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Quiz about Freddie Mercury The Great Pretender

Freddie Mercury, The Great Pretender Quiz

A legend in rock, an unforgettable voice, a wild and bombastic showman - but what was he really like? If you have read Jim Hutton's book "Mercury & Me" or are as obsessed as I am, you should have no trouble with this quiz.

A multiple-choice quiz by tatterdemalion. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
tatterdemalion

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
177,577

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
11 / 20

Plays
2007

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 148 (16/20), Johnmcmanners (20/20), Pmgf55 (17/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. What was the first Queen UK single penned by Freddie? Hint

Seven Seas of Rhye

Keep Yourself Alive

Liar

Great King Rat

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Question 2 of 20

2. Who did Freddie leave his mansion, Garden Lodge, to when he died? Hint

Jim Hutton

Charity

His parents

Mary Austin

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Question 3 of 20

3. Until the end of his life, Freddie lived with his long-time boyfriend, Jim Hutton, whom he gave a "wedding ring" and often introduced as his husband. He also gave him a job as a - Hint

Chef

Personal assistant

Cleaner

Gardener

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Question 4 of 20

4. What was the name of Freddie's first band? Hint

Ibex

Sour Milk Sea

Wreckage

The Hectics

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Question 5 of 20

5. What was the name of the cat Freddie wrote a song about? Hint

Goliath

Tabby

Lily

Delilah

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Question 6 of 20

6. What was the title of the last song Freddie ever wrote? Hint

It's A Beautiful Day

A Winter's Tale

Mother Love

Made in Heaven

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Question 7 of 20

7. Freddie claimed he was "bringing ballet to the masses", but he co-wrote a song with Wayne Eagling, a ballet dancer friend of his, called what? Hint

Bringing Ballet to the Masses

Ballet of Life

I'm No Dancer

No I Can't Dance

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Question 8 of 20

8. How many times was Freddie's first name spoken (or sung) in singles released by Queen? Hint

Five times

Never

Twice

Once

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Question 9 of 20

9. What was the date, month and year Freddie was born? Hint

5 November 1947

19 July 1947

5 September 1946

19 August 1946

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Question 10 of 20

10. What was the date, month and year Freddie died? Hint

25 November 1991

24 November 1991

24 September 1991

25 September 1991

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Question 11 of 20

11. What was Freddie's religion? Hint

Sikhism

Hinduism

Rastafarianism

Zoroastrianism

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Question 12 of 20

12. What was the name of the single Freddie released with Spanish opera star Montserrat Caballe? Hint

Exercises in Free Love

Barcelona

Montreux

Beautiful Horizon

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Question 13 of 20

13. Freddie did a graphics course at which College of Art? Hint

Oxford

London

Kensington

Ealing

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Question 14 of 20

14. Freddie only ever released one covered song as a single, in 1987. Which 1950s group originally sang it? Hint

The Doo Wops

Buck Ram

The Platters

The Pretenders

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Question 15 of 20

15. How many times did Freddie dress in drag for video clips? Hint

Once

Eight

Never

Twice

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Question 16 of 20

16. Did Freddie ever meet the Queen?

Yes

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Question 17 of 20

17. Several of his songs address a mother figure. What was the name of Freddie's real life mother? Hint

Bomi

Jer

Kashmira

Sara

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Question 18 of 20

18. Which was the last song to be released (in the UK) before Freddie's death? Hint

These Are the Days of Our Lives

I'm Going Slightly Mad

Innuendo

The Show Must Go On

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Question 19 of 20

19. Every member of the "gospel choir" that sung in "Somebody to Love" was actually just Freddie duplicated many times.

True

False

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Question 20 of 20

20. Freddie Mercury wasn't always called Freddie Mercury. What name did his parents give him? Hint

Frederik Mercouri

Frederik Masala

Farookhe Baskhar

Farrokh Bulsara

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 15 2024 : Guest 148: 16/20
Dec 01 2024 : Johnmcmanners: 20/20
Nov 09 2024 : Pmgf55: 17/20
Nov 02 2024 : Guest 212: 0/20

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What was the first Queen UK single penned by Freddie?

Answer: Seven Seas of Rhye

"Oh I do like to be beside the seaside..."
The first album featured a short, instrumental version of this song, but the whole version, which climbed to #10 on the charts, was on 'Queen II'.

2. Who did Freddie leave his mansion, Garden Lodge, to when he died?

Answer: Mary Austin

The two of them lived like a married couple until Freddie finally admitted his homosexuality. After this, they ended their romance but remained close friends until the end. Freddie may have preferred men, but he never stopped loving Mary and people believe she was the real love of his life.

3. Until the end of his life, Freddie lived with his long-time boyfriend, Jim Hutton, whom he gave a "wedding ring" and often introduced as his husband. He also gave him a job as a -

Answer: Gardener

Freddie just about upended Jim's life - lost him his home and eventually his job - but made up for both of these by bringing him to live at Garden Lodge and employing him as a gardener. Jim had a great stabilising effect on the wild Mr. Mercury in his final years.

4. What was the name of Freddie's first band?

Answer: The Hectics

Branche, Bruce Murray, Farang Irani, Victory Rana and Freddie (then still Freddie Bulsara) formed the school rock band at St Peter's English Boarding School in India. Freddie was just fourteen years old.

5. What was the name of the cat Freddie wrote a song about?

Answer: Delilah

He had many cats, but Delilah was unquestionably his favourite. He wrote a song about her which appears on the 'Innuendo' album - complete with meows.
In fact, in the clip for "Day of Our Lives" Freddie is wearing a vest painted with portraits of all his cats. Delilah is the black-and-white one.

6. What was the title of the last song Freddie ever wrote?

Answer: A Winter's Tale

The song was about the scenery of Montreux, where Queen's studio was situated. All who worked with him claim Freddie hated the place to begin with because he found it boring, but towards the end he saw it as a place of peace.

7. Freddie claimed he was "bringing ballet to the masses", but he co-wrote a song with Wayne Eagling, a ballet dancer friend of his, called what?

Answer: No I Can't Dance

Freddie actually performed with the Royal Ballet. Wayne Eagling helped him then, and again with the "I Want to Break Free" video clip, and refused payment, so Freddie offered to write a song with him instead.

8. How many times was Freddie's first name spoken (or sung) in singles released by Queen?

Answer: Twice

In "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", he says "ready Freddie". In "The Invisible Man", each band member's name is called out through the song. Listen carefully!

9. What was the date, month and year Freddie was born?

Answer: 5 September 1946

He was born on the island of Zanzibar, and his parents were Jer and Bomi Bulsara.
In fact, my brother was born on the same date. I like to think mysterious forces were at work.

10. What was the date, month and year Freddie died?

Answer: 24 November 1991

He died of bronchial pneumonia, brought on by AIDS. He had only just announced his condition to the public the day before.

11. What was Freddie's religion?

Answer: Zoroastrianism

His parents were Persian.
According to a book called 'Innuendoes', Freddie's lyrics all had meanings connected with this ancient belief system. Well, maybe - maybe not...

12. What was the name of the single Freddie released with Spanish opera star Montserrat Caballe?

Answer: Barcelona

Freddie saw her perform an opera and was smitten. A meeting was arranged between them and they decided to make an album together. 'Barcelona' was the single released from the album, a strange hybrid which received mixed reactions from critics.

13. Freddie did a graphics course at which College of Art?

Answer: Ealing

It was here that he befriended Tim Staffell, who introduced him to the guys in Smile (Brian May and Roger Taylor).

14. Freddie only ever released one covered song as a single, in 1987. Which 1950s group originally sang it?

Answer: The Platters

"Oh yes, I'm the great pretender..."
The song, "The Great Pretender", was written in 1956 by Buck Ram for the all-black doo-wop band The Platters.

15. How many times did Freddie dress in drag for video clips?

Answer: Twice

For "I Want to Break Free" and his solo single "The Great Pretender".

16. Did Freddie ever meet the Queen?

Answer: No

Ironically, the leader of Queen never got to meet his namesake.

17. Several of his songs address a mother figure. What was the name of Freddie's real life mother?

Answer: Jer

(Bomi was his father's name and Kashmira was his younger sister.)
Jer Bulsara still attends some Queen-related events with the band in Freddie's place - recently she came to the opening performance of the Queen Symphony composed by Tolga Kashif.

18. Which was the last song to be released (in the UK) before Freddie's death?

Answer: The Show Must Go On

"The Show Must Go On" signalled the end of the show for Freddie. "These Are the Days of Our Lives" was released shortly after he died, along with the video, as a double-A side with Bohemian Rhapsody.

19. Every member of the "gospel choir" that sung in "Somebody to Love" was actually just Freddie duplicated many times.

Answer: False

Actually, Brian and Roger sung too (or at least they were credited on the record sleeve. I am told by one keen-eared quiz player that John Deacon also sings, unbilled).
Apparently "Somebody to Love" was Freddie's favourite of his songs.

20. Freddie Mercury wasn't always called Freddie Mercury. What name did his parents give him?

Answer: Farrokh Bulsara

Nobody seems to know how to spell it - but here is the correct spelling according to his parents themselves. Well, now you know for sure!
He acquired the nickname 'Freddie' from friends at school. The way Brian May tells it, 'Mercury' was from his song "My Fairy King" in which he sings "Mother Mercury, look what they've done to me". He said that the line was about his own mother.

Source: Author tatterdemalion

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Dalgleish before going online.
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