So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
Do you mean it?
Do you mean it?
Do you mean it?
Why don't you mean it?
Why do I follow you and where do you go?
You've never seen nothing like it
No, never in your life
Like going up to heaven
And then coming back alive
Let me tell you all about it
And the world will so allow it
Ooh, give me a little time to choose
Water babies singing in a lily-pool delight
Blue powder monkeys praying in the dead of night
Here comes the black queen, poking in the pile
Fie-fo the black queen, marching single file
Take this, take that
Bring them down to size
(March to the black queen)
Put them in the cellar with the naughty boys
A little nigger sugar then a rub-a dub-a baby oil
Black on, black on every finger nail and toe
We've only begun, begun
Make this, make that
Keep making all that noise
(March to the black queen)
Now I've got a belly full
You can be my sugar baby
You can be my honey chile, yes
A voice from behind me reminds me
Spread out your wings, you are an angel
Remember to deliver with the speed of light
A little bit of love and joy
Everything you do bears a will and a why and a wherefore
A little bit of love and joy
In each and every soul lies a man
Very soon he'll deceive and discover
But even 'til the end of his life
He'll bring a little love
I reign with my left hand
I rule with my right
I'm Lord of all darkness
I'm queen of the night
But I've got the power
Now do the march of the black queen
My life is in your hands
I'll fo and I'll fie
I'll be what you make me
I'll do what you like
I'll be your bad boy
I'll be your bad boy
I'll do the march of the black queen
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Walking to the style
She's vulgar, 'buse and vile
Fie-fo the black queen tattoos all her pies
She boils, and she bakes, and she never dots her "I's"
She's our leader
Forget your sing-alongs and your lullabies
Surrender to the city of the fireflies
Dance with the devil, beat with the band
To hell with all of you hand-in-hand
But now it's time to be gone
La, la, la, la, forever, forever
Do you mean it?
Do you mean it?
Why don't you mean it?
Why do I follow you and where do you go?
You've never seen nothing like it
No, never in your life
Like going up to heaven
And then coming back alive
Let me tell you all about it
And the world will so allow it
Ooh, give me a little time to choose
Water babies singing in a lily-pool delight
Blue powder monkeys praying in the dead of night
Here comes the black queen, poking in the pile
Fie-fo the black queen, marching single file
Take this, take that
Bring them down to size
(March to the black queen)
Put them in the cellar with the naughty boys
A little nigger sugar then a rub-a dub-a baby oil
Black on, black on every finger nail and toe
We've only begun, begun
Make this, make that
Keep making all that noise
(March to the black queen)
Now I've got a belly full
You can be my sugar baby
You can be my honey chile, yes
A voice from behind me reminds me
Spread out your wings, you are an angel
Remember to deliver with the speed of light
A little bit of love and joy
Everything you do bears a will and a why and a wherefore
A little bit of love and joy
In each and every soul lies a man
Very soon he'll deceive and discover
But even 'til the end of his life
He'll bring a little love
I reign with my left hand
I rule with my right
I'm Lord of all darkness
I'm queen of the night
But I've got the power
Now do the march of the black queen
My life is in your hands
I'll fo and I'll fie
I'll be what you make me
I'll do what you like
I'll be your bad boy
I'll be your bad boy
I'll do the march of the black queen
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Walking to the style
She's vulgar, 'buse and vile
Fie-fo the black queen tattoos all her pies
She boils, and she bakes, and she never dots her "I's"
She's our leader
Forget your sing-alongs and your lullabies
Surrender to the city of the fireflies
Dance with the devil, beat with the band
To hell with all of you hand-in-hand
But now it's time to be gone
La, la, la, la, forever, forever
Lyrics submitted by MikCrazyHorse, edited by SmileyKovacs
The March of the Black Queen Lyrics as written by Freddie Mercury
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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You should really hear it before you comment on it. In fact you should here it anyway. It's one of those rare gems that's even better than Bohemian Rhapsody and perhaps the best Queen song ever written.
As for an analysis, I point to this page:
geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Alley/4425/tmotbq.html
They explain it better than I ever could.
the site you refered to doesn't exist anymore :(
I agree, this is in my opinion the best Queen song ever written
@Geek UK i agree but the link doesnt work
Incredible song. The mood and tempo changes multiple times and Freddie's sinister vocal delivery is incomparable. This song and album simply must be heard to be believed. Absolute genius.
I'm probably gonna get a lot bad replies to this but...It's not my favourite. I still like it...I do think it's underrated....and I admit it's historically very important for Queen but it's not my favourite.
As for what the song's about...well Queen II is probably Queen's most prog-rock album. And it tells a story of fairies and queens and such. As for the Black Queen...I see her a something like a debauched contrast to the innocent White Queen. Either that or it could be the Whit Queen as an impure being (eg: having lost her virginity)
God only knows what this is about (although I have read the analysis referred to by Geek UK above, and commend the author for their research/imagination if nothing else).I also agree with Mr Geek that this is the best song ever written, from the best album ever recorded (and incidentally Brian May's favourite). It defies serious interpretation, just lie back and go along for the ride. Pure, unadulterated genius.
This song is a precursor to Bohemian Rhapsody...if ya can't see that you're blind
@MoonlitKnight u mean deaf?
Oh this song is so fantastic and epic. The vocals and harmonies are fantabulous and the lyrics...wow... I hear this song and I think man if I ever write a book that's the kind of villain I want. That song is like watching a movie, it's incredible. I especially love the line "I reign with my left hand, I rule with my right" Pure poetic geniousness in it's simple glory.
The song is absolutely brilliant!!! I believe is one of Queen
s greatest songs...The powerful lyrics and the crazy good tunes...it is just flawless...I cant have enough of it.Only Freddie Mercury knows for sure what the song is about. It sounds like it's about a forbidden relationship full of debauchery but there is an element of Godliness even though the nature of the relations are lascivious. This verse is about the Godliness:
A voice from behind me reminds me Spread out your wings you are an angel Remember to deliver with the speed of light A little bit of love and joy Everything you do bears a will And a why and a wherefore A little bit of love and joy In each and every soul lies a man And very soon he'll deceive and discover But even to the end of his life He'll bring a little love."
The rest of the song is all about the debauchery and darkness.
In my opinion this song is about a promiscuous person or prostitute who engages in all sorts of debauchery but still has an element of Godliness as described in the part of the song which begins with "A voice from behind me reminds me spread out your wings you are an angel. Before Bohemian Rhapsody there was The March of The Black Queen. I was only 10 when Queen 2 was released so I don't know what the reaction to the album was but if you look back now it was obvious that Queen were something very special and were destined to become one of the greatest bands of all time.
The song is brilliantly conceptual - and I'm sure it's about the Goddess Kali - the Goddess of Death and Destruction - and the effect 'She' ( or more specifically, Seduction) can have on your Soul.
Kali is also associated with blood lust, sexuality and extreme violence. She is of the 'Gods', in her form as Durga, but transforms into Kali in a pure rage and is more horrific than any 'Demon', and has to be because she has the ultimate power to kill them all, and is the most terrible One.
But summon Her at your peril - if you are lacking in 'Godliness' yourself. She will seduce you to the 'Dark Side' if you are not pure and innocent enough.
This 'Dark Side' effect actually happened to the Thuggee Cult, who were fanatical Kali worshippers. They ended up being murderers and robbers and lived the most debauched lifestyle they could, because they experienced a 'sweetness' beyond compare with each evil act they dedicated to Kali.
To understand Kali - you must read the Devi Mahatmyam of the Markandeya Purana. It's a fascinating story.
Freddie grew up in India and would have studied the Devi Mahatmyam at school. The stories of Durga and her terrible form Kali have a profound effect on Indian culture and philosophy.
Freddie's genius in this song applies to everyone, whether you are Hindu or not, and of course Freddie's family were Parsees (Zarathustrians) not Hindu.
It is about the seduction of the Soul towards acts of evil, the 'sweetness' and rewards of evil, and how you get your jollies - and what the downside will be.
'Kali' , or worship of her, can give you anything you want - but you will pay the price.