a babe without a name (SL music video)
August 2, 2024 3:13 AM Subscribe
A sad and sweet animated clip made for the Queen song All Dead All Dead. This song came out in 1977 on the album News of the World; the video was made in 2017 at the 40-year anniversary of the album. The lead vocals on this version were sung by Mercury, not May, who sang them on the original version.
If you prefer to watch it on Youtube instead of Invidious, here is the link.
I need to post this today for personal, sad and cat-related reasons.
It's a lovely clip and I hope you'll enjoy. Stroke a cat when you can, life is short.
If you prefer to watch it on Youtube instead of Invidious, here is the link.
I need to post this today for personal, sad and cat-related reasons.
It's a lovely clip and I hope you'll enjoy. Stroke a cat when you can, life is short.
For cat-lovers in a more joyful mood, if you have not heard Delilah - Freddie Mercury's ode to his favorite cat - you are seriously missing out.
Someone even found a short video clip of Freddie with Delilah. One thing I love about this is that you can hear voices in the background: Freddie has guests over, but would rather hang out with his cat.
posted by cheshyre at 5:05 AM on August 2 [2 favorites]
Someone even found a short video clip of Freddie with Delilah. One thing I love about this is that you can hear voices in the background: Freddie has guests over, but would rather hang out with his cat.
posted by cheshyre at 5:05 AM on August 2 [2 favorites]
I absolutely love Queen but still I was not prepared for how moving the song and video are. Thank you Too-Ticky for sharing this and thank you cheshyre for the back story. That robot has always been a haunting figure in my imagination, right from early childhood. This piece reminds me that, as much as the times may change, life is a fleeting gift and the show must go on. I'm going to make Queen the soundtrack for my long weekend, and let some optimism come in through the cracks.
posted by CookTing at 5:25 AM on August 2 [3 favorites]
posted by CookTing at 5:25 AM on August 2 [3 favorites]
Well, I'm ruined.
posted by mykescipark at 6:28 AM on August 2 [2 favorites]
posted by mykescipark at 6:28 AM on August 2 [2 favorites]
the song was inspired by the passing of Brian May's childhood cat
Thank you, I totally forgot to mention that.
posted by Too-Ticky at 6:49 AM on August 2
Thank you, I totally forgot to mention that.
posted by Too-Ticky at 6:49 AM on August 2
Sorry. It's hard to lose a cat. Mine had a great 17 years each... that was 10 years ago and I still miss them.
One thing I love about Queen was that their songs were so varied. May, Deacon, Mercury and Taylor each wrote with very different styles and sensibilities, and in one album there was a texture of different music, sometimes clashing, but always Queen. I think News of the World was their last great album, but they had some good points after that as well.
Seems like bands these days don't evolve as much as they used to. Think of Queen's first album versus Night at the Opera, and even into The Game, etc. A very different collection of tunes, attitude and sounds. Has any recent band changed as much in 12 or so years?
posted by SoberHighland at 6:51 AM on August 2 [1 favorite]
One thing I love about Queen was that their songs were so varied. May, Deacon, Mercury and Taylor each wrote with very different styles and sensibilities, and in one album there was a texture of different music, sometimes clashing, but always Queen. I think News of the World was their last great album, but they had some good points after that as well.
Seems like bands these days don't evolve as much as they used to. Think of Queen's first album versus Night at the Opera, and even into The Game, etc. A very different collection of tunes, attitude and sounds. Has any recent band changed as much in 12 or so years?
posted by SoberHighland at 6:51 AM on August 2 [1 favorite]
ooofffff.
I was watching the Delilah video and shouting "Freddie! Pet the cat! The cat wants pets! Pet the cat! PET THE CAT" And he finally does, thank god.
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:55 AM on August 2 [1 favorite]
I was watching the Delilah video and shouting "Freddie! Pet the cat! The cat wants pets! Pet the cat! PET THE CAT" And he finally does, thank god.
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:55 AM on August 2 [1 favorite]
Oops! It seems that the version I posted is sung by May after all... the version sung by Mercury is this one.
Invidious
Youtube
I like them both, but they're different.
posted by Too-Ticky at 8:53 AM on August 2
Invidious
Youtube
I like them both, but they're different.
posted by Too-Ticky at 8:53 AM on August 2
May, Deacon, Mercury and Taylor each wrote with very different styles and sensibilities.
I believe that every member of the band has an individual songwriting credit on a top ten hit. No other band (except the Beatles) came close to that! (I think the Moody Blues tried)
(Also, Deacon is my favourite composer of them, who are all very good.)
Wikipedia article on News of the World has a few details about the distinctive Frank Kelly Freas artwork.
posted by ovvl at 10:52 AM on August 2
I believe that every member of the band has an individual songwriting credit on a top ten hit. No other band (except the Beatles) came close to that! (I think the Moody Blues tried)
(Also, Deacon is my favourite composer of them, who are all very good.)
Wikipedia article on News of the World has a few details about the distinctive Frank Kelly Freas artwork.
posted by ovvl at 10:52 AM on August 2
Whenever I feel self-conscious about singing silly made-up songs to/about my cat, I remind myself that not only did Freddie Mercury do the same, he got his bandmates to meow along (in vocals and on the guitar) and released it through a major record label.
I could go on and on about Freddie and his cats, but try to restrain myself. A few facts:
I could go on and on about Freddie and his cats, but try to restrain myself. A few facts:
- He had one purebred, who was a gift; all the rest of his clowder were shelter cats.
- While on tour, he would call home and have his cats brought to the phone so he could speak to them.
- His first solo album, Mr. Bad Guy, was dedicated to his cats
...and all the cat lovers across the universe - screw everybody else!
Thank you. I don't believe I'd ever heard this before. I love my cats, but they'll get a little extra love tonight in memory of yours.
posted by malaprohibita at 5:23 PM on August 2 [2 favorites]
posted by malaprohibita at 5:23 PM on August 2 [2 favorites]
If someone ever gets to interview Sir May, PhD, I have a question.
I always thought the lyric about "the rainbow's end" predated the rainbow bridge myth - simply a matter of convergent inspiration.
But, Wikipedia says someone recently traced authorship of the poem back to 1959 Scotland. The author shared it with family & friends, and it circulated in that manner for decades.
So, now I wonder whether he'd heard the story beforehand or if it's simply coincidence.
posted by cheshyre at 5:26 PM on August 3
I always thought the lyric about "the rainbow's end" predated the rainbow bridge myth - simply a matter of convergent inspiration.
But, Wikipedia says someone recently traced authorship of the poem back to 1959 Scotland. The author shared it with family & friends, and it circulated in that manner for decades.
So, now I wonder whether he'd heard the story beforehand or if it's simply coincidence.
posted by cheshyre at 5:26 PM on August 3
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I've put this song on repeat too many times, myself.
Fyi, for the less-obsessed: the song was inspired by the passing of Brian May's childhood cat, and the animators used photos of her as a model for this video.
posted by cheshyre at 4:51 AM on August 2 [3 favorites]