Songful Style: “Fat Bottomed Girls!”

When I look back at this month, I don’t feel like I accomplished much of anything. But, I did get almost all of my plants planted. Do you ever buy flowers and plant most of them right away, then run out of steam? That’s me. I have a few left to plant, and there’s even dirt in the pot. But, I just can’t seem to get those poor babies planted. I’ll put it on my list of things to do this week! Anyway, welcome to the last Monday in May (can you believe it) and another edition of Songful Style! Suzy and Shelbee decided to riff (see what I did there) on Style Imitating Art only with music! Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, Suzy of Suzy Turner, and I make up the bloggers in this group. You can find all of us on our blogs and Instagram.  Our ensembles (pun intended) may be inspired by the lyrics of a song, the artwork of the album cover, maybe the MTV video, or even a memory the song evokes. Shelbee chose this month’s song. Last month, Suzy selected “Venus.” Oh, and there’s a link party, too!

The artists…

Despite the movie, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Queen was not formed when the band’s singer left in a huff. Freddie Mercury was a fan of the band, Smile, in which Roger Taylor and Brian May were members. Down a long and twisted path, from band to band, and changes of members, Smile was finally formed. The lead singer, Tim Staffel, was friends with a young student at Ealing Art College. That student’s name was Farrokh “Freddie” Bulsara.

But, first…

Roger Taylor was born at West Norfolk and Lynn Hospital in King’s Lynn, Norfolk on July 26, 1949. His mother was one of 16 new moms on the brand new maternity ward which was opened by Princess Elizabeth (future Queen Elizabeth II). Taylor actually formed his first band when he was seven years old, playing the ukulele. At 15, he was a member of Reaction, a semi-professional rock band. Originally, Taylor was a guitarist but switched to drumming because he felt it was a more natural fit. Taylor left for London in 1967 to study dentistry at London Hospital Medical College. When he became bored, he changed to biology and received a BSc at East London Polytechnic.

A bit more…

Brian May was an only child born on July 19, 1947 in Hampton Hill near Twickenham, Middlesex. When he was eleven, May won a scholarship to Hampton Grammar School, a boys only private school. It was here he formed his first band, 1984, after, of course, Orwell’s novel. The vocalist and bassist was Tim Staffell. He earned ten GCE Ordinary Levels (no idea what that means even after reading about it several times) and three GCE Advanced Levels in physics, mathematics, and applied mathematics. I don’t need to know what those three letters mean to know this means Brian May is extremely intelligent! He then studied math and physics at Imperial College London and graduated with a BSc degree in physics in 1968 with honors. Amazingly, May received a personal invitation to work at the Jodrell Bank Observatory while working on his doctorate. Unbelievably, he turned it down so that he could remain at Imperial College London and continue with Smile! In 2007, May was finally awarded a PhD in astrophysics from Imperial College London for work he started in 1971 and finished in 2007. That’s perseverance, my friends!

Next…

Farrokh “Freddie” Bulsara was born in Stone Town in the British protectorate of Zanzibar (now part of Tanzania) on September 5, 1946. His parents were from the Parsi community of Western India. They moved to Zanzibar so that his father could continue working as a cashier at the British Colonial Office. Because Zanzibar was a British protectorate until 1963, Farrokh was born a British subject and on June 2, 1969, he registered as a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies after the family moved to England.

A little more…

Farrokh was born with four extra incisors. Freddie claimed this was the reason for his enhanced vocal range (four octaves). Farrokh began taking piano lessons when he was seven while living with relatives in India. In 1954, when he was eight, Farrokh was sent to study at St. Peter’s school, one of the top boarding schools in India. Four years later, when he was 12, Farrokh formed the Hectics and covered rock and roll artists like Cliff Richard and Little Richard. One of his former bandmates said:

“the only music he listened to, and played, was Western pop music.”

Another friend recalled Freddie (as he now began to call himself) had:

“an uncanny ability to listen to the radio and replay what he heard on piano (source).”

A bit more…

In February 1963, Freddie returned to Zanzibar and his parent’s flat. In 1964, however, the family fled to England to escape the violence of a revolution against the Sultan of Zanzibar. They settled into a small home at 22 Gladstone Avenue, Middlesex. At first, Freddie studied art at Isleworth Polytechnic in West London, but switched to graphic art and design at Ealing Art College (where he met Staffell), and graduated with a diploma in 1969. He used those skills while designing heraldic arms for Queen.

A skosh more…

Like his future bandmates, Freddie joined many bands and sold second-hand Edwardian clothes and scarves in Kensington Market with Roger Taylor. In addition, he was a baggage handler at Heathrow Airport…can you imagine being able to say Freddie Mercury handled your bags? In 1970, history was in the process of being made when he finally joined guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor to lead Smile. Originally, May was resistant to the idea of Freddie as lead singer. This had been Tim Staffell’s role, but Staffell quit the band because his interests were in the soul and R&B sounds which didn’t jive with the group’s hard rock sound. In 1971, John Deacon joined the group after a few other bassists came and went.

Even more…

John Deacon was the quiet member. Many felt his quiet poise was a good counterpoint for the more flamboyant Freddie. He was also a bit of a techno-geek! Born in Leicester on August 19, 1951 (my grandson’s birthday), Deacon, like his mates, was part of many bands. Unlike his mates, he was interested in electronics, read magazines about it, and built small devices. He modified a reel-to-reel (anyone remember those) to record directly from the radio. He studied at Beauchamp Grammar School and received eight GCE O level and three A level passes, all at grade A. Again, I have no idea what that means, but I think it means this kid was bright! He was also a songwriter and wrote “You’re My Best Friend,” “Another One Bites the Dust, and “I Want to Break Free (one of my favorites). He co-wrote “Under Pressure,” “Friends Will Be Friends,” and “One Vision.” He also was involved in the financial end of the band.

The band…

By 1971, all the players were in place. It was at this time Freddie legally changed his last name to Mercury which was inspired by a line from his song, “My Fairy King:” ‘Mother Mercury, look what they’ve done to me.'” Mercury also chose the name Queen for the new band, saying,

“It’s very regal obviously, and it sounds splendid. It’s a strong name, very universal and immediate. I was certainly aware of the gay connotations, but that was just one facet of it.”

Struggles…

The band struggled for a bit finding the correct management. Their first album, Queen, did not do well. Their second album, Queen II, eventually achieved critical praise and has cult recognition, but it was not a success. Sheer Heart Attack contained the single, “Killer Queen.” It was the first album to hit the US top 20 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tapes Chart. That single reached number 2 on the UK Singles chart and was the first top 20 hit in the US for the group. The album has received several accolades over the years for “a wealth of outstanding hard rock guitar tracks” as well as being listed by lots of publications as one of the band’s best works…an essential glam rock album!

Success…

The release of A Night at the Opera saw Queen receiving several accolades for the album. The album contained several hit singles: “You’re My Best Friend,” “Love of My Life,” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.” You can read more accolades here. Between A Night at the Opera and Jazz, upon which our song appears, there were several successful albums and singles. I could go on and on about this band…is it obvious yet how much I love them? I think Queen was truly part of my musical history with songs like “We Will Rock You,” “We Are the Champions,” “Somebody to Love,” “Killer Queen,” “Bicycle Race,” “Love of My Life,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” “Under Pressure,” and, of course, “Radio Ga Ga.” I honestly could continue this list, but I’ll stop now.

Live Aid…

Anything to do with Queen must include the iconic performances at Live Aid in Wembley Stadium on July 13, 1985. The band played many of their classic hits. Over 1.9 billion people watched the show on the telly. The sold-out stadium of 72,000 people sang, danced, clapped, and were enveloped in the theater of the moment. Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, the show’s organizers, as well as Elton John and Cliff Richard, along with the BBC, CNN, Rolling Stone, MTV, The Guardian, and The Daily Telegraph, along with others considered Queen the highlight of the concert. Their set included “Radio Gaga,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “We Will Rock You,” and “We Are the Champions.” Who can forget “EEEEEOOOOOO?” Well, in case you did, here it is as well as the complete performance.

The end…

While many people guessed and made snide remarks about Freddie’s sexuality, he evaded the questions of being bisexual or gay. Exceedingly shy in person, Mercury’s on-stage persona was almost the direct opposite. Many knew him to be kind, generous, and reserved. On stage, he was a strutting, pouting ball of musical perfection. Jim Hutton, Freddie’s long time partner, said Freddie had been diagnosed with HIV in late April, 1987. On November 22, 1991, Freddie released the following statement:

“Following the enormous conjecture in the press over the last two weeks, I wish to confirm that I have been tested HIV positive and have AIDS. I felt it correct to keep this information private to date to protect the privacy of those around me. However, the time has come now for my friends and fans around the world to know the truth and I hope that everyone will join with me, my doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this terrible disease. My privacy has always been very special to me and I am famous for my lack of interviews. Please understand this policy will continue.”

On November 24, 1991, at age 45, Freddie Mercury died of bronchial pneumonia. On November 27th, his funeral service was held in Kensal Green, West London in accordance with the Zoroastrian faith of his family. His cremains are buried in an unknown place. The band finished “Made in Heaven” which included the last song Freddie ever recorded, “Mother Love.” The album was not released until 1995. In January 1997, Queen performed “The Show Must Go On” with Elton John and the Béjart Ballet in Paris. This marked the last performance and public appearance of John Deacon who was deeply affected by Freddie’s death. Following that Paris concert, Elton John urged the remaining members, Brian May and Roger Taylor, to continue performing. Over the years, they have played with various guest singers, usually under the name Queen +, usually Paul Rodgers or Adam Lambert.

The song…

What it means…

Written by Brian May, I think we should take his word for it! He said it was written with Freddie in mind because he happened to love a big butt! “I wrote it with Fred in mind, as you do especially if you’ve got a great singer who likes fat bottomed girls…or boys (source).” Some people find the first stanza a bit problematic, but many believe it to be the singer appreciating the large backside of their nanny.

The video…

Interesting covers…

Honestly, the first thing I noticed about this band was their aesthetic. I kept wondering why the singers were in the florals, two were in white tees, and the bassist/guitarist was in black top/black patterned pants. But, they really rock the song, and the vocals are amazing. I was a little surprised they didn’t change the lyrics a bit.

I’m trying to decide about this one. I am pretty sure they’re a country band trying to be rock. I thought maybe once the drums and guitars started, it would get a little more rock, but it doesn’t.

My favorite Norwegian heavy metal dude slams out his version. Trigger warning…there is a bit of strobing in this video.

Hmmm…this is different. I honestly can’t say what I think of this one. Let me know what you think!

Now this is country doing rock well. But, I may be a little biased because I like the Band Perry. There’s a bit of commentary at the end of the video so it’s not really as long as it looks.

My interpretation…

OK, the only lycra I own is in my workout clothing, and I wasn’t about to use that! It’s neither fashionable nor appropriate to this song. Instead, I went with a white tee as Freddie often wore a white tank top with black pants (or is that only in my imagination). My tee was a bit long so I did the old “tuck it into the bra” trick. I may have tucked it a bit too much, but a little bit of belly showing goes with the song, right? Freddie also loved color so I pulled out this gorgeous reversible kimono from Johnny Was. It looks a lot like something he might wear as he was lounging around the house with one of his many cats. I just got these wide leg linen blend pants and love them. I don’t know how often they’ll be on the blog, but I’ll be wearing them often this summer.

The Lewk!

I told you these Woman’s Delight wedges would be showing up quite a bit on the blog! Once I get them broken in, they will be just as comfortable as all my other L’Artiste shoes. The jewelry is all by Stella & Dot. This is the Pegasus necklace. I really like it, but it’s got some scratchy bits on the back which is covered by cloth. I guess I should figure it out and put some clear nail polish on those spots.

Wrap it up, Marsha!

With every song we do, there is a part of me that just wants to let go! I kept telling Suzy and Shelbee I was going to break out the black lycra for this one! Hahaha!!! I don’t own the kind of lycra Freddie wore! And, trust, you wouldn’t want to see that. But, I definitely got sidetracked in my research and love of the band, and especially Freddie Mercury. I just can’t imagine a world without that amazing voice. It’s so sad it was cut short. So, can we talk? Did you rock out to Queen back in the day? Can you believe Brian May has a degree in astrophysics? Which cover version is your favorite? Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as soon as possible.

Thank you!

Thank you so very much for reading today’s post. I hope you enjoyed it. I also very much appreciate those of you who comment, email and/or subscribe. It’s what keeps me going! If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here.

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Where you can find me:

Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style,  Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, Suzy Turner, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World and A Fresh Cup of Coffee. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, Style Splash and Elegantly Dressed and Stylish as well as the Senior Salon Pit Stop (Esme’s Salon) and Slices of Life. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend every Thursday with Melynda, Lisa, and Sue. I also host Final Fridays on the last Friday of the month as well as 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!

And, now, it’s your turn!

Please link up your favorite posts, DIY, baking, gardening, fashion…you name it…as long as it’s family friendly! Link up with me, visit a couple of others, and leave a comment or two! No worries if you don’t have a blog, just look around! You may find a new blog just waiting for you!

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