Freddie Mercury wrote the lyrics, and there has been a lot of speculation as to their meaning. Mercury's parents were deeply involved in Zoroastrianism, and words like "Bismillah" do have a meaning in that religion. His family grew up in Zanzibar, but was forced out by government upheaval in 1964, and they moved to England. Some of the lyrics could be about leaving his homeland behind.

Mercury may have written "Galileo" into the lyrics for the benefit of Brian May, who is an astronomy buff. Galileo is a famous astronomer known for being the first to use a refracting telescope

A lot of words from the lyrics appear in the Qu'ran. "Bismillah" is one of these and it literally means "In the name of Allah." The word "Scaramouch" means "A stock character that appears as a boastful coward." "Beelzebub" is one of the many names given to The Devil.

In 2002, this came in #1 in a poll by Guinness World Records as Britain's favorite single of all time. John Lennon's "Imagine" was #2, followed by The Beatles' "Hey Jude."

Queen did not use any synthesizers on the album, which is something they were very proud of.

In the UK, this was #1 for 9 weeks, a record at the time. In 1991, this was re-released in the UK shortly after Freddie Mercury's death. It again went to #1, with proceeds going to the Terrence Higgins Trust, which Mercury supported.

Queen made a video for this to air on Top Of The Pops, a popular British music show, because the song was too complex to perform live. It started a trend in the UK of making videos for songs to air in place of live performances. When MTV launched in 1981, most of their videos came from British artists for this reason.

The video was very innovative. It was the first where the visual images took precedence over the song. It was based on their album cover, with the 4 band members looking up into the shadows. It was shot in 3 hours for $3,500. Effects were achieved by using camera feedback and prism lenses. At the time, it looked high-tech. It was also the first music video in the sense that it was shot in video instead of film.

Feel like singing too? Enjoy!

Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide,
No escape from reality.

Open your eyes,
Look up to the skies and see,
I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy,
Because I'm easy come, easy go,
Little high, little low,
Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me.

Mama just killed a man, Put a gun against his head,
pulled my trigger, now he's dead.
Mama, life had just begun, But now I've gone and thrown it all away.
Mama, ooh, Didn't mean to make you cry,
If I'm not back again this time tomorrow,
Carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters.

Too late, my time has come,
Sends shivers down my spine,
body's aching all the time.
Goodbye, ev'rybody, I've got to go,
Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth.
Mama, ooh, I don't want to die,
I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all.

I see a little silhouetto of a man,
Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango.
Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very fright'ning me.
(Galileo.) Galileo. (Galileo.) Galileo, Galileo figaro Magnifico.
I'm just a poor boy and nobody loves me.
He's just a poor boy from a poor family,
Spare him his life from this monstrosity.
Easy come, easy go, will you let me go.
Bismillah! No, we will not let you go. (Let him go!)
Bismillah! We will not let you go. (Let him go!)
Bismillah! We will not let you go. (Let me go.)
Will not let you go. (Let me go.)
Will not let you go. (Let me go.)
Ah. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. (Oh mama mia, mama mia.)
Mama mia, let me go. Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me,
for me, for me.

So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye.
So you think you can love me and leave me to die.
Oh, baby, can't do this to me, baby,
Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here.
Nothing really matters, Anyone can see,
Nothing really matters, Nothing really matters to me.
Any way the wind blows.

posted by allgrrl1978 @ 6:02 AM
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posted by allgrrl1978 @ 10:51 AM
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Then, as if in answer to her prayers for guidance, Amorelle unexpectedly found herself sharing a wonderful day with another man. A man who seemed to speak the language of her heart. Now she knew what true love could be-and what she must do. But is she too late to change her mind?

This is the book's cover:

Amazon.com's review goes like this:

When Amorelle finds herself orphaned and alone she thinks she must marry to survive. When she realizes that she cannot go through with the marriage ceremony she must escape the man she does not love. She finds that by helping others without telling them about her past she helps herself. Then she realizes that she really is seeking love, not security and her world begins to change.

Wow, even this Amorelle has troubles finding the "man who will speak the language of her heart". Sigh, don't we all? But going back into the topic, I'm starting to think I have a cool name. I may still get troubled expressions from people trying to rack their brains for the spelling of my name but at least I know exactly where my name came from. And by the way, the book is rated 5 stars! Will the real Amorelle also have a stellar review of her life? Hope so.

posted by allgrrl1978 @ 12:54 PM
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Lessons from Mom

My mom told me to search for an article about lessons we learn from our Moms because she heard one from their Sunday church service. I googled "Lessons from Mom" and this was the first article in the list and the one she was referring to. I knew she had ESP, as well as the other v

My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning!"

My mother taught me RELIGION
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

My mother taught me LOGIC
"Because I said so, that's why."

My Mother taught me LOGIC...#2
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

My mother taught me FORESIGHT
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

My mother taught me IRONY
"Keep crying and I'll give you something to cry about."

My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper!"

My mother taught me about CONTORTIONIST
"Will you "look" at the dirt on the back of your neck!"

My mother taught me about STAMINA
"You'll sit there 'till all that spinach is finished."

My mother taught me about WEATHER
"It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."

My mother taught me how to solve PHYSICS PROBLEMS
"If I yelled because I saw a meteor coming toward you; would you listen THEN?"

My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY
"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times - Don't Exaggerate!"

My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION
"Stop acting like your father!"

My mother taught me about ENVY
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do!"

My Mother taught me about ANTICIPATION...
"Just wait until we get home."

My Mother taught me about RECEIVING....
"You are going to get it when we get home!"

My Mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE...
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

My Mother taught me to THINK AHEAD...
"If you don't pass your spelling test, you'll never get a good job."

My Mother taught me ESP...
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you're cold?"

My mother taught me HUMOR
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

My mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

My Mother taught me about GENETICS...
"You're just like your father."

My Mother taught me about my ROOTS...
"Do you think you were born in a barn?"

My Mother taught me about WISDOM OF AGE...
"When you get to be my age, you will understand."

And my all time favorite...JUSTICE...
"One day you'll have kids ... and I hope they turn out just like you!"

posted by allgrrl1978 @ 7:30 AM
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Happy Mother's Day!

I remember Rainbow Brite Jellyace, Horlick's candies, Pringles when it was still one flavor (the one in red canister), trips to Milky way in Magallanes and any ice cream shop, 64-color Crayola crayons with built-in sharpener, a Barbie that only I had because it was imported, looking up the word carinosa because I heard her use that to describe me and feeling so warm all over after knowing what it meant, Keebler's cookies, Hi-C and my baon, great food everyday, sweet-smelling clothes and the regular checking of my school uniform to make sure I don't look scraggly going to class, fighting off the urge to confront me because she knew I was in deep shit but was too proud to ask for help, and until now, showing me what it means to be a mother, even if I am one myself. I'd be OK if I was half as good as you were, Ma. Love you so much!!!

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby ......
somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother, "Normal," is history.

Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct ...
Somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.

Somebody said being a mother is boring ......
Somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.

Somebody said if you're a "good" mother, your child will "turn out good."
Somebody thinks a child comes with directions and a guarantee.

Somebody said "good" mothers never raise their voices .....
Somebody never came out the back door just in time to see her child hit a golf ball through the neighbor's kitchen window.

Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother.
Somebody never helped a fourth grader with her math.

Somebody said you can't love the fifth child as much as you love the first.
Somebody doesn't have five children.

Somebody said a mother can find all the answers to her child-rearing questions in the books ....
Somebody never had a child stuff beans up his nose or in his ears.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery ...
Somebody never watched her "baby" get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten,or on a plane headed for military "boot camp."

Somebody said a mother can do her job with her eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back ...
somebody never organized four giggling Brownies to sell cookies.

Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married ....
Somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home ....
Somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her ...
Somebody isn't a mother.

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

Blessings on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace,
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
Rainbows ever gently curled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
Infancy's the tender fountain,
Power may with beauty flow,
Mother's first to guide the streamlets,
From them souls unresting grow--
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky--
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

William Ross Wallace (1819-1881)

posted by allgrrl1978 @ 12:43 PM
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This Day in Music

I came across This Day In Music while bloghopping (tell me what else you can do when all the juicy websites are in surf control) and found out that on the day I was born "Night Fever" by BeeGees was the No.1 song in the US while "Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush topped the British charts.

I am familiar with Night Fever but I was only vaguely familiar with Kate Bush. I remember seeing a video of her when I was 7 or 8 years old and her singing went like:

"Waaaahoooooooahhhhhh....waaaaaaahoooahhhhhh"

She was also flailing her arms like there were two giant Standard electric fans attached to her arms. So you can just imagine my interest being piqued especially since her song topped UK charts, gracing the day I was born (heehee).

Kate Bush sing about Heathcliff and Catherine...

Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights" is based on Emily Bronte's classic novel of the same title. When this rose to #1 Kate Bush became the first female to top the UK charts with a self composed song. This was the first song Bush recorded for a label. It was released as a single, and while the music press dismissed the song as a novelty, it hit #1 in Britain. It stayed there for 4 weeks and launched her career at age 19 (Taken from Songfacts. Click here for more.)

The song is actually haunting if you get to listen to it. Since I am a klutz in these things, the link to the music sample is here and just click on Wuthering Heights(shempre) to see what I mean. I don't know why this song gives me goosebumps. I guess it's because Kate Bush has a shrill singing voice and while it is not grating to the ears, it is an unusual voice pitch. Couple this with the plotline of Ms. Bronte's much-loved classic and poof! You get a #1 song inspired by a classic novel of love and revenge, in life and beyond. Whew! What a great song to go with my birth!

"...Bad dreams in the night. You told me I was going to lose the fight,

Leave behind my wuthering, wuthering Wuthering Heights.
Heathcliff, it's me-- I'm Cathy. I've come home.

I'm so cold! Let me in-a-your window..."

posted by allgrrl1978 @ 7:20 AM
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Back to the 80's

I AM OLD. Not wrinkly old but nearing the end of my twenty-something years. Yikes! That's probably the reason why all-out parties seem to be tiring. Bedtime is at 9 pm whereas before I could pull off until 2 AM and wake up at 6 AM feeling ready to face another stressful schoolday. I find myself looking forward to weekends not to hie off to the latest hotspot but to a much-needed rest (sleep, actually). I am past the quarter-life crisis and have simmered down as far as idealism is concerned and have learned to look at things beyond iPods and stuff. And, I find myself comparing the NOW into life back then. Sigh...I can say that I have spent a considerable amount of time watching Kuya Germs' That's Entertainment (wala pa kasing cable/satellite TV nun!) and spent lazy afternoons chatting up friends via the landline (texting was never heard of!). Weekends were spent not bar-hopping but house-hopping, and the kilig factor with the opposite sex was intensified by what were called interactions or soirees. Uh-huh, mall time was rarely spent out with friends because that was a special time with Mom and Dad. There were no Starbucks then and coffee was boring since it came straight from the glass jar which would double as a drinking glass later on. I lived in those days when as long as there is an Andok's Lechon Manok stand, you'd know you're still in the Philippines and hot pan de sal was sold at every corner (Bread Talk? Nah! Bread was either the loaf bread (Tasty to some of you) or the pan de sal). And since we are already reminiscing, let me post this email I got presumably from someone from my age group reliving the nostalgia of my time...THE EIGHTIES, Pinoy Style!

1. Pogi ka kung kasama sa porma mo ang Sperry Topsiders, Timberland, Cole Haan, Espadrilles (na pinilahan mo pa sa Whistle Stop o sa Cash and Carry), Tretorn or Guess Pants, Fiorucci, Calvin Klein or Levi's with buttons ala 501, argyle socks, woven leather belts, Ermenigildo Zegna, Lacoste, Ralph Lauren at iba pa,one-size-fits- all Hanes T-shirt, pabangong Chaps, Van Cleef, Gray Flannel or Kouros, Denman brushes, Dippity Do or Dep hair gel, Bermuda shorts worn with plaid long- sleeves. Christian Dior, YSL, Rayban Wayfarers.

Hanggang Tretorn alng naman ako...yung Kuya ko yan panahon nya yung Topsiders ar Espadrilles...Pero 6 years old ako nun, naka-espadrilles buong pamilya ko, hehe!

2. Macho ka kung ang porma mo ay parang kay Don Johnson ng Miami Vice at kung naglalaro ka ng football. O nag-aaral ka ng tae kwon do or marunong mag butterfly pag nag si-swimming ka. Sobrang macho ka kung may pandesal ka sa tiyan habang nakasuot ng hanging shirt.

Hehe, utol ko lang ulet ang may pormang ganto!

3. Pretty ka kung meron kang pencil-cut skirt (calf-length, three to four inches above the ankle), pabangong Nenuco o De Ne Nes, permed hair a la Madonna or teased bangs na pinatigas ng Aquanet, shoulder pads ala Joan Collin a.k.a. Alexis Carrington in Dynasty), Benetton shirt, Esprit outfit at namimili ka ng gamit sa Sari-Sari, Tokyo, Hannah,Tickles and Regina's in Shoppesville.

Ay favorite ko yung Tickles and back then, sa Greenhills lang meron nito. Lahat ng notebook at pencils, wallet, lahat na, Tickles ang tatak! And Nenuco ensured that the entire school smelled the same!!!

4. In na in ka kung napuntahan mo ang mga concerts nina Mike Francis, Swing Out Sisters, Earl Klugh, Earth, Wind and Fire, James Ingram, Genesis noong unang punta pa lang nila dito sa Pilipinas.

Bata pa po ako nung mga panahong ito. But I loved SOS and Mike Francis!!!

5. Sosyal ka kung malimit ka sa Jazz Rhythm &Booze at kumakain ka sa Cafe Ysabel, Bistro Burgos, Dean Street Cafe, Stargazer, Mars, Makati Ave., Angelino's and East St. Lois, Cosmo and Kudo's at nag-babakasyon ka sa Matabungkay Beach Club o Baguio Country Club. Golf sa Polo Club, or Wack-Wack.

Naabutan ko pa yung Dean's Street Cafe nung college. Tambayan namen yung sa may Shaw Blvd. And the place to be in was at Angelino's Tagaytay (dinner under the stars!).

6. Wala pang videoke kundi karaoke.
7. Ang preso lang may tattoo.
8. Computer noon AT at ATX windows 3.1. In na In and radio na may B&W TV na kasing bigat na car battery.

Wordstar naman...

9. Ang intindi mo ng LOL ay ULOL imbes na Laughing Out Loud.

I cannot stop laughing at this one!

10. Na-tsismis na bulati ang beef patty ng Jollibee.

11. Kinilig ka nang malaman mong ikakasal si Pops at si Martin.

Penthouse Live ito!!!

12. Piso lang ang isang basong taho at kailangan mong magdala ng sarili mong baso kasi wala pang plastic cups no'n si manong magtataho.
13. Lechon Manok pa ang pinag lilihihan ng taumbayan.
14. Tarzan, Jojo, Bazooka Joe, Clover bits at Tootsie Roll ang pinagkakagastusan mo ng mga beintesinko mo.

Bazooka Joe yung may libreng mini-comics chaka sikat nun yung White Rabbit kse nakakain pati yung wrapper!

15. Nagkakakalyo ka dahil typewriter pa ang ginagamit mo para sa mga school paper mo...kaya bentang-benta pa ang carbon paper at liquid paper.
16. Sa Ortigas Center ka tinuturuang magmaneho kasi puro talahib pa yon no'n.

OMG, back then Ortigas Center was Windy City in the Philippines! Kse wala pang high-rise noon!

17. Cool ang bumati sa iyong crush sa FM radio.
18. May mascot pa ang 99.5 RT na binebenta sa Gift Gate.

Hindi ko sha kilala... I guess I'm not THAT old, hehe!

19. Baduy pa noon si Lea Salonga dahil sa That's Entertainment.
20. Iniisip mong dapat mag- retire na si Jaworski dahil kuwarenta na siya.
21. Egoy na egoy pa si Michael Jackson.

Mukha pa shang tao nun, kamo!

22. Si Harry Gasser ang newscaster ng bayan.
23. Kay Amado Pineda ka lang naniniwala pag ukol sa panahon ang balita.
24. Sintonado pa ang Eraserheads habang nag-ja-jamming sa Club Dredd.
25. Tinuruan kang mag-toning ng iyong nanay dahil kay Johnny Midnite.
26. Naglalagay ka ng pyramid sa tabi ng iyong unan para good vibes.
27. Nilalagyan mo ng watch-guard ang iyong Swatch.

28. Herbert Bautista was a campus politician.
29. P18 to $1 ang palitan sa black market.
30. May black market pa noon.
31. Illegal pa ang mga paputok.
32. Ang paborito mong tsokolate ay Chocnut at Mallows.

Hanggang ngayon, totoo to!

33. Drag race sa Greenhills at Corinthians.
34. Kumain sa Burger machine o sa Goodahhhh ng madaling araw.
35. Usong sayaw ay "Swing" at cool ka kung mahilig ka sa "Jazz".
36. Pag-summer umaakayat kayong barkada sa Baguio para makipag- sosyalan.
37. Swaret sa Assumption, Poveda, Mary Knoll, St.Paul's, St. Scho.

Umm, I think it's soiree...

38. Sa Party. Lassalians nagsasayaw, Ateneans nagsososyalan, Bedans kumakain...
39. Marami pang Mestizo at Mestiza noon...
40. Masarap pang mamasyal at pomorma anytime / anywhere / anyday.

posted by allgrrl1978 @ 6:23 AM
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