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Youtube Brings Back Memories – Queen in Budapest

I recently said in my Tiananmen post that Youtube allowed me to see parts of history that I missed in original, back in 1989. Well, here’s another one that has nostalgic value to me from 1986 in Budapest, Hungary:


(Watch the video on Youtube should the embedded player not work)The “weird” language is Hungarian, and Freddie Mercury is singing a Hungarian Folklore song. In 1986 the Queen performed in front of 80,000 people in a crowded stadium in Budapest. They also shot a full feature movie, “Queen Live in Budapest” featured the band members taking day trips into the country, including race-car driving, hot-air balloons, visits to the Royal Castle, Freddie buying up half the inventory in all the city’s antique shops…

I was a student then, moonlighting as translator for several bands visiting “behind the iron curtain”. Too bad my assignment was John Deacon who spent most of his time in his room… My friend, Gabor had a lot more fun taking Freddie to all those places, and teaching him “Tavaszi Szel”, the folklore song in the clip above. He had the English pronunciation of the lyrics scribed on his palm.Here’s another 6-minute video providing some background on the Queens tour in Budapest. (Hm, it says 72k people … all I know is the stadium’s capacity was 80k, tickets sold out long in advance, and lots of people got in with guest passes .. or without).

Update (9/27/07): For whatever reason this lil’ post got picked up by Queenzone.com and is now getting hundreds of readers. Funny… readers are asking “where’s John?”. Here’s a little piece of the video showing him in Budapest, outside Hotel Intercontinental ( I think it’s a Marriott today).

The guy sitting at the table, facing John, with his back to the camera is yours truly … my 3 seconds of fame smile_wink

Comments

  1. Vándorló says

    For those who want to sing along I’ve written it below, with a quick translation.

    For those who want to sing along I’ve written it below, with a quick translation.

    Tavaszi Szél
    (‘Spring Wind’ about flood, love, partner-searching…)

    tavaszi szél vizet áraszt virágom virágom
    tavaszi szél vizet áraszt virágom virágom
    The Spring wind sheds water my flower my flower
    The Spring wind sheds water my flower my flower

    minden madár társat választ
    minden madár társat választ
    Every bird selects a companion
    Every bird selects a companion

    hát én immár kit válasszak
    te ingemet s én tégedet
    But who should I now choose?
    You are for me and I for you.

  2. Üdvözöllek Zoli,
    Ez az ének, EZZEL A HANGGAL előadva a világ legédesebb dala számomra.
    Minden jót neked.
    Éva

  3. Greetins for you Zoli,
    I have write you in hungarian and it was considered like a spam, now I try in English.
    This tune with THIS VOICE is the sweetest song of the world for me.
    All the best for you.
    Eva

  4. Hi Eva,

    I can never figure the ways of spam filters … it caught your English version as well.

Trackbacks

  1. […] 27 2009 05:38:03 PM Posted By : Zoli Erdos Comments (0) P.S. Ah, that FTC disclosure.. I did some business with the Queen.. way back. Posted Under : Just for fun Tags music parody queen Share this article:     […]

  2. […] nun endlich gefunden! Queen und Freddie Mercury spielen das traditionelle ungarische Lied „Tavaszi szél vizet áraszt“ bei ihrem 86er Auftritt in Ungarn. Ein wahrlich magischer Moment, der ganz tief Wurzeln […]

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