Ana+L-H

 **//The Show must go on// by Queen**  **//Innuendo//, 1991** media type="youtube" key="AC04RYrgkEM" width="425" height="350"

**Lyrics:**

**Summary:**
 * Brief biography of Freddie Mercury
 * Choice of song
 * Figures of speech and main theme
 * Lyrics

**Freddie Mercury:** I am firstly going to talk about Freddie Mercury’s life, highlighting the end of it, as it is what inspired the song. He was born on 1946 in Zanzibar but had to emigrate to Feltham, England, due to the Zanzibar revolution in 1964. He studied art and joined some bands until 1970, when he joined Brain May and Roger Taylor. A year later, John Deacon became part of the group. The rock band //Queen// was completed.

It is believed that the song was written by Brian May (guitarist and songwriter of the band) for Freddie Mercury, who was approaching the end of his life, after being tested HIV-positive. However, the song is attributed to the entire group.

The song was first launched in 1991, six weeks before the death of the vocalist. Freddie Mercury died the 24 November 1991 at the age of 45 in London. However, “The show must go on” re-entered the rankings after his death, peaking at #16 in the British charts and #2 in the US.

**Choice of song:** What made me choose this song is mainly the message it transmits and the story it hides between its lyrics. I really admire how the song expresses the fight against death and reflects the effort made by Freddie towards the end of his life. As well as the meaning of the song, the strong instruments played emphasize the effect of effort. The rhythm also influences, as it makes it motivating. I personally like the change it makes in the sixth verse, as it is contrasted with the strong guitar of the verse before. **Figures of speech and main theme:** There are different figures of speech in the lyrics which make the main theme of the song slightly ambiguous, leading to a personal interpretation. In other words, different people can feel identified with the song in different ways, as it can be seen from different perspectives. In my opinion, the song as a whole is a metaphor, as it talks about the desire to live using the show as a main character. It transmits how the determination and effort to continue are above surrender. Although you feel you are incapable of continuing, you have to make an effort, as your desire to go on has to be more important than the option of letting go. This is the overall message that the song transmits to people. This concept is strongly related to the situation of a show, as compared in the lyrics, because even he is tired of struggling to __live he knows__ he has to fight, as for him, surrender is not an option. The idea of fighting until the end is portrayed throughout the song. **Lyrics:** One of the things that make me love this song is the message transmitted by the lyrics. The comparison of life with a show is expressed in the song with clever words. For example: “//My make-up may be flaking but my smile still stays on”// These lines describe perfectly the desire of continuing with the show, as Mercury desires to continue with life. On another hand, the first two stanzas of the song are confusing and unclear, as they are presenting the scene of the show and the message at the same time. As well, here is a change of rhythm as mentioned before, divided in three lines which use ambiguous words to make the entire message of the song unclear. Nevertheless, in the last stanzas we can clearly feel the courage and braveness that help him “//face it with a grin//” and “//never giving in//”. In these lines his motivation to go on is shipped to people when they listen to the song. The stanza repeated throughout the song does not specially stand out because of the words used, but because of the strength used to sing it. We can feel the effort that represents the main theme expressed in these verses. The combination of lyrics and strong singing are what make the song special, as both help the message to be transmitted.