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Pride And Sorrow

from Night At The Opera by Mick Flannery

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Pride and Sorrow

Paul Morphy was and is known as “The Pride and Sorrow of chess”, owing to how beautifully and efficiently he played the game and also to the fact that he quit playing whilst still a very young man.
He was born to a wealthy family in New Orleans, Louisiana. He defeated all players of note in America, then traveled to Europe where he beat all comers also. He was known as a gentleman who would never accept prize money or bet on a game of chess.
After quitting chess he returned to New Orleans where he attempted to set up as a lawyer. Unfortunately for Morphy, most of his clients arrived only to ask him to play them at the game he was famed for mastering.

The song is based on internalized negativity or "voices" in Paul Morphy's head, later in his life as his mental health waned. He is said to have become very paranoid and reclusive in his final years.
He is thought to have died of a stroke, possibly caused by the shock of a cold bath after walking in New Orleans heat.
Moves/chords are from this game. It is one of the few games on record where a player checkmates his opponent by using a “castling” move.

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from Night At The Opera, released February 22, 2022

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Mick Flannery Cork, Ireland

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