Widely considered to be one of the greatest songs of all time, “Bohemian Rhapsody” was the first single released from Queen’s fourth studio album, A Night at the Opera. It became an international success, reaching #1 in seven countries and peaking at #9 in the United States. Seventeen years after its initial release, “Bohemian Rhapsody” re-entered the pop charts in the US, peaking at #2 after being featured in the 1992 hit movie Wayne’s World. In 2002, the song was listed at #1 in a Guinness World Records poll as Britain’s favorite single of all time—ranking higher than four Beatles tracks and “Imagine” by John Lennon.
Complex and operatic both musically and lyrically, “Bohemian Rhapsody” (like Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” and The Eagles’ “Hotel California”) has attracted endless fan theories and commentary. The surviving band members have claimed that the narrative is based on the Faust legend; critics have found possible sources in opera and Freddie Mercury’s personal biography; but like any good piece of art, it’s open to interpretation.
The word “Bohemian” seems to refer to a group of artists and musicians from the 19th century, known for defying convention and living with disregard for standards as opposed to the region of Bohemia in the Czech Republic. Meanwhile the term “rhapsody” (derived from the Greek: ῥαψῳδός or rhapsodies for a reciter of epic poetry, or a rhapsodist) is a piece of classical music with distinct sections that are played as one movement. Rhapsodies often feature dense themes or narratives.
As of December 2018, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is the most streamed song of the 20th century.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” has got a very diverse song structure. It includes:
• Intro (0:00-0:49)
• Ballad section (0:49-2:37)
• Brian May ‘s’ guitar solo (2:37-3:05)
• Operatic verse (3:05-4:07)
• Hard-rock verse (4:07-4:54)
• Coda (4:54-5:55)
Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality.
Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see.
I’m just a poor boy, I need no sympathy.
Because I’m easy come, easy go, little high, little low.
Any way the wind blows doesn’t really matter to me, to me
Mama just killed a man.
Put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger, now he’s dead.
Mama, life had just begun.
But now I’ve gone and thrown it all away.
Mama, ooh, didn’t mean to make you cry.
If I’m not back again this time tomorrow
Carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters.
Too late, my time has come.
Sends shivers down my spine, body’s aching all the time.
Goodbye, everybody, I’ve got to go.
Gotta leaves you all behind and face the truth.
Mama, ooh (any way the wind blows)
I don’t wanna die.
I sometimes wish I’d never been born at all.
I see a little silhouetto of a man.
Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?
Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me
(Galileo) Galileo, (Galileo) Galileo, Galileo Figaro, magnifico
I’m just a poor boy, nobody loves me.
He’s just a poor boy from a poor family.
Spare him his life from this monstrosity.
Easy come, easy go, will you let me go?
Bismillah!
No, we will not let you go (let him go)
Bismillah!
We will not let you go (let him go)
Bismillah!
We will not let you go (let me go)
Will not let you go (let me go)
Never, never, never, never let me go.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
Oh, mamma mia, mamma mia
Mamma mia, let me go.
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me
So, you think you can stone me and spit in my eye?
So, you think you can love me and leave me to die?
Oh, baby, can’t do this to me, baby.
Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here.
Ooh
Ooh, yeah, ooh, yeah.
Nothing really matters, anyone can see.
Nothing really matters.
Nothing really matters to me.
(Any way the wind blows)
Artist – Queen
Album – Greatest Hits I, II & III: The Platinum Collection
Release date – January 1, 1974
Genre – Rock
Duration – 5:55
Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” – a powerful priceless six-minute suite of opera rock about a young man who’s killed someone, sold his soul to Devil and wants to know if Scaramouche can do the Fandango – remains one of Queen’s most popular works and is placed on lists of the greatest songs of all time. Scaramouche is a stock clown character of Italian literature. Fandango is a lively couples dance from Spain.
In 1975, “Bohemian Rhapsody” was the most expensive single ever made.
Freddie Mercury refused to give an explanation of his lyrics other than saying “Bohemian Rhapsody” was about relationships.
Connect with Queen Online:
- Visit the official Queen Website: https://Queen.lnk.to/Official
- Follow Queen on Instagram: https://Queen.lnk.to/Instagram
- Follow Queen on TikTok: https://Queen.lnk.to/TikTokOfficial
- Follow Queen on Twitter: https://Queen.lnk.to/Twitter
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody (Official Video Remastered) https://www.youtube.com/user/queenoff…
#QueenTheGreatest #BohemianRhapsody #Remastered #Queen
