It’s difficult to imagine someone like Freddie Mercury having to fight to sing each morning. Mercury seemed to hold the audience in the palm of his hand while being an incredible singer. It was almost as if he was trying to sing opera and run a marathon every time he took the stage. This was in stark contrast to ordinary mortals who try to put time and effort into making their voices sound like one of the greatest in the world. Mercury consistently maintained his humility regarding his abilities. He denied that Aretha Franklin was the source of all the qualities he sought in a vocalist.
Comparing Mercury to Franklin is like comparing apples and industrial-sized tanks, as opposed to Queen’s operatic style of singing. Franklin’s voice had a strength that didn’t seem human, even though Mercury was undoubtedly very good at what he did. She could belt out a song like “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman,” so much so that you had to believe everything she said.
Not that Mercury wasn’t able to belt out a song when he wanted to. His ability to reach high notes and deep lows was remarkable. This was demonstrated in the last breakdown of “Under Pressure” and became the driving force behind his entire career. However, his power in most ranges was astounding.
Mercury was a versatile vocalist, but nowhere was Franklin’s style more apparent than on “Somebody to Love.” Since the whole idea of the song was to write a gospel-style opening and pair it with a fantastic pop song, Franklin sounds more like he’s in a hot church than a professional English recording studio when he performs those crazy melismatic slides down gospel scales.
Freddie Mercury acknowledged that he was envious of Franklin’s contribution. He stated, “Aretha Franklin’s phrasing is just wonderful,” despite his ability to channel his music into various styles. I wish I had her voice when I sing. It seems so natural. She sings without really having to think about it; it comes to her naturally. By itself, I can tell listening to her records, which she plays there with such ease.
Although it’s evident that Mercury puts more thought into his phrasing than Franklin does, his greatest asset is that he never stays within a specific genre. When it comes to sheer power, Franklin has yet to be surpassed in performing any genre. However, Mercury was all about putting his music wherever he felt like it, adapting to what the song required.
Songs like “You’re My Best Friend” may be pure pop balladry, but his ability to switch between them is astounding. He can sing operatic passages on “Bohemian Rhapsody.” He can also belt out blistering hard rock on “Fat Bottomed Girls,” and even tackle the occasional show tune like “Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon.” This is the work of a mad genius who is constantly experimenting with his voice to see what works best for him. Mercury could have taught most aspiring singers a thing or two about using their voice as an instrument. Franklin, on the other hand, was the vocal equivalent of a hurricane in terms of sheer precision.
