Freddie Mercury and politics: positions, views, facts
Содержание
In the catalogue of most of the illustrious idols, there is at least one track that touches upon the pressing social and political issues. There are a lot of such songs: someone was dissatisfied with the authorities, someone was worried about prejudices concerning the nationalities of the people inside his state, and someone couldn't bear to see what his favourite country was gradually turning into... And how many musicians openly expressed their opinion? Roger Waters hasn't been stingy with the big words lately, and the queen of jazz. Nina Simon often criticised her own homeland, U.S.A.claiming that she feels "rejected and betrayed by her home country".
And than Queen really stand out from their peers is that in their history they have never once raised social or political issues in their work. Not once. Even if you study all their songs back to back, you won't find even a hint of the aforementioned topics. But how so? Because. Freddie was a showman, a giant of the pop industry and one of the most colourful personalities of the 20th century... So why did he never once voice his own opinion? Was he indifferent? Hardly, because every man always has his own position in this or that issue. Then what - was he afraid of being followed or that his fans would misunderstand him? Also wrong.
It just so happens that Freddie was an artiste to the coreAnd what he was never going to do at his concerts was to rant from the stage about things that already cause people moral discomfort in everyday life. And what he certainly never intended to do at his concerts was to rant from the stage about things that were already causing people moral discomfort in everyday life... He strove to turn every Queen show into a Queen show. into a piece of magic.
The new album has brought Roger Taylor to revelations
In 2021, the iconic drummer of an equally iconic band, Roger Taylor has unveiled his sixth full-length solo album with the succinct and screaming title "Outsider."which literally translates to "stranger, outsider". And it was this work that became for him the most daring and experimental from a lyrical point of view in his career!
By Taylor's own admission, this is the first time he's ever come this close to making loud socio-political statements. The record includes eye-catching songs such as "Gangsters Are Running This World" or "Outsider" of the same name, which address social issues and therefore resonate with a certain audience. However, in Taylor's own words, he was "scared and unaccustomed" to taking such a risky step.
"I'm often asked: why did Freddie never let Queen write political songs, and why did he always avoid the subject in his performances? Well: Freddie hated it when artists clung to politics as a tool. He didn't understand why to use it in music, when music - in his opinion - should carry positive emotions!"
When asked why he was afraid to release "Outsider", Taylor replied:
"Freddie once said that he would never forgive me if I started writing songs that were too political, as he didn't want to 'get involved in all that'. In fact, we all supported his position and none of us were looking to create something politically charged. We weren't really interested in getting involved. We deliberately refrained from commenting on a lot of social issues - even though at the time of our popularity there really was a lot to comment on..."
Some sources say that this question was once asked. to Freddie himselfto which the slightly annoyed royal frontman replied:
"Look, I don't want to get involved in all this. I want to go round the world playing songs that people will like! I want to make people happier. I'm not here to deliver some political message to the people. Simply put - I don't want to become a preacher."
"America is going crazy."
For the last few years. America is literally "going crazy." - and this is what Americans themselves are saying on foreign forums! It is not known what Freddie really thought of the USA, but it is worth noting that once their cult hit "I Want to Break Free" was on the MTV blacklist.
At the time, America remained conservative in many ways, and few people were ready to embrace the singing guys in women's clothes... However, today things are quite different. According to American users, after the release of the biopic. "Bohemian Rhapsody" there's a real Queen Boom in the United States!
"Queen and Freddie Mercury in particular have now eclipsed The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix. They've always been popular, but ever since the biographical film came out, it's impossible to escape the obsession with Queen and Freddie. Frankly, I'm tired of hearing about them, even though I like some of their music," reads one of the comments.
Conclusion
Well: we may never know what Freddie really thought, what he dreamed of changing in the world and what stance he took... But his personal position definitely deserves respects! As we think - it is important to understand what it means to be an artiste, and to bring to the public the value they most expect from you....
What do you think about all this? Share your opinions in the comments.
