Queen and Gnosticism

An example would be Queens "i want to break free". Obviously, this song can appeal to anyone, and can be interpreted in a multitude of ways. Nevertheless, this song is clearly Gnostic.

Freddy Mercury, it should be noted, came from a Zoroastrian background. And Zoroastrianism has much in common with Gnosticism via Manicheanism, which combined elements of Zoroastrian dualism with Gnostic theology.

I want to break free
I want to break free
I want to break free from your lies
You're so self-satisfied I don't need you
I got to to break free
God knows, God knows I want to break free

(interpretation: I want to break free, from the control of the "demiurge" ie; the cosmos. I want to break "free from your lies". In gnostic theology, this world is one massive lie, created by the Demiurge, who is often associated with the biblical God. "Youre so self satisfied, i dont need you". Gnostics believe that the biblical God is arrogant, and deluded. They dont need him. ""God knows, God knows i want to break free". The Gnostic God is a completely and utterly unknowable God. Saying God knows, God knows, refers to ones own urge and desire to break free from a world of law, order, and fate)

I've fallen in love
I've fallen in love for the first time
And this time I know it's for real
I've fallen in love, yeah
God knows, God knows I've fallen in love

(Interpretation: Ive fallen in love: Having 'transcended' this plane and come to know, the "true" god through Gnosis, the gnostic is certain that he has fallen in love, and "This time i know its for real")

It's strange but it's true (hey yea)
I can't get over the way you love me like you do
But I have to be sure
When I walk out that door
Oh how I want to be free baby
Oh how I want to be free
Oh how I want to break free

(The Gnostic god is often called an alien ie; "its strange but its true", and they often speak about the 'grace' of this god "i cant get over the way you love me like you do")


Anyways, thought it would be interesting to see this song from another perspective; the perspective in which i believe John Deacon, the bassist of queen, intended.

Additionally, in the video for the song, the members of Queen dress in drag, symbolizing the union of the lower masculine self with its higher feminine side.

reply to post by dontreally


What ?

It's getting late.

I think the lyrics of Queen have long been ignored and dismissed as frivolous, and not worthy of academic debate.
This has been a huge mistake, since they range from the profound to the prophetic at times.

As far as Gnosticism goes, my choice here would be "Innuendo" from Mercury's final album, and he was dying at the time.

I think it shows that human paradox: a need to transcend, which is still limited by the physical.
With the right balance it can be beautiful.
But sadly most of us only find that balance when it is too late.
It's almost like Mercury invites the listener to find the balance sooner, but it's beyond preaching or language.
He can only point us towards it with an uncertain "innuendo".

I thought John Deacon wrote "i want to break free"?
Mercury only got serious near the end of his life, before then he was a serious party boy who knew how to have fun.
Brian May IMO wrote the best serious lyrics with songs like "Prophets Song" "World that we Created" "father to Son" etc.
I was a huge Queen fan from their first album which was not a popular band to latch on to if you were a kid in high school in the Southern US. I actually got in fistfights due to people slamming Queen. Can you imagine anyone thinking Bachman-Turner Overdrive was better than Queen? C'mon!
Everyone couldn't get over the supposedly "gay" image and just listen to the music for what it was.
I do think their best work was in the 70's and they fell off a bit once they got popular with Another one bites the Dust.
Still, I dearly love nearly every album they put out with the exceptions of Hot Space and The Miracle - I never really liked those so much. (Los Palabras De Amor is still a great song)
Queen 2 will always be my favorite though.
Long live the Queen.

ETA - I just heard some music the other day by Taylor Hawkins with Brian May and Roger Taylor doing some parts, very cool.