With roots in Asia and Africa, Freddie Mercury left a legacy influenced by his background
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
More than a quarter century after his death, Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury is remembered as one of the greatest rock performers in history. But few fans realize that he was also the first international pop superstar with Asian and African roots.
“This is the thing with Freddie Mercury: I think he operated in at least four closets in his life,” said Jason King, an Associate Professor at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Music.
King notes that two of those closets — which revolve around his sexuality and, later, his AIDS diagnosis — have been widely written about. Lesser known are the closets that contained his race and nationality.
“Even though he existed in these four different closets, he was able to produce works out of these closets because he valued a certain kind of privacy and mystery,” King, who is currently working on a Mercury biography, said.
With the Nov. 2 release of the anticipated Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody," many are reevaluating Mercury’s legacy and how his background influenced his art.
Born Farrokh Bulsara to Parsi parents living in Zanzibar, Mercury was sent to India to be educated at St. Peter’s School, an all-boys boarding school in what was then known as Bombay. The family would move to England after the 1964 Zanzibar revolution.
“It’s interesting to see how much people still think he was a white British dude,” said Pakistani novelist Nadia Akbar. Akbar first listened to Mercury’s music while going through her dad’s CD collection as a child in the 1990s, but she didn’t learn about Mercury’s background until a Parsi family friend told her about the singer’s history. Her novel “Goodbye Freddie Mercury,” which was released in June, centers on a radio DJ in modern-day Lahore who feels a special connection to the rocker.
“Queen isn’t just his favorite band, Freddie Mercury is his idol,” Akbar said of her novel’s main character Bugsy. “Freddie Mercury is someone who transcended being just desi to more on kind of this world stage. For him, Freddie is where he can be and where he can go.”
That connection to Mercury’s work is particularly strong in the Indian Parsi community, who first came to India from Iran in the eighth century to escape religious persecution. For musician Pheroze Karai, 39, Queen has always been part of the soundtrack of his life.
“If you grew up in a Parsi household, especially in the 90s and 80s, he was kind of a shining star,” Karai said, who said he remembered his mother crying for days after Mercury’s death from complications due to AIDS in 1991. “He was definitely held up as one of the examples that Parsis can do anything.”
Karai for many years headed a Queen tribute band called “The Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boys” after the 1976 song of the same name. “One thing I noticed about that band was that no matter who was there everyone paid attention — everyone knows Queen songs.”
Karai said channeling Mercury’s famous persona also changed his own performance style. “Because Freddie was so free on stage, it allowed that freedom with myself,” he said. “I could just wear the short shorts have the mustache and just run around and be in people’s faces and flaunt my stuff in a way that I don’t do with my own stuff.”
But while some have suggested Mercury tried to hide his ethnic background, King said nothing in the historical record suggests that.
Freddie Mercury is someone who transcended being just desi to more on kind of this world stage. NADIA AKBAR
“When you go back and look back at the early interviews he did, particularly with the British press around Queen in the 1970s, he’s asked very often about his background,” King said. “He’ll say ‘yes I’m from Zanzibar, here are my parents.’”
One factor as to why Mercury did not open up more about his identity could have been the political situation in the United Kingdom in the 1960s.
“His life in London was basically in exile from his life in Zanzibar,” said King. “I’m sure he was happy to be in London because it’s an exciting place to be in the mid-1960s, but it was also a place of incredible migrant hostility.”
But while Mercury’s heritage may not have widely been discussed during Mercury’s lifetime, both King and Karai say the influence of his childhood is evident in his songwriting.
“Freddie was always into Western music but I think when you grow up in an Indian household that stuff sort of seeps deep into you,” said Karai. “It’s blatant in songs like 'Mustapha.' Even when he’s just riffing live there was a combination of things where it could almost be a ghazal,” referring to the ancient poetic form.
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I have been a long time fan of "Queen" and Freddie, so I knew about his most unusual family roots. There was nothing that was average about Freddie and maybe that is part of what made him and 'Queen" so remarkable.
Great information, I did not know that he was Parsi. As an entertainer he was one of the very best.
I knew that his family had migrated to London from India, but didn't know he was Parsi.
Wait...is Zanzibar in India? Then I knew he migrated from South Asia somewhere
I read another story the other day on MSN, that was....pretty slanted to his sexuality and how people were too stipud to know he was singing about ti. I found that article to be more of the author trying to make a point (and speak of his won sexuality) than a review of the movie or Freddie Mercury's life. I remember way back when......my friends and I loved the music. And nothing else mattered.
Freddie was a truly magical showman and singer, his range was incredible and his ability to bring you into the song is not often rivaled. Everything else, is trivial.
There is a new group that is being compoared to Queen.......worth a look, this one is popular on Canadian Alternative Rock Radio these days, though there are many more at YouTube.
I think that Freddie's sexuality was just a small part of who he was and at the end of the day, all he really wanted was love, and his greatest love was Mary Austin.
Cool video and I can I see why the comparison. Are they Canadian or English?
They are British. They have a compilation of The Struts on Youtube. I highly recommend listening to it. First song I ever heard from them was on the drive to work - and I said outloud, I thought Freddie Mercury was dead. 'Could've been me' and 'Kiss this' are two popular songs form them also.
Freddie Mercury is an innovative and talented (4 octave range) singer/songwriter and Queen will go down as one of the greatest bands of my generation. I have been a fan of their music since very early on but only learned of Freddie heritage in another article a couple days ago, weird.
The man sure did a have a set of pipes. I, like you, became a fan early on.
As for being Parsi, there is a small community of them in London, so I kind of knew about them. Very exotic people. I think he brought a lot of that to his presence on stage.
Queen will go down as one of the greatest bands of any generation.
I watched a documentary about him 4 or 5 years ago. I think it was called the Great Pretender, it told his story very well and made me an even bigger fan. It was a tear jerker and showed what a great person he really was.
I think what touched me most was his undying love and devotion to Mary Austin, whom he referred to as the love of his life. shortly before he died he told her he was leaving everything to her because " If things had been different, you would have been my wife and this would have all been yours anyway."
His love story with Mary Austin really was special. They actually did live for a while as common-law husband and wife. He really did struggle with his personal life. I read once that when he wrote "Find me somebody to love", he really meant anyone, female or male. He just longed to be loved. After his HIV diagnosis, he wrote: "The show must go on". The words are so haunting. A man contemplating his own demise and love unfound.
I have a close childhood friend, Ronny, that I met when I was 12. One day I received in the mail a record single of "Your my best friend" and he wrote, This is who you are to me forever. We are still best friends and when I hear that song, I can't help but think of him and Freddie.
Empty spaces, what are we living for
Abandoned places, I guess we know the score
On and on
Does anybody know what we are looking for
Another hero another mindless crime
Behind the curtain in the pantomime
Hold the line
Does anybody want to take it anymore
The show must go on
The show must go on
Inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on
Whatever happens I'll leave it all to chance
Another heartache another failed romance
On and on
Does anybody know what we are living for
I guess I'm learning
I must be warmer now
I'll soon be turning round the corner now
Outside the dawn is breaking
But inside in the dark I'm aching to be free
The show must go on
The show must go on, yeah
Ooh inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on
Yeah oh oh oh
My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies
Fairy tales of yesterday will grow but never die
I can fly, my friends
The show must go on, yeah
The show must go on
I'll face it with a grin
I'm never giving in
On with the show
I'll top the bill
I'll overkill
I have to find the will to carry on
On with the
On with the show
The show must go on
Songwriters: Freddie Mercury
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
For non-commercial use only.
Data From: LyricFind
When you know the meaning behind the words... It really makes you think.
That's a great story about you and your friend Ronny. Life long friendships are far and few between. Something to be cherished!
Freddie will always be one of the greatest.
freddie rocked... no debate
Adam Lambert from American Idol fame tours with queen.
Nobody can replace Freddie yet he does a really good job.
Just came back from seeing the movie. The theater stood up and applauded, young and old alike. For sure, Queen was a band that transcends generations.
But when you listen to the music Freddie wrote, it was almost prophetic. By the time they played "Live Aid" for Africa, Freddie knew he was dying. The songs he wrote years earlier, seemed to suddenly jibe with what was going on with his life.
We are the Champions suddenly had a whole new meaning.
I've paid my dues
Time after time
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime
And bad mistakes
I've made a few
I've had my share of sand kicked in my face
But I've come through
And my curtain calls
You brought me fame and fortune and everything that goes with it
I thank you all
No pleasure cruise
I consider it a challenge before the whole human race
And I ain't gonna lose
I have seen many movies that the critics panned yet the movie going audience loved.
I want to see it.
Freddy was a true performer and one heck of a voice. Found a video a while back, Freddy does opera....and nails it.