| goinback 11.01.2005 00:39 |
In the late '80s Freddie was having to fight tabloid rumors about having AIDS. So why at that time would he release a song saying "I'm the great pretender...pretending that I'm doing well"?!? |
| Maz 11.01.2005 00:49 |
Is it really any different than releasing a song called "Was It All Worth It" or "The Show Must Go On"? |
| goinback 11.01.2005 01:04 |
Well I guess I just thought of The Great Pretender's lyrics as a little more direct than something like The Show Must Go On. (Plus he stood in front of those huge letters seeming to proclaim himself as THE great pretender.) But I always sort of thought the same thing about those other songs too. It just always seemed odd to me...I didn't understand why he would give the press anything else to go on. But I guess maybe it's because the music was really his only outlet.... |
| foxxy_moron 11.01.2005 01:08 |
i thought the great pretender wasnt his song and it was a cover of a song from the 60s? |
| Maz 11.01.2005 01:31 |
It was a cover, originally done by the Platters. I think the choice was a bit autobiographical, but not in the sense that he was covering up his illness. I always thought he was addressing his emotional health more, and until this thread, never considered the physical health aspects. But, honestly, recording a song called The Show Must Go On while he looked as frail as he did is probably more of a statement than Great Pretender ever was. |
| foxxy_moron 11.01.2005 01:33 |
haha i was right about da cover :) |
| Martin Packer 11.01.2005 02:41 |
TGP is one of the very few cases where a cover is better than the original. But then what would we expect? :-) It seems to me that Freddie was being honest with us all, and especially himself. He was one of those artists who treats setbacks as catalysts to art. So, for once, I do read quite a bit into his choice of TGP. But then I think he did it with a tremendous sense of humour, particularly considering he would have been coming to terms with something terrible. |
| foxxy_moron 11.01.2005 02:41 |
i have only heard freddies version :) |
| Melancholy Blues 11.01.2005 05:13 |
i think that his voice is at its best on the great pretender. he is so convincing and so emotional. i think he probably was trying to make some kind of statement as the lyrics apply to him so well but he also probably covered the song because he loved that style of music, you can see how that type of music influenced him through songs like man on the prowl and my melancholy blues. |
| Scirocco1977 11.01.2005 05:39 |
Oh come on, it's just a bloody love song, for god's sake. |
| egret 11.01.2005 12:07 |
Freestone's book suggests that Freddie's interest in "The Great Pretender" centered on making the video rather than on the song per se. And the video is so autobiographical that there's a career retrospective in clips, all updated to indicate "that was pretending," "oh, also that, pretending," EXCEPT for the clip of a live Queen performance, which is synchronized to the line "wearing my heart like a crown," which is kind of sweet. I think the video's about moving to a different stage in his career, that he can't do the old things anymore, because they are lovely but old, like the song. --Egret |
| bigc 11.01.2005 13:33 |
it wasnt autobiographical. It was the last single "well" freddie released, prior to finding out about his AIDS. And from the video, he looks fine, in full health,minus moustache tho, but I think he looks better that way I love the great pretender, its over the top yet down to earth. Sometimes I relate to myself |
| kleinhond 13.01.2005 10:48 |
Why did he shave his moustache off at that time? I wonder exactly when he he did the vieo as two books reckon he had it confirmed he was ill around Easter 1987, but I don't know what month it would have been that year. |
| flash00 13.01.2005 12:48 |
i beleve freddie found out he had aids in 86 during health checks etc, thats why he told the band im not touring again *brian stated that, freddie just blurted it out when the rest of queen(bri-rog-john) were arguin about the tour or summit to them lines. and the three ov them were shocked. he didnt wanna tour |
| bigc 13.01.2005 13:21 |
I go with the easter time 1987 assessment, as ive seen it quoted in several sources. I dont know why he shaved for the video, but it was only part way thru, as there are some shots with him plus moustache, and in some countries picture discs, he was pictured in the great pretender suit with his moustache. the great pretender is a love song |
| kleinhond 13.01.2005 14:32 |
it was the last time he was seen with a moustache, as he obviously only kept it for scenes where he was re-creating 80s videos, then shaved it off. the photo session would have been done well before the video. it always intrigued me why freddie shaved off his moustache for the ballet scene in the I Want To Break Free vid but not the drag section. are there any photos of Fred without his tache around this time that are not from the video? |
| Lord Blackadder 13.01.2005 16:50 |
I think he liked the song, and wanted to sing it. It is very chart friendly and a great pop song. Why not sing it? Some of you guys look to far into things. |
| brENsKi 13.01.2005 17:03 |
i'd like to add that there's a very huge bias around here...someone covers a queen song and it's heresy queen/freddie covers an old song and it's better than the original....what utter bollox the original was how it was meant to sound TGP much like ICHM and Going back before it were no more than Freddie's homage to an era he grew up in....a cover is not better than the original EVER....as no-one but the original artist/writer/producer can envisage the end result desired.....freddie's was good but not better...don't try and kid otherwise ....and as for the moustache shaving thing....that's fairly obvious...if for no other reasons than - he was in full drag in the vid and to "carry it off" convincingly - ie not in a mick way - like I want to break free - then the Bic had to be employed |
| Lester Burnham 13.01.2005 17:35 |
Here here, Brenski, especially about the cover thing. But I think Freddie shaved the moustache because he was about to record with Montserrat Caballe, and wanted to be as "professional" as possible. |
| kleinhond 13.01.2005 17:47 |
Yes but he never had the moustache again after that did he! And many songs are written by songwriters for other people to sing, so their original vision is not always carried thu even by the first artist to record the song |
| Rien 13.01.2005 17:51 |
Freddie shaved off his moustache because of the remake of some clips, as I see it. I've just uploaded the original Platters song on my site, but it can easily be found on the internet also. |
| Spud 13.01.2005 19:02 |
I can't believe I'm replying about this but sometimes I just can't help myself. Re Freddie's moustache, as he never grew it back (bar the beard later), maybe it's as simple as he went for a different look??? People do you know........ |
| brENsKi 14.01.2005 04:32 |
kleinhond wrote: And many songs are written by songwriters for other people to sing, so their original vision is not always carried thu even by the first artist to record the songsurely the first line of your reply is the clue "for others to sing" - means - they write stuff with a certain voice/style in mind - and so DID achieve the desired result the 60s stuff of the spectre/shirelles/platters/ronnettes etc was all written with certain voices/and harmonies in mind...and the songs were "given" to specific "manufactured" bands just like today - the only difference is that most of the groups then could actually sing |
| Teo_torriate04 14.01.2005 06:28 |
<B><font color=#ff7f00>Brenski</B> wrote: ....a cover is not better than the original EVER....as no-one but the original artist/writer/producer can envisage the end result desired.....freddie's was good but not better...don't try and kid otherwiseI find that view a little strange ( but respect your right to hold it ). Surely the art of interpretation is as valid as the art of creation. The best version of a song is the one you prefer, end of story. It's a matter of personal taste. I prefer Stevie Ray Vaughans' version of Voodoo Chile, But I would fully expect every Hendrix fan in the world to declare me a heretic. That doesn't make me wrong and them right or vice versa. |