Son and Daughter

I would certainly argue that the song is Brian May's attack on feminism. He gave an interview many years ago where he said that women's liberation had gone too far.

He's an intelligent enough guy, but like most rock stars, has some pretty ignorant attitudes towards women, I guess.

i love this song! i think its about some dude who was pissed of at societys rules and wanted it to change

I never really got the lyrics to this song. It does sound like it's about some guy who's angry at something. I sort of thought it was a protest against the feminist movement: That men and women are supposed to have certain roles in society, and women should stick to their role and not try to take on the role of men as well, for two reasons: 1. It's not that easy being a man. 2. A man wants a woman, not a woman trying to be a man and woman (or son and daughter). Just a thought. I don't even think all of the lyrics match that meaning, especially the last part about saving the world. ("Gotta save the world/Ooh, I've just begun") Anyone else have any ideas?

Can't believe how many/few people have commented on this song. Nice, heavy-esque song.

I think it's commenting on society, and would probably do anything just to get away from it all or change it.

Yeah, I guess that's what the part about saving the world is about...trying to change the society.

It has always made me think of Freedie and his sexual preferences. He lacked a source of love in his life and contemplates if things would have been any better if he'd been a woman. The world expects a man to buckle down and shovel shit...this is the one thing freddie is refusing to do,as he is uncomfortable being just any man and is breaking away from the confines the world places on male masculinity...regardless, Freddie you are missed!

I guess you could interpret it that way, except this song was written by Brian...but even if it was written by Freddie, I see a number of problems with the interpretation. For instance, it says "I want YOU to be a woman," and not "I want to be a woman." It's still rather an interesting thought, though...maybe Freddie would have liked to be a woman at some point in his life, but I have the feeling that he enjoyed being a man too much to want to change.

I still stand by what I say about it being anti-Feminism. I just can't figure out this part: "Well I travelled around the world Found a brand new word for day Watching the time, mustn't linger behind Pardon me I have to get away"

lololol....you guys crack me up! Take it for what it is and stop trying to psychoanalyze the lyrics....this is a straight up kick ass rock and roll song...no more no less

Yeah, I agree. It's just a rock song. The lyrics don't really need to have a meaning, as long as it sounds good. But yes, you could see it as a comment about society's rules. Why not?

This site is songMEANINGS.net, so if you don't want to try to figure out the meaning of the song, don't tell off others who are. Yes, there are many rock songs without meaning, but I don't think this is one of them. Brian May is an intelligent man and many of his songs include interesting, though-provoking lyrics. He doesn't strike me as the type of person to just rebel mindlessly against society, or write songs about it. This particular song is commenting about something very specific within society, or even about a particular person.

I find it rather sad that almost no one wants to put any thought into this song, and the only person here that did thinks Freddie wrote it...