Jesus by Queen - Songfacts

Album: Queen (1973)

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A track from Queen's debut album, Freddie Mercury wrote this song, which describes gives a very brief overview of events told in the Bible, including Jesus healing a leper. Mercury was not a Christian, but was in fact Zoroastrian, so it is a bit odd that he wrote a song about Jesus.

"Freddie was obviously born a Parsi into the Zoroastrian faith, but he also attended a school in Zanzibar which I believe was a Christian school," Brian May told Mojo magazine. "The workings of Freddie's mind were interesting and sometimes obscure. I don't know where his lyrics for Jesus came from anymore than I know where 'Bohemian Rhapsody' came from."
The effects created by Brian May's guitar in the lengthy instrumental break led to the band being labeled "psychedelic rock" by many critics in Queen's early years. May has some interesting comments on the first album's propensity for complexity and over-arrangement (such as on "Jesus"). "We like some of the stuff on it, but we sometimes fell into the trap of over-arrangement," he said. "You know, the songs changed over the years and some of them probably evolved too much. You can get so far into something that you forget what the song originally was. But you have to get away from the idea that playing music is a competition. You should just keep on doing what you think is an interesting thing to do."
"Jesus" wasn't the only Mercury-penned track by Queen that touches on Christian themes. The opening lines of "Liar" are a confession to a priest or God: "I have sinned dear Father, Father I have sinned." Throughout the rest of the song, the protagonist isn't believed and is accused of lying.

Queen continued to explore religious and spiritual themes throughout their career:

1975 "The Prophet's Song" from A Night at the Opera is inspired by the biblical story of Noah's Ark, Brian May said the lyrics came to him in a dream.

1976 "Somebody To Love" from A Day At The Races is heavily inspired by gospel music. The lyrics express a deep spiritual yearning, with Mercury questioning God about the lack of love in his life.

1984 "Is This The World We Created?" from The Works is a reflective song that questions humanity's actions in relation to God's creation.

1989 In the title track from The Miracle, Mercury describes various wonders of the world, both natural and man-made, as miracles. The list includes "All God's creations great and small." Mercury also longs for for peace on Earth and an end to war: "If all god's people could be free, to live in perfect harmony."

1991 "All God's People" from Innuendo is a rock gospel track with religious lyrics where Mercury points out we're all God's people.

Comments: 13

Romeo Daughter from SocalIt may be his Catholic influence from years at St. Peter’s boarding school. As a Christian it’s great for me to hear all the references. I think all the other guys may have been obviously raised Church of England so they contributed. Either way just love Queen and these 4 such talented songwriters and musicians. I think May gets so overlooked.. actually they all do!! Class of ‘81!
Steve from Hockessin, DeStefano, yes its a great song, but both Jesus & Mad The Swine were never played in concert in the early years. Or at all for that matter.
Anna from Ann Arbor, MiPaul, When I downloaded Queen (the album), Mad the Swine was included, and I didn't know that it's like...a bonus track until recently.
If you download a Queen discography off of Piratebay.org or Torrentz.com, it'll probably be included. You definitely should look into it, I love that song.
Stefano from Rome, ItalyPaul, Mad the Swine is only contained as a bonus track in the Hollywood re-release of the Queen CD. However the song was played live in concert several times in their early years.
Paul from Brisbane, Qld, AustraliaMad the swine OMG I have never heard it, It is not on my copy of Queen
Amy from Dallas, TxThis song is great. Arent they all?
Freddie from Orlando, FlFred was born into that religion and culture, it was necicarlily his own and it certianly didnt follow it whatsoever throughout his life. I dont even really consider it his actual relgion. its much more his family's. HE did have some sort of cerimony according to it for his funeral I think... but really wasnt dedicated to it throughout his life, you know.
Ozzzy from Sydney, AustraliaNot that this has anything whatsoever to do with the song, but Freddie Mercury's religion.........

Zoroastrianism and Christianity have their links.. In fact, some may say without Christianity developed many of its beliefs etc from Zoroastrianism... But whatever........
Freddie from Orlando, FlAnother one on that first album I failed to mention-- Mad the Swine. "Ive come to save you,save you... gather round, put out your hands and prise the Lord... when will you realise youre all equel in his eyes.." more Jesus things, really. Thats really a signifigant amount of references to think about.
Freddie from Orlando, FlIt is interesting that many of the songs that Freddie wrote on the first Queen album had reference to Jesus. There was a bit in "Great King Rat" and said "The great Lord before he died, with nailed sinners by his side, said 'youre going to realise tommorow'" refferencing the man on the cross next to Jesus who put his faith in him as he died and Jesus promised him paradise by his side when they were to die. Also, the song "Lair" on there basically sounds like Fred is in some sort of a confessional, trying to sort out all the sins in his life, trying to repent or become clean and directed in the right way, but isnt met with much sympathy,(nobody beleives you, everything you do is sin, never let you in, etc.) and all of it really indicateds that there was a lot of hard things that were going on and that Freddie was looking for somthing, toying with ideas, feeling that he needed this kind of forgivness or newnewal of life, and even looking into christanity and the ideas of it. Its really a beautiful but equally tragic search. He was so dispersed in what he wrote anyway, history and whatnot. as he said, he was perfectly ware of what was going on in the world, what was popular, but he would do Justice to the song. and he always seemed to do that.
Kent Lyle from Palo Alto, CaContains a very loose band jam session in the middle of the song. Not unusual for the 1970s, but Queen quickly became much more structured in their compositions, so to hear them play so free-form sounds unusual.
Kent Lyle from Palo Alto, CaMany of the songs on this first album contain copious references to God, Jesus, and the Bible. One outtake from these sessions, "Mad the Swine", was basically about a Jesus-type figure making a second coming.
Kevin from Bridgeport, CtFreddie probably wrote it because he was experiementing with styles he uses. He's done virtually everything. His best in my opinion are progressive metal songs, and love songs.

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