Mama, just killed a man. Put my gun up to his head, pulled my trigger. Now he’s dead. Mama, life has just begun. But now I’ve gone and thrown it all away.

Throw it all away.

The great ones do, and they leave us richer because they don’t hold back. The great ones leave life with the last drop of fuel burned, the last bullet from the last magazine fired, and the last breath flung into the universe with great love.

That, my friends, was Freddie Mercury. May I be so courageous as to throw it all away like he did.

This documentary about Queen and Freddie Mercury from the BBC is two hours long, and it is not nearly long enough. Watch it and see one of the great ones throw everything away.

Somehow, what Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon created has survived the death of the greatest front-man in rock & roll history. I cannot help but think it is because Freddie threw it all away with great love, great kindness, great passion — and was fortunate enough to die with his boots on.

PS: Watch Freddie’s last video – These Are The Days of Our Lives and try not to feel a lump in your throat. I dare you.