In the song "Bohemian Rhapsody", what do the lyrics "Scaramouch, scaramouch will you do the fandango" mean?

Question

What on earth is a Scaramouch, and why would it do the fandango?

Answer 1

Scaramouche is a historical novel by Rafael Sabatini, originally published in 1921 and subsequently adapted into a play by Barbara Field and into feature films in 1923 starring Ramón Novarro and in 1952's remake Scaramouche with Stewart Granger. It is a romantic adventure and tells the story of a young aristocrat during the French Revolution. In the course of his adventures he at one point becomes an actor portraying "Scaramouche" (also called Scaramuccia, a roguish buffoon character in the commedia dell'arte). He also becomes in the course of the novel a lawyer, politician, and lover, confounding his enemies with his elegant orations and precision swordsmanship. The later film version includes one of the longest, and many believe, best swashbuckling sword-fighting scenes ever filmed.

The novel has a memorable opening line: "He was born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad."

Answer 2

I always thought they where asking a chap call Scaramouche (French I believe) to do a dance called the Fandango (Spanish I believe).

This might be an odd thing to ask normally, but it makes just as much sense as the rest of the lyrics

But I might be wrong.

Answer 3

Not what is but who is Scaramouche?
Character from French literature played, I believe once in a movie by Stewart Granger/James Stewart ?
The fandango is a dance.

Answer 4

Scaramouch was a French Lover, ladies loved to dance with him

Answer 5

Well a " Fandango" is a spanish dance

and Scar´a`mouch`
n. 1. A personage in the old Italian comedy (derived from Spain) characterized by great boastfulness and poltroonery; hence, a person of like characteristics; a buffoon.

Answer 6

Its "Saramouth, Saramouth" not "Scaramouch, Scaramouch"

Saramouth was the nickname for Freddie Mercury's First love that broke his heart. He was asking her if she would do the fandango which is a dance from the southwestern region which if performed right, is filled with love, passion and intensity. He was going to propose to her after the dance, but, she dumped him before the dance. That is what cause Freddie Mercury to turn homosexual. He felt that he could never trust another female in his life.

Answer 7

From the site below, "The name was that of a stock character in 17th-century Italian farce, Scaramuccia (i.e. literally "skirmish"), who, attired usually in a black Spanish dress, burlesquing a don, was beaten by Harlequin for his boasting and cowardice."

The song is describing a mock trial that could have been any "morality play."

Aloha

Answer 8

scaramucci is a character in french literature, always up for a laugh which, i imagine, would include the fandango

Answer 9

maybe Scarmouch is a person because the fandango is a very old type of dance very very old

Answer 10

I truly love "Bohemian Rhapsody" it is on my American Idol Karaoke recreation, and it is so relaxing to do a duet on, you listen: enable him flow and then enable me flow, I in basic terms initiate giggling so demanding! it is any such relaxing music, and that i have had a lot relaxing introducing my nieces to it! they are in difficulty-free words 17 so that that they had not in any respect even heard it before!