Music The Foo Fighters song Dave Grohl uses as a tribute to Queen
Queen has left a lasting impression not only on music history but also on subsequent generations of musicians. Foo Fighters, for instance, have always made their appreciation for the legendary rock group clear: in the past, they’ve teamed up with Queen for tribute concerts, performed popular cover songs, and even incorporated a Freddie Mercury quote into one of their own tracks.
In 1978, Queen unleashed ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’, a provocative hard rock anthem penned by Brian May. The track playfully celebrates the allure of women with ample curves, especially in the posterior department. Interestingly, while May is credited as the song’s writer, it was Freddie Mercury who served as its primary muse and driving creative force.
In the song, Mercury declares, “Get on your bikes and ride!” which is a reference that actually originates from their track ‘Bicycle Race’. In Foo Fighters’ fast-paced, rock-charged ‘FFL’, Grohl echoes the same energetic words, paying tribute to the late singer. This song’s musical style actually deviates from the typical Foo Fighters sound and leans more towards Grohl’s metal origins, as he delivers lyrics with passionate vocals over energetic guitar riffs: “Let yourself go, let me test your fate /Make your head roll, make your legs shake /Dance to the sound of heartache.”
Grohl hasn’t been the only band member to express his admiration for the rock band – Taylor Hawkins was also a known super fan who regarded the band as the greatest in history. Their music actually had a profound influence on his choice to take up drumming.
Hawkins also formed a close friendship with May and Roger Taylor, and they were both deeply saddened by his passing in 2022. After his passing, Taylor and May took part in a tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium in London to honour the drummer, during which they delivered a mini-set of Queen’s iconic songs, featuring special guests like Rufus Taylor and Justin Hawkins, the lead singer of The Darkness.
Beforehand, the crowd were shown archival footage of Hawkins explaining how Queen impacted him. In the clip, he said: “When I was ten years old, my older sister took me to go see Queen in concert – the first concert I ever saw, and I watched the fucking drummer, and I said, ‘I wanna fucking be him, I wanna do that’.”
Completing the set, May treated the audience to an acoustic rendition of the 1975 classic ‘Love Of My Life’. Prior to performing the track, however, May addressed the crowd: “Exactly 30 years ago, we said goodbye to Freddie in a style similar to this – so I know that Freddie would be very happy to use this song to honour Taylor Hawkins. But here’s the deal: I don’t sing this song, we all sing this song together.”
The mutual admiration between these two bands is truly heartwarming: despite occupying different realms within the rock arena, their genuine and passionate display of affection is a rarity among two of the music industry’s titans. It stands as a testament to the profound impact of transparency and sincerity in rock and roll, all underscored by the undeniable talent of these revered visionaries.
