Freddie Mercury’s Diverse Musical Palette: Unveiling Influences
Freddie Mercury, the celebrated vocalist of Queen, possessed a wide-ranging appreciation for music, drawing inspiration from numerous genres. Renowned for his extraordinary vocal capabilities and captivating stage persona, Mercury’s musical roots extended from pop and soul to opera, incorporating the dynamic energy of 1950s rock and roll.
‘Jailhouse Rock’: An Elvis Anthem Revered by Mercury
A playlist curated by Mercury’s fellow Queen members offers insights into his preferred songs. Among these selections, Elvis Presley’s seminal hit, ‘Jailhouse Rock,’ emerges as a significant favorite.
Released in 1957, ‘Jailhouse Rock’ rapidly became an emblematic anthem of early rock and roll. Its contagious rhythm, memorable lyrics, and vibrant energy solidified its status as a classic, encapsulating Presley’s signature musical style – a fusion of rebellion, charm, and raw dynamism.
‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’: A Nod to The King
Mercury’s flamboyant performances were a hallmark of his career, and his admiration for Presley was well-documented. In 1979, Mercury penned ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love,’ a track that guitarist Brian May later indicated was “Freddie’s tribute to Elvis in a way,” further noting Mercury’s profound fondness for Presley.
Beyond ‘Jailhouse Rock’: Exploring Mercury’s Broader Musical Tastes
While ‘Jailhouse Rock’ held a special significance for Freddie Mercury, his musical inclinations encompassed a far broader spectrum. From Led Zeppelin’s epic ‘Kashmir’ to Aretha Franklin’s powerful ‘Respect,’ Mercury’s preferences defied simple categorization.
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
Tracks such as The Beach Boys’ ‘I Get Around’ and Barbra Streisand’s ‘Woman in Love’ illustrate his fondness for both upbeat pop anthems and more emotive ballads. Elton John’s ‘Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting’ further exemplifies his taste for high-energy rock and roll.
‘Love Me Tender’: Another Presley Classic on Mercury’s List
Another Elvis Presley classic, ‘Love Me Tender,’ also secured a place among Mercury’s favored songs. Released in 1956, this ballad, adapted from the Civil War-era tune ‘Aura Lea,’ has since been featured in numerous films.
Freddie Mercury’s Playlist: Top 25 Selections
The following are the top 25 songs from a 60-song playlist of Freddie Mercury’s favorites, as compiled by his Queen bandmates, former personal assistant Peter Freestone, and friend and author Jim Jenkins:
- ‘Africa’ – Toto
- ‘Kashmir’ – Led Zeppelin
- ‘I Get Around’ – The Beach Boys
- ‘Careless Whisper’ – Wham!
- ‘Jailhouse Rock’ – Elvis Presley
- ‘Woman in Love’ – Barbra Streisand
- ‘Relax’ – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- ‘Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting’ – Elton John
- ‘I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself’ – Dusty Springfield
- ‘Respect’ – Aretha Franklin
- ‘Rock With You’ – Michael Jackson
- ‘Unchained Melody’ – The Righteous Brothers
- ‘Make It Easy on Yourself’ – The Walker Brothers
- ‘Carnival is Over’ – The Seekers
- ‘Please Don’t Tease’ – Cliff Richard
- ‘Love Me Tender’ – Elvis Presley
- ‘Imagine’ – John Lennon
- ‘Billie Jean’ – Michael Jackson
- ‘Take My Hand, Precious Lord’ – Mahalia Jackson
- ‘(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman’ – Aretha Franklin
- ‘Goin’ Back’ – Dusty Springfield
- ‘Vesti La Giubba’ – Carreras, Domingo, Pavarotti, and Mehta
- ‘Little Red Corvette’ – Prince
- ‘Pull Up to the Bumper’ – Grace Jones
- ‘D’amore Sull’ali Rosee’ – Giuseppe Verdi