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 Is My Time of Year Christmas Is My Time of Year "Christmas Is My Time of Year" is a Christmas single written by Howard Kaylan and Chip Douglas, both members of the Turtles. "Christmas Is My Time of Year" was first recorded and released on the Turtles' White Whale label in 1968 by The Christmas Spirit, a supergroup consisting of Kaylan and fellow Turtle Mark Volman; Gram Parsons and Gene Parsons of the Byrds; Linda Ronstadt; Modern Folk Quartet alumni Cyrus Faryar and Henry Diltz; and gospel singer Bessie Griffin. The song was compiled onto a 1984 collection of Christmas songs titled "Rockin' Christmas: The