Such a beautiful song. Obviously based on a song by Jeff Beck called where were you, you can hear echoes of it in bijou. Both songs are beautiful, this is my fave tho. Just i nice love song is all!

I don't know if this song is based on Jeff Beck's work, but damn... this song is POWERFUL. The first time I heard this song I was just floored. The guitar is so awesome... it crystallized this feeling of loneliness I had when I first heard it. So now whenever I hear it again, that feeling comes back... but it's such a great track to just let the music wash over you. It sounds like the guitar itself is crying over being alone.

Which album is "Bijou" from? It sounds wonderful.

Bijou is on Innuendo. It's supposed to be inverted in that the guitar plays the part a vocal would normally and the vocal is the solo to the song. Very unique, and a wonderful piece of music.

movielicious, don't know how much of Queen's work you know, but if you hear this song and like it then check out Nevermore from the Queen II album and You Take My Breath Away from A Day At The Races. And My Melancholy Blues from News Of The World. These songs are simply wonderful pieces, most of them just Fred on the piano. Also the Forever piano piece on the A Kind of Magic CD. That last one is Brian on the piano and is a kind of instumental to the Who Wants To Live Forever song. ALl good stuff. If you enjoy those, then just work your way through the rest of Queen's catalogue. You won't be dissapointed.

Thank you so much Tatterdemalion for the quick response! :)
I have the 3 disc Greatest Hits collection that was released about a year or 2 ago. I have heard of the Inneuendo album and my mom actually owns a record of the A Night at the Opera (i think that's what it's called; correct me if I'm wrong).
I think I have the Classic Queen cassette somewhere and that is wonderful.
Anyways, thank you so much for the recommendations. :D

I am thoroughly confused by the lyrics. At one time, I actually thought that this was dedicated to Brian May's Red Special. 8{
Beautiful song though.

probably the most subltly clever song. beautiful. i heard it had to do with brians mom who owned a bird that had a lovely voice, and he was inspired by its song. but dont go by me

Mmm, awesome guitar. Does anyone know the significance of the word "Bijou"?

'Bijou' is French for 'jewel.' It's a term of endearment, not sure how common it is. This song is currently my favourite, and has been for a long long time, I doubt that that will ever change.

Queen are my favourite band, if you like this song, i suggest you listen to 'The Night Comes Down' on the first, self-titled album, the lyrics and melody are absolutely incredible (it takes a while to get into the song, there is a random guitar solo first).

Bijou was one of his cats, he wrote it to one of his cats, just like Delilah, also on Innuendo :)

This song is indeed written about one of Freddie's cats. It is a song beyond what any other band could achieve. It is a totally unique piece that is gorgeous and heart wrenching because he was very ill and feeling sentimental about his pet. This entire album is flawless and an emotional farewell. Queen will never be equalled and more people will come to realize this as time goes by.

I feel that the guitar is singing and saying goodbye to Freddie.

I am a huge Queen fan. Freddie’s passing still often makes me cry when I hear or see anything by Queen, remembering at once their insurmountable talent and at the same time, the insurmountable loss of Freddie’s passing. I have always appreciated the intelligence of Queen’s lyrics, whether clever, witty, bold, arrogant, or subtle. Thus the enigmatic meaning of “Bijou” particularly intrigued me when I first heard it, and this is a theory I have had for many years, and yet to date I have read no other similar take on the song, though what I have read about its meaning has not shed any clearer light for me personally.

"Bijou" is a painful song for me to ever listen to, especially since it precedes "The Show Must Go On". But I have to disagree that the song is about one of Freddie's cats, à la "Delilah". Why? Firstly, because "Delilah" has such a jovial, playful mood, whereas "Bijou" has a sincere sadness, not making a lot of sense as to why the contrast in tones regarding his cats; secondly, I doubt Freddie would have put 2 songs about his cats on 1 album; and lastly, I have seen a list of Freddie's cat's names, and "Bijou" is not one of them.

No, I have a different take on the real meaning behind the song "Bijou", and yes indeed the meaning of the word is "jewel" or "exquisite piece".

There is a reason why "Bijou" is where it is on "Innuendo". It precedes "The Show Must Go On", and for good reason I think. "Bijou" is nothing to do with Freddie's cats - it is in fact a prelude to "The Show Must Go On", and if you are familiar with the meanings of that song, "Bijou" conveys a similar meaning - that of the realisation of inevitability i.e. Freddie’s imminent passing. It is sadness personified; there is acceptance or at least, resignation; and yet there is a certain defiance in its lyrical content.

What then is the song about? I believe in fact, that the song is actually about Freddie’s illness HIV/AIDS, and Freddie’s feelings towards and about it. He speaks to it almost personally in the song, giving it its own persona, conveying that it is not a part of him, yet expressing he is forever bound to it, and it to him.

“You and me we are destined you'll agree
To spend the rest of our lives with each other
The rest of our days like two lovers
For ever
Yeah
For ever

My bijou”

He refers to himself and the illness as “you and me”, and that they are both destined to spend the rest of each of their lives together; “like two lovers” implying the greatest intimacy, yet simultaneously the “like” tells the tragedy of the true meaning of the statement – not lovers at all, but that the illness has vanquished all other true lovers, almost selfishly, but ironically now has lost any chance of love or life itself. “For ever” is repeated, hauntingly, expressing the reality of this “bond”, yet simultaneously juxtaposing (and patronising) the imminence of Freddie’s death. Freddie says “My Bijou” with almost a lover’s tone, yet one can hear a sarcasm in his expression, albeit much more subtle than Freddie’s sneer in “Innuendo” “If there’s a point, if there’s a reason to live or die ….. hah!” His referral to the illness as “My Bijou” is the penultimate insult to it; calling it what he might have the true love of his life, and yet taunting it with the realisation that it will never ever be – that it is the antithesis of anything that would resemble or be called “Bijou”.

In this context one can better understand the sadness of Brian’s guitar and the accompanying keyboards, at first glance both telling the tale of a lovers’ tragedy, almost Shakespearean à la Romeo and Juliet; but as the song progresses, particularly after the lyrics end, the listener realises that the music is almost crying for the tragedy that has befallen Freddie, and also Queen themselves, because of this illness – again with a double entendre constantly evident throughout the song.

Some have said that Freddie sings these lyrics about his lover, Jim Hutton, but Jim was Freddie’s lover, and remained so up until Freddie’s death, even tho they may have stopped being ‘physical’ lovers. So thus I dismiss that “Bijou” is about Jim.

No, to my mind “Bijou” is a prelude to “The Show Must Go On”, and they very-much go hand-in-hand contextually. “Bijou” sets the mood for the second song, and personally I think “The Show Must Go On” is one of the most tragic songs ever written, and it is very painful for me to hear Freddie singing about his own imminent death. Thus I will rarely listen to it (or Bijou) as they are both too sad for me to hear. I love them both, but only on rare occasions do I put them on, and similarly with “These Are The Days Of Our Lives”, they will always make me cry.

There never has been, and never will be, another band like Queen, and no individual anywhere like or comparable to Freddie Mercury, either as a personality, singer, or front-man. He was a true “Bijou”.

Thanks for reading.

With all respect,why does everyone claim that queen songs are about aids?

"why does everyone claim that queen songs are about aids?"

Well firstly, everyone does NOT claim that "queen songs are about aids" - however, any Queen aficionado knows that some of Freddie's later lyrics (particularly off 'Innuendo' and the new songs on 'Made In Heaven’) dealt with his feelings about his predicament - and I strongly believe 'Bijou' is one of the most personal that he penned.

I do not subscribe to the theory that 'BoRhap' is about HIV/AIDS etc - that's just an ignorant generalisation. But some of Queen's last work did deal with the subject matter, yes.

Well maybe I was quite hasty with this one, but some people think that every second queen song is an gay anthem, or that it tells about freddies AIDS...
I respect your opinion, but I don´t know if freddie even wrote this one, correct me if I´m wrong. I think this is just about love, but you are quite right
BUT... You are also right about the BoRhap thing, and that is what I don´t like. Freddie went to HIV-diagnoses in 1987.

Well this is an forum for opinions on what we believe these songs that we love, listen to, the artist we damn there worship mean...but, what the said we also have to correct each other and this is one of those moments. Freddie didn't write the song, "TheOlsna" is correct within that and it isn't about any sort of disease at all...Brian wrote the song, and he wrote about the interaction between Queen and the FANS . . . not HIV/AIDS, Gay anything, nor Cats (though Freddie did refer to many things within his home as his jewels). For those who don't know, Queen purposely placed songs on their albums for crowd interaction starting with "Love Of My Life" and obviously continued with "Somebody To Love & Teo Torriatte", WWRY/WATC", "Mustapha"...etc, etc, etc. And this is well documented on several DVDs.

The AIDS theory for bijou is impossible! Makes no sense!
This is a love song with a great guitar solo.
The sound of the guitar makes me remember "Somewhere over the rainbow" played by Queen. Amazing!

I think this song is a representation of something other than love though aids is doubtable. Because it says 'LIKE two lovers' it must be somewhat of a comparison. The 'queen-fans' relationship makes sense. But there is understandably much of this song left to be interpreted, as the guitar 'sings' most of it.

Freddie Mercury and Brian May were perfect together, especially in this song. I agree with PaleVengeance, the main "attraction" of this song is the guitar.

In Breton, the word biz means "finger." The related word bizou means "ring for the finger." The French had learned the word and generalized it to mean any kind of small jewel or gem, as it does in our language today.
Two possible meanings come to mind:

1. We all know that Freddie Mercury had a deep interest in Japanese art and culture. It so happens that in Shinto (the native religion of Japan) there is the concept of the Jewel of the four souls comprising: (Courage), Nigimitama (Friendship), Kushimitama (Wisdom) and Sakimitama (Love). When all united in one person they form a crystalline sphere called the Shikon Jewel.

2. Freddie was cremated with Jim Hutton's wedding ring on his finger . He may have been referring to this ring.

I read somewhere that on this track Brian used a guitar given to him by Jeff Beck instead of his Red Special.