What Bohemian Rhapsody actually meant:

Influenced By Rock
Aug 9, 2017 · 4 min read

Bohemian Rhapsody is a song which encompasses all genres. Though predominantly a rock song( one of the greatest rock songs to ever exist, in fact) it includes operatic verses and cannot be tied down to one genre. It is without a doubt one of the greatest songs ever composed and I am yet to come across a person who doesn’t like the song. The lyrics are layered(according to me) and speak about multiple things while speaking about one thing(confusing, right?). The meaning behind the lyrics was never explained by either member of Queen and hence is heavily debated upon.

On the surface, Bohemian Rhapsody is about a man who has killed a person, hence destroying his own life. As the song progresses the protagonist(if songs have protagonists) sells his soul to the devil(because, why not?).

To me however Bohemian Rhapsody is so much more than that. For example:

“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
Anyway the wind blows, doesn't really
matter to me,
to me”

This, to me, speaks about drug abuse. If you are high on cocaine something you would definitely wonder is whether this is the real life or whether this is some drug induced fantasy that your brain is dreaming up. Despite being high, one can never escape from reality. People usually do drugs to forget about their problems but drugs can never improve the situation.

“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, oo-o-o-o-oo
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 leave you all behind and face the
truth
Mama, oo-o-o--oo - (anyway the wind blows)
I don't want to die
I sometimes wish I'd never been born at
all…”

This part talks about the dangers of drug abuse. There have been numerous cases of drugs turning people into murderers. The same happens to an unlucky man. When the effect of drugs die out, he comes to face the reality of what he has done. He tells everything to his mother as a confession.

The next verse deals with suicide. When the protagonist (going with it) understands what he has done, he comprehends the problems that he will face. The sudden change from a law-abiding citizen(except the little bit of drugs on the side) to a murderer turns him crazy. Unable to deal with his problems he resorts to more drugs which forms the basis of the operatic verses which follow suit.

“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-o-o-o-o)
I'm just a poor boy and 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
Will not let you go
(NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER LET ME GO-O-O-O-O)
No, no, no, no, no, no, no no no-no-
Oh mama mia, mama mia, (mama mia let me go)
Beelzebub has a devil put aside
for me
for me
for ME!”

These are the different visions that the man sees in his drug induced state. He comes to terms with what he has done over the verses and in the end with the line “Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me” acknowledges the consequences that he will have to face.

“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
I just gotta get out - just gotta get right
outta here”

He thinks of ways to escape the punishments . He curses the drugs for destroying his life.

“Nothing really matters
Anyone can see
Nothing really matters
nothing really matters...
to meeee

Anyway the wind blows”

The protagonist understands that there is nothing he can do and hence decides to face the punishments.

According to this theory of mine, Bohemian Rhapsody deals with suicide and drug abuse. It definitely is a great song and will always remain an integral part of music. What do you think ?

https://theinfluenceofrock.wordpress.com/2017/08/05/the-meaning-behind-bohemian-rhapsody/

Influenced By Rock

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