woolie t.

I was 14 and a freshman in high school when Wayne’s World came out. I’m willing to bet that its most lasting influence on a generation of early teenagers was its introduction of the music of Queen. Not to be immodest, but I had a killer Bohemian Rhapsody(#1 below) mimic I could belt out at a moment’s notice.

It wasn’t too long before I owned a couple of their CDs (A Night at the Opera and Innuendo). I really don’t remember how long that love lasted, but eventually (as all things new and musical) the listenings dwindled to “few and far between”. However, through a confluence of recent events, they are back on my playlist. I’ve really got to find my other two Queen CDs,

There is an unbelievably fun song by Mika named Grace Kelly (#2). For the first couple months of the current school year, while driving my oldest daughter to first grade, we would listen to it at least once (often twice), singing along with extreme enthusiasm. There is a line in the song referencing Freddie Mercury:

I try to be like Grace Kelly
But all her looks were too sad
So I try a little Freddie
I’ve gone identity mad!

(from lyricsdir.com)

Following the word “Freddie” he gives a little “MmmMmm”. He also belts out a very Freddie-esque “Hey!”. Well, I tried explaining to my daughter about this reference but, you know, that kind of thing isn’t really seven year-old type of information. More recently though, she heard We Will Rock You (not sure where) and loved it. So one night I looked up some Queen songs on Seeqpod (which, by the way, is how I’m embedding the song references below) and we listened to a bunch and had a great time. I reminded her of the Mika song and its Freddie reference and I think maybe she got it. My wife witnessed much of the partying to the music and so, on Christmas morning, guess what she gave me? Queen Greatest Hits I & II (a double CD of I and II).

It’s the first CD to make it to my car’s player in a long while, replacing (however temporarily) the now standard NPR programs and local sports talk. I am now remembering how cool their music was, and am realizing just how many great, well-known songs they had. Disc II has a few songs that wouldn’t personally make my top list, but there are just so many great others that it’s still worth getting, even if you have to hit skip a few times.

Now I really need to find my other two Queen CDs, especially A Night at the Opera. Have you ever heard ‘39(#3) or Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon(#4)? You should. Listen below.

Songs:
1. Bohemian Rhapsody(back up)

  

2. Grace Kelly(back up)

  

3. ‘39(back up)

  

4. Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon(back up)