16B: Queen
The band Queen was formed in London in 1970. Their members were Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon. (Fun fact: Besides being a guitarist, Brian May is also an astrophysicist.)
Queen incorporated many styles into their music – hard rock, progressive rock, glam rock, pop, ragtime, vaudeville, opera, and rockabilly. They were best characterized by (1) Freddie Mercury’s powerful stage presence – he could hold a huge audience in the palm of his hand; and (2) Freddie’s incredible vocal range.
(Question 1 – What does it mean to “hold an audience in the palm of his hand?” Question 2 – What’s a vocal range?
Here are some of Queen’s album covers:
Queen’s most famous song, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” is considered one of the most iconic rock songs of all times. It’s a six-minute “suite,” which means it sounds like several unrelated songs stitched together. “Bohemian Rhapsody” consists of an intro, a ballad segment, an operatic passage, a hard-rock part, and coda, which brings it to an end. It’s a journey, but it’s worth it. See if you can tell when the song changes from one section to the next.
The band’s 1977 album News of the World featured two songs that became anthems at sporting events. You can still hear them today, especially football and basketball games. See if you recognize “We Will Rock You.” Clap and stomp along!
And imagine lifting a trophy over your head while “We Are the Champions” plays. This concert was at Wembley Stadium in London. It raised money for hungry people in Ethiopia, and is considered one of the best rock performances ever. See what we mean about Freddie’s stage presence?
Queen was inspired by many bands -- and they inspired many others. David Bowie was a fan. In 1981, they recorded “Under Pressure” together. (They never performed it together live, but this edited video shows you what it may have been like.)
Here, Freddie talks about his stage persona – the theatrics, the humor, and the charisma. (He talks about all this in the first minute, but the whole interview is good.)
Here’s “Somebody to Love.” It’s a great example of Freddie’s vocal power.
In 2019, a movie was made about Freddie Mercury and Queen. Here’s the trailer.
Answers:
1 — The phrase “hold somebody in the palm of their hand” means that a person can keep everyone’s attention, and have an influence on their reactions.
2 — A “vocal range” refers to the range of notes a person can sing — from low to high.
Bonus video! Want to see something funny? This shows you how much people love Queen. This is from the 1992 movie, “Wayne’s World.”