I can't get my head around the Lyrics of 'Love Of My Life' (LOML). It's a really beautiful song, with some of the best piano playing from Freddie. I am assuming the song is about Freddie's relationship with Mary Austin.
The part that I don't understand is:
'Love of my life - you've hurt me
You've broken my heart and now you leave me...
Love of my life don't leave me
You've taken my love, (all of my love) and now desert me...'
I thought that Freddie left Mary because he had come to terms with his sexuality, being gay.
So if he was the one to per-say 'break up' with her (I am aware they remained close friends up until Freddie's death), why in the song is he saying that Mary hurt him? Unless Freddie is writing from her perspective?
*I also read a comment on songmeanings.com that Freddie had written (not recorded though) this tune back around 1973 and is about a different partner/girlfriend and couldn't put it on the album because it didn't fit the album's tone and was too light. After the inclusion of Lilly of the Valley/Dear Friends on SHA, Freddie decided it was the right time to put LOML on ANATO. Can someone confirm this please.
Any thoughts will be appreciated!
**Full Lyrics for reference and quick copying+pasting**
Love of my life - you've hurt me
You've broken my heart and now you leave me
Love of my life can't you see
Bring it back, bring it back
Don't take it away from me, because you don't know
What it means to me
Love of my life don't leave me
You've taken my love, (all of my love) and now desert me
Love of my life can't you see
(Please bring it back) bring it back, bring it back (back)
Don't take it away from me (take it away from me)
Because you don't know (ooh ooh ooh know means to me)
What it means to me
Who will remember
When this is blown over
And everything's all by the way - (ooh yeah)
When I grow older
I will be there at your side to remind you
How I still love you - (i still love you)
Ooh, back - hurry back
Please bring it back home to me
Because you don't know what it means to me
Love of my life
Love of my life
Ooh, ooh
Well I do know that according to "Is This The Real Life: The Story of Queen" or something, that Lily of the Valley was written about Freddie loving Mary but knowing he belonged elsewhere (sexually) so my guess it that maybe LOML is Mary's point of view on th situation or maybe 2nd person view point. Like I'm not saying Freddie didn't write it, I'm just saying he was probably "putting himself in someone else's shoes" so to say.
^
Exactly. Fred decided to write a beautiful ballad.
Like Bo Rhap, he decided to write a fantastic song and the lyrics meant bugger all, they sounded great and were purely aesthetic.
I agree with ILoveQueen11. I always thought that Freddie turned it around a bit and wrote it from Mary's point of view somewhat. It's definitely about her and the fact that at the time in his life he was coming to terms with his sexuality. He had a brilliant way of telling his stories to express himself but also making us wonder what he was saying exactly. Bo Rhap being another example.
Thanks for your thoughts everyone! I understand it better, that it is probably from Mary's perspective. Totally makes sense now. I also agree with the point that it is probably just a love song and should just be enjoyed, not analysed, as many of Freddie's lyrics are have no real meaning, or are just non-sense.
I suppose what we all agree on though that it is a beautiful love song/ballad and should enjoyed for that reason.
The lyrics are intended for a man Freddie had a huge crush on. I believe his name was Todd Yerkoff, an Englishman of Russian descent. Freddie was totally in love with Todd, but to his disappointment, Todd told him off, telling Freddie that he preferred to date white men who know what an orthodontist does for a living. Freddie was really hurt by this experience, and proceeded to pen "Love of my Life".
My interpretation is 100% as valid as anyone claiming this was tiresome tune was (stated as a fact) written with "Mary Austin in mind".