The Works (Queen album) 19 November 1984, and promotional copies were indeed pressed ("QUEEN 5") and sent out (b/w "Keep Passing the Open Windows"), but the band opted for a Christmas single ("Thank God It's Christmas"). The fifth track on "The Works", "Machines (Or 'Back to Humans')", came about as an idea by Taylor, and May collaborated with him and finished it. Producer Reinhold Mack programmed the synth-"demolition" using a Fairlight CMI II Sampler, and the song is sung as a duet between a double-tracked Mercury (singing in harmony with himself), and a robotic Taylor (using a Roland VP330 Vocoder). The instrumental remix of
Christmas (song) "Christmas" was praised by critics. Richie Unterberger of AllMusic called it an "excellent song." "Rolling Stone"'s Mac Randall said it was one of several "prime Pete Townshend songs" on the album. A review in "Life" by Albert Goldman considered it beautiful and highlighted the song's "croaking chorus". James Perone said it was "perhaps one of the best sleeper tracks of the collection." The Smithereens did a cover on their 2007 album "Christmas with The Smithereens." Leslie Odom, Jr. did a cover on the deluxe edition of his album "Simply Christmas." Christmas (song) "Christmas" is a song written by Pete Townshend