Being a natural-born star, anyone who earned the admiration or recognition of Freddie Mercury was automatically placed on a pedestal. The late singer himself wasn’t particularly known for modesty, and he rightfully had great confidence in his extraordinary talent. He considered only a handful of artists throughout the history of music as potential rivals to his distinct brilliance; but amid those who captured his attention, there existed only one that he wished he had crossed paths with.
Being born in 1946, Mercury naturally developed a strong admiration for The Beatles when they rose to prominence in the early 1960s. When he arrived in Britain in 1964, he was at an ideal age to fully appreciate their musical prowess and enthusiastically embraced the rock and roll-centred way of life. Departing his war-affected homeland, the singer was eager to embrace new experiences, with music serving as his sanctuary.
During this period, The Beatles were entering their phase of unparalleled success, and Mercury was absorbing their creations avidly. Among the band’s members, everyone had their personal favourite, and for Mercury, John Lennon occupied a unique and elevated position.
When asked in 1984 who he’d like to meet and speak with, Mercury said: “The only person I wish I had met was John Lennon, ‘cause he’s the one that I did idolise, and I just thought that he was a very beautiful human being. And I’m sad to say that I didn’t get to meet him. He’s the only one.”
This wasn’t the first time Mercury discussed his admiration for the late Beatle; he also called him “larger than life” and an “absolute genius”, saying: “Even at a very early stage when they were The Beatles, I always preferred John Lennon’s things.”
He added: “I don’t know why. He just had that magic… to be honest, I would never like to put myself on a par with John Lennon at all because he was the greatest, as far as I’m concerned. It’s not a matter of having less talent, just that some people are capable of doing certain things better than anybody else, and I feel that I’m not equipped to do the things that Lennon did. I don’t think anybody should because John Lennon was unique, a one-off, and that’s the way it is. I admire him very much, and that’s as far as I want to go. When I heard that Lennon was dead, I was shocked and dumbfounded.”
After Lennon’s passing, Mercury wrote the Queen song ‘Life is Real (Song For Lennon)’, which featured on their 1982 album Hot Space. Within the track, the musician bared his emotions and honoured his idol with heartfelt lyrics. Although their paths never crossed, Mercury praised Lennon’s work until the day he died. Lennon also praised Queen during his final interview in 1980, saying: “Listen to the Beatles records, but dig Queen or Clash or whatever is going on now.”
