Through Chrissie's eyes

Ideas

Since I discovered that I was pregnant, I had experienced different sensations, things I never imagined happening in my life, or at least I didn't know what would happen. When I was a little girl, I used to play wiyh dolls, dreaming of being a mother someday. As I grew older, I had this dream frustrated, with the fear that no one would ever love me as I was. Then suddenly, thanks to the insistence of a good friend, I went to the show of a certain guitarist and his band, and from there, the rest is history. I was married and would soon have my baby in my arms.

It was strange, I felt every movement, every phase of growth, I changed as the baby grew, and nothing related to it went unnoticed by me. It was there inside me, I could hardly believe it, it was the true miracle of life. And before he was even born, our son participated in everything that concerned Queen, since I didn't stop working as Brian's assistant.

Then, when another new year arrived, the boys set to work on a new album. Brian, again, as I had noticed over the years, was still inspired by different things to compose. I was impressed that he could get ideas different from each other and make very different songs for the same disc. That was the feeling I had when I compared "All Dead, All Dead" and "Sleeping on the Sidewalk".

I was scared when he showed me the first one when we were at home.

"It's very sad" I was quite honest.

"It's just a reflection on the end of things, that feeling of devastation that you have when you lose something, you think of that first moment of shock that you won't be able to recover what you lost" my husband explained his inspiration to me "just the Death is so final."

"Well, it's a sad subject" I commented again, "but it's something that people go through, all of us actually."

"Yes, it's sad, but it's the reality," Brian concluded.

Even being sad, I still liked "All Dead, All Dead" because my beloved husband had done it, and because I understood his point of view in doing it.

"I liked Sleeping on the Sidewalk more" I said another day. "It's a lot of fun, you picked up an anecdote and connected everything with the rhymes."

"Don't forget the repetitive refrain" Brian pointed out "is what characterizes it as a song itself, it's the recurring theme, so it keeps coming back and forth in it."

"As you did with "39" " I compared "but "Sidewalk" changes slightly, as the story of the song changes. Wow ... I've analyzed this one way too much."

"I don't care." Brian smiled, approving my thoughts. "Your opinion always counts a lot to me."

"Thank you." I had no other word to say, I was grateful that Brian considered my opinion and considered me the most important person in the world.

In fact, I shared this position with our baby now, and I wasn't even a bit jealous about it. Then, as we got closer to the expected birth date, the boys continued to work. John had made for the new album "Who Needs You" and "Spread Your Wings", another two of my favorites. The first one left me worried about Deaky, I began to wonder if anyone had threatened him, or worse, if he had answered the person according to the lyrics of his song.

When the boys finished recording it, I had to ask John to satisfy my curiosity.

"Is that an answer to anyone?" I was very honest.

"What?" He was surprised by my question, but then he laughed "well, a little, I mean, do you know when you get fed up with certain situations? It was my way of giving a definitive answer to all of them."

"I liked the song anyway, and I know how you feel," I understood.

"You like all of John and Brian's songs, Chrissie, you can't say anything about their songs," Roger said, sounding a little hurt.

"What a lie! I mean, it's not entirely true" I laughed, since my phrase sounded confused "I really have a weakness for Brian's songs, and I really appreciate John's melodies, but I love "Drowse" you did, Freddie too, remember when I cried listening to "Somebody to Love"? Or the way I always react to Bo Rhap. Now, I have a problem with "Fat Bottomed Girls"."

Brian was shocked by my confession, but that was no secret to him. I thought the song was a bit ... huh, how could I say it? Nothing to do with Brian, but the inspiration for it had come from Freddie, mostly, so I'd give him some discount. But its rhythm always made me like it, at least a little.

"It's not worth liking the most famous songs" Freddie pointed out ruthlessly.

"Ok, okay, I like your anonymous songs too" I raised my hands in my defense "I think we should stop here and you guys record again, don't you?"

Everyone agreed and without much delay, another debate began. Freddie had introduced his new idea for a song entitled "We are the Champions". It was a very bold and presumptuous title, and Brian had an opinion stronger than mine about it.

"You can't do that," my husband said, "it's been too presumptuos! I know we have reached a considerable level, but ... it's like saying that all the other bands in the world are bad and inferior to us, it's a terrible image for Queen. With what right do we stand above everyone else?"

"Did you know you talk too much?" shot Freddie, trying to control the anger "imagine the fans singing this song with us. You know that we put a lot of us in what we write, but one of the main goals is to reach the audience, to please them, to make them feel good ... I want them to feel like the real champions."

"Oh ..." Brian looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I get it now."

"It's all right, Bri" and so quickly, Mercury and May have returned to the good terms of the friendship.

"We are the Champions" was another song that moved me, that made me identify, parallels with its lyrics and things that I spent in my life, which included the Queen's career. Despite the regrets, the boys were champions.

As the songs were getting ready, they began to think about the title and cover of the new album. Brian and I were at the Taylor's, paying a courtesy call, mostly because Dominique was a little sick that week. She had testified that she was dizzy and with a headache, her dramatic husband insisted that she was working too hard and should take a few days off. She was better off when we visited her, but even so, she was still at rest, but willing enough to greet us.

"So Bri, I saw something that would be perfect for the album cover" Roger said excitedly.

"That's until Freddie disagrees" Brian countered "but tell me what it is."

"There's this book I read, Astounished Science Fiction, which has a super-interesting cover" Roger said excitedly.

"Wow, you reading? In my entire life, I never imagined you'd like to read" Brian bit into what Roger rolled his eyes.

"Chrissie influenced me a little bit about that, I confess, but let me show you the book." Taylor went to get his copy.

Brian picked up the book and I managed to peer over the cover.

"Oh ..." I blurted at the horrifying cover "what the heck is this?"

It was the illustration of a giant, bizarre robot, with a dead man in his hand, even with his sad and repentant eyes, it was scary.

"That's pretty impressive," was Brian's reaction.

"Do you think Freddie will like it?" asked Roger.

"What about John? You always forget him" Dominique pointed out.

"You know John always agrees with everything" I justified our dear Deaky.

The decision of the cover and finalize the songs would be in charge of the boys, and although Dominique was better, I worried about my friend. It didn't take many words for me to understand that she had a secret like mine a few months ago, and, like me, she was calculating the right time to tell it.