After Barcelona was selected to be the next Olympic city, Freddie was approached to write a song as a theme for the forthcoming games. The idea was to create a duet with Montserrat, as she is from that city. During the initial meetings, Freddie and Montserrat had developed a respect for each others music and voices. They soon decided to work on an album together, with Mercury and Mike Moran taking the creative lead as songwriters
The Fallen Priest
Freddie Mercury; Montserrat Caballé Lyrics
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A life of sacrifice controlled me
But those promises I made
No longer hold me
Mercurial more wayward by the hour
The shackles fall away I'm in your power
Free me, and free yourself
I beg you, I beseech you to let go
My heaven is yours
And heaven is all I know
We are mortal
In the hands of God who roll the dice
Searching for an earthly paradise
So hard to find
We are mortal
Victims of our weaknesses and passion
We are reaching for the heights
(I am falling from the heights)
But I promise I would serve
I should be a rock against depravity and sin
Oh no sin no sin
Free yourself, let your life begin
Oh
To yourself be true
I am a man of God
I should not be here with you
Free me we are mortal ah
Come a little closer to the fire
To love and live that one desire
Denial of that love is treason
The love that we make
The force of our lives and it's reason
We are mortal
In the hands of Gods who roll the dice
Searching for an earthly paradise
So hard to find
We are mortal
Victims of our weaknessess and passion.
(I am falling, I am falling we, we are mortal)
Why do I believe in you
You're destroying my world
Hold nothing back
Give me all there is
I want it all
This is all there is
Prisoners of each others love
Prisoners of each others love
The lyrics of "The Fallen Priest" are complex and contemplative, as Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé sing about the confusions of faith and mortality. The first stanza speaks of a life of sacrifice that once controlled the singer, but now those promises no longer hold meaning. There is a sense of turbulent, mercurial energy in the second stanza, as the shackles fall away and the singer is "in your power." The chorus speaks of freeing oneself and letting life begin, of reaching for the heights while being wary of the sins of the flesh. In the third stanza, the singer reaffirms the promise of service and the duty to be a rock against depravity and sin, yet the desire for earthly love and paradise persists. The final lines of the song are resigned, with the repeated phrase "Prisoners of each other's love," perhaps alluding to the difficulty of reconciling spiritual and physical love.
Overall, "The Fallen Priest" is a haunting exploration of the complexities of faith and desire, sung with the powerful voices of Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe. Some of the key themes in the song include the conflict between religious duty and personal desire, the fleeting nature of mortal life, and the search for love and paradise. The lyrics also feature a blend of religious imagery and more earthly, sensual language, creating a rich tapestry of contrasting themes.
Line by Line Meaning
Free me, free yourself
Release me from my past and free yourself from your own limitations
A life of sacrifice controlled me
I was bound by my commitments and expectations to live a life of selflessness
But those promises I made
The obligations I vowed to fulfill are no longer relevant or fulfilling
No longer hold me
I am not constrained by my past promises anymore
Mercurial more wayward by the hour
My personality and desires keep changing unpredictably and rapidly
The shackles fall away I'm in your power
I am liberated from my inhibitions and completely under your control
Come to me and let me lead you
I invite you to come to me and allow myself to guide you
I beg you, I beseech you to let go
I plead with you to abandon your reservations and let yourself go completely
My heaven is yours
My ideal paradise is being with you
And heaven is all I know
I have no other concept of paradise besides being with you
We are mortal
We are humans and are subject to the whims of a higher power
In the hands of God who roll the dice
Our fate is determined by a divine figure whose decisions are unpredictable
Searching for an earthly paradise
We are in pursuit of a utopian existence on this world
So hard to find
It is a daunting task to attain such a state of being
Victims of our weaknesses and passion
We are often negatively influenced by our flaws and strong emotions
(I am falling from the heights)
I am succumbing to my weaknesses and losing my way
But I promise I would serve
Although I am struggling, I made a vow to remain devoted to a higher cause
I should be a rock against depravity and sin
I should be sturdy and steadfast in resisting corruption and wrongdoing
Oh no sin no sin
We must not allow ourselves to be caught up in immoral behaviors
Free yourself, let your life begin
Break free from whatever has been holding you back, and allow yourself to start anew
Oh
An exclamation of passion and emotion
To yourself be true
Be honest with yourself and acknowledge your true desires
I am a man of God
I am a devout follower of a divine entity
I should not be here with you
I feel conflicted about being with you since it goes against my fidelity to my faith
Come a little closer to the fire
Allow yourself to be tempted by passion and desire
To love and live that one desire
Embrace and pursue the one desire that drives and motivates you
Denial of that love is treason
Repressing or denying your true love is a betrayal of yourself
The love that we make
Our expression of love towards each other
The force of our lives and it's reason
The love we share is what fills our lives with purpose and meaning
Why do I believe in you
I question why I have so much faith and trust in you despite any flaws or doubts
You're destroying my world
Your actions and choices are causing chaos and upheaval in my life
Hold nothing back
Do not restrain or inhibit yourself in any way
Give me all there is
Offer all of yourself to me, with complete vulnerability and openness
I want it all
I crave and desire everything you can give me
This is all there is
There is nothing else but this moment and our love
Prisoners of each others love
We are bound to each other by the force of our love and cannot escape it
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FREDDIE MERCURY, MIKE MORAN, TIM RICE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@doogalloonni
I'm so happy that Freddie was able to enjoy this bit of the Heaven he found with Montserrat Caballe before he passed.... Such a beautiful colaboration, RIP
@CristinaBalanOfficial
This world would be very poor without Freddie's exceptional voice! I will never grow tired with this song and the entire Barcelona album. Pure art, my friends.
@scneese64
Pure Perfection...still listening in 2019!! Anyone else??? I need to update this..it's now July 2020, it's Epic still!!! Love to all & stay safe!
@maximojr.callangan4885
i do, so relaxing!
@mikeomike3960
Indeed
@lyndasleep4838
Frequently
@stanislavdiker608
every day
@MarkBrydondrums85
here from 2020.
@omarnoah
Thunderous and mighty song!! No wonder Freddie was determined to make his dream of singing with Montserrat come true and ardently pursue it. Listen to the results. Pure pleasure to our senses and soul. May they both rest in peace and enjoy infinite joy
@ProchyKT
2023 still perfect