ADMITTING YOUR MISTAKES, BEING HUMBLE, ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS—— CAN BE A HARD THING TO DO!
BUT WE DO FIND IT HERE AND THERE AMONG THE HUMAN RACE!
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE:
I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT FREDDIE MERCURY OF THE ROCK’N ROLL FOURSOME CALLED QUEEN. I LEARNT A LOT FROM THE MOVIE PRODUCED CALLED BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY.
FREDDIE LIKED A CERTAIN FOURSOME GROUP LOCALLY WHERE HE LIVED. ONE DAY THEIR LEAD SINGER QUIT….. FREDDIE GOT THE BREAK HE WAS WANTING. HE BECAME THEIR LEAD SINGER. ALL FOUR OF THEM WERE TALENTED, ESPECIALLY SO FREDDIE WITH HIS BUCK-TEETH YET WITH AN ESPECIALLY GREAT TENOR VOICE.
THE OTHER THREE GUYS WERE—— BRIAN ON LEAD GUITAR - ROGER ON DRUMS - JOHN ON BASS GUITAR.
IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE THEY WERE A HIT ALL OVER THE WESTERN WORLD. THEY TOURED THE USA. THEY PUT TOGETHER A UNIQUE LP CALLED BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY —— IT WAS A HUGE HIT, WENT TO #1 ON THE CHARTS.
FREDDIE MET A GIRL CALLED MARY, THEY FELL IN LOVE; HE CALLED HER THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE. BUT FREDDIE IN TIME DISCOVERED HE WAS BI-SEXUAL. THAT ENDED MARY MARRYING FREDDIE, BUT SHE LOVED HIM THOUGH NOW IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
IT WAS FREDDIE WHO CHOSE THE NAME QUEEN FOR THE GROUP.
THEY WERE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL.
IN TIME FREDDIE THOUGHT HE SHOULD LEAVE THE GROUP AND DO THINGS BY HIMSELF. HE WENT OFF TO GERMANY TO DO JUST THAT—— HIRE WHOEVER AND TELL THEM WHAT TO DO.
HE FINISHED ONE LP AND WAS WORKING ON A SECOND.
MARY KNEW THINGS WERE NOT RIGHT WITH FREDDIE’S NEW GROUP OF GUYS; SHE JUST KNEW THIS WAS NOT AT ALL RIGHT FOR FREDDIE, SHE KNEW HE WAS A LOST GUY IN A SEA OF FISH THAT WAS NOT GOOD FOR HIM OR HIS MUSICAL GIFT. SHE COULD NOT CONTACT HIM WHEN SHE PHONED HIM—— SHE DECIDED TO GO OUT TO FREDDIE AND FACE HIM FACE TO FACE.
WE PICK IT UP IN THE STORY——
FREDDIE IS LYING DOWN AS MARY [OUTSIDE IN THE POURING RAIN], TAPS ON THE WINDOW. FREDDIE IS DELIGHTED TO SEE HER.
FREDDIE STUMBLES TO THE DOOR—
[MARY] “HIGH”
[FRED] “HIGH, COME ON IN.”
THEY HUG.
[FRED] “WHY DID YOU COME ALL THIS WAY?”
[MARY] “I’VE PHONED, NEVER HEARD FROM YOU FOR A LONG TIME; THEN LAST NIGHT I HAD THIS DREAM, THAT SOMETHING BAD WAS HAPPENING.”
SHE LOOKS AROUND AND SEES A MESSY PLACE, SHE IS SHOCKED.
[FRED] “O I’VE BEEN WORKING THAT’S ALL.”
[MARY] “FREDDIE YOUR BURNING THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS.”
[FRED] “BUT THE LIGHT IS SO DIVINE. BEING HUMAN IS A CONDITION AT TIMES THAT NEEDS SOME ANAESTHESIA.”
[MARY] “I MISS YOU.”
[FRED] “AND I MISS YOU….I MISS YOU SO MUCH….BUT I HAVE TO FINISH THIS 2ND ALBUM. I NEED YOU….STAY….STAY HERE WITH ME….JUST YOU AND ME - I NEED THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.”
[MARY] “FREDDIE, WHAT ABOUT QUEEN? JIM [FRED GAVE HIM THE NAME MIAMI] HAS TOLD ME HE HAS BEE TRYING TO CONTACT YOU ABOUT LIVE AID AND YOU WON’T TAKE HIS CALLS.”
[FRED] “WHAT IS LIVE AID?”
[MARY] “YOU HAVEN’T HEARD? IT’S THE BIGGEST CONCERT THAT’S EVER BEEN, OR EVER WILL BE. IT’S FOR THE FAMINE IN AFRICA.”
[FRED] “WELL…PERHAPS PAUL THOUGHT IT WASN’T A GOOD IDEA. DISTRACTION FROM MY WORK, THAT’S WHAT’S IMPORTANT, THAT I FINISH THIS ALBUM. STAY WITH ME DARLING, THEN I’LL BE ALRIGHT.”
[MARY] “FREDDIE I CAN’T STAY WITH YOU.”
[FRED] “OF COURSE YOU CAN. I NEED YOU MARY.”
[MARY] “FREDDIE I’M PREGNANT” [SHE NOW HAD ANOTHER SERIOUS MALE IN HER LIFE].
FREDDIE LOOKS SHOCKED—— “HOW COULD YOU.”
[MARY] “HOW COULD I….FREDDIE THIS IS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU.”
FREDDIE’S GROUPIES OF LEECHES COME IN.
MARY SAYS SHE HAS TO GO. FREDDIE WALKS AFTER HER WANTING HER TO STAY.
[FRED] “YOU TOLD ME YOU HAD A DREAM…. WHAT WAS IT?”
[MARY] “I WAS TRYING TO TALK TO YOU, BUT IT WAS LIKE TALKING TO MY FATHER [HE WAS DEFF AND DUMB]. YOU NEEDED TO TELL ME SOMETHING, BUT YOU COULDN’T SAY IT…. BECAUSE YOU HAD NO VOICE.”
IT IS POURING RAIN; MARY GETS INTO THE BACK SEAT OF THE TAXI. FREDDIE FOLLOWS HER STANDING IN THE RAIN.
[FRED] “…..I’M HAPPY FOR YOU, TRULY I AM….JUST…. I’M FRIGHTENED.”
[MARY] “FREDDIE YOU DON’T NEED TO BE, BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE, YOU ARE LOVED—— BY ME, BY BRIAN, ROGER, JOHN, YOUR FAMILY…. IT’S ENOUGH. AND THESE PEOPLE, THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT YOU; PAUL DOESN’T CARE ABOUT YOU. YOU DON’T BELONG HERE FREDDIE—— COME HOME.”
THE TAXI DOOR CLOSES AND MARY IS GONE.
FREDDIE CONFRONTS PAUL. HE TELLS HIM TO GET OUT OF HIS LIFE. PAUL NEVER TOLD FREDDIE ABOUT THE LIVE AID CONCERT.
FREDDIE COMES HOME.
HE CALLS MIAMI [JIM].
[JIM] “HELLO…… [PAUSE]….HELLO.”
[FRED] “MIAMI”
[JIM] “FREDDIE….HOW ARE YOU?”
[FRED] “THIS AFRICA CONCERT…..WANTING QUEEN TO PLAY….IS THAT STILL…..
[JIM] “YOU MEAN LIVE AID. THEY HAVE ANNOUNCED ALL THE BANDS FREDDIE. IT’S TOO LATE.”
[FRED] “I…. I NEED TO RECONNECT WITH THE MOTHER SHIP.”
[JIM] “FREDDIE THEY DON’T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU. THEY’RE STILL VERY UPSET.”
[FRED] “MAYBE IF YOU ASK THEM, THEY WOULD MEET ME….TELL THEM I WANT TO TALK TO THEM, JUST TALK…. WE’RE FAMILY, AND FAMILIES HAVE FIGHTS…. ALL THE TIME.”
[JIM] “I CAN CALL.”
[FRED] “THANK YOU….JIM”
WE NOW ARE MOVED TO JIM’S OFFICE.
FREDDIE IS SITTING LOOKING AT THE TIME NERVOUSLY—— THERE IS A QUIET PAUSE——
[FRED] “WHERE ARE THEY.”
[JIM] “THEY’RE LATE”——PAUSE—— A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.
IN COMES BRIAN, ROGER, AND JOHN.
JIM GIVES THEM A GREETING. THEY SIT.
[JIM] “SO WHO WANT TO GO FIRST?”
[FRED] “I’LL START….. I’VE BEEN HIDEOUS; I’VE BEEN CONCEITED, SELFISH……” THERE IS A PAUSE—— “A….. AN ASS-HOLE BASICALLY.”
[ROGER] “STRONG BEGINNING.”
[FRED] “LOOK I’M HAPPY TO STRIP OFF MY SHIRT AND FLAGELLATE MYSELF BEFORE YOU….. I COULD ASK YOU A SIMPLE QUESTION.”
[ROGER] “I’M GOOD WITH FLAGELLATION.”
BRIAN LOOKS AT FREDDIE——
[FRED] “WHAT’S IT GOING TO TAKE FOR YOU’AL TO FORGIVE ME?”
[BRIAN] “IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT FREDDIE? I FORGIVE YOU, IS THAT IT, CAN WE GO NOW?”
[FRED] “NO…..” A PAUSE—— “I WENT TO MUNICH; I HIRED A BUNCH OF GUYS; I TOLD THEM EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED THEM TO DO….. AND THE PROBLEM WAS…. THEY DID IT….. NO PUSH BACK FROM ROGER.”
FREDDIE LOOKS AT BRIAN—— “NON OF YOUR RE-WRITES.”
FREDDIE LOOKS AT JOHN——“NON OF HIS FUNNY LOOKS.”
A PAUSE IN THE ROOM.
[FRED] “I NEED YOU…. AND YOU NEED ME—— LET’S FACE IT, WE’RE NOT BAD FOR FOUR AGING QUEENS….. SO GO AHEAD NAME YOUR TERMS.”
[BRIAN] “COULD YOU GIVE US A MOMENT PLEASE FRED.”
FREDDIE IS TAKEN ABACK; HE LOOKS AROUND THE ROOM; HE STANDS UP AND WALKS OUT; THE DOOR CLOSES.
JOHN LOOKING AT BRIAN— “WHY’D YOU DO THAT?”
[BRIAN[ “I JUST FELT LIKE IT.”
ROGER SMILES.
MIAMI [JIM] LEAVES THE ROOM AND STANDS WITH FREDDIE.
[JIM] “THEY’RE ALRIGHT THEY JUST A BIT OF TIME.”
[FRED] “WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE TIME?” [FREDDIE KNEW HE HAD AIDS]
[JIM] “WHAT DO YOU MEAN FRED?”
JOHN COMES OUT BEFORE FREDDIE CAN ANSWER HIM.
“YOU CAN COME BACK IN NOW IF YOU LIKE.”
THEY ARE ALL SEATED.
[ROGER] “WE’VE DECIDED….. WHAT DID WE DECIDE?”
[JOHN] “FROM NOW ON, EVERY SONG, NO MATTER WHO WROTE IT, MUSIC, LYRICS, IT’S BY QUEEN. NOT ANY ONE OF US….JUST QUEEN. ALL THE MONEY, ALL THE CREDITS SPLIT 4 WAYS, EVENLY.”
[FRED] “DONE.”
[ROGER] “WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.”
[FRED] “PAUL IS OUT; I FIRED HIM.”
[JOHN] “ON WHAT PRETEXT?”
[FRED] “VILLANY.”
[FRED] “WHAT ELSE?”
[JIM] “BOB GELDOFF. I CALLED HIM TO CONVINCE HIM TO SQUEEZE YOU GUYS IN, IN THE LINE-UP FOR THE LIVE AID CONCERT. BUT HE WANTS AN ANSWER NOW. YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION; EVERY TICKET IS ALREADY SOLD. 100 THOUSAND PEOPLE AT WEMBLY. 100 THOUSAND AT JFK STADIUM AT PHILADELPHIA. A GLOBAL TV AROUND THE WORLD OF 150 NATIONS. 13 SATELLITES, THE OLYMPICS HAD ONLY 3.”
[ROGER] “WE HAVEN’T PLAYED TOGETHER FOR YEAR. KIND OF SUICIDE TO PLAY AGAIN IN FRONT OF MILLIONS.”
[BRIAN[ “TRY 1.5 BILLION.”
ROGER LOOKS STUNNED.
[BRIAN[ LOOKING SARCASTIC AS TO HOW PEOPLE WILL TAKE THEM—— “WHO ARE THESE 4 DINOSAURS….. WHERE’S MADONA?”
[JIM] “IT’S A 20 MINUTE SET—— EVERYONE GETS THE SAME—— JAGER, BOWY, ELTON, THE WHO, PHIL COLLINS, ORIO, SPEED WAGON, BOB DILLON.”
[JOHN] “CERTAINLY GOOD COMPANY.”
[JIM] “ANY ONE WHO IS ANYBODY IS DOING THIS CONCERT."
[FRED] “LOOK, ALL I KNOW IS THAT IF WE WAKE UP THE DAY AFTER THIS CONCERT, AND WE DIDN’T DO OUR PART…..WE’RE GOING TO REGRET IT TILL THE DAY WE DIE.”
THERE IS A PAUSE—— FREDDIE LOOKS AT ALL OF THEM—— “PLEASE.”
AND SO WITH FREDDIE’S HUMILITY QUEEN WAS RE-UNITED!
THE 20 MINUTE GIG BY QUEEN AT THE LIVE AID 1985, HAS GONE DOWN AS MAYBE THE BEST 20 MINUTE ROCK’N ROLL GIG OF ALL TIME.
THE WAY THEY INVOLVED THE AUDIENCE WAS AND IS PRICELESS. THE ORGANIZERS GOT THEIR GOAL OF OVER A MILLION POUNDS FROM BRITAIN.
THE RE-RELEASE OF THE ALBUM BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY HIT #1 AS IT DID 16 YEARS EALIER.
IT’S NOT EASY TO HUMBLE YOURSELF, ADMIT YOUR ERRORS AND MISTAKES, ASK FOR FORGIVENESS.
FREDDIE MERCURY WAS ABLE.
IT STANDS HIM IN GOOD-STEAD WHEN HE LIVES AGAIN IN THE SECOND RESURRECTION [AND THAT’S A WHOLE OTHER SUBJECT].
Keith Hunt
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