Freddie Mercury - Queen

Freddie Mercury, lead singer for the Rock Band Queen, was once quoted as saying that he didn't want to be a rock star, he wanted to be a legend. While alive, Freddie Mercury was known as an entertaining and energetic rock star. Since his death at the fairly young age of 45, he has become a legend.

Freddie Mercury is considered by many to be one of the greatest vocalists in contemporary music. His remarkable voice covered a span of nearly four octave range allowing him to sing in both the baritone and tenor ranges.

As the lead singer for Queen and also as a solo artist, Freddie Mercury created and performed technically complex songs blending several different styles of music from heavy metal and rock to disco, opera and ballads. His wide range of styles appealed to millions of fans around the world.

Even though it has been nearly 23 years since his death, the Music of Queen and the legacy of Freddie Mercury live on through the incredible music. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

Image of Freddie Mercury Statue Montreux from Wikipedia. Wikimedia.

1. His remarkable, versatile voice.
2. His charismatic, entertaining style.
3. His death broke the silence surrounding AIDS.

For me the music of Queen and Freddie Mercury are the songs that I grew up with in high school and college. "We Will Rock You," "We Are the Champions," "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Somebody to Love," "Radio Ga Ga," "You're My Best Friend," "A Kind of Magic," "Who Wants to Live Forever," and "Princes of the Universe" are just some of the many songs I remember from this time.

Hearing these songs takes me back to those times.

A Google doodle tribute to artist, performer, and pioneer Freddie Mercury for his 65th birthday in celebration of Freddie for a Day from the Official Queen YouTube Channel.

In a survey carried out by Electronic Arts, the late singer of legendary rock band Queen beat Mick Jagger and Kurt Cobain to the title.

The poll was to celebrate the release of new XBox 360 game Rockband, which allows players to simulate playing music to some great rock tunes.

Bohemian Rhapsody has been voted the best pop song of all time in a poll of more than 10,000 music fans in the U.K. conducted by www.onepoll.com. The results were announce in July 2008.

The song was a hit when it topped the charts in 1975 and found a resurgence in popularity again after lead singer Freddie Mercury died in 1991.

Truly Amazing.

Freddie Mercury only died one day after releasing a statement that he had AIDS and encouraged fans to pick up the fight. "I hope that everyone will join with my doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this terrible disease."

I was affected by the death of Freddie Mercury in 1991 because it came within a few months after I'd lost several patients to AIDS as a young medical student, so his death has always been linked to the deaths of my AIDS patients.

His death occurred during the time when the medical community was still learning how to treat this devastating disease: it was a time when so many people, especially young men, were dying quickly from opportunistic infections and were dying much too young. The only thing medicine could offer many of them was hospice or end of life care to support them and keep them comfortable during their last days.

This lens remembers the life of Freddie Mercury and commemorates all of those who died too young during the medical community learned how to treat the AIDS virus and those who have died since in the 25 years that AIDS as been identified as a disease.

Image Sources: Wikipedia. Wikimedia.
Red Ribbon. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.

I like people to go away from a Queen show feeling fully entertained.

I think Queen songs are pure escapism, like going to see a good film.

Freddie Mercury

Includes information on purchasing special Freddie Mercury merchandise as well as information about Queen + tours and the Musical "We Will Rock You."

This next song is only dedicated to the beautiful people here tonight.

That means all of you.

Thank you for coming along and making this a great occasion.

Freddie Mercury

Live Aid, 1985

After re-watching all of the video clips from the LiveAid concert it isn't hard to see why Queen with Freddie Mercury was voted the Best Group at LiveAid. Their 1985 Live Aid performance was voted the best live music performance of all time in a BBC poll.

The reason we're successful, darling?

My overall charisma, of course.

Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury performs Barcelona with Montserrat Cabelle.

I'm not afraid to speak out, and say things that I want to do,

or do the things that I want to do, so um,

I think in the end, being natural, and being, being actually genuine is what wins.

Freddie Mercury

Another of the last videos done by Queen with Freddie Mercury. The song is thought to be about AIDS related dementia and how he feels about his fight against the disease. It is sad and humorous at the same time.

As long as the music is still there,

and as long as the people are still buying the music,

then, then it's OK.

When they stop stop buying our records,

then I'll say goodbye and do something else,

become a strip artist or something.

Freddie Mercury

This is the last video done by Queen with Freddie Mercury. You can really see how thin and gaunt he has become from the disease.

AIDS changed my life. I have stopped going out, I've become almost a nun. I was extremely promiscuous, but I've stopped all that. What's more, I don't miss that kind of life. Anyone who has been promiscuous should have an AIDS test. I'm fine, I'm clear."

It wouldn't be too long before we would discover that this statement (about being clear) wasn't entirely true.

Image Source:

Wikipedia. Wikimedia. Red Ribbon. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.

Following the enormous conjecture in the press over the last two weeks, I wish to confirm that I have been tested HIV positive and have AIDS.

I felt it correct to keep this information private to date to protect the privacy of those around me.

However, the time has come now for my friends and fans around the world to know the truth and I hope that everyone will join with my doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this terrible disease.

My privacy has always been very special to me and I am famous for my lack of interviews. Please understand this policy will continue.

Freddie Mercury

Last public statement, made one day before his death.

Read more about Freddie Mercury.

A Winter's Tale was the last song composed entirely by Freddie Mercury that he recorded. The song was inspired as he sat staring out the windows of their recording studio at Lake Geneva. Freddie recorded the vocals and keyboards for the song and completed the last verse only a few weeks before he died.

The last words of the song are "It's Bliss."

This sentiment is a beautiful one for someone in their final days realizing how close he was to the end of his life, that hopefully he had found a sense of peace, tranquility and bliss.

The defining moment in any legend's life is their death. Before a great person dies, they are simply the fodder of gossip columns across the world, a temporary starlet just like all the others.

After they are gone, a haunting shadow and a deep reverence hangs over their name forever. Past mistakes are forgotten, unsuccessful projects become masterpieces and their life story is viewed as if it were an ancient Greek tragedy, a fable or an urban myth.

Source: Freddie Mercury. Fyne Times.

Photo Source: Nick Halpern-Manners. Freddie. Some Rights Reserved. Creative Commons.

AIDS Became Something the World Needed to Acknowlege

Ironically, since he had been declared HIV positive, he had striven to keep his condition a secret and to ensure that no shame could come upon his family, yet his death helped to open the doors for debate worldwide. AIDS was no longer a stigma, a gay plague, a shame.

His death took AIDS from being 'something other people have' to something the whole world needed to wise up to. In every tribute to the great man, from concerts to singles, books to t-shirts, AIDS awareness was ever present.

When Mercury died, the silence surrounding AIDS died with him.

Source: Freddie Mercury. Fyne Times.

Image Source:

Wikipedia. Wikimedia. Red Ribbon. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.

George Michaels and Queen performing at the 1992 Tribute to Freddie Mercury.

To celebrate what would have been Freddie Mercury's 60th birthday on September 5th, 2006 two virtual online constellations were created in his name to benefit the Mercury Phoenix Trust. The goal is to fill the two constellations with as many stars and messages as possible from around the world.

You can post your own personal message to Freddie and sponsor a virtual star in either the Lover of Life or Singer of Songs constellations.

When you sponsor a star you will be asked to make a donation of your choice to the Mecury Phoenix Trust; this trust was established by the remaining members of Queen in Freddie's memory to help fight AIDS worldwide.

By making the song available for free we hope to help Nelson Mandela with his campaign to get across the message that no-one is safe from infection.

We have to be aware, we have to protect ourselves and those we love.

Roger Taylor

The song follows the line of Mr. Mandela's personal message: it's in our own hands to bring a stop to this."

Since 1992 the Mercury Phoenix Trust have been responsible for donating more than £8 million (equivalent of 16 million US Dollars) in the fight against AIDS making over 600 grants to charities worldwide.

In the end, all the mistakes and all the excuses are down to me.

I like to feel that I'm just being my honest self and as far as I'm concerned I just want to pack in as much of life and fun, having a good time as much as I can within in the years I have.

Well there you are...

Freddie Mercury

Queen's tribute to their lost member Freddie Mercury. The impetus for the song came after the death of Diana, Princess Of Wales in August 1997, but is largely an eulogy to Freddie Mercury and to "anyone who died before their time."

One by one

Only the Good die young

They're only flying too close to the sun

And life goes on

Without you...

Brian May, Queen

It's a Kind of Magic a documentary that went out on the day of his 60th Birthday; I think this is a nice documentary showing the life of Freddy Mercury before his music career when he was at his peak and when he died.

Be aware that this is a documentary of his life and his lifestyles so may be more PG rated in some of the topics discussed.

The Work of Freddie Mercury and Queen live on. I have just pulled just a small sampling of the many diverse examples of the work continuing long after the death of Freddie Mercury. His legacy and his music live on.

1. I Was Born To Love You - Re-released by Queen
2. The Show Must Go On - Use in Moulin Rouge
3. Somebody to Love - Anne Hathaway in Ella Enchanted
4. We Will Rock You - Pepsi Ad featuring Britney Spears, Beyonce, Pink and Enrique Iglesias
5. Somebody to Love - Brittany Murphy in Happy Feet
6. The Show Must Go On - Elton John with Queen +
7. Michael Johns - We Are The Champion
8. Who Wants to Live Forever - Katharine McPhee
9. Under Pressure - Joss Stone at the Concert for Diana

The three remaining Queen members re-worked version of the song I was Born to Love You originally recorded by Freddie Mercury. This song was release with the Made in Heaven album.

I won't be a rock star.

I will be a legend.

Freddie Mercury

(And that he was...)

QUEEN is the gift from God to the mankind, well that's no true,

actually QUEEN is God, four Gods joined in one.

There are rock heroes, rock icons, rock legends,

and there's Queen.

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