Emperor Queen

 No, I am not crazy 

The 1980s and 90’s rock band Queen, fronted by Freddy Mercury, directly sings the story of the God-Emperor of Mankind from Warhammer 40,000 to a degree you would question is likely or possible unless you examined it in depth. 

And examine it in depth I have!!!!! Using ONLY the lyrics of 26 songs by Queen, I have been able to reconstruct a SUBSTANTIAL amount  personal timeline of the Emperor, sung largely in first person, with one song for Horus as I couldn’t leave it out. 

As you  follow me through the following sections, from his early life to the age of strife, to the Birth of the Imperium, the Horus Heresy, the Dark Millenia and possible rebirth of the Star Child you will be forced to agree that EITHER, the rock band Queen were in fact prophets of the Dark Millennium, or, more boringly but more likely a strange kind of Fortean synchronicity has interlaced a deep causal vibration between the mood, tone, subject and specifics of Queens lyrics and the evolving story of the God-Emperor of Mankind. 

At the end of the post I will dive into possible causes and processes of such a Fortean event, but first, I give you, in chronological order, and broken up by period, the life story of the God-Emperor of Mankind, sung by Queen!

History Viewed by an Immortal

We know the Emperor was born, I think about 10,000 years ago in Anatolia, so right on the edge of recorded history, and the final gasp of the Pleistocine and birth of the Neolithic. That makes him already 35,000 years old be the time the Age of Strife begins and, unfortunately, there are relatively 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 Ginias

I'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, psychic power 

Key Lines; “Now I'm in your room, and I'm in your bed, And I'm in your life, and I'm in your head”, “Never had a real good friend, Not a boy or a girl, No one knows what I've been through, Let my flag unfurl”

 

 

The Dark Age of Technology and Revolt of the Machines;

 

Blanche

Machines, 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 deep inside 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 my way

Mind you grow a little wiser, little better every day

But if I crossed a million rivers and I rode a million miles

Then I'd still be where I started, bread and butter for 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 a superstar”

But I tell you, just be satisfied and stay right where you are

 

Keep yourself alive (Yeah), keep yourself alive

Take you all your time and-a money, honey, you'll survive

 

Well, I've loved a million women in a belladonic haze

And I ate a million dinners brought to me on silver trays

Give me everythin' I need to feed my body and my soul

And I'll grow a little bigger, maybe that can be my goal

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 million miles

Then I'd still be where I started, same as when I started

 

Take you all your time and money, honey, you will survive

Keep you satisfied, keep yourself alive…

 

Themes; human survival, eternal life, invisibility, self actualisation.

 

Key Lines; “Give me everythin' I need to feed my body and my soul, And I'll grow a little bigger, maybe that can be my goal”

 

 

Creation of ‘The Emperor’ Persona

 

The 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 against superior power 

Key Lines; “Rumour has it that you can play it dirty …. 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 ON POINT 

 

 

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 10

Flash

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 saviour of all mankind, dichotomy between supreme power and essential humanity 

 

Birth of the Imperium

  

emwatnott

The Founding; 

Hey! One man, one goal

Ha, 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, personal singular 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 no white” 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, claims of 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 knowledge to be revealed in the future, loneliness 

Key Lines; “I fought with you, fought on your side, Long before you were born”, “Don't destroy what you see, Your country to be, 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 Mars as the Omnissiah; 

I'm a shooting star, leaping through the sky like a tiger

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 Mister Fahrenheit

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 collision course

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 Mister Fahrenheit

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 Mister Fahrenheit (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 much not in an ‘Emperor Voice’ but it does have fragments of the elements stated above. 

 

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 him bad

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 ascended warrior class, dark powers, survival, personal immortality, singular power, personal perfection 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, I hear 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, and on, 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 that goes 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, human supremacy, 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 uncontrollable acceleration, the paradox of reason 

Key Lines; “Meets a white-hot lady” may be a reference to Erda or the Selinar Gene Cults. “Because reason's out of the window, Better hold on tight” may be a reference to an Empire ostensibly based on pure reason but in effect based on magic and deception while denying the same.

  

 

The Horus Heresy

  

The 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 the deal?

 

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 the Emperors 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 characteristic of cluster B personality disorders. 

Key Lines; “I’ll erase the memories, To start again with 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, In the shadow of the mushroom cloud”, clearly a reference to the devastation of 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 and sense of desolation, shame in his own perceived heroism, the presentation of a gilded front, (his ‘smile’ does indeed stay), fatalism, the transmutation of the soul, resolution to continue. 

Key Lines; “Behind the curtain, in the pantomime, Hold the line, Does anybody want to take it anymore?”, “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”

 

 

The Dark Millenia Begin

 

Blanche

 

The Emperors final sane thoughts

 

I'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 this alone

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 to find

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 sitting on his throne”, “Is this the world we devastated

Right to the bone?”

 

 

 

Over the Millenia His Mental State Fragments;

The Emperors Tarot by Ruoyuart

  

When 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 disassociation of 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; “While we 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 my response into five sections; Highlander, Zoroastrianism, the 80’s, Queen and the 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 many of the extremely on-the-nose songs come from Highlander, a story about Scottish sword-slinging immortals and their pride and sorrows. 

This has elements of the cultural feedback described below in that 

Highlander was big in the 80s and very possibly influenced the Emperors general vibe. The people building 40k definitely watched this movie!  It also feeds into and draws from the general ambient personality of the 1980’s a somewhat hypermasculine, operatic and narcissistic decade. 

There is also a question of matching or sympathetic vibes with Queen choosing to do the music for this relatively minor Sci-Fi film. Why did they say yes? Did the personality and background of Freddy mesh well with this story of violence, eternity, incredible powers, romance and deep isolation? 

 

Zoroastrianism 

I am pretty convinced that the Zoroastrianism Freddie Mercury was raised in left its distant mark in the mood, lyrics and subjects of Queen, 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 universalising human philosophy, this lead into the Abrahamic faiths and gave them their own dualistic light vs dark eternal conflict motif over huge swathes of time. The Horus 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 deep essential conflicts of Zoraster, should show up again and again in very distantly descended media and stories? 

 

The 80s Generally 

Nuclear Armageddon! The threat of immanent doom hangs over the west! Everyone is worried about the nukes. They go missing in films, explode in banned documentaries, a disturbing and half-real sense of apocalyptic immanence hangs over the land 

Testosterone! Maggie and Regan are in the house. Advertising regulations for kids have been massively relaxed leading to a booming loop of hypermasculine boys cartoons and plastic injection figures. Bravestar, MASK, Conan has a kind of mind-child in He-Man, Rambo, the troubled and 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 fallen across the face of culture and its fine to valorise and simultaneously mock ideas of glorious hyperviolence. This is an age of cocaine, excess and economic boom. 

A very testosterone fuelled decade, - a lot of the references for 40k are still ones from the 80s 

 

Little is minor in Queen 

Queen did have jokes and a sheen and thread of irony in much of what they did but over-focusing on this would be a mistake as it was always a counterpoint to a gigantic, bombastic all-out style in subject, mood and content. Nothing is really small in Queen, emotions are epic, times are eternal, or vast cycles, places are distant or impossible, people are either consuming intimates or vast human universals. Everything has to be the biggest thing 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 Warhammer band, perhaps more than any other, even the ones who intended to be. 

 

 

The Personality of Freddy Mercury 

An intensely vulnerable narcissist who believes they have a magical talent and that they are better than everyone else and who actually turns out to be yes, actually genuinely insanely hyper-competent at what they do and actually better than everyone else. 

Isolation. The narcissist is ever-alone, the megastar even more so. 

How many Queen songs express the consuming and conflicting emotions of insane, even deranged self-belief and deep personal vulnerability? Of splendid and even glorious isolation and a consuming loneliness? 

Add to this a semi-secret life behind the scenes, the ‘invisible man’, then finally the disturbing synchronicity of AIDS and personal bodily decay while still alive, a horrifying loss of glory and personal control. Consuming regret for failed chances or former wrongs. 

We might say that Freddie lived out almost the perfected Narcissists Life. It wasn’t perfect for him, but it was perfect for History and for the grand ritual it represented. The King must always die in the end. 

 

Synthesis 

This is my synthesis for this strange synchronicity. Early exposure to the themes, conflicts and emotions of the most primal Manichean Universal human faith by a young boy who will nurture an incredible talent, who will eventually escape his culture and literally remake himself as a new man while hiding a terrible secret. 

This man rising through the psychic storm of the 1980s and proving his personal greatness, absorbing, reflecting and intensifying the pulsing muscular mood of that doom-troubled decade.

That very decade and its emotions feeding into a very different group of nerdy men than those gathered around him in Queen, but producing fertile soil and a seed, sparked into life by Highlander; the causal node of the whole thing, a noospheric meta-neuron soaking in and distilling the drives, tragedies and emotions of the age and the band and linking them with the Star Child of the foetal Warhammer 40,000 universe. 

Then a great flowering of synchronic growth, with the pride glory, isolation, sadness and greatness of a dead Megastar meeting the vibrating echo of the only fictional character who could possibly carry such a staggeringly potent charge of impossible emotions; a literal God Emperor! 

The God-Emperor of Mankind is the psychic mind-child of Freddie Mercury!