Not That You Care, Butt...

I've been on a real Queen kick for the last week. As a matter of fact, I bought three of their albums that I didn't have in one quick iTunes purchase; The Game, Jazz, and The Works. And what I've realized is that "Fat Bottomed Girls" is Queen's best song. It isn't new to me, but my appreciation for it has definitely blossomed.

Here are the reasons why:

1. With most songs that I really like, there is always an instrument that stands out; something that is so good in the song that I say, "Man, I would love to play the (guitar, bass, drums, piano, etc.) like that." With "Fat Bottomed Girls" I wish I could do all of it. Freddie Mercury is at his best, and the harmonies that Brian May and Roger Taylor provide are perfect. The drums are ridiculously appropriate, not overbearing, and a perfect compliment to the guitar. They couldn't be better than at 2:52. Brian May's guitar is a bluesy relaxed thing that at the same time is driven. It's hard to explain. And the bass, specifically the lead in note at 1:30 is the coolest note of the whole song.

2. It's not overly....Queen. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is the first song people think about when they think about Queen. Don't get me wrong, it's a great song. But it's a little over the top. (And isn't that really what we like about it?) But "Fat Bottomed Girls" is not overindulgent. It's not over produced. It's not too long. It isn't an awesome Queen song, it's just an awesome song.

3. The album version (which is the version posted above) is far superior to the single version. It's a little bit longer, but it's sooooo much better.

4. Freddie Mercury at one point sings "Get on your bikes and ride!" Two songs later on the album is the song "Bicycle Race" which contains the line, "Fat bottomed girls, they'll be riding today..." So you have two songs on an album that very discreetly reference each other, which is pretty cool.

5. It sounds better the louder you turn it up.