Posted on 08/23/2004 6:12:48 PM PDT by freedom44
AFP - Rock band Queen, fronted by outlandish gay icon Freddie Mercury, have become the first rock band to be given the official seal of approval in Iran with the release of an album of their greatest hits, a source in the company that released the album told AFP.
Mercury, who died of AIDS in 1991, was proud of his Iranian ancestry and supposed Zoroastrian origins, which made Queen one of the most popular bands in Iran, but western music is largely frowned upon in the Islamic republic, where homosexuality is considered a crime.
"Authorities approved of the tunes that had a social theme, leaving out the love songs," an executive in the company said.
The album contains smash hits such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Miracle and I Want to Break Free.
Western music is strictly censored in Iran and those selling foreign music need special permits, although millions of bootlegged banned CDs and cassettes are sold on the black market throughout the country.
The album is already selling very well. "It is the first rock album to hit the market legally and people are surprised and pleased to see it has the lyrics, not just the music," said Akbar Safari, a salesman at a Tehran book and record store.
The cassette, costing less than one US dollar, comes complete with explanatory leaflet, which tells rock fans that Bohemian Rhapsody is about a young man who has accidentally killed someone and, like Faust, sold his soul to the devil. On the night before his execution he calls God in Arabic, Bismillah, and so regains his soul from Satan.
Other western acts to have had albums of selected songs released on the official Iranian market are Elton John, Julio Iglesias and Gypsy Kings.
There are also books containing original and translated lyrics by many western singers such as Leonard Cohen, Celine Dion and even white rap artist Eminem, published to respond to the ever increasing demands of a nation where 70 per cent of the population is under 30.
Years from now that will be in a jeopardy question: "I'll take strange bedfellows for $200, Alex."
I wonder of some of the mullahs are in the closet.
Mercury had a great voice, there is no denying that. If Elvis was a perfect 10 on vocal talent, then Mercury was a solid 8 or 9.
The album contains smash hits such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Miracle and I Want to Break Free.
So much for "Fat Bottommed Girls" playing in Tehran then.
Yeah, that's a pretty gay line up...
FMCDH(BITS)
FMCDH(BITS)
I guess the mullahs just want to ride their BICYCLE! BICYCLE!, they just want to ride their bikes...
He!! of a way for a band's history to be represented by media discussion.
Perhaps an opening statement reflection their true claim to fame would be more appropriate. THEIR MUSIC!
"Queen had some great songs"
They totally rocked, and their popularity has never waned. I guess the name should have been a tip off though, looking back with 20/20 hindsight.
very true, thier songs are still great. I suppose Iran has some good points (they like Queen...and..um thats it)
"...they like Queen...and..um thats it..."
LOL, well, I was a big Elton John fan, before he got famous, of course.
And, we need to give the Iranian people credit, they are trying to throw over their gov't. We can give them credit, but it really is a shame how bogged down we got in Iraq, because they could use some material help too.
My point being, that wasn't his claim to fame.
His voice and their music was!
Remember Freddy Mercury's final song, "These were the days of my life" ? As moving as Johnny Cash's "Hurt".
I agree it was the songs that made Queen great (and thier stage shows) not the fact that Freddie was gay. Queen was big before anyone knew that freddie was a homosexual anyway.
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