Her Majesty! Queen!

Here’s a question: What made a colourful artist, a mad-haired scientist, a blonde dentist and a shy electrical engineer a global rage and a storming sensation?

Well, for starters, Imma introduce the gentlemen and then, Imma answer that question.

Put Your Hands Together, for….

HER MAJESTY! QUEEN!

They are the champions of the world right there! And without further ado, let’s begin answering my own question.

Number 1:

Passion.

‘Adventure seeker on an empty street
Just an alley creeper, light on his feet
A young fighter screaming, with no time for doubt
With the pain and anger can’t see a way out
It ain’t much I’m asking, I heard him say
Gotta find me a future move out of my way.’

Be it making a guitar from scratch or staying in a studio all night, trying to get something magical, or striving each time to give the screaming fans something new, passion is the very bedrock of Queen’s existence. They didn’t stop till what they had was perfect and when that level of perfection hits the globe, it’s bound to be a sensation.

When you look at Queen as a band, all of them were super-talented musicians, mostly self taught. Freddie Mercury had no vocal training, Brian May built his own guitar and taught himself. Roger Taylor and John Deacon were in bands at a young age but combining all that, they gave the world one of its best music.

Fun Fact: Freddie Mercury’s voice was recently the subject of scientific research. And it is believed that his voice could match all four octaves of a piano.

Number 2:

Deep Respect for Each Other.

‘Friends will be friends
When you’re in need of love they give you care and attention
Friends will be friends
When you’re through with life and all hope is lost
Hold out your hand ’cause friends will be friends
Right till the end.’

Often, in a team, there’s always a person or a group of people who don’t get on with everybody. This, almost always proves to be the bane of the team. What made Queen an example of staying together was the fact that they had a deep reverence for each other. However different they were from each other, deep down, they were family. Even when certain members wanted to halt in order to pursue a solo career for a bit, there was no bitterness, they always got back, like magnets.

In Freddie’s own words…. “Thirteen years later, here we are, four old ladies still rocking away.”

This scene from the movie ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ really shows their deep rapport:

Roger Taylor: You’re a legend, Fred.
Freddie Mercury: You’re bloody right I am. We’re all legends. But you’re right, I am a legend.

That’s some team goals right there.

Number 3:

Fun.

‘Don’t stop me now, I’m having such a good time
I’m having a ball
Don’t stop me now
If you wanna have a good time, just give me a call!’

As a wise man once said, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

The boys of Queen weren’t exactly determined to end up like Jack. So they played….A lot! And as they say, proof’s in the pudding so here’s the pudding.

The interview during the recording of the song ‘Headlong’. And we thought we knew who Kim Basinger really was.

Brian May’s attachment to the penguins on the set of ‘I’m Going Slightly Mad’. Yup, they had actual penguins….

The boys in Japan.

Mad hats are cool.

And finally….

And just after this, Freddie Mercury threw those maracas into the crowd. Maracas that had taken Roger Taylor hours to steal….Maracas with ‘like two seeds’ in them.

Number 4:

Very deep thinking.

‘It’s just a simple fact of life
It can happen to any one

You win, you lose
It’s a chance you have to take with love.’

And that’s just one of the lyrics that show the philosophical side of their Majesties.

This went a long way in establishing Queen as an extraordinary band cause their songs spoke to people in need of advice, people feeling lost, people feeling trapped, people, as a whole. And what better than a song that speaks to the soul.

Here are some of the most touching lyrics of some of Queen’s legendary songs:

‘Too much love will kill you
If you can’t make up your mind
Torn between the lover
And the love you leave behind
You’re headed for disaster
‘Cause you never read the signs
Too much love will kill you – every time.’

– ‘Too Much Love Will Kill You’

‘But life still goes on
I can’t get used to living without, living without
Living without you by my side
I don’t want to live alone, hey
God knows, got to make it on my own.’

– ‘I Want To Break Free’

‘My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies

Fairy tales of yesterday, grow but never die
I can fly, my friends.’

– ‘The Show Must Go On’

Here we have words of healing for those who’ve loved too much, an anthem for those feeling trapped in regime and a literal hymn for never-ending music and art. That’s literally the crux of human emotion and soul. Queen had it all, what with them leaving Freddie to the wardrobe, writing the hits….Hehe.

Then we’ve got songs like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, half opera as it be, talking of an artist’s life amongst other things and ‘Love Of My Life’ which could move anyone to tears, as it melodiously echoes of love and the endeavour concerning it.

A fusion of rock and roll with a poetic lyric is what amplifies Queen’s glorious rule through the 70s and the 80s.

Number 5:

On Stage Persona.

‘She’s a Killer Queen
Gunpowder, gelatine
Dynamite with a laser beam
Guaranteed to blow your mind
Anytime.’

Visual impressions and fashion eccentricities matter. They make a band more vibrant. And here we have Queen, absolutely slaying the stage with the right look, every single time.

That’s them for the song, ‘It’s a Hard Life’. The costumes speak for themselves.

And then we’ve got Freddie’s classic ‘Ay-Oh’ involving the crowd while making it gasp, hence gripping them to a concert.

Freddie’s pushups on stage and the Royal Ensemble, yet some more statements, boldly made to win the crowd, cause after all, the mob loves a good show!

Here it is! A question answered.

Now, for some quotes by Freddie Mercury to get rocking…. Why just Freddie? Cause it’s his Birthday! This post is dedicated to Freddie Mercury for his 74th birth anniversary! So, it seems absolutely fitting to give our darling the final showdown!