Would Nietzhsche have liked Queen?

I've been listening to a lot of Queen lately, and it's got me thinking about how connected the content of their songs are to Nietzsche's ideas. Personally, I'm guessing Nietzsche's favourite songs today would have been either Bohemian Rhapsody, Another one Bites the Dust, or Don't Stop me Now. I think he would appreciate the Nihilist perspective, and I think he would fall in love with the music. It's not hard to make the case that all three of those are in the top ten or twenty of the most Dyionsitic songs ever made. They feel the way they sound.

I would like to look at one line from Bohemian Rhapsody, "I don't wanna die / sometimes I wish I'd never been born at all." These two lines come with one of the best guitar solos of all time, something definitely worth living to hear. They also are the result of the main voice explaining how his time has come, and it's time that he dies. Life is short and it's time he faces his maker. These two lines are the only points the main character breaks down. Until then, he had been brave and ready to face death. The breakdown shows one of the genuine human emotions of being alive - dreading death.

I consider that line, and the music accompanying it, to be the triumph of the human spirit. At least, it's best example I've found. It's a breakdown of bravery, and shows our true fear. However, by virtue of that honesty, we can (at least I do) fully experience the beauty of the song. We can forget our fear of death, by just acknowledging it, and appreciate the song. By shouting our fears in this way, we forget about the pointlessness of our lives, we are intoxicated by the dionysian emotion, and experience naivete.

Because of the accomplishments of this song, I think Nietzsche would love it. I think both for the intense show of human feeling, and the groovy music. What do you think? And have i misinterpreted the song/Nietzsche's ideas in relation to Freddie Mercury's?

Posted Dec 16, 2018, 11:11 PM UTC

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