FREDDIE MERCURY

As Composer

Freddie emphasized on melody and structure, leaving lyrics in a lower level. And indeed, that's reflected in his outcome. In general terms he wrote more complex music than Roger, Brian or John, and he'd got a more advanced knowledge in certain tricks (especially regarding modulations, phrasing, form and functional harmony).

His home style, at first, was what at the time was called heavy metal (now that'd be considered to be hard rock), but Mercury quickly moved to piano ballads, which remained his specialty throughout the majority of his career.

As he put it himself, all of what he did had been done before, but he applied his own style to it. Some of his trademarks are:

- Catchiness: A more statistical point (he's written or co-written several worldwide #1 hits, including Bohemian Rhapsody, Somebody to Love, We Are the Champions, Don't Stop Me Now, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Under Pressure and Innuendo).

- Section Variants: For instance, note how each Killer Queen chorus is different from each other.

- Versatility: Mercury wrote in a variety of styles, sometimes alternating them in the same song (Don't Try Suicide, Bohemian Rhapsody), sometimes combining them (Millionaire Waltz, Lap of the Gods).

- Phrasing: Uneven length (Miracle, Champions).


Freddie with Alice Cooper in mid 70's.