“The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke” is a song by Freddie Mercury, from Queen’s second album Queen II. The song was inspired by a painting by Richard Dadd with the same title.
For the intricately arranged studio recording, Mercury played harpsichord as well as piano, and Roy Thomas Baker played the...
[Segue: Intro]
He's a fairy feller
[Verse 1]
Ah, ah, the fairy folk have gathered
Round the new-moon 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
[Verse 2]
Ploughman, "Waggoner Will", 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
Tatterdemalion and the junketer
There's a thief and a dragonfly trumpeter
He's my hero (Aaaaah!)
Fairy dandy tickling the fancy
Of his lady friend
The nymph in yellow
(Can we see the master stroke)
What a quaere fellow
[Bridge]
Ah ah ah ah ah ah
Ah ah ah ah ah ah
[Bridge]
Soldier, sailor, tinker, tailor, ploughboy
Waiting to hear the sound
And the arch-magician presides
He is the leader
[Verse 3]
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 quaere fellow
[Outro]
The ostler stares
With hands on his knees
Come on Mr. Feller
Crack it open if you please
[Transition into Nevermore]
The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke was written by Freddie Mercury.
The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke was produced by Roy Thomas Baker & Queen.
Queen released The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke on Fri Mar 08 1974.