Meta Description: Discover Freddie Mercury’s admiration for Prince, as he obsessively watched Prince’s performances and found inspiration in his music. Explore the unique bond between these two legends.
In the creative fields, admiration can often turn into envy or competition. Music, especially, is rich with stories of feuds, often fueled by the fear of being overshadowed. So, when you hear about two legends praising one another, it’s a heartwarming display of comradeship. That’s how reading about Freddie Mercury’s love for Prince feels.
Freddie Mercury and Prince: Two Sides of the Same Coin
In many ways, Freddie Mercury and Prince feel like two sides of the same coin. Both were determined to make music maximalist again, creating grand-scale productions in their songs and shows. They approached music with a serious flair for fun, pushing the genre to new heights through their raw and supreme talents. They both peaked in fame during the 1980s.
Mutual Admiration Instead of Rivalry
It would have been easy for the two to see one another as fierce competitors as they navigated their theatrical rock terrain. But instead, both musicians deeply admired one another, with Mercury possibly even obsessing over Prince.
Freddie Mercury’s Obsession with Prince
In fact, Mercury’s longtime assistant, Peter Freestone, claimed that the Queen singer would watch videos of Prince over and over, utterly hooked on the musician’s performances. At home, Freestone wrote that Mercury would “veg out” while regularly watching a three-hour-long recorded video of one of Prince’s concerts. Even at the end of parties, he would force his entourage to sit down and watch videos of Prince, insistent on spreading the word of the American wonder kid.
Mercury’s Favorite Prince Song
When Mercury passed in 1991, his bandmates compiled a list of his all-time favorite songs for fans to remember him by. It’s an eclectic mix, serving as a beautiful blueprint for the artist he was. Among these, there’s his all-time favorite Prince song, ‘Little Red Corvette’. This track, from Prince’s 1982 album 1999, became his highest-performing song at the time, breaking into the US chart and becoming a regular fixture on MTV.
The Impact of Prince on Mercury
Mercury would watch the ‘Little Red Corvette’ video, along with live clips of Prince performing the track, over and over. With its storytelling lyrics, it’s easy to see why it appealed to the Queen singer, who was busy writing opera-scale rock records. As an early hit for Prince, it established that he would never be boxed in. Prince was reportedly inspired by Brian May’s guitar playing, counting him as one of his influences.
Similarities Between Mercury and Prince
“I think Freddie admired Prince because he was so similar to when Freddie was young,” Freestone wrote, noting that Mercury was 12 years Prince’s senior. He described them both as being “hugely energetic and with that charisma which turns a diminutive form into a giant.”
Conclusion
Freddie Mercury’s deep admiration for Prince sheds light on the unique bond between these two musical legends. Their mutual respect and influence on each other’s work highlight the power of admiration over rivalry in the music industry. This story serves as a reminder of the impact that genuine appreciation and inspiration can have, even among the greatest of talents.
