Lyrics for The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke as interpreted by Noble Surfer

The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke Lyrics
(he's a fairy feller)

The fairy folk had gathered 'round the new moon shine
To see a feller crack a nut a night's noon time
To swing his ax, he swears
As it climbs, he dares
To deliver...
The master stroke

Ploughman, waggoner wheel, and types
Politician with senatorial pipe
He's a dilly dally-o

Pedagogue squinting, wears a frown
And a satyr peers under lady's gown
Dirty fellow
What a dirty laddio

Taterdamaellion and a junketer
There's a thief and a dragonfly trumpeter
He's my hero

Fairy dandy, tickling the fancy of his lady's friend
The nymph in yellow
(can we see the master stroke?)
What a quaere fellow

Soldier, sailor, tinker, tailor, ploughboy
Waiting to hear the sound
And the arch-magician presides, he is the leader

Oberon and Titania, watched by a harridan
Mab is the queen and there's a good apothecary-man
Come to say hello

Fairy dandy, tickling the fancy of his lady's friend
The nymph in yellow
What a quaere fellow

The ostler stands with hands on his knees
"Come on, mister feller, crack it open if you please"

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MetaLuna
04-28-2002

Rated 0 
I think this song is about the fairy feller.

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orsidian
05-19-2002

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There is a painting by Richard Dadd called the Fairy Feller's Masterstroke. I suspect there is a link, although I can't think what.

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butterfingersbeck
07-01-2002

Rated 0 
Look at the painting - the song is a straightforward description of what's happening.

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Sir_Larrikin
06-17-2003

Rated 0 
The song seems to be about a Faery Ring - mentions of the king and queen of the Faery, etc... probably *is* a ref to the Early Master.

The picture by Daad (from the late 1850s - early 1860s) can be found at: http://www.beautyandruin.com/findesiecle/earlymasters/daad1.jpg

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ledskynyrd
11-03-2004

Rated 0 
it's about whackin' off. thank you

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Tatterdemalion
01-09-2005

Rated 0 
It is all based on the painting

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AsItBegan
03-13-2005

Rated 0 
It IS indeed based on the painting, and it's a loada fun (the song, anyways)! =oD

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DarkenedSilence666
04-10-2005

Rated 0 
Yeah its based on Dadd's painting. Awesome song :P I dont see why it isn't just as popular as stuff like The Miracle etc its easily as good.

FREDDIE LIVES

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K-nuxXx
05-02-2005

Rated 0 
It's probably not as popular as other songs because its on the album Queen II. Most of the stuff before 'A NIght At The Opera' is relativly unknown because they came to the mainstream with ANATO.
Still this song rocks, only Queen could produce a song which describes a painting!!!

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Persian_Eyes
12-16-2005

Rated 0 
The words in this song are a literal description of a scene on a painting by Richard Dadd. In my view there's something else behind. I think Freedie is in a way depicting, or even mocking, some ritual held by the members of a secret order, only that these fellows are not people but fairies.
"The fairy folk have gathered 'round the new moon shine
To see the feller crack a nut at night's noon time..."
TO CRACK A NUT....What's the fuss about it???
Yeah....he's definitely mocking all these supersecretive societies whose members are said to be the guardians of an ancient secret that if disclosed it may change the fate of humanity, etc. They may be right. Who knows?
Anyway...I just happen to like fairies...so...whatever this song is about, I love it! And Freddie writes and sings perfectly.

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banana_jam
01-06-2006

Rated 0 
Persian Eyes - the fairy feller is cracking a nut to make a new carriage for Queen Mab.

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Persian_Eyes
01-07-2006

Rated 0 
Ahhh thank you...banana_jam

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akanawha
03-06-2006

Rated 0 
Freddie Mercury was one of the best songwriters in history(along with Brian May) and he always seemed to allow you to form your own meaning to his songs. I think that this song is fascinating and is written and delivered perfectly. Queen 2 is one of the best albums ever made and people should give it a listen.

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Glacion
05-04-2006

Rated 0 
Yeah, quoth Freddie, "We really identified ourselves with Queen II." Of course, I don't see how it didn't become popular. The cover was a clip from the Bohemian Rhapsody video. How eyecatching could it not have been?

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TheOlsna
06-24-2006

Rated 0 
I love the way that freddie sings :Fairy dandy, tickling the fancy of his lady's friend
The nymph in yellow
(can we see the master stroke?)
What a quaere fellow....
Donīt you?

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dondongo86
10-07-2006

Rated 0 
most definately TheOlsna.
my favoright lines:
Pedagogue squinting, wears a frown
And a satyr peers under lady's gown
Dirty fellow
What a dirty laddio

Taterdamaellion and a junketer
There's a thief and a dragonfly trumpeter
He's my hero

Fairy dandy, tickling the fancy of his lady's friend
The nymph in yellow
(can we see the master stroke?)
What a quaere fellow

I like Ogre battle, father to son and march of the black queen on this album too.

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dondongo86
10-07-2006

Rated 0 
most definately TheOlsna.
my favoright lines:
Pedagogue squinting, wears a frown
And a satyr peers under lady's gown
Dirty fellow
What a dirty laddio

Taterdamaellion and a junketer
There's a thief and a dragonfly trumpeter
He's my hero

Fairy dandy, tickling the fancy of his lady's friend
The nymph in yellow
(can we see the master stroke?)
What a quaere fellow

I like Ogre battle, father to son and march of the black queen on this album too.

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rotherhamkid
12-25-2006

Rated 0 
Based on a painting by Richard Dadd. A very disturbed man mentally.I have a copy of the painting hanging in my room. A complete contrast to Ogre Battle but how can you hate a song so giddy and frivolous?

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vortexzephyr
10-14-2008

Rated 0 
Obviously this is a straightforward description of the painting but I think it functions on another level as well. Fairy feller (fellow)? Quaere (queer)? Crack a nut (slang for an orgasm)? Delivering a master stroke? A fairy dandy tickling the fancy of his lady's friend (not his lady friend, his lady's friend). I think Freddie probably saw the the possible double meaning of the painting's title (fairy feller meaning to fell i.e. slay your opponents) and fairy feller (fairy fellow) and wrote a song that could describe both the painting and a gay orgy. I mean, he did come out shortly after this album. I think march of the black queen has a similar double meaning. Ogre battle doesn't seem to have the multiple meanings... pure genius!

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