Freddie Mercury, singer with Queen, standing in front of a drum kit as he sings into a microphone on stage during a live concert performance by the band at the National Bowl in Milton Keynes, England, United Kingdom, June 5, 1982. Getty Images
Freddie Mercury has been best known as one of the rock world's most versatile and engaging performers, especially famous for his mock operatic masterpiece "Bohemian Rhapsody."
Mercury died at the age of 45 on Nov. 24, 1991, at his home in Kensington, London. The official cause of death was revealed to be bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS. Friday marks the legendary singer-songwriter’s 26th death anniversary.
Here’s a list of Mercury’s greatest quotes, collected from Goodreads, Brainyquote and Inspiringquotes, for his fans to remember him and pay their respects.
"Modern paintings are like women, you'll never enjoy them if you try to understand them."
"My soul has painted like the wings of butterflies, Fairy tales of yesterday will grow but never die, I can fly, my friends..."
"Oh, I was not made for heaven. No, I don't want to go to heaven. Hell is much better. Think of all the interesting people you're going to meet down there!"
"I won't be a rock star. I will be a legend."
"I am a romantic, but I do put up a barrier around myself, so it is hard for people to get in and to know the real me"
"I was born to love you, with every single beat of my heart. I was born to take care of you every single day of my life."
"I'm so powerful on stage I seem to have created a monster. When I'm performing I'm an extrovert yet inside I'm a completely different man."
"We're a very expensive group; we break a lot of rules. It's unheard of to combine opera with a rock theme, my dear."
"The reason we're successful, darling? My overall charisma, of course."
"I guess I've always lived the glamorous life of a star. It 's nothing new - I used to spend down to the last dime."
"Excess is part of my nature. Dullness is a disease. I really need danger and excitement. I'm never scared of putting myself out on a limb."
"I think my melodies are superior to my lyrics."
"You're headed for disaster, cos you never read the signs. Too much love will kill you every time"
"A lot of my songs are fantasy. I can dream up all kinds of things. That's the kind of world I live in. It's very sort of flamboyant, and that's the kind of way I write. I love it."
"A concert is not a live rendition of our album. It's a theatrical event."
"The concept of Queen is to be regal and majestic. Glamour is part of us, and we want to be dandy."
"If I die tomorrow I will not regret. I really did everything I could."
"I don't have any aspirations to live to 70. I don't want to sound morbid. I've lived a full life and if I'm dead tomorrow, I don't give a damn. I've done it all I really have."
"I love the fact that I can make people happy, in any form. Even if it's just an hour of their lives, if I can make them feel lucky or make them feel good, or bring a smile to a sour face, that to me is worthwhile."
"We don't do it for the money... we do it for the music."
