No, I am not crazy The 1980s and 90’s rock band Queen, fronted by FreddyMercury, directly sings the story of the God-Emperor of Mankind from Warhammer40,000 to a degree you would question is likely or possible unless you examinedit in depth.
And examine it in depth I have!!!!! Using ONLY the lyricsof 26 songs by Queen, I have been able to reconstruct a SUBSTANTIAL amount personal timeline of the Emperor, sunglargely in first person, with one song for Horus as I couldn’t leave it out.
As you follow methrough the following sections, from his early life to the age of strife, tothe Birth of the Imperium, the Horus Heresy, the Dark Millenia and possiblerebirth of the Star Child you will be forced to agree that EITHER, the rockband Queen were in fact prophets of the Dark Millennium, or, more boringly butmore likely a strange kind of Fortean synchronicity has interlaced a deepcausal vibration between the mood, tone, subject and specifics of Queens lyricsand the evolving story of the God-Emperor of Mankind.
At the end of the post I will dive into possible causesand processes of such a Fortean event, but first, I give you, in chronologicalorder, and broken up by period, the life story of the God-Emperor of Mankind,sung by Queen!
History Viewed by an ImmortalWe know the Emperor was born, I think about 10,000 yearsago in Anatolia, so right on the edge of recorded history, and the final gaspof the Pleistocine and birth of the Neolithic. That makes him already 35,000years old be the time the Age of Strife begins and, unfortunately, there arerelatively few Queen songs describing his experience during that time.
Young E by @mossacannibalis
The Emperor is born as a Perpetual; There's no time for us
There's no place for us
What is this thing that builds our dreams
Yet slips away from us?
Who wants to live forever?
There's no chance for us
It's all decided for us
This world has only one sweet moment
Set aside for us
Who dares to love forever
Oh, when love must die?
But touch my tears with your lips
Touch my world with your fingertips
And we can have forever
And we can love forever
Forever is our today
Themes; isolation, eternal life, fate.
The Emperor Walks in Many Forms throughout History;Office Gentleman Emperor by GiniasI'm the invisible man
I'm the invisible man
Incredible how you can
See right through me
When you hear a sound
That you just can't place
Feel something move
That you just can't trace
When something sits
On the end of your bed
Don't turn around
When you hear me tread
I'm the invisible man, I'm the invisible man
Incredible how you can
See right through me
I'm the invisible man, I'm the invisible man
It's criminal how I can
See right through you
Now I'm in your room, and I'm in your bed
And I'm in your life, and I'm in your head
Like the CIA or the FBI
You'll never get close
Never take me alive
Never had a real good friend
Not a boy or a girl
No one knows what I've been through
Let my flag unfurl
So I make my mark
From the edge of the world
Now I'm on your track
And I'm in your mind
And I'm on your back
But don't look behind
I'm your meanest thought
I'm your darkest fear
But I'll never get caught
You can't shake me, shake me, dear
I'm the invisible man, I'm the invisible man
Incredible how you can
See right through me (Watch me!)
I'm the invisible man, I'm the invisible man
It's criminal how I can
See right through you
Themes; deep isolation, invisibility, psychicpower
Key Lines; “Now I'm in your room, and I'm inyour bed, And I'm in your life, and I'm in your head”, “Never had a real goodfriend, Not a boy or a girl, No one knows what I've been through, Let my flagunfurl”
The Dark Age of Technology and Revolt of the Machines;BlancheMachines, machines
Machines, machines
Machines machines
Machines, machines
It's a machine's world
Don't tell me I ain't got no soul
When the machines take over
It ain't no place for rock 'n' roll
They tell me I don't care
But deep inside I'm just a man
They freeze me, they burn me
They squeeze me, they stress me
With smoke-blackened pistons
Of steel they compress me
But no one, but no one
But no one can wrest me away
Back to Humans
We have no disease
No troubles of mind
We are fighting for peace
No regard for the time
We never cry, we never retreat
We have no conception
Of love or defeat
What's that machine noise?
It's bytes and mega chips for tea
It's that Machine, boys
With random access memory
Never worry, never mind
Not for money, not for gold, yeah
It's software, its hardware
Its heartbeat, is time-share
It's midwife's, a disk drive
It's sex-life is quantized
It's self-perpetuating
A parahumanoidarianised
Back to Humans
Back to Humans
Back to Machines
Machines, machines
Machines, machines
Living in a new world
Thinking in the past (humans)
Living in a new world
How you gonna last? (humans)
Machine world
Yeah
Yeah
Change
It's a Machine's world, woo!
Yeah I'm coming!
Yeah, woo!
Back to Humans
Hey, yeah
Ha ha ha
Back to Humans
Living in a new world
How you gonna last?
Machine world
It's a Machine's world
Themes; terror of machine power, human supremacy.
Key Lines; “They tell me I don't care, But deepinside I'm just a man, …. But no one,but no one, But no one can wrest me away, Back to Humans”
The Age of Strife;by Andreas Rocha
I was told a million times of all the troubles in myway
Mind you grow a little wiser, little better every day
But if I crossed a million rivers and I rode a millionmiles
Then I'd still be where I started, bread and butterfor a smile
Well, I sold a million mirrors in a shop in Alley Way
But I never saw my face in any window any day
Now they say your folks are telling you, “Be asuperstar”
But I tell you, just be satisfied and stay right whereyou are
Keep yourself alive (Yeah), keep yourself alive
Take you all your time and-a money, honey, you'llsurvive
Well, I've loved a million women in a belladonic haze
And I ate a million dinners brought to me on silvertrays
Give me everythin' I need to feed my body and my soul
And I'll grow a little bigger, maybe that can be mygoal
I was told a million times of all the people in my way
How I had to keep on tryin' and get better every day
But if I crossed a million rivers and I rode a millionmiles
Then I'd still be where I started, same as when Istarted
Take you all your time and money, honey, you willsurvive
Keep you satisfied, keep yourself alive…
Themes; human survival, eternal life, invisibility,self actualisation.
Key Lines; “Give me everythin' I need to feedmy body and my soul, And I'll grow a little bigger, maybe that can be my goal”
Creation of ‘The Emperor’ PersonaThe Emperor Decides to Save Humanity Whatever the Cost; So you feel like you ain't nobody?
Always needed to be somebody?
Put your feet on the ground
Put your hand on your heart
Lift your head to the stars
And the world's for your taking
All you gotta do is save the world, yeah
So you feel it's the end of the story?
Find it all pretty satisfactory?
Well I tell you, my friend
This might seem like the end
But the continuation
Is yours for the making
Yes, you're a hero, ooh yeah
Themes; personal heroism, self-actualisation
He Steals Power from the Chaos Gods; (If you can't beat 'em, join 'em)
You'd better do it
'Cause it makes you feel good
(If you can't beat 'em, join 'em)
You're never gonna help yourself
Yeah
Keep your big hands off of my money
Don't try and pull me down
You're taking me out to wine
And dine me, trying to wind
Me 'round and around and bind me
To your legal contract (Ha ha!)
Rumour has it that you can play it dirty
I'll tell you what I'll do
About that, that yeah!
I'll play you at your own game!
Yes
Themes; trickery, reversing fate, gaming againstsuperior power
Key Lines; “Rumour has it that you can play itdirty …. I'll play you at your own game!”
The Emperor is Supercharged after Moloch; Magic
Magic
One dream, one soul, one prize, one goal
One golden glance of what should be
(It's no good)
One shaft of light that shows the way
No mortal man can win this day
The waiting seems eternity
The day will dawn of sanity
Is this a kind of magic
There can be only one
This rage that lasts a thousand years
Will soon be done
This flame that burns inside of me
I'm hearing secret harmonies
The bell that rings inside your mind
Is challenging the doors of time
The waiting seems eternity
The day will dawn (ahhh) of sanity
(Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooooh)
This is (this is) a kind (a kind) of magic
Therе can be only one
This rage that lasts a thousand yеars
Will soon be, will soon be, will soon be done
This is a kind of magic
A kind of magic
Themes; singular vision of (‘golden’) future,eternities of time, secret personal power.
Key Lines; every single line of this one is ONPOINT
The Emperor and Malcador discuss their dreams for humanity; by Нэн
This could be heaven
This could be heaven for everyone
In these days of cool reflection (Reflection)
You come to me
And everything seems alright
In these days of cold affections
You sit by me and everything's fine
This could be heaven for everyone
This world could be fed
This world could be fun
This could be heaven for everyone
This world could be free
This world could be one
In this world of cool deception
Just your smile can smooth my ride
These troubled days
Of cruel rejection, hmm
You come to me
Soothe my troubled mind
Listen, what people do to other souls
They take their lives, destroy their goals
Their basic pride and dignity
Is stripped and torn and shown no pity
When this should be heaven for everyone
This could be heaven
This could be heaven for everyone
Themes; personal friendship, a perfected world
The Emperor Reveals Himself to Save Mankind;Early E by Artemis 10Flash
A-ah, saviour of the universe
Flash
A-ah, you saved everyone of us
Flash
A-ah, he's a miracle
Flash
A-ah, king of the impossible
He's for everyone of us
Stand for everyone of us
Hе saved with a mighty hand (ahhh, ah)
Every man, evеry woman (ahh, ah)
Every child – he's a mighty flash (ahh, ahh, ah)
Just a man with a man's courage
You know he's
Nothing but a man
He can never fail
No-one but the pure at heart
May find the Golden Grail
Ohh, oh
Ohh, oh
Flash!!
Themes; the personal singular power of a saviourof all mankind, dichotomy between supreme power and essential humanity
Birth of the Imperiumemwatnott
The Founding; Hey! One man, one goalHa, one mission
One heart, one soul
Just one solution
One flash of light
Yeah, one god, one vision
One flesh, one bone, one true religion
One voice, one hope, one real decision
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Give me one vision, yeah
No wrong, no right
I'm gonna tell you
There's no black and no white
No blood, no stain
All we need is one worldwide vision
I had a dream when I was young
A dream of sweet illusion
A glimpse of hope and unity
And visions of one sweet union
But a cold wind blows
And a dark rain falls
And in my heart, it shows
Look what they've done to my dream
Yeah!
One vision
So give me your hands
Give me your hearts
I'm ready! There's only one direction
One world and one nation
Yeah, one vision
No hate, no fight, just excitation
All through the night, it's a celebration
Themes; singular unified human goal, personalsingular power, a personal dream, a perfected world
Key Lines; again almost all of this is in the‘Emperors Voice but “I'm gonna tell you, There's no black and nowhite” could be read as a reference to Malal/the Dark King
The Unification War; Unification Wars earltheartist
Here I am
I'm the master of your destiny
Ha-ha
Give me your kings
Let me squeeze them in my hands
(He-he-hey)
Your puny princes
Your so-called leaders of your land
I'll eat them whole before I'm done
The battle's fought and the game is won
I am the one, the only one
I am the god of kingdom come
Give me the prize
Just give me the prize (The prize)
Hahahahahaha
Hahahahahaha
Now you die!
Ahahahahahaha!
I have something to say
It's better to burn out
Than to fade away
There can be only one!
Move over, I said move over
Hey, hey, hey, clear the way
There's no escape from my authority
Didn't I tell you?
Themes; total autocracy, the breaking of Kings, claimsof godhood, personal singular power
The Emperor Finds Horus and educates him; A word in your ear, from father to son
Hear the word that I say
I fought with you, fought on your side
Long before you were born
Joyful the sound
The word goes around
From father to son, to son
And the voice is so clear
Time after time it keeps
Calling you, calling you on
Don't destroy what you see
Your country to be
Just keep building on the ground
That's been won
Kings will be crowned
And the word goes around
From father to son, to son
hear us sing
Our family song?
(Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba)
Ooh yeah, now we hand it on
But I've heard it all before
Take this letter that I give you
Take it, sonny, hold it high
You won't understand a word that's in it
But you'll write it all again before you die, yeah,yeah
A word in your ear from father to son
Funny, you don't hear a single word I say
But my letter to you will stay by your side
Through the years 'till the loneliness is gone
(Sing if you will)
But the air you breathe, I live to give you
Father to son, father to son
Joyful the sound
The word goes around
From father to son, to son
Kings will be crowned
The word goes around
From father to son, to son
Themes; father-son relations, mysterious knowledgeto be revealed in the future, loneliness
Key Lines; “I fought with you, fought on yourside, Long before you were born”, “Don't destroy what you see, Your country tobe, Just keep building on the ground, That's been won”
Unity by Adrian Smith
The Great Crusade, The Emperor creates the Astartes and unifies with Marsas the Omnissiah; I'm a shooting star, leaping through the sky like atiger
Defying the laws of gravity
I'm a racing car, passing by like Lady Godiva
I'm gonna go, go, go, there's no stopping me
I'm burning through the sky, yeah
Two hundred degrees, that's why they call me MisterFahrenheit
I'm travelling at the speed of light
I wanna make a supersonic man outta you
I'm a rocket ship on my way to Mars on a collisioncourse
I am a satellite, I'm out of control
I'm a sex machine, ready to reload like an atom bomb
About to oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, explode
I'm burning through the sky, yeah
Two hundred degrees, that's why they call me MisterFahrenheit
I'm travelling at the speed of light
I wanna make a supersonic woman of you
Oh, I'm burning through the sky, yeah
Two hundred degrees, that's why they call me MisterFahrenheit (Hey)
Travelling at the speed of light
I wanna make a supersonic man outta you (Hey, hey)
Themes; intense personal glorification, transhumanism(supersonic men), Mars, being a ‘Sex Machine’. Honestly this one is very muchnot in an ‘Emperor Voice’ but it does have fragments of the elements statedabove.
Mankind revenges itself against the Xenos empires (especially the Aeldari);How do you think I'm going to get along
Without you, when you're gone
You took me for everything that I had
And kicked me out on my own
Are you happy, are you satisfied?
How long can you stand the heat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat
Look out
Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey, I'm gonna get you, too
Another one bites the dust
There are plenty of ways you can hurt a man
And bring him to the ground
You can beat him, you can cheat him, you can treat himbad
And leave him when he's down, yeah
But I'm ready, yes I'm ready for you
I'm standing on my own two feet
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
Repeating the sound of the beat
Oh yeah
Themes; warfare, revenge, systemic destruction
Humanity defeats the greatest Ork Empire; Ullanor by Neil Roberts
Here we are, born to be kings
We're the princes of the universe
Here we belong
Fighting to survive
In a world with the darkest powers, hey!
And here we are
We're the princes of the universe
Here we belong, fighting for survival
We've come to be
The rulers of your world
I am immortal, I have inside me
Blood of kings (yeah, yeah)
I have no rival, no man can be my equal
Take me to the future of your world
Born to be kings
Princes of the universe
Fighting and free
Got your world in my hand
I'm here for your love
And I'll make my stand
We were born to be
Princes of the universe
No man could understand
My power is in my own hand
(Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
People talk about you
People say you've had your day)
I'm a man that will go far
Find the moon and reach for the stars
With my sword and head held high
Got to pass the test first time, yeah
I know that people talk about me
I hear it every day
But I can prove them wrong
'Cause I'm right first time
Themes; exalted personal destiny, an ascendedwarrior class, dark powers, survival, personal immortality, singular power, personalperfection and glory
Key Lines; “In a world with the darkest powers,”,“I have no rival, no man can be my equal”, “I know that people talk about me, Ihear it every day, But I can prove them wrong, 'Cause I'm right first time”
The Triumph at Ullanor;The Triumph by Nicolás R. Giacondino
I've paid my dues
Time after time
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime
And bad mistakes
I've made a few
I've had my share of sand kicked in my face
But I've come through (And I mean to go on and on, andon, and on)
We are the champions, my friends
And we'll keep on fighting till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions
Of the world
I've taken my bows
And my curtain calls
You brought me fame and fortune and everything thatgoes with it
I thank you all
But it's been no bed of roses
No pleasure cruise
I consider it a challenge before the whole human race
And I ain't gonna lose (And I mean to go on and on,and on, and on)
Themes; regrets, shame, eternal life, humansupremacy, invincibility
The Crusade Goes Too Far;And you're rushing headlong
You've got a new goal
And you're rushing headlong
Out of control
And you think you're so strong
But there ain't no stopping
And there's nothing you can do about it
Nothing you can do, no
There's nothing you can do about it
No, there's nothing you can, nothing you can
Nothing you can do about it
Meets a white-hot lady
(Hoop diddy, diddy, hoop diddy do)
Soon the fire starts raging
Gets you more than half crazy
(Hoop diddy, diddy, hoop diddy do)
Ooh, now they start freaking
Everywhere you turn
You can't start walking
'Cause your feet got burned
It ain't no time to figure wrong from right
Because reason's out of the window
Better hold on tight
Themes; success leading to uncontrollableacceleration, the paradox of reason
Key Lines; “Meets a white-hot lady” may bea reference to Erda or the Selinar Gene Cults. “Because reason's out of thewindow, Better hold on tight” may be a reference to an Empire ostensiblybased on pure reason but in effect based on magic and deception while denyingthe same.
The Horus HeresyThe Emperors considers the terrible cost of his dream;by fc04 I think
Guilt stains on my pillow
Blood on my terraces
Torsos in my closet
Shadows from my past
Sleeping is my leisure
Waking up in a minefield
Dream is just a pleasure dome
Love is a roulette wheel
Success is my breathing space
I brought it on myself
I will price it
I will cash it
I can take it or leave it
Loneliness is my hiding place
Breastfeeding myself
What more can I say
I have swallowed the bitter pill
I can taste it, I can taste it
Life is real, life is real
Life is real
Themes; hidden personal regrets, isolation,secrecy, shame
Horus Betrays the Emperor;(Ah!) You suck my blood like a leech
You break the law and you breach
Screw my brain till it hurts
You've taken all my money and you want more
Misguided old mule
With your pigheaded rules
With your narrow-minded cronies
Who are fools of the first division
Death on two legs
You're tearing me apart
Death on two legs
You never had a heart of your own
Killjoy, bad guy
Big talking small fry
You're just an old barrow boy
Have you found a new toy to replace me?
Can you face me?
But now you can kiss my ass goodbye
Feel good? Are you satisfied?
Do you feel like suicide? (I think you should)
Is your conscience all right?
Does it plague you at night?
Do you feel good? (Feel good!)
Like a big business tycoon
You're just a hot air balloon
So no one gives you a damn
You're just an overgrown schoolboy
Let me tan your hide
Dog with disease
You're the king of the sleaze
Put your money where your mouth is
Mr. Know-All, was the fin on your back part of thedeal?
Shark!
Death on two legs
Tearing me apart
Death on two legs
You never had a heart (You never did)
Of your own (Right from the start)
Insane, should be put inside
You're a sewer rat decaying in a cesspool of pride
Should be made unemployed
Make yourself null and void
Make me feel good (I feel good!)
Themes; This is the only song not from theEmperors point of view but it was so distinct and expressive I left it in.
The Emperor Considers Horus' Betrayal; It started off so well
They said we made a perfect pair
I clothed myself in your glory and your love
How I loved you, how I cried
The years of care and loyalty
Were nothing but a sham, it seems
The years belie, we lived a lie
I love you 'til I die
Save me, save me, save me!
I can't face this life alone
Save me, save me, save me!
I'm naked and I'm far from home
The slate will soon be clean
I’ll erase the memories
To start again with somebody new
Was it all wasted, all that love?
I hang my head and I advertise
A soul for sale or rent
I have no heart, I'm cold inside
I have no real intent
Themes; friendship and love, betrayal, isolation,terror of powerlessness, personal emptiness, (the last two very characteristicof cluster B personality disorders.
Key Lines; “I’ll erase the memories, To start againwith somebody new”
The Siege of Terra Begins;The Siege of Terra - Misha Savier
Here we stand or here we fall
History won't care at all
Make the bed, light the light, yeah
Lady Mercy won't be home tonight, yeah
(You don't waste no time at all)
Don't hear the bell, but you answer the call
(It comes to you, as to us all)
Yeah, we're just waiting
For the hammer to fall, yeah
Oh, every night and every day
A little piece of you is falling away
But lift your face, the Western Way
Build your muscles
As your body decays, yeah
(Tow your line and play their game)
Yeah, let the anaesthetic cover it all
('Till one day they call your name)
You know it's time for the hammer to fall, yeah
Rich or poor or famous
For your truth is all the same
Yeah, baby (Oh no, oh no)
Oh, lock your door but rain is pouring
Through your window pane (Oh no)
Baby, baby, now your struggle is all in vain
For he who grew up tall and proud
In the shadow of the mushroom cloud
Convinced our voices can't be heard
We just wanna scream it louder
And louder and louder
(What the hell we fighting for?)
Oh, just surrender and it won't hurt at all
(Just got time to say your prayers)
Eh, while you're waiting
For the hammer to, hammer to fall
Themes; look, this one is pretty obvious.
Key Lines; “For he who grew up tall and proud, Inthe shadow of the mushroom cloud”, clearly a reference to the devastationof Earth and surviving Old Night.
The Emperor is placed on the Golden Throne
Empty spaces, what are we living for?
Abandoned places, I guess we know the score,
Does anybody know what we are looking for?
Another hero, another mindless crime
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime
Hold the line
Does anybody want to take it anymore?
The show must go on
The show must go on, yeah
Inside my heart is breaking
My makeup may be flaking
But my smile, still, stays on
Whatever happens, I'll leave it all to chance
Another hеartache, another failed romancе,
Does anybody know what we are living for?
I guess I'm learning
I must be warmer now
I'll soon be turning (turning), round the corner now
Outside the dawn is breaking
But inside in the dark I'm aching to be free
My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies
Fairy tales of yesterday, grow but never die
I can fly, my friends
The show must go on (oh, yeah)
The show must go on (yeah, yeah)
I'll face it with a grin
I'm never giving in
On with the show
The show must go on (on, on)
The show must go on (on, on)
I'll top the bill
I'll overkill
I have to find the will to carry on
Themes; burning, a complete loss of faith andsense of desolation, shame in his own perceived heroism, the presentation of agilded front, (his ‘smile’ does indeed stay), fatalism, the transmutation ofthe soul, resolution to continue.
Key Lines; “Behind the curtain, in thepantomime, Hold the line, Does anybody want to take it anymore?”, “I must bewarmer now, I'll soon be turning (turning), round the corner now, Outside thedawn is breaking, But inside in the dark I'm aching to be free”
The Dark Millenia BeginBlanche
The Emperors final sane thoughtsI'm just the pieces of the man I used to be
Too many bitter tears are raining down on me
I'm far away from home, and I've been facing thisalone
For much too long
Oh, I feel like no one ever told the truth to me
About growing up and what a struggle it would be
In my tangled state of mind, I've been looking back tofind
Where I went wrong
Too much love will kill you
If you can't make up your mind
Torn between the lover
And the love you leave behind
You're headed for disaster
'Cause you never read the signs
Too much love will kill you every time
I'm just the shadow of the man I used to be
And it seems like there's no way out of this for me
I used to bring you sunshine
Now all I ever do is bring you down
Mmm, how would it be if you were standin' in my shoes?
Can't you see that it's impossible to choose?
No, there's no making sense of it
Every way I go, I'm bound to lose
Oh-oh, yeah
Too much love will kill you
Just as sure as none at all
It will drain the power that's in you
Make you plead and scream and crawl
And the pain will make you crazy
You're the victim of your crime
Too much love will kill you every time
Yes, too much love will kill you
It will make your life a lie
Yes, too much love will kill you
And you won't understand why
You'd give your life, you'd sell your soul
But here it comes again
Too much love will kill you!
In the end
In the end
Themes; personal decay, personal isolation,regret, fatalistic despair, agonising personal pain, shame
The Emperors faces the Age of Darkness;Just look at all those hungry mouths we have to feed
Take a look at all the suffering we breed
So many lonely faces scattered all around
Searching for what they need
Is this the world we created?
What did we do it for?
Is this the world we invaded
Against the law?
So it seems in the end
Is this what we're all living for today?
The world that we created
You know that everyday a helpless child is born
Who needs some loving care inside a happy home
Somewhere a wealthy man is sitting on his throne
Waiting for life to go by
Oh, oh-oh
Is this the world we created?
We made it on our own
Is this the world we devastated
Right to the bone?
If there's a God in the sky, looking down
What can He think of what we've done
To the world that He created?
Themes; regret for personal crimes and violence, shame,an awareness of universal human suffering.
Key Lines; “Somewhere a wealthy man is sittingon his throne”, “Is this the world we devastated
Right to the bone?”
Over the Millenia His Mental State Fragments;The Emperors Tarot by RuoyuartWhen the outside temperature rises
And the meaning is oh, so clear
One thousand and one yellow daffodils
Begin to dance in front of you, oh dear
Are they trying to tell you something?
You're missing that one final screw
You're simply not in the pink, my dear
To be honest, you haven't got a clue
I'm going slightly mad
I'm going slightly mad
It finally happened, happened
It finally happened, oh-woah
It finally happened, I'm slightly mad
Oh dear, hahaha
I'm one card short of a full deck
I'm not quite the shilling
One wave short of a shipwreck
I'm not at my usual top billing
I'm coming down with a fever
I'm really out to sea
This kettle is boiling over
I think I'm a banana tree
Oh, dear
I'm knitting with only one needle
Unravelling fast, it's true
I'm driving only three wheels these days
But my dear, how about you?
[Chorus]
I'm going slightly mad
I'm going slightly mad
It finally happened
It finally happened, oh yes
It finally happened, I'm slightly mad
Just very slightly mad
Themes; burning, madness, isolation disassociationof the self
Key Lines; “When the outside temperature rises”,“This kettle is boiling over”
The Star Child Awakens;While the sun hangs in the sky
And the desert has sand
While the waves crash in the sea
And meet the land
While there's a wind and the stars
And the rainbow
'Till the mountains crumble into the plain
Oh yes, we'll keep on trying
Tread that fine line
Oh, we'll keep on trying, yeah
Just passing our time
Ooh, ooh!
While we live according to race
Color or creed
While we rule by blind madness
And pure greed
Our lives dictated by tradition
Superstition, false religion
Through the eons, and on and on
Oh yes, we'll keep on trying
We'll tread that fine line
Oh, we'll keep on trying
'Till the end of time
'Till the end of time!
Through the sorrow
All through our splendor
Don't take offense at my innuendo
If there's a God, or any kind
Of justice under the sky
If there's a point, if there's a reason
To live or die
If there's an answer to the questions
We feel bound to ask
Show yourself, destroy our fears
Release your mask
(We'll just keep on trying)
We'll just keep on trying
'Till the end of time
'Till the end of time
'Till the end of time!
Themes; eternal cycles, resolution, a golden path,human universality, decaying empire, religious faith
Key Lines; “Whilewe rule by blind madness, And pure greed, Our lives dictated by tradition, Superstition,false religion, Through the eons, and on and on”
WHY DOES QUEEN SING THE EMPERORS SONG?This is the real big question! I have broken down myresponse into five sections; Highlander, Zoroastrianism, the 80’s, Queen andthe personality and history of Freddie.
Highlander This is probably the most simple and singular element,and the easiest to describe.
A lot of the themes of immortality and conflict, and manyof the extremely on-the-nose songs come from Highlander, a story about Scottishsword-slinging immortals and their pride and sorrows.
This has elements of the cultural feedback describedbelow in that
Highlander was big in the 80s and very possiblyinfluenced the Emperors general vibe. The people building 40k definitelywatched this movie! It also feeds intoand draws from the general ambient personality of the 1980’s a somewhathypermasculine, operatic and narcissistic decade.
There is also a question of matching or sympathetic vibeswith Queen choosing to do the music for this relatively minor Sci-Fi film. Whydid they say yes? Did the personality and background of Freddy mesh well withthis story of violence, eternity, incredible powers, romance and deepisolation?
Zoroastrianism I am pretty convinced that the Zoroastrianism FreddieMercury was raised in left its distant mark in the mood, lyrics and subjects ofQueen, specifically;
· Themes of Light vs Dark
· Great cycles of time
· Spiritual mega-conflicts
· Immortality, ‘the (Parsi?) blood of kings’
· Human universality
· An unknowable redeeming god; “Show yourself,destroy our fears, Release your mask”.
Zoraster created maybe the first huge universalisinghuman philosophy, this lead into the Abrahamic faiths and gave them their owndualistic light vs dark eternal conflict motif over huge swathes of time. TheHorus Heresy is basically Paradise Lost, part of the Christan Expanded Universe(semi-canon), so is it a huge surprise that the mood and feel, the deepessential conflicts of Zoraster, should show up again and again in verydistantly descended media and stories?
The 80s Generally Nuclear Armageddon! The threat of immanent doom hangsover the west! Everyone is worried about the nukes. They go missing in films,explode in banned documentaries, a disturbing and half-real sense ofapocalyptic immanence hangs over the land
Testosterone! Maggie and Regan are in the house.Advertising regulations for kids have been massively relaxed leading to abooming loop of hypermasculine boys cartoons and plastic injection figures.Bravestar, MASK, Conan has a kind of mind-child in He-Man, Rambo, the troubledand violent Vietnam war veteran, had an animated kids show, so did Robocop.
Operatic Quasi-Camp Quasi-Satire. Was Robocop a satire?Kind of yes but also kind of no. Or both. The sheen of irony has not yet fallenacross the face of culture and its fine to valorise and simultaneously mockideas of glorious hyperviolence. This is an age of cocaine, excess and economicboom.
A very testosterone fuelled decade, - a lot of thereferences for 40k are still ones from the 80s
Little is minor in Queen Queen did have jokes and a sheen and thread of irony inmuch of what they did but over-focusing on this would be a mistake as it wasalways a counterpoint to a gigantic, bombastic all-out style in subject, moodand content. Nothing is really small in Queen, emotions are epic, times areeternal, or vast cycles, places are distant or impossible, people are eitherconsuming intimates or vast human universals. Everything has to be the biggestthing for Freddie to sing about.
Queen were also a merging of the Nerdy, Bombastic,Masculine, performed masculinity and camp, they were, in a way, a Warhammerband, perhaps more than any other, even the ones who intended to be.
The Personality of Freddy Mercury An intensely vulnerable narcissist who believes they havea magical talent and that they are better than everyone else and who actuallyturns out to be yes, actually genuinely insanely hyper-competent at what theydo and actually better than everyone else.
Isolation. The narcissist is ever-alone, the megastareven more so.
How many Queen songs express the consuming andconflicting emotions of insane, even deranged self-belief and deep personalvulnerability? Of splendid and even glorious isolation and a consumingloneliness?
Add to this a semi-secret life behind the scenes, the‘invisible man’, then finally the disturbing synchronicity of AIDS and personalbodily decay while still alive, a horrifying loss of glory and personalcontrol. Consuming regret for failed chances or former wrongs.
We might say that Freddie lived out almost the perfectedNarcissists Life. It wasn’t perfect for him, but it was perfect for History andfor the grand ritual it represented. The King must always die in the end.
Synthesis This is my synthesis for this strange synchronicity. Earlyexposure to the themes, conflicts and emotions of the most primal ManicheanUniversal human faith by a young boy who will nurture an incredible talent, whowill eventually escape his culture and literally remake himself as a new manwhile hiding a terrible secret.
This man rising through the psychic storm of the 1980sand proving his personal greatness, absorbing, reflecting and intensifying thepulsing muscular mood of that doom-troubled decade.
That very decade and its emotions feeding into a verydifferent group of nerdy men than those gathered around him in Queen, butproducing fertile soil and a seed, sparked into life by Highlander; the causalnode of the whole thing, a noospheric meta-neuron soaking in and distilling thedrives, tragedies and emotions of the age and the band and linking them withthe Star Child of the foetal Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Then a great flowering of synchronic growth, with thepride glory, isolation, sadness and greatness of a dead Megastar meeting thevibrating echo of the only fictional character who could possibly carry such astaggeringly potent charge of impossible emotions; a literal God Emperor!
The God-Emperor of Mankind is the psychic mind-child ofFreddie Mercury!