Freddie Mercury & Queen

 

Queen - Somebody To Love (1976)

Today, November 24, 2024, it is 33 years ago that dear Freddie Mercury died from pneumonia and AIDS. Freddie Mercury and Queen have left a deep mark on my life. Not only musically, but also with art, culture, film and poetry. Their first three albums "Queen I, Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack" are full of art and poetry. Queen II is my absolute favourite album, it was also the first album I bought from them. I didn't even buy it for the music, I had never heard of Queen in 1974. I was a 6-year-old boy who had received some record vouchers for his birthday. The cover of Queen II especially attracted me at the time. It triggered something in me from a previous life, I discovered many years later. The pose that Queen has on that album resembles a Celtic cross. When I listened to the album, a world opened up for me and a lifelong love began between me and the music of Queen.

Freddie Mercury was a special man who had a dream and lived it. As he himself said, "I will not become famous, I will become a legend" and that is what he became. I have seen many concerts of them in different countries and they were always sublime. No artist could give such a show as Queen. Only the very greatest such as Bowie and Springsteen "who I have also seen myself" could come close.

Queen was and still is a special rock band with an enormously rich history. According to many, they are the fathers of the video clip and have made all kinds of music styles such as blues, jazz, speed rock, hard rock, rock, dance and pop. And as solo artists they also knew how to keep the quality high, as the solo works of Freddie, John, Roger and Brian testify.

Worldwide they have sold many millions of records and CDs and their concerts were always sold out. They also contributed to the film music of the cult films Flash Gordon and Highlander. And of course there was the iconic performance in Wembley Stadium for Live Aid in 1985 where Queen showed the world who they were and what a joy their music could bring.

For me that performance is equal to the coming of The Beatles in the 60’s. Something I did not experience myself, but I am an empathetic person so I can imagine it. That was also a bright spot in a dark time. And even after dear Freddie's death, Queen still managed to shine with Paul Rodgers as singer. I think the album "The Cosmos Rocks" is a fantastic album and has made Paul Rodgers even better when I listen to albums of him from after his time with Queen. I think the current singer Adam Lambert is a bit over the top. He is a great guy, good singer and performer, but for me he is a bit over the top. But I've become a little conservative in recent years.

Peter68 © ® 24-11-2024
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Hoe vreemd? / How strange?

(Scroll down for English)

Ik lag vannacht in bed en in mijn hoofd wat te goochelen met cijfers.
Ik dacht aan de sterfdata van 3 mensen die heel belangrijk waren in mijn leven, namelijk mijn moeder, mijn oma (de moeder van mijn moeder) en mijn vader. Toen ik afzonderlijk van elkaar hun sterfdag begon op te tellen realiseerde ik mij dat het de tafel van 3 was.

Mijn moeders sterf dag is een 3, die van mijn oma is een 6 en die van mijn vader is een 9. Bij elkaar opgeteld kom je dan weer uit op een 9. 3+6+9=18 1+8=9. Het getal 9 is het god getal en een eindgetal.

Een ander heel belangrijk persoon in mijn leven is Freddie Mercury. Zijn sterf dag komt uit op een 4. Het getal 4 is mijn leven en zielsgetal. Nog een belangrijk persoon in mijn leven is zangeres Janis Joplin.
Haar sterf dag komt ook uit op een 4.

Janis Joplin heb ik helaas nooit mogen ontmoeten in real life, maar Freddie Mercury heb ik twee keer mogen ontmoeten en tijdens een concert in 1984 keek die me recht in mijn ogen of beter gezegd diep in mijn ziel. Ik heb altijd het gevoel gehad en weet het gewoon honderd procent zeker dat Freddie Mercury en Janis Joplin mijn zielsverwanten zijn.

Peter68 © ® 30-12-2022
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How strange?

I lay in bed last night and juggled some numbers in my head.
I thought of the death dates of 3 people who were very important in my life, namely my mother, my grandmother (my mother's mother) and my father. When I started counting their dates of death separately, I realized it was the table of 3.

My mother's day of death is a 3, my grandmother's is a 6 and my father's is a 9. Added together, you end up with a 9. 3+6+9=18 1+8=9. The number 9 is the god number and a final number.

Another very important person in my life is Freddie Mercury. His death day comes out to a 4. The number 4 is my life and soul number. Another important person in my life is singer Janis Joplin. Her day of death is also a 4.

Unfortunately I never got to meet Janis Joplin in real life, but I got to meet Freddie Mercury twice and during a concert in 1984 he looked me straight in the eye or rather deep into my soul. I've always felt and I'm just 100 percent sure that Freddie Mercury and Janis Joplin are my soulmates.

Peter68 © ® 30-12-2022
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The Choir of Claire College, Timothy Brown - Gregorio Allegri: Miserere

 

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John Lennon - Woman

As every year on March 8th "International Women's Day"
I want to thank and honor all the lovely women in my life with this song.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the love,
advice and care you give me.
And I honor you all for being women.

 

Woman
I can hardly express
My mixed emotions at my thoughtlessness
After all, I'm forever in your debt

And woman
I will try to express
My inner feeling and thankfulness
For showing me the meaning of success

Ooh, well, well
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Ooh, well, well
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo

Woman
I know you understand
The little child inside the man
Please remember my life is in your hands

And woman
Hold me close to your heart
However distant, don't keep us apart
After all it is written in the stars

Ooh, well, well
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Ooh, well, well
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo

Well, woman
Please let me explain
I never meant to cause you sorrow or pain
So let me tell you again and again and again

I love you, yeah, yeah
Now and forever
I love you, yeah, yeah
Now and forever
I love you, yeah, yeah
Now and forever
I love you, yeah, yeah

Music & Lyrics by John Lennon © ® 1980
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Queen - White Queen (A Night At The Odeon - Hammersmith 1975)

I have been a fan of Queen since 1974. If someone asked me, what do you think is the most beautiful song ever made by Queen? I would answer, White Queen (As It Began) in the live performance from 1975. Why you might wonder? The song was written by guitarist Brain May in 1968, so even before Queen existed. Brian May then played with drummer Roger Taylor and singer Tim Staffell in the band Smile. 

White Queen was never recorded by Smile but was saved and ended up in 1974 on Queen's second album, Queen II. It fitted perfectly on that album, partly because Freddie Mercury had written the song March of the Black Queen. Queen II was the first album I ever bought from Queen. I was a child and had no idea who or what Queen was but the album cover attracted me so much. When I played the LP for the first time I was immediately sold and was therefore also a Queen fan. 

But back to the why? White Queen is a song that touches you very deeply, deep in your soul. Roger's drums, John's bass guitar, Freddie's piano and voice and the almost dolphin or whale-like sound of Brian's guitar go through marrow and bone and touch every cell in your body. It is like magic how this song can penetrate you so deeply. Every time I play this song, tears run down my cheeks. If you look at the lyrics then it is quite a sad song but somehow this song lifts me spiritual to an unprecedented height.

 

Queen - White Queen (As It Begins)

Peter68 © ® 03-02-2020

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Alan Walker - Faded

You were the shadow to my light
Did you feel us
Another start
You fade away
Afraid our aim is out of sight
Wanna see us
Alive

Where are you now
Where are you now
Where are you now
Was it all in my fantasy
Where are you now
Were you only imaginary
Where are you now

Atlantis

Under the sea
Under the sea
Where are you now
Another dream
The monsters running wild inside of me

I'm faded
I'm faded
So lost
I'm faded
I'm faded
So lost
I'm faded

These shallow waters, never met
What I needed
I'm letting go
A deeper dive
Eternal silence of the sea
I'm breathing
Alive

Where are you now
Where are you now

Under the bright
But faded lights
You set my heart on fire

Where are you now
Where are you now

Where are you now
Atlantis

 Under the sea
Under the sea
Where are you now
Another dream
The monsters running wild inside of me
I'm faded
I'm faded
So lost
I'm faded
I'm faded
So lost
I'm faded.

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Carpenters - Solitaire

There was a man, a lonely man
Who lost his love through his indifference
A heart that cared, that went unchecked
Until it died in his silence

And solitaire's the only game in town
And every road that takes him, takes him down
And by himself, it's easy to pretend
He'll never love again

And keeping to himself he plays the game
Without her love it always ends the same
While life goes on around him everywhere
He's playing solitaire

A little hope, goes up in smoke
Just how it goes, goes without saying
There was a man, a lonely man
Who would command the hand he's playing

And solitare's the only game in town
And every road that takes him, takes him down
And by himself it's easy to pretend
He'll never love again

And keeping to himself he plays the game
Without her love it always ends the same
While life goes on around him everywhere
He's playing solitaire

And solitare's the only game in town
And every road that takes him, takes him down
While life goes on around him everywhere
He's playing solitaire

Songwriters: Neil Sedaka / Phil Cody

Songteksten voor Solitaire © Sony/ATV Music 

Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management

© ® 1975

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Led Zeppelin - Thank You

If the sun refused to shine
I would still be loving you
When mountains crumble to the sea
There will still be you and me

Kind woman, I give you my all
Kind woman, nothing more

Little drops of rain whisper of the pain
Tears of loves lost in the days gone by
My love is strong, with you there is no wrong
Together we shall go until we die
My, my, my inspiration is what you are to me
Inspiration look, see

And so today, my world it smiles
Your hand in mine, we walk the miles
Thanks to you it will be done
For you to me are the only one
Happiness, no more be sad
Happiness, I'm glad

If the sun refused to shine
I would still be loving you
Mountains crumble to the sea
There will still be you and me

Songwriters: Jimmy Page / Robert Plant © ® 1969

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