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
Another Rock and Roll Christmas single (including a collectors picture disc) and on several Christmas Compilation albums that were released from 1984–1998. The single sold well, peaking at No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart, and was Glitter's most successful song since 1975. Though he was still touring regularly when the song came out, Glitter credited "Another Rock and Roll Christmas" as a song that gave him a resurgence in popularity. The song was covered by former heavy metal band Iron Maiden vocalist Paul Di'Anno for the album "Rockin' Good Xmas". Another Rock and Roll Christmas "Another Rock and Roll Christmas" is a 1984 Christmas