Today in news we should’ve seen coming, Queen’s light-hearted, but not 21st Century-friendly “Fat Bottomed Girls” was pulled from a recent release. The new release of the legendary Brit rockers’ “Greatest Hits” album on children’s audio platform Yoto.
The song, known for its catchy tune and provocative lyrics, was conspicuously missing from the tracklist of the album’s version available on the children’s audio platform, Yoto.
The ‘Greatest Hits’ compilation by Queen holds the distinction of being the U.K.’s top-selling album of all time. The Yoto version allows listeners to enjoy 16 of Queen’s classic hits. However, the exclusion of “Fat Bottomed Girls” raised eyebrows, especially since the song is one of the more risqué numbers from the Rock And Roll Hall of Famers.
The album’s description does shed some light on the possible reason for this omission. It mentions that some songs in the compilation have lyrics with mature themes, including sporadic references to violence and drugs. While the songs are the original, unedited versions, the album advises parental discretion, especially when played around younger audiences.
“Fat Bottomed Girls” was first released in 1978 and was paired as a double-A side with “Bicycle Race.” Interestingly, “Bicycle Race” has a playful nod to the “fat bottomed girls” and is included in the Yoto version of the album. The lyrics of “Fat Bottomed Girls” feature lines like, “Left alone with big fat Fanny/ She was such a naughty nanny/ Big woman, you made a bad boy out of me,” sung by the iconic Freddie Mercury. These lyrics might have been deemed inappropriate for the target audience of Yoto.
The song’s history is rich and significant in Queen’s journey. It played a pivotal role in propelling the band to chart-topping success. The ‘Greatest Hits’ album, released in 1981, achieved a remarkable milestone last year by spending over 1,000 weeks on the Official Albums Chart Top 100. This made it one of only three albums to achieve this feat and the first by a British act or rock band. Additionally, it became the first album to surpass seven million chart sales in the U.K., having crossed the six million mark in 2014.
While the omission of “Fat Bottomed Girls” from the Yoto version of ‘Greatest Hits’ might be understandable given the platform’s young audience, its historical significance and contribution to Queen’s legacy cannot be understated.
Source: Billboard.
