Though the creator of the bicycle is a forever mystery, on this day in 1819 a man named W.K. Clarkson Jr. in New York did slap a patent on a contraption called a ‘velocipede’. And long cycle story short, the freewheelin’ lifestyle was born. To which we can’t help but fast-forward and honor one of the greatest lyrical sentiments to the joy, Queen‘s “Bicycle Race,” cut in the fall of 1976. Operatic howler Freddie Mercury purportedly was enamored with a leg of the Tour de France, and etched out a pop-artish chorus that you just can’t help elbow along to: “I want to ride my bicycle/I want to ride my bike/I want to ride my bicycle/I want to ride it where I like.” While the trademark Broadway sonics of the rest of Queen stock enough progressive time changes to fuel some of the best non-sequiturs in the band’s catalogue: “You say shark, I say ‘hey man’, Jaws was never my scene.” And the best part of all – the 65 naked women who took part in the cover art and official video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGL4YRa7KPg&feature=related
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like
You say black I say white
You say bark I say bite
You say shark I say hey man
Jaws was never my scene
And I don’t like Star Wars
You say Rolls I say Royce
You say God give me a choice
You say Lord I say Christ
I don’t believe in Peter Pan
Frankenstein or Superman
All I wanna do is
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my
Bicycle races are coming your way
So forget all your duties oh yeah!
Fat bottomed girls they’ll be riding today
So look out for those beauties oh yeah
On your marks get set go
Bicycle race bicycle race bicycle race
Bicycle bicycle bicyI want to ride my bicycle
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
Bicycle race
You say coke I say caine
You say John I say Wayne
Hot dog I say cool it man
I don’t wanna be the President of America
You say smile I say cheese
Cartier I say please
Income tax I say Jesus
I don’t wanna be a candidate
For Vietnam or Watergate
Cos all I want to do is
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like
