← Behind The Song: Classic Rock Chronicles
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Podcast Host
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Podcast Host
welcome to the behind the Song podcast, taking you deeper into classic
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Janda
rock's most timeless tunes.
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Podcast Host
Here's your host, Janda.
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Janda
I'm Janda, and in this bonus episode of behind the Song Powered by Chick Fil A, let's take a look at the true masters of the late, great Freddie Mercury's universe. His cats. If you like this episode, give it a like and hit. Subscribe it may be that the frontman of Queen, one of the most undeniably powerful frontmen of all time, was also the world's biggest and most fiercely devoted cat dad. Over his lifetime, Mercury was the caretaker of a rotating clowder of 10 felines. Yes, a clowder is a group of cats. Their names were Tom, Jerry, Tiffany, Dorothy, Goliath, Lily, Mikko, Romeo, Oscar, and his absolute favorite, Delilah. They weren't just pets, they were the co owners of his estate. To say that Mercury spoiled his cats would be a real understatement. He elevated feline care into a kind of art form, making sure that his companions lived a life that a king or a queen would be jealous of. Check this out. Every December Christmas at his Garden Lodge estate in London was a huge production. He insisted that each individual cat have their very own Handmade Christmas stocking hung by the fireplace, packed to the brim with toys and premium catnip and specialized treats. He checked in while he was on the road, too. In fact, Mercury suffered from intense homesickness when he was out touring the globe with Queen, and he would regularly call home long distance and have his personal assistant, Peter Freestone or his partner, Jim Hutton, take turns scooping up the cats and holding them to the telephone receiver so that he could chat with them. There was no off the shelf cat food allowed for his felines. They did not eat standard kibble. The house had a dedicated kitchen routine where the cats were served fresh chicken and top grade fish. And if a cat turned their nose up at a meal, a completely new dish was prepared until that cat got one to his or her liking. There were cat rules posted at Garden Lodge. The top three were that freshly prepared chicken or fish must be provided daily. No cheap kibble. Two, the cats will have total access to all the furniture. Three, mandatory phone call attendants when the master is away. That furniture included antique Chippendale pieces worth thousands of dollars, by the way. Truly, Mercury's cats had personalities that ruled the mansion, and he accommodated every single quirk. Take Goliath, a tiny, incredibly timid black cat rescued from a shelter who was good at hiding. Once Goliath went missing for a few hours, Mercury threw a total rock star tantrum, thrown into a panic until he found his cat. Goliath was eventually found sleeping under a bed and his punishment for disappearing was extra treats. And there was Tiffany, a stunning blue point Persian bought by the person Mercury called the love of his life and his former girlfriend, Mary Austin. Tiffany was the refined, quiet princess of the house who mostly kept to herself but demanded the finest spots to nap in. And there was Romeo, a feisty tabby known to be a bit of a brawler. Mercury famously referred to him as a good looking brute who loved to stir up trouble out in the garden. And then there was Delilah, a large, beautifully chaotic tortoise shell calico cat adopted in 1987. She had mercury completely wrapped around her little paw. He tried desperately to paint her portraits in watercolor, begging her to sit still while he swiped at the canvas. She rarely cooperated. When painting failed, he turned to what he did. Music. On Queen's final studio album during his lifetime, Innuendo, released in 1991, Mercury dedicated an entire track to Delilah. The lyrics go, you take over my house and home. You even try to answer my telephone. Delilah, you're the apple of my eye. Now Brian May and Roger Taylor weren't initially too thrilled about recording an entire song devoted to a house cat, especially featuring Brian mimicking cat meows through a talkbox guitar effect. But they adored Mercury enough to lean into it completely. And for what it's worth, Roger Taylor did write a song about his fixation on automobiles with the track I'm In Love With My Car from the A Night at the Opera album back in 75, so he couldn't really protest too much. The song even immortalized Delilah's less than perfect habits, like the line about her peeing all over his antique Chippendale furniture. Anyone else would have been banished. Delilah was simply given a scratch behind the ears. As Mercury's health rapidly declined due to complications from AIDS in 1991, his world shrunk down to the secure walls of Garden Lodge. The crowds were gone, the bright lights were dimmed, but his cats never left his side. He spent his final days quietly watching his cats play on the bed. Delilah in particular would curl up at the foot of his bed for hours, offering a silent, unbothered comfort that fame never could. When he drew up his final will, his fierce protective streak for his feline family took center stage. He shocked the music world and his inner circle by leaving the vast majority of his wealth, including the 9 million pound Garden Lodge mansion, held half of his future Queen royalties and the bulk of his multi million pound fortune. To his lifelong friend Mary Austin, she was really the anchor that kept him grounded. He referred to her as his common law wife and the only true friend he had in the world. They met in their early 20s when she was running a vintage clothing stall in London. They moved in together and she was the primary breadwinner. In the early 70s, when Mercury was struggling to make a penny before Queen scored a record deal, he asked her to marry him, gave her a huge ring, and although they never did marry, they never parted again. The standout acoustic ballad on Queen's A Night at the Opera, Love of My Life, was written specifically as a tribute to her. The physical side of their relationship ended when Mercury came out, but their emotional bond only grew stronger. He bought her a nearby flat where she could look out and see into his windows and he into hers. She went on to manage his personal accounts and was the first person he confided in after his HIV diagnosis. When his health failed, Austin spent endless hours by his bedside alongside his partner, Jim Hutton. Mercury's will solidified Austin's status as his ultimate confidant. Beyond leaving her Garden Lodge, half his fortune and the future royalties of Queen. He handed her his final, most deeply personal task and to take his cremated ashes and bury them in a secret location. And she kept that promise. She waited years for the media scrutiny to die down before slipping out of Garden Lodge alone one morning to deposit the ashes. And to this day, neither his bandmates, his family, nor his fans know where Freddie Mercury's final resting place is. Mary Austin gave him unconditional acceptance when he was an unknown artist, and in return he he made sure she was protected, wealthy, and respected as the true love of his life. Back to the Cats her inheritance of his Garden Lodge estate also came with an ironclad condition. It was to remain a sanctuary. Mercury didn't want his cats disrupted or uprooted after he was gone. By leaving the house and the fortune to marry Austin, he made sure that Delilah and the other cats could live out the rest of their natural lives and in the exact same luxury they had always known. Roaming the rooms, napping on the furniture and eating fresh fish prepared in their own kitchen. Austin moved in, honored his wishes completely, and cared for the cats as long as they lived. Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest rock stars to have ever landed on this planet. But to the clouder of Garden Lodge, he was just a man with the warmest lap who made sure they were set up for life. Next time you listen to Queen, remember that the man behind the microphone was just as happy sitting on a couch covered in cat hair. Sweet talking a calico. Thanks for listening to this episode of behind the Song. If you like it, subscribe. Or better yet, tell a friend. I'll catch you back here next week for another episode. And on the way, much more classic rock and roll. Hey, did you know Chick Fil? A helps you save time and earn rewards every time you order with the Chick Fil? A app, it's easier than ever to get your favorites fast. Whether you're craving a crispy Chick Fil? A chicken sandwich, fresh made salads, or those golden waffle fries, it's all just a few taps away. Order ahead, skip the line, and even customize your meal exactly how you like it. Plus, every qualifying purchase earns you points toward delicious rewards like a free treat or your favorite entree, its convenience rewards and that signature Chick Fil? A service all in the palm of your hand. Download the Chick Fil? A app today and make your next meal even better. Chick Fil? A Eat More Chicken dish has been
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Podcast Host
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