Queen – The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke

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He's a fairy feller
Ah ah the fairy folk have gathered
Round the new moon's shine
To see the feller crack a nut
At night's noon time
To swing his axe he swears
As he climbs he dares
To deliver the master stroke

Plow man wagoner will' and types
Politician with senatorial pipe
He's a dilly dally oh
Pedagogue squinting wears a frown
And a satyr peers under lady's gown
He's a dirty fellow
What a dirty laddie-oh

Tatterdemalion and the junketer
There's a thief and a dragonfly trumpeter
He's my hero ah
Fairy dandy tickling the fancy
Of his lady friend
The nymph in yellow (can we see the master stroke)
What a queer fellow

Ah ah ah ah ah ah
Ah ah ah ah ah ah
Soldier sailor tinker tailor plow boy
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 friend
The nymph in yellow
What a queer fellow
The ostler stares with hands on his knees
Come on mister feller
Crack it open of you please

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Lyrics submitted by Noble Surfer

Track duration: 02:41

"The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke" as written by Freddie Mercury

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

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The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke song meanings
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21 Comments

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  • 0
    Song Meaning:Oh, and it is Waggoner Will in the lyrics, he's a waggoner called Will, not wheel.
    'a dwarf monk with shaven crown... To Waggoner Will beside Him lest'
    Flagged Spuffon February 18, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:Sorry, I should have said the names/identification of most of the characters are taken from the commentary. Obviously everything is about the painting.
    Flagged Spuffon February 18, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Dadd wrote a commentary on his painting called 'Elimination of a picture and its subject - called the feller's master stroke'. It is from that the characters mentioned in the song are taken - for examples: 'To assist This gandy long legged trumpeter A tatterdemalion & a junketer', 'In soldier and Sailor, tinker or tailor ploughboy Apothecary, thief', 'The Politician next, with senatorial pipe', 'Some fairy dandy. Making a break As sweet as candy. To faery nymph Like him so quaint', 'You’ll not inform that fay, that under the leg Of one of those maids, behind his Back. A satyr peeps', 'The ostler from the fairy inn Knowing his air, the curate of the trim Hands to his knees and body bent' etc.
    And yes the purpose of cracking the nut is to make a new carriage for Mab - 'Left to its time & how to do To split for Mab perchance a chariot new'.
    And there is no double meaning in the lyrics - Freddie was very keen on art.
    Flag Spuffon February 17, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment: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!
    Flag vortexzephyron October 14, 2008   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment: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?
    Flag rotherhamkidon December 25, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment: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.
    Flag dondongo86on October 07, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment: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.
    Flag dondongo86on October 07, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment: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....
    Don´t you?
    Flag TheOlsnaon June 24, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment: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?
    Flag Glacionon May 04, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment: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.
    Flag akanawhaon March 06, 2006   Link

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