When Queen Ruled The World: A Deep Dive into ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’
I was really surprised when I started listening to Queen.
The number of hits they have is crazy.
There are so many songs that I was listening to that I had already known before but didn’t know they were the artists behind them.
This is a testament to their range. They have music in their discography that can be enjoyed by almost anyone.
Some of my absolute favorites are:
Of course, their magnum opus, Bohemian Rhapsody, is something that is unlike anything else put out in that era.
It’s 6 minutes of probably the most unique combinations of genres: rock, ballad, and opera.
Bohemian Rhapsody
My wife and I just watched the movie about Queen that came out several years ago, and the part of the movie where they were creating Bohemian Rhapsody was so special.
- They were combating conventional song structure.
- Also while pushing boundaries of creativity past even the genre of rock.
Freddie Mercury, who was the lead vocalist and pianist of Queen, really cemented his greatness with this song.
The creation of Bohemian Rhapsody began with him.
He envisioned a song that would create a unique flow of emotions. Combined with a narrative that would dance between despair and hope.
The changes in pace is where I beleive it thrives.
When a song breaks traditional song structure, it can either work out amazingly or not at all.
There’s a barrier in most people’s taste of music.
It’s easy for people to know, based on just a couple of seconds of listening, if the song is something they’d like or not.
So around 3:05, when the beat changes, or should I say the whole song changes, this barrier is tested.
The addition of opera is placed right there.
You can't help but to give the song your absolute attention because now you're curious where its going and debating if you even like the culmination of those melodies.
They then bring back that rock aspect as you continue to listen for the rest of the 3 minutes, and it’s mesmerizing.
There have been plenty of artists who have blended and experimented with different genres within individual songs.
Here are some iconic ones:
Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses
- This amazing rock anthem combines hard rock, heavy metal, and ballad.
Billie Jean by Michael Jackson
- This classic, I beleive is second to Bohemian Rhapsody as far genre blending success. There are mixes of pop, R&B, funk, and disco.
Purple Rain by Prince
- Prince really put his versatility on display in this almost 9-minute song. There are mixes of rock, pop, funk, and R&B.
Like a Prayer by Madonna
- I love this song a lot. Madonna put together genres like pop, gospel, and dance in this very controversial yet influential song.
Even when considering these top hits, I believe the spectrum between opera and rock is the farthest, which makes Bohemian Rhapsody so much more of a bolder delivery.
Especially due to the timing of its release.
Bohemian Rhapsody was released in 1975.
This is before the amazing sounds of the 80s.
Musically, the 70s were amazing, but as far as availability and resources, the 80s had every reason to be as great as it was.
Queen Reigned Supreme
Releasing this song cemented their legacy as one the greatest bands in music history.
The cultural impact is something that needs to be addressed here.
The distinctive sound of Bohemian Rhapsody was and is still known by listeners of all ages and different backgrounds.
It’s one of the most memorable songs ever released.
Its been decades since its release and there's still tons of inclusions in popular media like films, TV shows, and commercials. Allowing it to appeal to even the younger people of today.
Like me, I'm only 25 years old.
If I were to go over all the reasons why this song is so great you'd be looking at a 30 minute read time, at least.
I'll keep it short and sweet so I can save all that for future stories for you guys to read.
That is going to conclude my music story for the day. I’m delving deep into all the music that was released from the 50s all the way to the late 80s and have been for about a year now. I'm going to continue writing all about it. Till my next piece!
Best, Bucho Abina III
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