Tater Thoughts

Atmospheric piano surrounds Freddie's sadness on this surprisingly poignant and moving number. Even in its brevity, " Nevermore " stuns and overwhelms. The honest and embellished BBC '74 performance was a gem I wasn't expecting to find.

Freddie at his fantastical finest, " The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke " takes everything Queen is possible of doing and crams it into two and a half minutes of sparkling mythological brilliance. A crowning achievement of stereo sounds, it includes instruments not often heard from Queen (including harpsichord). Find out more about the inspiration behind this song, Roger's thoughts about Freddie's d...

Almost two months ago, I had to take a break from running after I tweaked my back. As I've started to get my running game back, I suddenly realized something I was subconsciously doing during my runs that was really, really bad. In a strange way, I'm thankful I've had to take a break from running, so I could have this opportunity to retrain and relearn techniques and form. When was the last time y...

We kick off side two/the second side/the other side/the Black side of Queen II with Freddie's first composition on the album, " Ogre Battle ". All fantastical, all mythology, a lot of storytelling and lots of key changes, this is Freddie fabulousness. A heavy theme of unified bass, guitar and drums take us into the thrashing fray. And it always went over really well live .

What reads as a harsh song title turns out to be a tender ode to moms everywhere. Roger Taylor's sole contribution to Queen II, " The Loser in the End ", is a solid heavy glam rock number with fun licks and riffs from Brian and John, and some nicely layered and dynamic vocals from Roger. Not to mention Roger's rhythm and drumming here, which is very impressive. Find out what makes this song so uni...

I'm fascinated with the human body, its complexity, its miraculous processes, and how despite those consistencies from person to person, we're all so very different. And how things in life affect us differently, like smell. Smell plays a very important role in our lives; more than you might realize... If you're a science or biology geek like me, dive in.

A little (lotta) love for this beautiful number, which features Brian May on lead vocals for the first time. " Some Day One Day " is a lush, gorgeous trip into folk rock that's much more restrained than most Queen tracks before it. It's one of those seldom talked about songs that doesn't get a lot of attention. But I love it just as much. There's something magical about it...

Sad, pleading, wanting and longing. " White Queen (As It Began) " is one of Queen's best ballads, and one of my favorite Brian May compositions. We're still in Moody May territory as we go through the White Side of Queen II. This is gorgeous and elaborate, with medieval tones, string-like guitars, and haunting backing vocals surrounding Freddie's tender performance. Find out why Brian's acoustic g...

This song is very, very special to me. Naturally, I'm going to elaborate way too much. But it's compulsory. " Father to Son " is the first time we get to hear Queen at full studio capacity. They finally had the time to record the most over-the-top and bombastic creations. Like kids in a candy store, they're living it up here; unbridled, (mostly) untamed, and appropriately dramatic, even live . The...

When you're faced with drama, stress, a crisis or unexpected obstacle, the weight of everything can fall on your shoulders. How do you stay calm and cool and focused? Here are some tips and tricks I try to focus on...since I'm such a drama queen when chaos strikes.

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 be...

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 believ...

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 o...

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-par...

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 perfo...

“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 som...

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 sur...

There's a reason this dive title is ALL CAPS. This song is an unrelenting and driving force to be reckoned with: A declaration of certain evil and death, despite your intent to be good, pure and focused. Maybe that's a little dramatic, but given the power of " Liar ", maybe it's not? It's the longest song on Queen's debut, one of their best live (extended) songs , and includes the word "liar" so m...

Sparkling, gorgeous and one of the best examples of Freddie's elaborate storytelling, " My Fairy King " takes the opulence of a typical Mercury composition and extends and enhances it; creating a singular world formed from impressive piano, vocal overdubs, unexpected guitar effects, emotional bass and pounding drums. Listen in as I mention Brian May's comments about this lovely Freddie track, and...

My promise to keep the randomness and mental tangents continues as I open with another totally irrelevant song lyric. But my focus here isn't music; it's running. Running is freedom. It's my happy place. It's not my only happy place, but it's certainly one of the best. I've been through tough times where I couldn't run. But the joy of coming back, even when I'm not quite ready physically? It makes...

For the first time, I pick apart a fully Freddie Mercury composition; " Great King Rat ", track number three on Queen's debut album. Long, loud, dramatic, it's a progressive early heavy metal track. And I love it. If you forgot just how heavy Queen was in their early days, or you never knew...get ready. This is Freddie's elaborate storytelling in all its glory, with lots of key changes, shifts in...

It's no secret that social media has influenced and affected us more and more over the years. As a communications professional, I've used social media for a long time. It's been valuable and helpful, and at times, an amazing tool. But sometimes, it's a challenge to navigate the misinformation and negativity, and every channel is not like the other. I'm putting my music chat on hold to ruminate ove...