The classic hit "Fat Bottomed Girls" by iconic rock band Queen has been pulled from the band's new greatest hits collection for younger listeners that debuted on the audio platform Yoto. The move has been met with criticism from some who say it is an example of "woke culture" gone too far.
The new album, a partnership between Universal Music U.K. and Yoto, is marketed as an "ideal introduction to the music of Queen for young music lovers." While many classic songs like "We Will Rock You," "We Are the Champions," and "Bohemian Rhapsody" appear on the track list, "Fat Bottomed Girls" did not make the cut.
The album does come with a content warning, advising parents that some of the band's music contains "occasional references to violence and drugs." However, some say this decision to leave out the iconic song is a step too far.
One music industry professional told U.K. outlet The Daily Mail, “It is the talk of the music industry, nobody can work out why such a good-natured, fun song can’t be acceptable in today’s society. It is woke gone mad. Why not appreciate people of all shapes and sizes like society is saying we should, rather than get rid of it?”
Fox News contributor Joe Concha blasted the omission as "utterly ridiculous," telling "Fox & Friends First" anchors Todd Piro and Carley Shimkus that the band "took chances" and pushed the envelope with their innovation and "politically incorrect" music. He continued to say, "To say, ‘All right, that song never existed’ is utterly ridiculous. And, by the way, the boomerang effect will be more people downloading that song than they ever would've before 40 years later."
The iconic song has been popular since it debuted on Queen's 1981 Greatest Hits album, and many fans think it should remain in its catalog as a symbol of the band's spirit of innovation and risk-taking. Similarly, some believe the decision to omit it leaves young listeners with a incomplete version of Queen's history.
What remains to be seen is if this decision to pull "Fat Bottomed Girls" from the new greatest hits collection will remain or be overturned. As Joe Concha said, "This is just another example of ‘go woke, go broke,’ but I guess you can't go broke [since] they have made millions upon millions." It looks like only time will tell if the universal mantra holds true in this case.