Queen II - The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke
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Lyric / Image
Interpretation & Notes
1
Reference to Richard Dadd’s painting
The entire song is a musical “tour” of the Victorian painting The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke
, echoing its busy, fantastical imagery.
2
“Tatterdemalion, the junketer”
Obscure, archaic words drawn from Dadd’s detailed character list; Mercury revels in exotic vocabulary to heighten the fantasy mood.
3
Harpsichord-like piano + layered vocals
Arrangement mirrors baroque and whimsical qualities, like brushstrokes in music — detailed, ornate, and eccentric.
4
“He’s a fairy feller”
The titular “feller” about to split a nut with his axe; symbol of the artist’s decisive act — the master-stroke of creation.
5
Sudden tempo and key shifts
Musical fragmentation mimics the chaotic crowd of characters in the painting; playful unpredictability is part of the song’s charm.
6
Dense, whimsical storytelling
Not literal narrative but impressionistic vignettes; Mercury paints with words as Dadd did with figures.
Note: Written by Freddie Mercury. Inspired by Richard Dadd’s 19th-century painting; one of Queen’s most eccentric, theatrical tracks, rich in arcane vocabulary and musical detail.
