Remembering Freddie Mercury: On the 20th Anniversary of His Death, 7 Iconic Moments

Hollywood Reporter ^ | 11/23/11 | Shirley Halperin

[Recovering_Democrat]

Freddie Mercury died 20 years ago today. The Queen singer and songwriter had been secretly battling AIDS for four years, announcing that he had contracted the disease on Nov. 23, 1991, one day before he passed away of AIDS-related bronchopneumonia. He was 45.

Known for his wide vocal range and unparalleled showmanship, the Zanzibar-born Mercury (nee Farrokh Bulsara) also wrote many of Queen’s biggest hits including the six-minute-long rock opus "Bohemian Rhapsody,” sports anthems "We Are the Champions" and “We Will Rock You” and throwback "Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”

[Recovering_Democrat]

He died on November 24, 1991. I still think he was one of the best singers of his time.

[Revolting cat!]

[lurk]

Fantastic talent. Broken soul.

[Revolting cat!]

Better than Perry Como?

[gimme1ibertee]

I heard someplace that he never had his overbite/bucktooth condition corrected because he thought it would affect the character of his vocalization.He thought it would end his career.

[buccaneer81]

Looks like George Michael is about to join him...same illness, 20 years later. Not that there’s any comparison in talent. Mercury was a genius.

[TSgt]

Agreed.

It’s hard to beat Fat Bottom Girls and the bass riffs are incredible.

Ah, you gonna take me home tonight
Ah, down beside that red firelight
Are you gonna let it all hang out
Fat bottomed girls, you make the rockin’ world go round

Hey, I was just a skinny lad, never knew no good from bad
But I knew life before I left my nursery
Left alone with big fat fannys, she was such a naughty nanny
Heap big woman you made a bad boy out of me

Hey, hey
Whoo

I’ve been singing with my band, across the wire, across the land
I seen ev’ry blue eyed floozy on the way
But their beauty and their style went kind of smooth after a while
Take me to them dirty ladies every time, Shawn

Oh, won’t you take me home tonight?
Oh, down beside your red firelight
Oh, and you give it all you got
Fat bottomed girls, you make the rockin’ world go round
Fat bottomed girls, you make the rockin’ world go round

Hey, listen here
Now your mortgages and homes, I got stiffness in the bones
Ain’t no beauty queens in this locality, I tell you
Oh, but I still get my pleasure still got my greatest treasure
Heap big woman, you gone made a big man of me, now get this

Oh, you gonna take me home tonight
Oh, down beside that red firelight
Oh, you gonna let it all hang out
Fat bottomed girls you make the rockin’ world go round
Fat bottomed girls you make the rockin’ world go round

Get on your bikes and ride

Ooh yeah, oh yeah, them fat bottomed girls
Fat bottomed girls, yeah yeah yeah, yeah
All right
Ride ‘em cowboys
Fat bottomed girls
Yes, yes

[InvisibleChurch]

agreed

[Recovering_Democrat]

Freddie was not born a Christian, but he definitely knew the story of our Lord. The first album the band recorded includes a song called "Jesus", a fairly accurate lyric regarding Christ. Lyrics: Jesus, from the album "Queen".

The last album released before he died included a song called "All God's People". Lyrics: All God's People, from the album "Innuendo".

[Recovering_Democrat]

Freddie was not born a Christian, but he definitely knew the story of our Lord.

The first album the band recorded includes a song called "Jesus", a fairly accurate lyric regarding Christ. Lyrics: Jesus, from the album "Queen".

The last album released before he died included a song called "All God's People". Lyrics: All God's People, from the album "Innuendo".

[rottndog]

Indeed...

He wrote his own epitaph...

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Such a great talent and a sad ending (as with many).

[Recovering_Democrat]

I hope he made peace with God before he left this world. See my posts below...he definitely knew, at least in his head, the story of Christ.

[xjcsa]

Here’s a video of a friend of mine covering Bohemian Rhapsody live with a band. Trust me, it’s worth your time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGcDpnxtqsc

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

First thing I thought of when I saw this thread was this:

Queen & George Michael: Somebody to Love (Freddie Mercury Tribute/Wembley Stadium)

Weird. It's a pretty damn good version, too.

[dfwgator]

It was amazing how near the end, he was still able to summon enough energy to sing some of the final tracks, you never would have known he was sick from just hearing them. Probably was the reason he went downhill so fast, it took everything out of him.

[Yossarian]

I’ll have to scrub my mind with Clorox after watching the first minute or so of the “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” video.

I love / loved that song, now I have an image of Freddie’s highly trafficked, leather-wrapped rear associated with it....

[lbryce]

I heard the same thing being said as to why Barbra Streisand never had her proboscis slimmed down, gotten a nose job for movie roles due to her fear that it might have a detrimental affect on her voice.

[gimme1ibertee]

Not that there’s any comparison in talent,

True that, but...George Michael sure can wail when it comes to singing Queen's "Somebody To Love"..saw him do it on some music award show...he really did the song well.I'm not a big George Michael fan,but his song "Father Figure" makes me all warm and gooey inside...go ahead,flame on..LOLOL

[ZOOKER]

"Ready Freddie"?

How many partners do you suppose he had in the four years he kept his illness a secret?

I won't comment on his talent, but I strongly disagree(d) with his morals.