Freddy Mercury's Life: BBC Radio 4
We are the Champions
"I" is for Imagination
"In the spiritual life, imagination has two meanings. First, it is a human faculty — the part of us that traffics in images, symbols, myths, and stories. It is the capacity we all have for innovative thinking and creative expression. Second, the imagination is an inner reality, a boundless realm not defined by our senses or reason that we know from our dreams and can enter via certain exercises while awake. The practice of imagination encourages us to use this faculty and enables us to explore the realm.
Begin by learning the language of imagination. Keep track of the images that come to you spontaneously in association with your feelings and thoughts. Draw pictures of what you encounter in your dreams. Contemplate art and see yourself as part of the picture. Read myths and tell stories. Remember, through the ages spiritual pilgrims have found that it is possible to step into the inner realm of imagination. There you can find fuel for your journey and gifts of wisdom."
- Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Bohemian Rhapsody
Freddy Mercury and Process Theology
"Freddie Mercury was known for his flamboyant and charismatic stage presence, characterized by his powerful vocals, energetic performances, and distinctive style. On stage, he adopted a larger-than-life persona, exuding confidence and showmanship, which captivated audiences and helped establish him as one of the greatest frontmen in the history of rock music." (chatGPT)
In the spiritual alphabet “I” is for imagination. Imagination is both an individual quality of being innovative and creative, and a realm in its own right filled with images and archetypes.
Imagination is infectious. We imagine ourselves in light of how other people imagine themselves – or, to be more precise, in light of how other people present themselves in imaginative ways. They can present themselves in their deeds, including their clothing and mannerisms, and in their ideas. We do not have to be like them in order to appreciate them; still, we are grateful for their presence. We live in a co-imagining world.
Freddy Mercury helped people imagine themselves. The BBC audio about his life, offered below, tells us that the flamboyant persona he presented in concert was different from the quiet person he was right before he went on stage. He was slightly withdrawn off stage, and even a little shy, but he entered an imaginative realm of his own on stage, and inspired others to do the same. As he performed, those who watched him were momentarily transformed into his imaginative realm and into imaginative realms of their own. His performance, in the larger context of Queen’s music, ignited sparks of their own imagination. They left the concert inspired by his music, his dress, and the power of Queen’s music. If they were gay, their own sense of the being gay was enriched and empowered.
Champions of Change
I have some conservative friends, Christian and Muslim, who love Freddy Mercury and Queen. They have not been to his concerts but they’ve watched them on YouTube. They are not gay, but there is something about the flamboyance and confidence of Freddy Mercury that inspires them to break free, at least in their own imaginations, of the rigid and self-hating sides of religious authoritarianism. He enabled them, and still enables them, to imagine themselves in different and freer ways. He gives them freedom to say “yes” to life in its vitality, “yes” to creativity, “yes” to the realm of pure possibility. They may or may not live out this “yes” in overt ways noticeable to others, but inside themselves they are wild, and that wildness is part of their joy. They, too, are the champions.
Many people want to be champions. Authoritarians, both religious and political, want to be champions. I know a theologian or four who are preoccupied with being noticed and flattered, with being champions.
This is not the kind of champion process theology wants to champion. We in the process world admire humility, quiet service, listening, compassion, and the powers of love. We are uncomfortable with ego-based and status-preoccupied ways of living, including among ourselves. In this sense we do not want to be flamboyant.
But we also have a rebellious streak in us.
The philosopher Whitehead, who so influences process theology, certainly has this streak, albeit in a quiet and scholarly way. In Process and Reality Whitehead describes love as "a little oblivious as to morals." signaling his readers that preoccupations with morality and with rules get in the way of love. He also speaks of the important role that rebels against static forms of social order play in life, saying that the world needs people who revolt against static forms of order. And throughout his work, he appreciates novelty and the way that novelty can disrupt predictable ways of thinking. Many process philosophers and theologians turn to Whitehead for support in proposing a very different kind of world than we now have: one that is wiser, more compassionate, more humane, and more creative. They are champions of change. See What Needs to Change: The Fourteen Transformations of Process Thought.
Provocation
John Cobb, mentor in the process tradition, is such a champion, He describes part his own sense of vocation as follows:
Ethical behavior always has its dangers. When we genuinely listen to a stranger, we may find ourselves drawn into ways of thinking and even of acting that are uncomfortable and disruptive. When we seek the well being of communities, we may antagonize those who personally profit through distortions of community life. When we seek to direct our governments away from self-aggrandizing policies, we are likely to be called unpatriotic. When we question the assumptions that are widespread in our cultures, we upset many who have based their lives and their thought upon them.
But hope for the world lies in ethics, and today this is especially true of the ethics of thought, the vocation to analyze assumptions. Established assumptions about human beings and economic policies, and finance, and international affairs have led humanity to the brink of catastrophe. If we do not challenge and uproot these assumptions, there is little chance of changing behavior sufficiently to save the world. (What is my Vocation by John Cobb)
For John Cobb and other process thinkers, a healthy sense of calling can be provocative. It includes accepting the responsibility to be unpopular and to be disruptive of ways of living in the world, individually and collectively, that contravene the well-being of life in its vitality.
Yes, there's a bit of Freddy Mercury in Process Theology.
So what of flamboyance itself? Are there contexts in which, for the sake of life and its vibrancy, we humans need the flamboyance of, say, a Freddy Mercury on stage?
Certainly there is. We need creative provocateurs, and Freddy Mercury was among them, as was Queen in its music. We need not pretend that Freddy Mercury as a person embodied more virtues, or fewer, than the rest of us. Let him be himself. But we can appreciate the way his persona on stage functioned to disrupt static forms of order for the sake of a more vibrant, creative world. Flamboyance in service to life! Not a bad idea.
Bohemian Rhapsody
And then there is the creativity of Queen's music. The songs are not creative by virtue of their lyrics; there are not many that are as memorable as, say, Beatles' lyrics. The songs are creative by virtue of their structure, power, production and diverse lyrical themes in a single song. Consider "Bohemian Rhapsody."
No, it does not present a morally admirable person; it presents instead the voice of someone who has killed a man. But that is what fiction does! It presents different voices so that we can understand the feelings of others. Consider the voices of the Psalms as illustrative. Back to the brilliance of Bohemian Rhapsody. Why is it brilliant? I asked chatGPT.
For John Cobb and other process thinkers, a healthy sense of calling can be provocative. It includes accepting the responsibility to be unpopular and to be disruptive of ways of living in the world, individually and collectively, that contravene the well-being of life in its vitality.
Yes, there's a bit of Freddy Mercury in Process Theology.
So what of flamboyance itself? Are there contexts in which, for the sake of life and its vibrancy, we humans need the flamboyance of, say, a Freddy Mercury on stage?
Certainly there is. We need creative provocateurs, and Freddy Mercury was among them, as was Queen in its music. We need not pretend that Freddy Mercury as a person embodied more virtues, or fewer, than the rest of us. Let him be himself. But we can appreciate the way his persona on stage functioned to disrupt static forms of order for the sake of a more vibrant, creative world. Flamboyance in service to life! Not a bad idea.
Bohemian Rhapsody
And then there is the creativity of Queen's music. The songs are not creative by virtue of their lyrics; there are not many that are as memorable as, say, Beatles' lyrics. The songs are creative by virtue of their structure, power, production and diverse lyrical themes in a single song. Consider "Bohemian Rhapsody."
No, it does not present a morally admirable person; it presents instead the voice of someone who has killed a man. But that is what fiction does! It presents different voices so that we can understand the feelings of others. Consider the voices of the Psalms as illustrative. Back to the brilliance of Bohemian Rhapsody. Why is it brilliant? I asked chatGPT.
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is considered a masterpiece of rock music for several reasons:
- Unique Structure: The song defies conventional song structure, blending elements of rock, classical music, opera, and ballad into a six-minute epic.
- Lyrical Themes: The lyrics are cryptic, with a wide range of themes including death, religion, and self-doubt, which adds to the song's mystique.
- Music Production: The production of the song was innovative, with Freddie Mercury layering his own vocals to create a dense, multi-part harmony.
- Cultural Impact: "Bohemian Rhapsody" has become a staple of popular culture and has been featured in several movies and TV shows, solidifying its place in music history.
- Legacy: The song remains one of the most popular and beloved rock songs of all time, appealing to multiple generations and continuing to inspire new artists.
- These elements, combined with Freddie Mercury's unique vocal style and the musicality of the other members of Queen, make "Bohemian Rhapsody" a true work of musical brilliance. (ChatGPT)
Contrasts of Contrasts
If you listen to Bohemian Rhapsody you will hear innumerable contrasts which, together, form a complex musical whole. In a process context contrasts are things we feel inwardly and outwardly, such as emotions and other people and ideas and the natural world, as held together in a unity of difference. They are aesthetic contrasts and in that way beautiful.
The lure to create meaningful contrasts is, thinks Whitehead, at heart of human experience and, for that matter, cosmic experience. Other animals and living cells in plants, quantum events within the depths of atoms - all are creating contrasts. Moreover, say process theologians, the very Soul of the universe, which includes within its horizons all other souls, is itself this lure toward creating contrasts. It is a lure toward Beauty and the light it offers life.
Bohemian Rhapsody is unique to hear, because it has so many different contrasts held together. There are contrasts, and contrasts of contrasts, and contrasts of contrasts of contrasts. The song is auditory mandala: complex, surprising, and enjoyable. Bismallah. Galileo, Galileo.
This page, too, is a contrast, much simpler. It brings together two worlds that are normally thought unrelated: Freddy Mercury and Process Theology.
Zoroastrian Light
Freddy Mercury was brought up in a Zoroastrian family. At the core of Zoroastrianism is a recognition of two forces, the power of light and the power of darkness. Very few people, including artists, are purely light or purely dark. We are combinations of what is life-giving and what is life-denying, of divine sparks and negative energy. The Zoroastrian tradition is honest about this fact.
A process approach to Zoroastrianism recognizes the power of good and evil, of forces of light and darkness, and invites us, along with Zoroastrians, to give our energies to the light. The gift of our energies is in what we say and do, and it includes the music we offer the world. My suggestion is that Freddy Mercury's music, along with that of Queen, can be and is life-giving, relative to how it is received and the contexts of the recipients. Co-imagining is co-imagining. If we receive the music in a spirit of hope for more life in the world, more joy and justice, for creativity and compassion, we, too, are servants of the light. Freddy Mercury's family can be proud of their son.
- Jay McDaniel, 2/7/23
Bohemian Rhapsody: Film Review
Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat in Spirituality and Practice, reposted with their permission.
Bohemian Rhapsody covers the formation of the English rock band Queen in 1970 and runs through their fantastic Live Aid performance in 1985 when lead singer Freddie Mercury gives a thrilling demonstration of his energy, vocal talents, and signature ability to involve audiences on a deep and primal level.
This is a biopicture so, as you'd expect, it gives us insights into Mercury's life (a riveting Oscar-winning performance by Rami Malek). In a London bar, he meets people who will be central to his career: Brian May (Gwilyn Lee) and Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy), members of a unknown band who need a new lead singer. Later they are joined by bassist John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello) and name themselves Queen.
Around the same time, Mercury meets Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton) whom he calls "the love of his life." He gives her a ring and they move in together. But after he's been on tour, he admits to her that he is bisexual. Her nonjudgmental response is touching, but she does move out to a house nearby. Still concerned about and committed to each other, they remain friends for life.
Their relationships are further stressed when the press becomes obsessed with Mercury's private life. During one period, he goes off to record on his own and becomes more involved in the gay community, hosting wild booze-fueled parties. But before the Live Aid concert, the group reconciles. Mercury tells the others that he has AIDS but asks them to keep this news private. "I don't have time to be their victim," he says. In his remaining days, he just wants to be a performer giving the people what they have come to expect from Queen.
Some film and rock critics have attacked this biopicture for what they see as a shallow treatment of the band. They also point out that the screenplay shies away from any genuine exploration of Mercury's homosexuality and the gay sensibility he brought to popular music. None of this carping seems to have made much difference since Bohemian Rhapsody has already grossed over $600 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing musical biographical film of all time.
And perhaps biographical thoroughness is not really the point of the film. It's really all about the music. What the film captures are the roots of this band's popularity and success. They had 18 #1 albums, 18 #1 singles, and 10 #1 videos worldwide. Their performance at Live Aid is considered one of the greatest live performances in the history of rock music. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
"Magic is a word with endless interpretations, of which possibly the most accurate might be the least binding. Perhaps magic merely means forces as yet undefined, or uncategorized. And finding magic may require an ability to look within rather than outward."
— Elizabeth Pepper
Bohemian Rhapsody catches the magic in Queen's music. It isn't just the genre-expanding sound or the evocative lyrics. It isn't just the virtuoso guitars and pulsating drums or Mercury's voice spanning nearly four octaves. It is also the way they involve their audiences in the concerts. The key word in the concert favorite, "We Are the Champions," is "we."
We admit that we hesitated seeing this movie. We were not sure that we wanted to know the back-story of the band, learn about any squabbles among them, or see what led to Mercury's tragic death of AIDS at age 45. But we went to be reminded of the gift their music has been to us. And we're grateful we did.
-- Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat