Today is the 16th anniversary of the death of Farrokh Bulsara, better known to us as Freddie Mercury. In an article that was not entirely complimentary of the politics of Freddie Mercury and Queen, British columnist, John Harris wrote:
Those who compile lists of Great Rock Frontmen and award the top spots to Mick Jagger, Robert Plant et al are guilty of a terrible oversight. Freddie, as evidenced by his Dionysian Live Aid performance, was easily the most godlike of them all.
I was thinking of Freddie Mercury recently in the context of an argument in Hermann Hesse's book, Steppenwolf.
Hesse's main character was an eccentric academic named Harry Haller who became involved in a remarkable community of spirited human beings.
Haller attempted to engage Pablo, a much-loved musician from that community in a conversation about the 'greats' of music, but Pablo refused and added that music does not depend upon discussion, saying:
It depends upon the fact that one makes music, Herr Haller, that one plays music as much and as well and as intensively as one possibly can. That's it, Monsieur. If I hold the complete works of Bach and Haydn in my head and am able to say the cleverest things about them, no human being benefits. If, however, I take my horn and play a lively Shimmy, played well or badly, the Shimmy will still bring the people joy, it will flow into their legs and into their blood. That is what it depends on. Look into a dance room in that moment when - following a long pause - the music picks up again - how the eyes sparkle, the legs begin moving, the faces begin to smile. That is why we play music.
(My translation of a paragraph from Hesse's Steppenwolf.)
The conversation continued, in the book account, but Haller finally had to give up. Although Pablo didn't claim to be a particularly thoughtful human being, a deep and solid philosophy backed his music, and Haller could do nothing to change that.
I never met Freddie Mercury or had a conversation with him, but I have experienced his music. And I have seen videos of the impact his music had on fans, allowing the music to touch me in the process. To this day, Queen's Live Aid concert at Wembley is considered by some to be one of the greatest live rock performances in the history of rock music.
What I loved about him was his passion for the music and for performing it live for fans.
This YouTube video is of a song he wrote (co-wrote with Mike Moran, who sometimes accompanied on piano) and performed live with Montserrat Caballe, the famed Spanish soprano. I know many dKos diaries link to YouTube videos and it can sometimes be inconvenient to load and listen to those, but I will tell you now you can't fully get this diary without watching this one. My apologies for any inconvenience. :)
Here are the lyrics to the song (which was the title song for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona):
Barcelona
(Freddie Mercury and Mike Moran)
Barcelona, Barcelona
Barcelona, Barcelona
Viva!
I had this perfect dream
Un sueno me envolvio
This dream was me and you
Tal vez estas aqui
I want all the world to see
Un instinto me guiaba
A miracle sensation
My guide and inspiration
Now my dream is slowly coming true
The wind is a gentle breeze
El me hablo de ti
The bells are ringing out
El canto vuela
They're calling us together, guiding us forever
Wish my dream would never go away
Barcelona! It was the first time that we met
Barcelona! How can I forget
The moment that you stepped into the room
You took my breath away
Barcelona! La musica vibro
Barcelona! Yella nos unio
And if God is willing, we will meet again someday
Let the songs begin
Dejalo nacer
Let the music play
Ahhhhhhh...
Make the voices sing
Nace un gran amor
Start the celebration
Ven a mi
And cry!
Grita!
Come alive
Viva!
And shake the foundations from the skies
Shaking all our lives
Barcelona! Such a beautiful horizon
Barcelona! Like a jewel in the sun
Por ti sere gaviota de tu bella mar
Barcelona! Suenan las campanas
Barcelona! Abre tus puerras al mundo
If God is willing, if God is willing, if God is willing
Friends until the end
Viva!
Barcelona!
Of course, Freddie Mercury was dead by the time the song was played at the Olympics.
It has not been many months since I first watched that video, but I viewed it with growing awe and amazement, at the creative power of the dual performance, at their incredibly beautiful and most human chemistry. Recorded in 1988, which put this after Freddie's private diagnosis with AIDs, he is nonetheless at the very top of his form, and his power leaps out from the video to touch us and all in attendance.
I am reminded, when I watch it, of the essential conflict in Goethe's Faust, in which Goethe's hero will be considered successfully tempted by the devil if he can be compelled to say, pertaining to the intensity of the experience the devil provides...
Verweile doch, du bist so schön!
Which means, please remain, you are so beautiful! (The words are Goethe's, of course, from Faust.)
But such an experience is never demonic, it is a gift from the highest spirit within us. And in this video we see two human beings flush with the ecstasy of being exactly where they want to be, doing exactly what they want to be doing. Which is a miraculous thing indeed, and a miracle (speaking for myself) to witness and absorb. No matter how many times I watch I am brought to tears at the triumphant conclusion to the song, fireworks exploding in the background, and Freddie coming to kiss Montserrat Caballe on the cheek. Watch her dazzling response and see the glistening of her eyes. It's what life is about, I think.
When I experience the song I think they are singing to each other. Freddie went to Barcelona (Caballe's hometown) for the purpose of meeting her and suggesting a cross-genre collaboration. When he sings ...
Barcelona! It was the first time that we met
Barcelona! How can I forget
The moment that you stepped into the room
You took my breath away
... I believe he is expressing very consciously, intentionally and explicitly the intensity of his feelings upon meeting the opera star, about whom he once said:
I love music and she is music.
I believe that singing with her was a dream for him, and that it came to be for her, too. The Wikipedia bio on Freddie Mercury describes it this way:
Barcelona, recorded with Catalan soprano Montserrat Caballé, combined elements of popular music and opera. Many critics were uncertain of what to make of the album, with one critic referring to it as "the most bizarre CD of the year."[43] Caballé, on the other hand, considered the album to have been one of the great successes of her career.
The Freddie Mercury Memorial at Montreaux Switzerland.
Freddie Mercury was criticized for many things in his life, for things he did, for things he could have done and didn't. As is true with all of us, some of the criticisms were valid. But I did not do this diary to criticize, I did it to honor and to appreciate.
In my opinion, anyone who pursues her/his creative expression with such passion is inherently progressive. Anyone who shares the fruits of that creativity so willingly and passionately is inherently progressive. So I honor Freddie Mercury tonight on the anniversary of his death.
Rest in Peace, Freddie Mercury.
On to tonight's comments!
From plf515:
This video comment was made by cognitive dissonance in rserven's powerful rec list diary on Hatred.
It is an incredibly detailed comment full of terrific information. That my diary generated such a comment would by itself justify my having taken the time to do the diary.
From mydragonflies (mydragonflies is a military spouse whose husband is scheduled to be redeployed to Iraq in 2008.), this comment, because it is important. Please see the photo and link below, as well.
greenboy conducts photo polling. :) Have a photo you would like to submit? :)
Tonight's Top Mojo:
Top Mojo - excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments and C&J comments (top 30 of each plus ties and just LOOK at all the ties tonight!):
Please add your own, below! And, as always, please send us any great comments you find to topcomments a t g mail d0t com. (Please remove the obvious anti-spam obfuscations for your submissions! ;) )
