Freddie's language skills and his apparent lack of interest in reading

I want to ask what might be a sensitive question of you long-term fans. I admit that while I saw Queen in the Summer of '82, as an American, I didn't get exposed to them a lot when I was a kid. I just listened to Radio Ga Ga etc when they came out, and frankly I wasn't THAT impressed by THAT song. But I was a fan, and I gotta admit that my Queen obsession of the early 80s languished a bit through the later '80s as I was growing up and doing all the stuff you do in order to survive school and academics, etc.

So as the years went by and I went back to Queen and started listening, I realized that melodically, they sounded like very few others. But it was really their lyrical output that caught me and got me back.

One of my things is I love just reading lyrics, and as I read FM's (and when I say FM I don't want to neglect the other band members, but I want to ask this question about just his output for a reason) lyrics -- and I mean JUST the lyrics -- my question is if Phoebe says and the band says he never read ANY books (kinda unbelievable but okay), how did he pen these words?!

It just doesn't compute. I mean, I know Phoebe says he struggled at the task, and that he played Scrabble, which apparently helped, but all that still doesn't make 2+2 = 4.

His lyrics were not only erudite at times, but they were complex and masterful. What did he actually, secretly read?!?!

Do any of you have any comments or secrets to spill here, or should I just fuck off?

I find your question very similar to something that I once pondered over in another thread. If he "never" worked out, how come he made very decent push-ups?

He went to boarding school and college. That's my guess.

Sheldon wrote:

I find your question very similar to something that I once pondered over in another thread. If he "never" worked out, how come he made very decent push-ups?

So, basically, we've been hoodwinked ;) ;)

andres_clip wrote:

He went to boarding school and college. That's my guess.

I guess he sponged up what he read in school and the official line was (and I think I heard him say this in an interview) he hated boring himself reading books. I just wish I knew what he loved reading when he did actually read.

You can study language and writing without having to actually read novels. You imply that reading = creative literacy. Not necessarily.

Freddie was extraordinarily receptive to all that was going on throughout his life. Every experience and observation was stored away. Genius.

I also wondered about Freddie's reported adversity to reading - especially in the context of Tim Rice's comments that Freddie was extremely well read and very knowledgable in so many areas.

andres_clip wrote:

He went to boarding school and college. That's my guess.

bingo!

'Fairy Fellers Master Stroke' is a great example of how receptive Freddie was. Taking in the minutae of Dadd's painting and coming up with his masterpiece, in fact a masterstroke !

Freddie was a very educated and intelligent man, and as you know he did pen the greatest song ever in Bohemian Rhapsody, and more Queen gems, so just because he had apparent lack of interest in reading is not odd, he was a busy man and never got time to snuggle down with a book!
Freddie's number one priority was to make Queen the greatest band the world will ever see and he did achieve that.

My assumption is that Freddie was little bit hyperactive. So it was impossible for him just to sit and read as it was boring for him. it doesn't mean he didn't absorb information by some other way. Peter Hince mentioned he also loved crosswords. There are many ways how to develope language skills. Reading is probably the easiest one but not a single option.

Sheldon wrote:

I find your question very similar to something that I once pondered over in another thread. If he "never" worked out, how come he made very decent push-ups?

He was svelte and he also lifted and bent many a man

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