The most underrated Queen vocal, according to Brian May
When it comes to the ultimate voice in rock, it’s hard to argue that anyone’s better than the king of range himself, Queen’s Freddie Mercury.
In fact, Mercury had more than just incredible vocal talent; his technique also meant that he understood how to use the voice as a conduit for emotion. After all, even some of the more anthemic Queen songs, like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, are filled to the brim with raw emotion, and even those who don’t know what it’s about feel just how palpable that energy is, too.
In rock, especially, it’s difficult to pinpoint what makes a talented vocalist. The genre often beckons a different subset of skills, as well as someone who understands how to do more than just carry a simple tune. With Mercury, the appeal often came from him making it feel as though you’re in his world, even if the thoughts and experiences he sang about were purely his own.
According to Brian May, Mercury could “hold an audience in the palm of his hand”. While there were many aspects that ensured the legacy of Queen, it was often Mercury’s voice that stole the show, setting an almost unreachable standard for vocal dynamics in rock. Many songs prove his prowess as the ultimate rock singer, many of which are ones that we still celebrate today.
Again, there’s a reason why ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ became a career-defining hit. Beyond the sheer bravery of running with a song so against the grain when it came to radio play and broader commercial appeal, Mercury’s vocals carry the entire song, leading it through its different segments with effortless ease.
Many songs are similar, but there’s one in particular that May feels doesn’t get the attention it deserves: the band’s popular Christmas classic, ‘Thank God It’s Christmas’. A song that immediately makes you feel immersed in the warm intimacy of the festive season, ‘Thank God It’s Christmas’ became a classic because of Mercury’s sultry vocals, his performance alone ticking all the boxes when it comes to falling into that sparkly spirit come Christmas time.
According to May, Mercury’s performance in the song doesn’t get enough recognition. As he once explained to Ultimate Classic Rock, “[Freddie] loved it and did a beautiful vocal. I think it’s just the most understated vocal, and I love it, you know.”
The bulk of the song was penned by Roger Taylor, with a bit of input from Brian May, but it’s Mercury’s magic that truly brings it to life. Right from the first notes, it grabs you. The lyrics tap into something spot-on about Christmas too – that sense of hope and release people feel when the festive season kicks in, and it’s finally time to down tools and soak up some proper rest.
On top of all of that, the song achieved another seemingly impossible feat: standing out during a year when Christmas music competition was high. After all, the same year saw the release of a few other immediate classics, including Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ and Wham’s sleeper hit, ‘Last Christmas’. So, for Queen to find a place among those with ‘Thank God It’s Christmas’, they really did know how to sprinkle a little magic in everything they did. And mainly, it was thanks to Mercury’s timeless voice.
