Freddie Mercury: Queen
By Trina Meersman
Music 1010: Introduction to Music
Biography
• Born September 5, 1946
 Zanzibar, Tanzania
• Birth name: Fahrrokh Bomi Bulsara
• Parents
 Bomi and Jer Bulsara
 One sister Kashmira born in 1952
Biography
• Attended St. Peter’s
Boarding School in
Panchgani, India at the age
of 7.
• First piano lessons
• Received the nickname
“Freddie”
Biography
• 1958-1962
 Pianist in his first band at
the age of 12
 The Hectics
 Graduated from St. Peter’s
in 1962 at the age of 16
Biography
• 1963 – Family fled Zanzibar
during the Zanzibar
Revolution and moved to
Great Britain.
Biography
 1963 – Enrolled at Ealing College of
Art to study Art and Design
 Met Roger Taylor and Brian May
 Guitarists in a local band “Smile”
 Jointed Ibex as lead singer
 August 23, 1969
 Performed in front of paying
audience for the first time. Elvis
Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock”
Biography
 Convinced Ibex to change name
to “Wreckage”.
 Band broke up soon after.
 Joined Sour Milk Sea
 Left band after three shows
 Roger Taylor & Brian May left
“Smile” and joined Freddie.
 1971 – Met John Deacon
 Queen was formed
 Freddie adopted the stage name
“Freddie Mercury”
Biography
 Freddie helped design
“Queen’s “ logo.
 All four band member’s birth
signs were used.
Biography
 Record labels were confused by
Queen’s unique musical styling’s.
 Musical influences were: Elvis
Presley, The Beatles, Led Zepplin,
The Who and Liza Minnelli, to
name a few.
 Vocal Range of 4 Octaves
 Mercury has an extra row of back
teeth. He wouldn’t remove them out
of fear that it would change his voice.
 First studio session with Trident
Studio’s.
 Made two tracks
 Tracks were released as promotional
bits rather than commercially
“I always knew I was a star, and now the rest of the world seems to agree
with me.”
― Freddie Mercury
 Signed to Record Label
 1973 – released first album
 Self titled “Queen”
 Toured with “Mott The Hoople”
 Was said Freddie’s performance was
more than a “support act”.
 Possibly upstaged the main act
BIOGRAPHY
BIOGRAPHY
 1974 – Released second self titled album
 Queen II
 First song to hit UK charts
 Seven Seas of Rhye
 Written by Freddie Mercury
I challenge the mighty titan and his troubadours
And with a smile I'll take you to the seven seas of Rhye
~ Freddie Mercury
 1974 – Released 3rd Album “Sheer Heart Attack”
 Breakthrough son “Killer Queen”
 First single released hit UK Charts at No. 2 and United
States at No. 12
BIOGRAPHY
Biography
 1975 – Offered 1st US Tour
 SOLD OUT Venues in several
countries.
 Released 4th Album
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Night at the Opera
Featured “Bohemian Rhapsody
Fusion of Rock and Opera
Topped the UK Charts for 9 weeks
Reached No. 9 in the US
Biography
 Speculations brewed
regarding Freddie’s
personal life
 Openly Gay – 1974
 1989 – Withdrew
from the public
 Revealed to friends
and family that he
had AIDS.
“I'm as gay as a daffodil, my dear!”
― Freddie Mercury
Biography
“If I had to do it all over again? Why not, I would do it a little bit differently.”
― Freddie Mercury, Freddie Mercury A Life, In His Own Words
 1991 – Last Album “Innuendo”
released.
 Mercury’s physical appearance,
privacy and lack of a scheduled
tour date for “Innuendo”
increased suspicions more.
 November 23, 1991 – Mercury
released a statement
confirming AIDS
 November 24, 1991 – Freddie
Mercury died from AIDSrelated Bronchial Pneumonia at
his home in London.
“He didn’t want to be looked at as an object of pity and curiosity, and he didn’t want
circling vultures over his head,” Taylor said. (Biography)
Composition History
Bohemian Rhapsody
 Written by Freddie Mercury
 Album: Night At The Opera
Released 1975
 5:55 minute Rock Operetta
 Recorded after a 3-week rehearsal on August 24, 1975
 So elaborate, band members were recorded separately
 No 1 on UK charts for 9 consecutive weeks
 First Top 10 single in the United States
“It’s one of those songs which has such a fantasy feel about it. I think that people should
just listen to it, think about it and then make up their own minds as to what it says to
them.”
Composition History
Killer Queen
 “Breakthrough-Turning Point” Song
 Written by Freddie Mercury
 3rd Album: Sheer Heart Attack
 Released November 8, 1974
 No 2 on UK Charts
 First time on US Charts No 12
 Mercury wrote song first then music
 2:59 minute song
 Mercury wrote song in 1 night
 First Queen song not driven by a guitar single
Composition History
 Don’t Stop Me Now
 Composed by Freddie Mercury
 Written for 7th Album “Jazz”
 Released 1978
 March of 1979 – on Billboard charts for 4 weeks
 Only peaked to No 86 in US
 Reached Top 10 in UK at No 9
 Used in many media clips for commercials and movies.
 First of their singles recorded on a cassette. Prior singles were
recorded on Vinyl.
 Brian May – recorded guitar solo onto track after original
recording.
Composition History
 Crazy Little Thing Called Love
 Composed by Freddie Mercury in 1979
 1980 Album “The Game”
 Tribute to Elvis – Many mistake the song for Elvis himself
 No 2 on UK Charts in 1979
 February 23, 1980 – No 1 for 4 weeks on Billboard Hot 100
 Song was written in ~ 5-10 minutes
“’Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ took me five or ten minutes. I did that on the guitar, which I can't play for nuts,
and in one way it was quite a good thing because I was restricted, knowing only a few chords. It's a good
discipline because I simply had to write within a small framework. I couldn't work through too many chords
and because of that restriction I wrote a good song, I think.”
~ Freddie Mercury
Bohemian Rhapsody Listening Guide
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00:00 The opening 14 seconds is a harmonized vocal that sets the tone for the song.
00:15 A piano enters dramatically to set the melody and tempo for the song.
00:26 The piano fades into a faint whisper almost and Freddie carries the melody and tempo with his
voice.
00:30 The piano again becomes prominent and does battle against the vocal power of Mercury.
00:40 As the tempo appears to gain momentum, there are subtle synthesized sounds that add a free
flowing affect.
00:45 The piano and vocals build up to a transition of tone and tempo.
00:50 The song transitions with the piano playing the melody and tempo.
00:55 The vocals enter in a dramatic almost ominous tone, thus setting the mood.
01:19 The vocal inflections build up and culminate into a loud symbol crash.
01:20 Percussion enters to carry the rhythm and tempo. The piano continues to carry the melody.
01:30 The vocals vary in pitch and duration to draw attention to the mood.
01:43 There is a transition back to the somber melody set by the piano in the beginning.
01:55 It then transitions back to vocals in an ominous tone, with the percussion and piano.
02:03 As he says, “shivers down my spine”, you here a bell tree imitating shivering.
02:18 An electric guitar enters to help build intensity. The tempo gradually increases to change the mood.
02:35 The other instruments fall into the background and vocals die off as the electric guitar takes over in
a dramatic solo. This makes the transition from a ballad format to more operatic format.
03:03 Everything stops abruptly to solidify the change
03:04 The piano enters to set the new mood, rhythm, and melody; soon accompanied by vocals to add
affect.
Bohemian Rhapsody Listening Guide Cont…
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03:12 The bass, tympani, and piano the dynamically rise up along with the multiple vocals heard.
03:15 There is an alternating vocal at this point of the same lyric as if they are calling out to “Galileo”.
03:23 There is a quick transition back to the ballad format with vocals and piano.
03:28 The percussion brings the mood and tempo back abruptly.
03:32 The piano takes the mood and tempo back down to set the next transition.
03:38 The vocals and percussion seem to have a battle for control. This builds up in intensity as we
approach a guitar solo.
03:55 The vocals and percussion come together and continue to build and increase in tempo.
04:00 You can hear the guitar subtly in the background as the vocals hold in duration. The percussion as
well has some dramatic rhythmic beats.
04:07 The guitar begins to blare as a brief transition solo begins. The percussion sets a moderate tempo
and rhythmic beat. This symbolizes the transition from operatic format to hard rock.
04:15-04:53 The beat rhythm is steady. The vocals are aggressive. The guitar drives the melody up and
down and all around.
04:53 The piano re- enters to bring down the tempo, melody and rhythm.
04:57 The vocals re-enter in the operatic style of previous.
05:07 The style changes again back to the ballad format.
05:27 The piano takes over the melody and tempo.
05:36 There is a brief little guitar riff carrying us toward the conclusion
05:47 – 05:55 A loud crash of a Tam-tam takes the sound out as everything fades away
Killer Queen Listening Guide
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00:00 The first 2 seconds are rhythmic snapping to set the tempo
00:02 Vocals enter to begin the melody
00:07 Piano takes over the rhythm and tempo and sets the melody.
00:11 Drums and guitar enter to keep the tempo
00:20 Vocal inflection to draw attention to a transition.
00:27 Chorus begins, multiple octave changes
00:39 Transition to original tone and tempo
00:42 Vocals carry in unison backed by a solo guitar
00:44 Guitar riff backed by piano and drums
00:52 Vocals and piano build up the tone
00:54 Drum roll ending with a chime
00:56 Vocals and piano continue rhythmically
01:15 Chorus begins, multiple octaves throughout
01:26 Guitar solo accompanied by drums
01:33 Drums intensify to add emotion to the solo
02:01 Transition back to original tone and tempo
02:03 Guitar riff
02:12 Drum roll accompanied by vocals in unison building up to chorus
02:25 Vocals carry in unison backed by guitar to build up to transition
02:27 Vocals transition to original tone and tempo
02:32 Vocals carry in unison and fade out
02:35 Guitar, piano and drums carry the tempo and melody
02:46 – 02:59 Guitar solo fades out
Don’t Stop Me Know Listening Guide
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00:00 Vocals and piano enter to begin the melody
00:25 Piano cuts to a 2 note vocal transition
00:32 Rhythm and beat change
01:01 Additional vocals added to add more emotion to the song
01:06 Chorus begins with vocal variations and temp is kept by the piano and
drums
01:26 Chorus ends with a long vocal note as piano creates the transition
01:44 Vocals and tempo build to a climactic point
01:45 Vocals continue at a erratic yet controlled pace
01:58 Drums transition and take the lead on melody and tempo
02:01 Alternating vocals balance with drums
02:12 - 02:29 Drum roll builds emotion to transition into guitar solo
02:30 – 02:46 Vocals continue in original tempo and tune accompanied by guitar
riff’s as it transitions into the chorus
03:04 Sustained vocal note transitions into the finale
03:09 – 03:29 Piano accompanied by vocal repetition carries out the finale
Crazy Little Thing Called Love Listening Guide
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00:00 The song opens with an acoustic guitar
00:05 Drum beat begins
00:06 Vocals rhythmically begin
00:22 Quick drum cadence provides a transition
00:23 Vocals and instruments resume tempo and melody
00:39 Cymbal crash in the middle of the chorus
00:56 Base guitar and Drum stick clap take down tempo and melody, transition into next verse
01:01 Vocals continue in original tone and tempo
01:19 Guitar riff transition into solo
01:20 Guitar Solo accompanied by drums
01:33 Bass Guitar takes down the tempo and tone
01:38 Clapping takes over the rhythm and tempo
01:55 Drum cadence brings back the tempo and rhythm
01:57 The guitar accompanies the vocals with the melody.
02:06 Guitar riff, repetitious vocals begin.
02:17 Guitar riff
02:22 Guitar riffs carry out the rest of the song accompanied by drums and vocals.
02:42 The song ends
Biography
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Title Page Photo http://queen.shanemcdonald.org
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/music/article3524761.ece
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/freddie-mercury-his-life-in-pictures-20121009
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/5924714/Before-they-werefamous.html?image=7
http://imustconfab.blogspot.com/2012/02/music-feature-queen-way-back-when.html
http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/884134.Freddie_Mercury
" Farookh Bulsara." 2012. Biography.com 08 Oct 2012, 06:27
http://www.biography.com/people/freddie-mercury-9406228
“Zanzibar Unveiled” 2000 Torrence Royer http://zanzibarhistory.org/zanzibar_revolution.htm
“Freddie Mercury: Biography” Jacky Gunn & Jim Jenkins http://www.freddie.ru/e/bio
“Bohemian Rhapsody” 2006 - 2011; Daria Kokoze
‘I can dream up all kinds of things' – a classic Freddie Mercury interview from the vaults
Caroline Coon. 2011. guardian.co.uk
Freddie Mercury Interviews > 05-02-1981 - Melody Maker
http://www.queenarchives.com