger sings good as always. Some parts are made longer. Nothing significant to the version.
Author: Clayton Moss. Produced by: Mark Wallis. Length 5:01
This version is actually called "Ain't Put Nothing Down", but collectors tend to call it 'long version' to distinguish it from the album version. No other naming of this version exists.

"Man On Fire" (live)

This version of the song is put here because it was a so called B-side to The Cross' CD single "New Dark Ages", which was released in Germany only. It was also a B-side to the CD single of "Final Destination", which was issued Germany only. This version is a bit different to The Cross' version from 1988 (played live). It has more 'belly' piano sound. And it probably sounds to me even more little "Man On Fire"-original-like than all the other versions. Little lack of power in Rogers voice to my opinion. There were two versions of the song, one with people cheering, one without it. But beside that the versions are exactly the same as they are from the same concertjust edited slightly different. Oh, I'd have forgotten - it has those cowboy-like shouts almost at the end! Maybe it sound a bit like Christmas song with those bells. Ends with: "Good night from The Cross".
Author: Roger Taylor. Recorded and mixed by: Justin Shirley-Smith. Length 4:39

"New Dark Ages" (7" version)

"New Dark Ages" was issued only in Germany as 7", 12" and 5" CD. B-side to it was "Ain't Put Nothing Down", "Man On Fire" (live) and a LP version of "NDA".
Calling it an edit version is a good idea. The song is as its album version, but there are some words missing (whole fragments of song with music and words), just cut from the centre of the song (0:00-0:09, 0:19-0:25, 1:30-1:45, 2:38-2:42, 3:38-3:53, 4:19-4:58 (3:58 fades out)). It's worth a mention that the original album version starts with "Bad Attitude" ending and does not fade out completely before "Dirty Mind". As all edited songs, thought to be a radio version, just not to make people bored. But that's funny as it is a good song, at least I do think so.
Author: Roger Taylor. Produced by: Mark Wallis. Length 3:22
Other naming of the version: edit, 7", single, single version.

"New Dark Ages" (album version) from single

This version appears only on 5" CD single to "New Dark Ages". It differs to the original album version by length, fade out and additional 3 seconds at the beginning of the song.
Author: Roger Taylor. Produced by: Mark Wallis. Length 5:06
No other naming of the version exists.

"In Charge Of My Heart" (extended version)

Mix of the song was used on The Cross' 5" CD single and 12" vinyl single to "Liar". The original version was used as "Liar"'s B-side and was released in Germany only. It is a longer version, and it's a better version. It has longer intro and sounds friendlier. It is rather a strong song, the version has more sing-a-longs and seems more appliable for a Taylor fan. The longer version of this song was performed by the band The Cross at concerts.
Author: Roger Taylor. Mixed by: Justin Shirley-Smith. Length 4:43
Other naming of this version: 12" mix, extended, 12", extended mix.

"In Charge Of My Heart"

This is the original version of the song. It was a B-side to issued only in Germany 7" "Liar" single. The song was never released separately or on any album.
Author: Roger Taylor. Mixed by: Justin Shirley-Smith. Length 2:17
Other naming of this version: edit, 7", single version.

"Liar" (12" mix)

"Liar" was issued as a single A-side. But it had "In Charge Of My Heart" as a B-side. This 12" version comes from a 12" vinyl single and 5" CD single of this song, where B-side's role play "In Charge Of My Heart" (extended) and 7" "Liar". This CD single was issued only in Germany, so it's highly collectable.
This 12" mix could also be called extended version, because it is longer. It also brings some changes to the original one.
Author: Peter Noone. Produced by: The Cross and Justin Shirley-Smith. Length 6:30
Other naming of this version: extended remix, extended, 12".

"Liar" (7" version)

This version is almost the same as the album one but has two major differences: starts with additional drum sound (although short) and has some women singing 'hoohoo' here and there (but one hears it very clearly, surely one can hear the difference).
Author: Peter Noone. Produced by: The Cross and Justin Shirley-Smith. Length 3:17
Other naming of this version: edit, 7", single remix.

"Power To Love" (extended version)

This "Power To Love" version comes from The Cross' 5" CD single and 12" vinyl single of the song of the same title. It contains this prolonged version and also "Passion For Trash" (as original LP single to the song) and "Power To Love" 7" version.
Authors: Joshua J Macrae, Peter Noone, Clayton Moss. Produced by: The Cross and Justin Shirley-Smith. Length 5:18
Other naming of this version: extended.

"Foxy Lady"

This Hendrix song was added to a CD version of The Cross' album "Mad: Bad: And Dangerous To Know". The song was then performed by the band during their concerts.
Author: Jimi Hendrix. Produced by: The Cross and Justin Shirley-Smith. Length 3:25

"Manipulator"

"Manipulator" was issued as an A-side of a single. The B-side to it was "Stand Up For Love". It was issued on Virgin only.
It is slowly sung although music isn't that slow. One can find it a bit spread and extended in time. Nobody hurries in this song.
Roger and the boys met Steve after releasing the album so of course the song didn't make it onto the album and was issued as a single insted. It didn't make it onto the charts.
Authors: Roger Taylor, Spike Edney, Steve Strange. Produced by: Roger Taylor. Engineered by: Steve Chase and Peter Jones. Length 3:55
Other naming of this version: A-side, 7".

"Manipulator" (remix)

This version is almost like the original one but is a bit longer: due to additional drums and guitar at the beginning of the song, and due to additional lyrics inside
A prime time top investigator
Manipulator
Playboy lover, so undercover
.
This version comes from 12" vinyl single and some sources claim a cassette single also but I haven't traced its catalogue number yet, so I cannot confirm this.
Authors: Roger Taylor, Spike Edney, Steve Strange. Produced by: Roger Taylor. Engineered by: Steve Chase and Peter Jones. Length: 4:07
Other naming of this version: extended version, extended mix.

"Heaven For Everyone" (Roger lead vc)

This version of the song was used on the USA "Shove It" album (in Europe we had Freddie Mercury on lead vocals, 4:51) and on "Heaven For Everyone" single (all versions but French one-sided promo.
This "Heaven For Everyone" version starts with a short story, just like that first The Cross' version with Freddie Mercury on vocals. There are just changes to the roles, Roger sings all lyrics and Freddie does bvc's. Whispers at the beginning are the same as in Freddie's version. The music seems almost the same.
Author: Roger Taylor. Length 5:08

"Feel The Force"

"Feel The Force" was issued on American and Canadian version of "Shove It" album, on American and Canadian 7" and cassette single to "Shove It".
For me this song is as its title. Make you fell the force. That's the best song from the whole "Shove It" album, you "just can't stop it makes you sing and wanna shout, tear down your prison wall like they ain't there at all". Roger on vocals and one of the best songs!
Author: Roger Taylor. Length 3:44

"Shove It" (Metropolix)

This version was used as a B-side to the European 12" single of "Shove It". It is different mainly because the stereo widening and echo was added to it. It sounds like it was more clear than the album version.
Author: Roger Taylor. Length 3:20
Other naming of this version: Metropolitan, Metropolix mix.

"The 2nd Shelf Mix"

This second shelf mix was put on The Cross' CD version of the album "Shove It". The song represents a prolonged version of the title song. It consists of 'extended version' and 'reprise' (see below).
Author: Roger Taylor. Produced by: Roger Taylor and David Richards. Length 5:50
Other naming of this version does not exist.

"Shove It" (extended version)

This version comes from 12" and 5" promo CD of "Shove It". Together with 'reprise' it makes 'the second shelf mix'.
Author: Roger Taylor. Produced by: Roger Taylor and David Richards. Length 4:58
Other naming of this version does not exist.

"Shove It" (reprise)

A short reprise on the American version of the album "Shove It". Together with 'extended version' makes 'the second shelf mix'.
Author: Roger Taylor. Produced by: Roger Taylor and David Richards. Length 0:52
Other naming of this version does not exist.

"Cowboys And Indians" (edit)

"Cowboys And Indians" was The Cross' first ever single. There are three versions of this song: album, 7" and 'full length version'. 7" version comes on 7" vinyl, AU cassette single and 5" UK promo CD. In this version the songs starts to fade in at 0:05 (compared to the album version), those fragments are cut out: 0:24 do 0:28, 3:32 do 3:36, 3:41 to 3:50, 4:04 to 4:13, 4:22 to 4:31, 4:35 to 5:00. Fades out starts at 5:15. "Cowboys And Indians" is also a B-side to CD single of "Shove It" and Japanese 3" CD single of "Heaven For Everyone".
Author: Roger Taylor. Produced by: Roger Taylor and David Richards. Length 4:20
Other naming of this version: 7", 7" version.

"Cowboys And Indians" (full length version)

This version comes from 5" UK promo CD single. Some sources claim this is an album version, but this version's length does not indicate such attitude.
Author: Roger Taylor. Produced by: Roger Taylor and David Richards. Length 6:12
Other naming of this version does not exist.

"Love Lies Bleeding" (remix)

This is a B-side to "Cowboys And Indians" single in all formats (although on 5" CD single is named as "Love Lies Bleeding"). Slight lyrics change and a stronger mix.
Author: Roger Taylor. Produced by: Roger Taylor and David Richards. Length 4:14
Other naming of this version: B-side version, "Love Lies Bleeding".

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