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Unknown
don't worry Freddie wasn't racist like some of you guys.
kagezan1313
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<font color=orange><b>queen4ever2 wrote: [/QUOTENAME]don't worry Freddie wasn't racist like some of you guys.[/QUOTE]
Nope, but he was prejudiced and elitist - he was ashamed of his Indian heritage, never talked about Zanzibar and treated his servants like shite...till he died, that is.
Nope, but he was prejudiced and elitist - he was ashamed of his Indian heritage, never talked about Zanzibar and treated his servants like shite...till he died, that is.
Fat Bottomed Queen
I always saw it as a man who's a slave for a "Black Queen" and takes all of her orders.
matt z
[QUOTE] [b]Want To Live Forever wrote:[/b]
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]jeroen wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Brown Sugar = heroine
Ask Mick and Keith![/QUOTE]
LOL!
.[/QUOTE]
Brown Sugar in the ROLLING STONES song is a direct reference to Black P****. In fact the whole barrage of offensive lyrics talks about "hear him whip the women just around midnight"... plantation owners getting their way with the black women in the south.
People dance and rock to the song. But it's pretty much that.... or less offensively about a whorehouse..... The references to "market" s etc. Ya never know. I can't quote it by memory. One of those songs that somehow the censors didn't catch onto
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]jeroen wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Brown Sugar = heroine
Ask Mick and Keith![/QUOTE]
LOL!
.[/QUOTE]
Brown Sugar in the ROLLING STONES song is a direct reference to Black P****. In fact the whole barrage of offensive lyrics talks about "hear him whip the women just around midnight"... plantation owners getting their way with the black women in the south.
People dance and rock to the song. But it's pretty much that.... or less offensively about a whorehouse..... The references to "market" s etc. Ya never know. I can't quote it by memory. One of those songs that somehow the censors didn't catch onto
brENsKi
[QUOTE] [b]RETROLOVE wrote:[/b]
Okay, so Freddie is 'the black Queen?' That actually makes a lot of of since...I still just dont get the nigger sugar baby oil part, thats weird to me..
I really thought that Freddie was talking about a black female dominatrix (if my spelling is right?)...lol[/QUOTE]
not quite:
there is a very old expression which refers to "the n***er in the wood pile"
it is believed to have come from the times of the early railroads...when railroad companies were believed to be linked to fleeing slaves being hidden under wood piles on trains heading north.
the expression's translation concerns the concealment or with-holding of significant or vital facts.
hence in this instance - the Black Queen is poking in the woodpile and finds the hidden "n***ers" - ie the concealed facts
the allusion could be to any number of "undisclosed" (at that time) facts - but surely, the primary one could be Freddie's sexuality?
Okay, so Freddie is 'the black Queen?' That actually makes a lot of of since...I still just dont get the nigger sugar baby oil part, thats weird to me..
I really thought that Freddie was talking about a black female dominatrix (if my spelling is right?)...lol[/QUOTE]
not quite:
there is a very old expression which refers to "the n***er in the wood pile"
it is believed to have come from the times of the early railroads...when railroad companies were believed to be linked to fleeing slaves being hidden under wood piles on trains heading north.
the expression's translation concerns the concealment or with-holding of significant or vital facts.
hence in this instance - the Black Queen is poking in the woodpile and finds the hidden "n***ers" - ie the concealed facts
the allusion could be to any number of "undisclosed" (at that time) facts - but surely, the primary one could be Freddie's sexuality?
Tatterdamalion2019
Well, here is my take on it;
1. Black & White Album
I believe the 'concept' of this album was to have a 'White' side and a 'Black' side. The white side being mostly Brian's compositions and the black side being mostly Freddie's.
2. I believe Freddie's early writing as an aspiring musician before Queen, revolved around the mystical Tolkien-esque type worlds, and probably seeded the lyrics to songs such as Lily of the Valley, Seven seas of Rhye, Fairy King, Nevermore - and perhaps this one. I think I saw a quote saying he wrote some of this before Queen started.
3. I believe I read a quote of Freddie at this time, where he wore his all black , sequined catsuit on stage as being the devil (or similar).
4. Alot of queen songs to me are about colour/hues and creating images which are purposefully lacking in clarity, and therefore need to be pieced together by the listener (adding the enjoyment - a bit like a Day in the life by the Beatles)
So with those points in mind, my guess is that, faced with bringing songs into the studio to suit the dark side of the album, Freddie wrote a 'Poe-esque' fantasy piece, loosely based on some of his early scribbling's and purposefully left vague but mystical. My own view is that Freddie IS the 'Black Queen', it was his side of the album after all, it was his black outfit era and I believe he never dotted his 'i's either, he circled them.
On a final note, in another early interview Mercury is quoted as saying - "If I thought a song wasn't quite right, I'd discard it. I'm very intricate and delicate. You can see that in my paintings. I love painters like Richard Dadd, Mucha and Dali, and I love Arthur Rackham."
There is painting by Arthur Rackham ' - The Water Babies', with what looks suspiciously like a witch dressed in black pointing to the baby, and I have always taken 'Blue Powder Monkeys' to refer to the winged blue monkeys from the Wizard of Oz. So I think this adds weight to the fact perhaps this is a pastiche of imagery from different inspirations from fairly tale authors and media.
My view anyway
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/nov/22/freddie-mercury-interview-rocks-backpages
1. Black & White Album
I believe the 'concept' of this album was to have a 'White' side and a 'Black' side. The white side being mostly Brian's compositions and the black side being mostly Freddie's.
2. I believe Freddie's early writing as an aspiring musician before Queen, revolved around the mystical Tolkien-esque type worlds, and probably seeded the lyrics to songs such as Lily of the Valley, Seven seas of Rhye, Fairy King, Nevermore - and perhaps this one. I think I saw a quote saying he wrote some of this before Queen started.
3. I believe I read a quote of Freddie at this time, where he wore his all black , sequined catsuit on stage as being the devil (or similar).
4. Alot of queen songs to me are about colour/hues and creating images which are purposefully lacking in clarity, and therefore need to be pieced together by the listener (adding the enjoyment - a bit like a Day in the life by the Beatles)
So with those points in mind, my guess is that, faced with bringing songs into the studio to suit the dark side of the album, Freddie wrote a 'Poe-esque' fantasy piece, loosely based on some of his early scribbling's and purposefully left vague but mystical. My own view is that Freddie IS the 'Black Queen', it was his side of the album after all, it was his black outfit era and I believe he never dotted his 'i's either, he circled them.
On a final note, in another early interview Mercury is quoted as saying - "If I thought a song wasn't quite right, I'd discard it. I'm very intricate and delicate. You can see that in my paintings. I love painters like Richard Dadd, Mucha and Dali, and I love Arthur Rackham."
There is painting by Arthur Rackham ' - The Water Babies', with what looks suspiciously like a witch dressed in black pointing to the baby, and I have always taken 'Blue Powder Monkeys' to refer to the winged blue monkeys from the Wizard of Oz. So I think this adds weight to the fact perhaps this is a pastiche of imagery from different inspirations from fairly tale authors and media.
My view anyway
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/nov/22/freddie-mercury-interview-rocks-backpages
mooghead
1st post fail :-(
Tatterdamalion2019
Ps - As a footnote, in that respect I do admire the song. In 'Fairy Fellers Master Stroke' it was full of references in order that we could link it to the painting by Richard Dadd.
However for this song, it gives a very uneasy feeling as we are being bombarded by fairytale imagery, which is quite dark but doesn't make sense, and there are no definitive cultural references which one can point to.
Had Freddie added one definitive element which allowed us to link it to some of his fairytale inspirations, I would class this as a masterpiece on the par with 'Master stroke'. For me, as there isn't a link to be found, after all these years it doesn't quite beat Master stroke but - seriously clever all the same.
I mean - we are still (or I am) talking about it now.
When you look at a paintings by Dadd or Dali, or Rackham there is no context, and one on front the paintings allow you to imagine what the context is, and fill in the gaps, but at the same time give you an uneasy feeling that you dont know what the context truly is. And Freddie got the same effect with this song. Well done! But too much in the absurd side of the scale for me. Just slightly
However for this song, it gives a very uneasy feeling as we are being bombarded by fairytale imagery, which is quite dark but doesn't make sense, and there are no definitive cultural references which one can point to.
Had Freddie added one definitive element which allowed us to link it to some of his fairytale inspirations, I would class this as a masterpiece on the par with 'Master stroke'. For me, as there isn't a link to be found, after all these years it doesn't quite beat Master stroke but - seriously clever all the same.
I mean - we are still (or I am) talking about it now.
When you look at a paintings by Dadd or Dali, or Rackham there is no context, and one on front the paintings allow you to imagine what the context is, and fill in the gaps, but at the same time give you an uneasy feeling that you dont know what the context truly is. And Freddie got the same effect with this song. Well done! But too much in the absurd side of the scale for me. Just slightly
Metropolis
I actually really love the melody and harmonies in this song. A lot of the time, though, Freddie's lyrics can't be taken very seriously. Sometimes I find it easier to just enjoy the song as it is and not ask too many questions.
Tatterdamalion2019
@Metropolis - Maybe you are right. I think I was just trying to put some thought into why I come to the end of this song feeling a bit uneasy but satisfied with the genius of it. Sometimes it is fun to try and work it out. Cant think of a similar Queen song that gives me that feeling. Perhaps Great king rat slightly.
dysan
Of course I like parts of it, but I've never been too keen on it.
FriedChicken
After 13 years, I'm still convinced it's about a woman baking pies.
JoB
This song is about a young man on a slave trading ship. The Black Queen is the British Empire and the "black" slave trade. This young man is torn about his loyalty to the crown (as he's been raised) and what he is experiencing on the ship.
"why do I follow you, and where do you go?"
In the first verse he sings quite lightly as if remembering beauty. "You've never seen nothing like it, No never in your life, Like going up to heaven, And then coming back alive, Let me tell you all about it"
The young man is seeing exotic lands and he finds them heavenly.
"Oooh give me a little time to choose" He is struggling with what he sees and his loyalty to the crown.
Water Babies is a reference to a British children's book that was extremely racist.
Blue Powder Monkeys are the young boys on naval ships who brought up gunpowder to the cannons.
"Here comes the Black Queen poking in the pile, Fi fo the Black Queen marching single file, Take this take that bring them down to size, March to the Black Queen"
This is about the British Empires moving through the East and West Indies making the people subjects of the crown and stealing the resources.
**************
The verse below is about where the powder monkeys go if they don't follow orders. Sugar Ni99ers was a term used for slaves who were shipped to the Caribbean to work the sugar plantations, some who were groomed to be in charge of crews (baby oil reference). The boy realizes his food and shelter are provided by the Crown, the slaves are traded to provide luxury for the elite, "all that noise" refers to making trouble or keeping quiet and having a full belly.
Put them in the cellar with the naughty boys
Little ni99er sugar then a rub-a-dub-a-baby oil
Black on black on every finger nail and toe
We've only begun - begun
Make this make that keep making all that noise
Ooh march to the Black Queen
Now I've got a belly full...
*************
This verse is the young man remembering what he was taught by his parents/religion, his conscience if you will. Good Thoughts, Good Works, Good Deeds. Being a good person without expecting reward. Notice he says "in each and every man soul lies a man", instead of in each man lies a soul, meaning we are born good and equal and only allow ourselves to be corrupted by our quest for material things but he'll convince himself that he's still good.
A voice from behind me reminds me
Spread out your wings you are an angel
Remember to deliver with the speed of light
A little bit of love and joy
Everything you do bears a will
And a why and a wherefore
A little bit of love and joy
In each and every soul lies a man
And very soon he'll deceive and discover
But even to the end of his life
He'll bring a little love
***************
This verse is about the Empire (Queen). The crown at home is holy, good and great (reign with my left hand) while I conquer and pillage the Indies (rule with my right). The young man realizes the power and he'll never win, he gives up, accepts that the Crown will rule and decides he'll take the good and ignore the bad.
I reign with my left hand I rule with my right
I'm lord of all darkness I'm queen of the night
I've got the power now to do
The march of the Black Queen
My life is in your hands I'll fo and I'll fie
I'll be what you make me I'll do what you like
I'll be a bad boy I'll be your bad boy
I'll do the march of the Black Queen
********************
This is the marking of the territory, declaring it part of the British Empire (tattoos all her pies) There is a childhood nursery rhyme about baking pies for the King that was beautiful on the outside full of birds on the inside, a "dainty dish", never dots her I's refers to ignoring the details of what is happening to the people of the conquered empire.
Walking true to style she's vulgar abuse and vile
The Black Queen tattoos all her pies
She boils and she bakes
And she never dots her I's
***********
This verse is telling you to forget the tales you've been told about how wonderful it was, the Black Queen ruled over the blacks and used them to bring you wealth and luxury.
Forget your sing a-longs and your lullabies
Surrender to the city of the fireflies
Dance to the devil in beat with the band
To hell with all of you hand in hand
But now it's time to be gone
"why do I follow you, and where do you go?"
In the first verse he sings quite lightly as if remembering beauty. "You've never seen nothing like it, No never in your life, Like going up to heaven, And then coming back alive, Let me tell you all about it"
The young man is seeing exotic lands and he finds them heavenly.
"Oooh give me a little time to choose" He is struggling with what he sees and his loyalty to the crown.
Water Babies is a reference to a British children's book that was extremely racist.
Blue Powder Monkeys are the young boys on naval ships who brought up gunpowder to the cannons.
"Here comes the Black Queen poking in the pile, Fi fo the Black Queen marching single file, Take this take that bring them down to size, March to the Black Queen"
This is about the British Empires moving through the East and West Indies making the people subjects of the crown and stealing the resources.
**************
The verse below is about where the powder monkeys go if they don't follow orders. Sugar Ni99ers was a term used for slaves who were shipped to the Caribbean to work the sugar plantations, some who were groomed to be in charge of crews (baby oil reference). The boy realizes his food and shelter are provided by the Crown, the slaves are traded to provide luxury for the elite, "all that noise" refers to making trouble or keeping quiet and having a full belly.
Put them in the cellar with the naughty boys
Little ni99er sugar then a rub-a-dub-a-baby oil
Black on black on every finger nail and toe
We've only begun - begun
Make this make that keep making all that noise
Ooh march to the Black Queen
Now I've got a belly full...
*************
This verse is the young man remembering what he was taught by his parents/religion, his conscience if you will. Good Thoughts, Good Works, Good Deeds. Being a good person without expecting reward. Notice he says "in each and every man soul lies a man", instead of in each man lies a soul, meaning we are born good and equal and only allow ourselves to be corrupted by our quest for material things but he'll convince himself that he's still good.
A voice from behind me reminds me
Spread out your wings you are an angel
Remember to deliver with the speed of light
A little bit of love and joy
Everything you do bears a will
And a why and a wherefore
A little bit of love and joy
In each and every soul lies a man
And very soon he'll deceive and discover
But even to the end of his life
He'll bring a little love
***************
This verse is about the Empire (Queen). The crown at home is holy, good and great (reign with my left hand) while I conquer and pillage the Indies (rule with my right). The young man realizes the power and he'll never win, he gives up, accepts that the Crown will rule and decides he'll take the good and ignore the bad.
I reign with my left hand I rule with my right
I'm lord of all darkness I'm queen of the night
I've got the power now to do
The march of the Black Queen
My life is in your hands I'll fo and I'll fie
I'll be what you make me I'll do what you like
I'll be a bad boy I'll be your bad boy
I'll do the march of the Black Queen
********************
This is the marking of the territory, declaring it part of the British Empire (tattoos all her pies) There is a childhood nursery rhyme about baking pies for the King that was beautiful on the outside full of birds on the inside, a "dainty dish", never dots her I's refers to ignoring the details of what is happening to the people of the conquered empire.
Walking true to style she's vulgar abuse and vile
The Black Queen tattoos all her pies
She boils and she bakes
And she never dots her I's
***********
This verse is telling you to forget the tales you've been told about how wonderful it was, the Black Queen ruled over the blacks and used them to bring you wealth and luxury.
Forget your sing a-longs and your lullabies
Surrender to the city of the fireflies
Dance to the devil in beat with the band
To hell with all of you hand in hand
But now it's time to be gone
AlbaNo1
You wouldn’t get answers like this about Body Language