Tater Thoughts

This lovely little guitar-laden number, "Procession", begins one of my favorite albums ever; the first Queen album I fell in love with. It's a little Baroque, a little Renaissance, a little ancient, very classical, lots of keys, lots of moodiness, and appropriately dramatic. We kick it off, before we take off...but of course, I have to talk about Queen II.

This my tenth dive into a Queen song, and it's the closing teaser track from their debut album. It may seem odd to include this gem at the end of an album, but it feels appropriately furious and elevating. The guys knew they were just getting started, and this song proves they'd be back for more. It's another adventure in Freddie's land of Rhye (previously explored in "My Fairy King") and would become a very important song for the band later...

It might be surprising to hear a Queen song that tells the story of Jesus; or at least, part of the story. But here it is. Despite Freddie being raised in the Parsi Zoroastrian faith, he composed this tune. It's a contrast of folksy ballad and progressive rock with a driving breakdown. There's a lot of mystery under what appears to be a straightforward historical account. Many people, both believers and non-believers, hear this as a beautiful account of Jesus. Me? I'm a little more skeptical. But that's my overthinking mind for you. And that's the brilliance of Freddie's enigmatic writing. The words may be simple, but the emotion feels more complex. 

It's simple; my love for Bjork started with this song. 

Sonder. The Pale Blue Dot. The tininess of our home and all of us on it. So much is happening outside our lives that we're never aware of. So many different things. But so much sameness. If you're going through something, no matter how big or small, sharing your struggles is how we connect and support each other. Give yourself the time to vent and heal, but don't forget to get outside yourself once in a while, too. You might be surprised, you might feel a lot better, and you just might find yourself...

This is all Brian, all reflective and emotional and a little opinionated. For the first time, we get into potentially controversial lyrical territory with "Son and Daughter"; a challenge of traditional gender roles, expectations, intentions, and human habits. It's wrapped up in a bluesy and hard and gritty delivery that feels dark and mysterious, and a bit sexy. Find out why I love the three-part harmony intro vocals so much, and the gems the live performances of this song contain.

There are so many songs and albums and artists on my favorites lists, I simply can't not talk about them. So as much as I love Queen, I'm venturing into other musical territory, starting with this gem of a song, "Stoned", from Dido's second album, Life for Rent. It's a song I've loved for almost two decades, and despite the overwhelming number of times I've enjoyed it, it never ages.

For the first time, Roger Taylor takes the helm as songwriter and lead singer on a Queen track with "Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll". It's appropriately rowdy, a big riot, and a lot of fun. There's no seriousness here; unless you're simply serious about your love for rock and roll. (Excuse me; rock 'n' roll.) The studio recording bursts quickly in less than two minutes, but live recordings and performances extend the excitement, with Rog having the best time in the world. Find out some fun facts about this short and sturdy number and don't forget to check out the slower, grittier BBC recording from '74.

“We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.” ― Confucius 

For some of us, there is a definitive moment where our lives are split into a before and after. We go through something that completely changes who we are the deepest level; or at the very least, we're suddenly extraordinarily aware of who we really are and what really matters. If you've been through something that big, what did you take from it? How did it change you? Did you take something positive from it? Did it encourage you to embrace life even more? In this episode, I go into detail about my autoimmune disease, ulcerative colitis, and how (despite the struggle) it's brought me to a better place.

Clearly this is "different". I didn't realize just how often I used that word talking about "The Night Comes Down". But this melodic, crooning, hummable and lyrical rock ballad truly is a unique Queen song. It's the oldest studio recording of a Queen track on a major studio album, was only played live once (sadness!) and is one of my favorites to harmonize with as I sing along. The guys show surprisingly mature restraint, and it results in a beautiful song. P.S. I love the engineered sound of Roger's drums on this track more than any other on their debut. Find out why...