Queen: The Current Faux-Controversy Around ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’
Queen is making headlines, and the reason for it is a bit strange.
The iconic band’s equally iconic Greatest Hits collection is now available on Yoto, which touts itself as a “screen-free audio player for children.” This Greatest Hits collection has sold over 25 million copies worldwide. It’s understandable why: It features Queen’s biggest hits all in one place.
However, much ado has been made about this Greatest Hits collection on Yoto for one reason: It doesn’t feature their hit song “Fat Bottomed Girls.”
This omission has led to a number of outlets claiming “wokeness.” Notably, the Daily Mail reported this news with a headline of “We will woke you! Classic Queen song Fat Bottomed Girls is mysteriously dropped from the group’s new Greatest Hits collection.” A New York Post columnist also wrote an op-ed about the move with the headline “Don’t stop ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’ from making the rocking world go round.”
On the Yoto listing for Queen’s Greatest Hits, it states, “Please note that the lyrics in some of these songs contain adult themes, including occasional references to violence and drugs. These are the original and unedited recordings. Whilst no swear words are used, parental discretion is advised when playing this content to or around younger children.”
In other words: Yoto erred on the side of caution and opted to remove “Fat Bottomed Girls.” Why? Because maybe a song asking multiple times whether or not a woman with a big butt will “take me home tonight” might not be appropriate for the children that use Yoto. (Also, heaven forbid you have to explain the inspiration behind the lyric “Get on your bikes and ride.”)