Sing Out for Freddie & All the Rest

 

I don’t know about you, but I consider QUEEN to be one of the greatest bands of all time. I have had a personal feeling of connection to front-man Freddie Mercury for many years, even going so far as to write my very own musical around him and his band’s music (I wrote it before We Will Rock You ever hit Britain, I swear!). Continuing the World AIDS Day trend, I thought QUEEN was apropos, especially considering tomorrow’s release of a new single from the remaining band members.

According to BBC.com, “The first studio recording by Queen in 10 years will be available to download for free to promote World Aids Day” (“Queen release track for Aids Day”, 30 Nov 2007). Roger Taylor has apparently written the song, entitled Say It’s Not True, for the AIDS awareness campaign, 46664, begun by Nelson Mandela and named after his prison ID number.

This is obviously a topic close to Taylor’s heart, considering the connection to Mercury and his death back in 1991. He told the BBC, “”We are inextricably linked with [AIDS] after losing Freddie.”" The last song released by the band was in November of 1997; No One But You was written by Brian May and influenced by Mercury’s death. Their new song is a tribute to all of those who have perished in the epidemic and will be made available free of charge on several websites tomorrow, December 1, including the following: www.46664.com, www.paulrodgers.com (Rodgers joined the band to sing lead in 2004), and a slew of Queen sites.

Sadly, I did not become a fan until after Freddie passed away; but that does not mean that his memory does not live on for me. There is no one who has come before or after this star who has such a voice. Apologies to Rodgers but you just can’t cut it – nobody can. In fact, I’m a little bitter that the rest of the band replaced him because, let’s face it, he’s irreplaceable. Fun fact: Mercury’s given name was Faroukh Bulsara, born on August 5, 1946 in Zanzibar, Tanzania, and died November 24, 1991 in London. The day prior to his death, he released the following statement to his fans:

“Following enormous conjecture in the press, I wish to confirm that I have been tested HIV positive and have Aids. I felt it correct to keep this information private in order to protect the privacy of those around me. However, the time has now come for my friends and fans around the world to know the truth, and I hope everyone will join me, my doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this terrible disease.”

We’re still trying, Freddie, after 16 years the fight continues.

As far as 46664 goes, Mandela’s campaign is solely Africa-based. The website explains how 46664 began:

“The 46664 campaign began in 2003 when Mr Mandela realised that to reach the youth of the world he needed to engage the support of the people who most appeal to them. Using the power of music, sport and celebrity to educate and empower, supported by Dave Stewart of Eurythmics, Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen and Bono. Together they managed to persuade over thirty of the world’s top artists to come together to perform at a global awareness concert for HIV AIDS, held in Cape Town in November 2003 and broadcast worldwide via TV, radio and the internet.”

 Other concerts have since followed in George, South Africa (2005), Madrid, Spain (2005) and Tromso, Norway (2005). More are to come, spreading awareness as long as AIDS is still a threat. Tomorrow on the official World AIDS Day, 46664 will host another concert in Johannesburg, South Africa. While I urge you to check out the site for yourself considering how rife it is with information, I’ll at least provide you with a few startling facts 46664 shares:

• The epidemic has spread across the world and no country has been spared.
• Every day 8,000 people die from AIDS and 18,000 men and women are newly infected.
• The incidence of HIV AIDS is highest in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Latest estimates show that almost 40 million people are living with HIV.
• South Africa has the highest prevalence of HIV AIDS in the world, with almost 6 million people living with the disease.

A growing group of celebrities are backing the cause including Will Smith, Bono and Oprah Winfrey.

I’ll leave this entry off with the lyrics to Under Pressure by Freddie Mercury and David Bowie. No words could speak truer to the world we live in today.

Pressure pushing down on me
Pushing down on you no man ask for
Under pressure - that burns a building down
Splits a family in two
Puts people on street  

It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming let me out
Pray tomorrow - gets me higher
Pressure on people - people on streets  

Chippin' around - kick my brains around the floor
These are the days it never rains but it pours
People on streets - people on streets  

It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming let me out
Pray tomorrow - gets me higher
Pressure on people - people on streets  

Turned away from it all like a blind man
Sat on a fence but it don't work
Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn  

Why - why - why
Love  

Insanity laughs under pressure we're cracking
Can't we give ourselves one more chance
Why can't we give love
Cos love's such an old fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night
And love dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves
This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves

Under Pressure

~ by peacewriter313 on November 30, 2007.