It's in the title word "Rhapsody". A rhapsody is episodic..it will have multiple scenes and moods blended in to one song. Doing it well is difficult...this song is perfection. The transitions are blended flawlessly.
For me the best song ever written, just pure genius, mixing opera with rock like this. Opera at the begining as instroduction, then slow rock telling the story, than opera again for the part where the boy is being judged to hard rock latter, damn, that is just not just a regular song.
This song was Freddie's opus. He sings the first verse (all the harmonies) by himself. Wrote it all. Then they had to argue to get a 6 minute song played on radio. But it worked and it's the most downloaded song in history. Has won so many awards. I just wish Freddie had seen even more of the acclaim than he did. (Oh yeah, no, not for a play/musical though it was used in Queen based musical We Will Rock You, years later). A masterpiece! **I'd suggest starting with the early stuff and going in chronological order. No need to get to the sad ending until you have to. Suggesting - Killer Queen, White Queen, Spread Your Wings, Don't Stop Me Now. Those'll get you started.
If you're new to Queen, prepare yourself for a long and awesome journey. It will be a long wonderful ride. Once you start the slide into the Queen rabbit hole, you won't seek escape. It is a place of joy, passion, tears, and constant amazement. Queen doesn't have a genre. They have many. Their catalogue is huge. They are probably the tightest, most skilled, most talented band there is and Freddie is the best front man that ever graced a stage. His voice is secondary to none. There is so much to learn and appreciate and love about Queen and every one of the band members. Enjoy!!!!!
Like you, I was lucky enough to see Queen live 4 times back in the 70s and 80s. Freddie is/was amazing. I wish everyone could still experience a Queen concert live.
I loved your Queen reaction!!!! Thanks dears! You must react all the Queen eras. Is fantastic and different in all. Majestic, sublime. Freddie Mercury is passionate, terrific musician, magnificent singer and the stage presence is unforgettable. People say that he was bigger than life! Wembley 86 is fantastic too. Milton Keynes 82, the rest my friends below said to you. Welcome to the QUEEN experience, no regrets! A big hug to you both! ♥️👑
Freddie wrote this in his Early Twenties. You do know also in 1986- 1987 era Freddie wrote an album of Operatic songs- and sang them with the famous Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballe! It’s called ‘ Barcelona’ a year after Freddie passed it was used as the theme song of the 1992 Olympics in Spain From rock to opera and the first singer to do it. Freddie also made a solo album- ‘Mr. Bad Guy’.
Queen - greatest band of all time!!!! Please do Somebody To Love live in Montreal, Under Pressure or Who Wants To Live Forever - both live at Wembley! Really, ANYTHING live of theirs is awesome!!!
This song is from 1975, Freddie never said what about is this song , so many people only pretend that they know everything about this song, but even his friends don ´t know the true. It ´s only on your fantasy
@@TheCottons Freddie never publicly came out, he never hid his sexuality but kept it private and never acknowledged he was bisexual to the media or fans as he felt it was nobody's business
Big thumbs up for this reaction guys! I still can't believe there are people who haven't heard this song! Therefore, we're gonna find each and every one of those people and have them listen to it, with headphones! Now that you've found Queen, jump right into the rabbit hole and enjoy, you will NOT regret it! And we'll love watching you! 😅
As you may (or may not) know, Queen is a British rock band that was formed in 1970 and is comprised of: Freddie Mercury - Lead vocals and piano Roger Taylor - Drummer and vocals Brian May - Lead guitar and vocals John Deacon - Bass guitar "Bohemian Rapsody" is the creation of Freddie Mercury but he never told anyone what he was thinking when he wrote the lyrics. Freddie tended to write in metaphors so I would not suggest taking any of his songs literally. He wanted listeners to be able to apply to the song whatever meaning it had to them personally. Not what it meant to him. BTW - Freddie did admit that it was composed of three separate songs that he had been working on but could not seem to finish. So he decided to mash them together, adding some transitions and bridges, and created "Bohemian Rhapsody". "Bohemian Rhapsody" can be broken down into 6 parts. Part I is the "Into". The video image shows the four members of Queen singing and harmonizing the lyrics of the "Intro" in acapella. In reality, it is only Freddie's voice you hear on the recording. Freddie laid down 5 separate tracks of himself singing and harmonizing with himself. (FYI - multi-tracking and overdubbing runs rampant in Bohemian Rhapsody.) Next is the "Ballad" portion of the song ('Mama, just killed a man'). Freddie had worked on it for years but the song never had a name. The other members of Queen tentatively titled it as "Freddie's Cowboy Song". The lyrist Tim Rice (who wrote the lyrics for "Jesus Christ, Superstar", "Evita", "Alladin", "The Lion King", ...) who was a close friend of Freddie's believes this portion of the song’s lyrics were about Mercury confessing to his fans that he was gay. The third section is the guitar solo. This is only part of Bohemian Rhapsody not written by Freddie. Freddie told Brian that he wanted a guitar solo in the song and where he wanted it to fit into the song but left it to Brian to create. Brian wanted to have his guitar effectively sing a verse that would inject a different melody. He heard something in his head. He said that he could hear this melody and had no idea where it came from. That melody isn’t anywhere else in the song, but it’s on a familiar chord sequence, so it dovetails in quite nicely. The guitar solo leads to the "Operatic" section. Freddie not only loved Rock but he loved Opera. He was always fascinated with the idea of combining rock and opera. It took 3 weeks to record "Bohemian Rhapsody" and the "Operatic" section was much smaller when they began recording but Freddie kept adding on to it. There are various lyrics in the "Operatic" section that seems to refer to the members of the band: - Freddie appears to cast himself as Scaramouche, a stock clown of 16th-century Italian literature. FYI - The Fandango is a lively Spanish dance, traditionally accompanied by guitars, castanets, or hand-clapping which can both be sung and danced. When you see a live Queen performance, you will understand the reference as Freddie both sings and "dances" his performance for the audience. - Galileo who was an Italian astrometer, physicist, and engineer definitely refers to Brian (Queen's lead guitarist) who in real life is Dr. Brian May. Brian's Ph.D. is in Astrophysics and he consulted with NASA on various projects like its New Horizons probe, - Figaro refers to the Mozart opera, "The Marriage of Figaro" and it is a subtle way to reference Roger Taylor (Queen's drummer) who has a four-range vocal span (E2-E6) and was even frequently cited as hitting E5 in live performances. Freddie compared Roger's voice to a dog whistle. [FYI - Freddie's own vocal range extended from low F2 to high F6.] -The final reference of Magnifico is to John Deacon (Queen's bass guitarist), who has a degree in Electrical Engineering. John is the creator of the "Deacy Amp" which when connected to Brian May's "Red Special" guitar through a treble-booster, could produce sounds reminiscent of various orchestral instruments such as violin, cello, trombone, clarinet, or even vocals. It is hard to realize that it is only Freddie, Brian, and Roger singing in the "Operatic" section (John never sang on the records). This was 1975, well before digital recordings and they were using 24-track analog tape. This made it necessary for the three to overdub themselves many times and "bounce" these down to successive sub-mixes. Some sections feature 180 separate overdubs! The fifth section is the "Hard Rock" portion. In this section, Freddie sings angry lyrics addressed to an unspecified "you", accusing them of betrayal and abuse and insisting "can't do this to me, baby", before the final lines conclude with him singing, "just gotta get right outta here". (FYI - the "Operatic" and the "Hard Rock" sections of BoRap were featured in a scene in the 1992 film Wayne's World, in which the main character and his friends headbang in a car to the rock part.) In the sixth and final section, the "Outro" returns back to the "Ballad" to close the circle of the song and ends with the sound of a Chinese gong.
the use of Figaro... you might not think it has relevance but it's still an interesting 5m video with a different perspective pop song professor Bohemian Rhapsody deconstructed looks at the sections that rhyme and don't about existentialism...
Thank you so much for this well thought out informative comment! It has made us want to take a deep dive into the band. Freddie was gifted! They don't make them like that anymore!
Freddie was one of a kind there will never be another Freddie ever, tfw talent is insane. He writes, sings, plays multiple instruments and almost anything else. He was a gifted graphic artist with a degree in art. All of the band members have college degrees with Brian having a PHD. They are one of the most educated bands out there. You have to see Live Aid, not the movie one the real one. It is said to be the best rock concert ever. Freddie is on fire and the band is right there with him. He was very sick for that concert and was told not to sing Freddie would never let the people down. I could go on and on. Welcome to Queen world. These four men made magic. 😢
Damn Debra, I have never heard such an extensive overview like this. Now, I dont have to read a book or do research. I do know that part of the song was a coming out that he is gay and the person that he 'killed' was the old persona because now he cant go back(this was 1975). I did know that the band were some damn smart people. The astrophysics Brian May who built the guitar he is playing with the help of his father. And in the Movie there is that scene where Freddie is 'arguing' with his band mates and he is reciting each one of his band mates other professions and when he comes to the drummer he makes a joke about him being a dentist. I thought to myself, 'with teeth like yours, you are going to make fun of your friend who can be a dentist'. I was in high school when this song came out so I have heard it all my life and I sing along with it in the car and it never gets old for me.
That's actually Freddie X5 multitrack at the beginning of the recorded version. I don't know if there is an answer to why, but I think he wanted it to sound so tight that he needed even the same vocal quality the same singing together.
The opening (where you say it sounds like a gospel choir) is actually only Freddie singing layered. While yes the band is known for their harmonic skills - they (Freddie) went with just Freddie on the track opening.
This was the first rock opera ever written-by Freddie Mercury. All four band members have written number one songs for Queen. Freddie had a unique voice and was a genius. Only the good die young. RIP Zanzibar Prince.
New subscriber, love your reactions. I saw queen in 1977. I'd seen several rock concerts. However, I left their show thinking what the heck did I just see. It was phenomenal. Would love you to react to more queen. They are amazing.
No bigger rock n roll rabbit hole you could have fallen into. So much to learn, listen to or react to. Start at the beginning with Queen (one) Queen 2 (this one is important, especially side 2(the black side)!!!!! Go get it, you be impressed!!!
Nice reaction - thank you! If you liked the gospel influence here then you must see "Somebody to Love" live in Montreal, 1981 (Queen is one of the few bands who are better live). It's Fred's homage to Aretha. According to Brian, Queen's guitarist, Freddie love Aretha to the extent he wanted to be Aretha. It's sublime - but poignant because the performance took place exactly 10 years (to the day) before Freddie's untimely death. As for Bo-Rhap, Freddie was always reticent about discussing the meaning of the lyrics but the general feeling is that it's his "Coming Out" song. The man he "kills" is figurative - it's his former "straight" self.
Poignant is the right word. I celebrated my 24 birthday, on Nov 24, 1981, at this concert in Montreal. Freddie passed on my birthday on Nov 24, 1991. I cried. I light a candle for Freddie every year on that date and remember what an amazing presence he had.
QUEEN OFFICIAL VIDEOS are typically best to watch 1st as the videos have so much visual creativity. Though "Somebody to love" live in Montreal is a definite exception.
Freddie wrote this song, all were great vocalists and writers . They did the song We Will Rock You, We are the champions, Spread your wings You should listen to some documentaries. Unfortunately Freddie has passed on. He was the best ever.
Good job guys. I suggest you check out every Queen song you can possibly find and there are a lot of them, you'll become hooked. You were very impressed with the 1.5 billion views, but that's nothing if you think about it. That song was made over 40 years ago. Can you imagine the views it would have if TH-cam existed back then. I see others have explained the song, but I want to stress that I always laugh when people doing reactions pretend they haven't heard the song. You guys were clear about that. It's just that older folks like me always want to ask people if they have been living under a rock if they pretend to do a first time reaction and it's clear they have heard the song. IT is the most recognized song in the world still. Look it up. Check out this song being sung at a Green Day concert by the audience. It will give you chills and probably make you cry.
Ya I feel like most people recognize clips of it because it’s such a huge song but aren’t familiar with the whole thing. Such an epic song. Will have to check out that Green Day concert!
You should watch their Live Aid concert. Freddie had strep throat and his dr told him to not sing and despite that he gave one of the greatest performances of all time
That video was created and filmed in three hours, and was the first purpose made music video ever made! I think this fact is #23 in the list of about #100 as to why this band is the most remarkable group of musicians ever to come together in the history of music!
I enjoyed your reaction, it's a complicated song to start with. I'd recommend starting with early Queen, Stone Cold Crazy live at the Rainbow 1974, White Queen a night at the Odeon, Keep yourself alive or Spread your wings official videos. I can already tell that whatever you choose to do next you'll enjoy it I'd be happy to tag along with you on your Queen journey.
Queen absolutely amazing talented band , all the members of Queen have written no1 hits, Queen greatest hits is still the best selling album of all time in the Uk 🇬🇧, Queen have sold 300 million albums worldwide, I attended many Queen concerts in there days , absolutely amazing, Freddie one of the best vocalist and frontman ever!
If your interested in Freddie’s love of classical and opera and how it influenced him react to Monseratte Cabelle and Freddie Mercury Barcelona. He loved opera and recorded a whole album before he passed with Cabelle, his love of her voice is clear to see. Enjoy
@@TheCottons This is not the first promotional music video. The Beatles had promotional videos back in the 1960s. They were used on music-oriented TV shows.
@@TheCottons It was made so the BBC would have something to show on the program "Top of the Pops" (a weekly program featuring the top records that week) Queen were going to be on tour and they definitely couldn't perform the entire song.
Another One Bites The Dust, We Will Rock You, and We Are The Champions. All by Queen. (Make sure it's the official music video version for best results.
a thing a lot of people miss is the fact that ALL members of queen can sing and they sounds as good as this in a live performance without the aid of todays Auto tune and other post production effects this is what set's queen apart from any other band or artist.
All those beautiful harmonies are the result of a very complicated 3 weeks recording in 6 different studios, only Freddie knew how it had to be sounded. In the first part Freddie is harmonizing with himself and the chorus section is based on the voice of 3 of them, because John (the bass player) couldn't sing well. Queen is the most versatile rock band, they wrote their own stuff in cca. 15 different genres from rock to jazz, to pop about 200 songs. Freddie Mercury never took singing lessons, he was a gifted musician whose powerful and emotional performances are still legendary.
One of my favorite Queen songs is "love of my life". If you do listen to it then please look up his Rockin in Rio concert. There were over 250,000 paying concert goers there and it will show you the control Freddie has with his audiences. He would move his hands and they would do what he wanted. When watching this though you have to remember that this is not a crowd that English is their first language. This shows how much Freddie was loved and Brian May has a guitar solo in that song where the whole quarter of a million people were chanting "Brian, Brian, Brian". Thank you for the reaction. I look forward to watching more.
Thanks for your reaction. I really enjoy seeing reactions who "really" haven't heard of their songs. They are truly one of a kind. As for Freddie; there is no other. The harmonies just comes together. It's amazing. Even though they claim that there is no meaning, that they leave it up to the audience, my "personal" opinion is that this was him coming out as being gay. Epic song. If you want to see more of Freddie's talent, may I recommend Somebody to Love Live th-cam.com/video/LRt2jX1kaYo/w-d-xo.html and Under Pressure th-cam.com/video/OVzvoPP6M50/w-d-xo.html The way Freddie works the crowd is amazing. There are so many songs out there that I'm sure you have heard of like We will Rock You, We are the Champions, Another One Bites the Dust th-cam.com/video/HnCgN4knr0Y/w-d-xo.html , Don't Stop Me Now. All great songs.
Freddy nearly collides with Brian May at one point, i"m sure Brian was thinking "Freddy watch out you're going to impale me with that microphone stand!"
It actually is "three songs in one". Freddie was working on three different songs and had the genius inspiration to combine them into this epic masterpiece. This was done in 1975, 4 years after Queen started. And it isn't a "mullet", it's just long hair. Almost all the guys in the 70s had long hair. The song is considered "rock opera". There is no "meaning" to the song, the band said the purpose was to allow each listener to decide what it means to them. They have literally hundreds of songs, but "Love of My Life" is one of the most popular love songs. You've probably heard some of their songs at sporting events without knowing who was singing: We are The Champions and Another One Bites the Dust are most often used.
Nobody really knows what this song is about because Freddie never would say, he wanted it to be up to the listener to decide what it means to them. It is generally accepted that the part about killing a man is a metaphor for leaving his old self behind and becoming someone different. The song itself is a rhapsody which is several songs (this one is composed of 3 songs Freddie wrote) with a similar theme that when meshed together form a complete composition, usually without a chorus. Choosing where to go next with Queen is a lot like shooting ducks in a barrel, you can't miss no matter what you choose. Queen has an extensive catalog of over 200 songs consisting of every genre from vaudeville to speed metal and everything in between. The four men who make up Queen are all top awarded musicians in their own right, each having written at least 3 number one songs and being in the songwriters hall of fame. The Band is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Each of the members are college educated with Freddie (lead vocals, Piano, Frontman) achieving a degree in Design, Fashion and Advertising (he designed the Queen logo which still appears on all things officially Queen). Dr. Brian May (lead Guitar, keyboards, Piano Uke, Harp, Vocals (plus occasionally lead vocals) has a PhD in Astrophysics, built his guitar that he still uses today with his dad when he was a teen from stuff they had laying around the house, works with NASA, has a charity called Save Me that supports wildlife in the UK, owns the Stereoscopy Society of London along with still performing with Roger Taylor as Queen + Adam Lambert (currently on tour in UK and Europe). Roger Taylor (Drums. Percussion, guitar, vocals (sometimes lead vocals) holds a degree in Biology and is currently on the Queen + Adam Lambert Tour with Brian. John Deacon (Bass, guitar, piano, drums, upright bass) holds an advanced degree in Electronics and built the Deacy Amp (which is a small amplifier that allows for Brian to make his guitar sound like strings, horns and even bagpipes) from some things he found in a dumpster. 40 + years later, people are still trying to duplicate that amp. Some have come close but none are exactly like the Deacy. John retired from music a short time after Freddie passed away. John was very traumatized by Freddie's death and said he just could no longer perform. Okay, that is the short story on the band, there is tons more and many will be happy to provide you with lots of info. My favorite Queen performance is White Queen, Live at Odeon, Hammersmith, secondly would be You Take My Breath Away Live at Hyde Park. As suggested below, you should also react to Somebody To Love Live in Montreal. If you jump down the Queen rabbit hole, you will become addicted and a huge fan. This band is amazing.
One of the most famous songs of all times. And the band was so talented. The lead singer dominates the show with his talent. But the rest of the band is amazing as well. For example, the guitarist is an actual astrophysicist. Plus his guitar work is amazing...very under appreciated because he is so understated and Freddie is so good everyone else in the bad just seems to be backing him.
This is even today the most played song on BBC radio one! In the UK. This is despite being told it wouldn't get played because it was to long.when released it was by far the longest pop record ever released.
The song is actually about him coming out to his family...he 'killed' the old Freddie, then goes through all the responses he got from others, then finally defiant in their faces. It was 3 different songs he was working on, but, in his genius, he combined them into a classic for the ages. And it WAS in the movie Wayne's World.
Bohemian Rhapsody' WAS Freddie's confessional. It was about how different his life could have been, and how much happier he might have been, had he just been able to be himself, the whole of his life. The world heard this song as a masterpiece of imagination, a great command of musical styles. It was his comming out song, that time not accepted. "I killed a man" is about himself, the regular view his momma had about him, for comming out. It is virtual.
The amazing thing about this song and other songs of the time is that this was all done on analogue tape, if they recorded and then bounced the track there was no tweaking it later. Each layer had to be captured as it would end up on the final mix. No autotune was around and other recording studio effects such as reverb were rudimentary. I doubt, even with digital recording equipment of today could achieve something as perfect as this.
There is a documentary somewhere on TH-cam on how the song was put together. But Rick Beato did a "What Makes This Song Great' in which he also interviews Brian May (lead guitarist) who explains some of how Freddie made the song. Rick Beato has a TH-cam channel. Also, Wings of Pegasus (British guitarist) has a You Tube channel and he explains why Queen was so good at Live Aid. Very, very informative and fun.
Chris Stapleton- cold, you should probably leave, I was wrong(Austin city limits live), Tennessee whiskey, and broken halo, sometimes I cry Those are some of his best songs
You should check out the band, Kansas. Perhaps start with "Carry On Wayward Son". Talk about several songs within a song! Then check out "Roundabout" by Yes. You'll be blown away!
Wow 🥰 loved your reaction liked subscribed 😁❤️ Freddie Mercury ❤️ more queen reactions please 😍 one of my favorites songs by queen is killer queen 👑 and love of my life 😍
When recorded in in 1975, tracks were only 24, but in some parts there were 180 overdubs. The filming took a few months. Remember, it's 1975. They didn't have the tech we have now.
When i hear yall react to our Queen Mariah & yall say you've never heard all this song & that song, am just wondering WHAT. Now this pops up & you saying same thing too and am like WHAT again. Who has never heard of QUEEN too. QUEEN is legendary and these songs are classics. What continent are yall from bc that sh*t don't make no damn sense. Next thing, yall will say you've never heard of COLDPLAY & they are modern. Nothing will surprise me with yall 🤣
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
It was in the movie " Wayne's World". Rocking in a 1976 AMC Pacer.
It's in the title word "Rhapsody". A rhapsody is episodic..it will have multiple scenes and moods blended in to one song. Doing it well is difficult...this song is perfection. The transitions are blended flawlessly.
Queen is phenomenal on all their music. The other is the eagles. Rock and roll royalty!
Research into Queen, Freddie Mercury and this song.. you'll understand why Freddie Mercury, Queen and this song is legendary.
As God is my witness if I could sing like this I would never talk......well said!
0% autotune just 100% talent
For me the best song ever written, just pure genius, mixing opera with rock like this. Opera at the begining as instroduction, then slow rock telling the story, than opera again for the part where the boy is being judged to hard rock latter, damn, that is just not just a regular song.
This song was Freddie's opus. He sings the first verse (all the harmonies) by himself. Wrote it all. Then they had to argue to get a 6 minute song played on radio. But it worked and it's the most downloaded song in history. Has won so many awards. I just wish Freddie had seen even more of the acclaim than he did. (Oh yeah, no, not for a play/musical though it was used in Queen based musical We Will Rock You, years later). A masterpiece! **I'd suggest starting with the early stuff and going in chronological order. No need to get to the sad ending until you have to. Suggesting - Killer Queen, White Queen, Spread Your Wings, Don't Stop Me Now. Those'll get you started.
If you're new to Queen, prepare yourself for a long and awesome journey. It will be a long wonderful ride. Once you start the slide into the Queen rabbit hole, you won't seek escape. It is
a place of joy, passion, tears, and constant amazement. Queen doesn't have a genre. They have many. Their catalogue is huge. They are probably the tightest, most skilled, most talented band there is and Freddie is the best front man that ever graced a stage. His voice is secondary to none. There is so much to learn and appreciate and love about Queen and every one of the band members. Enjoy!!!!!
I still have the 45 RPM record of this song. You have to flip it over mid song to hear the whole thing.
The Greatest of all time. There will never be another Freddie
Four great musicians with the best frontman of any band ever, Freddie Mercury. They sounded just as good live as on a studio recording, pure talent.
Great reaction. I was lucky enough to see Queen in concert 3 or 4 times in the 70's. They were incredible.
Omg you’re the luckiest person
Like you, I was lucky enough to see Queen live 4 times back in the 70s and 80s. Freddie is/was amazing. I wish everyone could still experience a Queen concert live.
I just love the 70s Queen and Freddie because it was my time! And the price for a ticket was $7.50 really!
I loved your Queen reaction!!!!
Thanks dears! You must react all the Queen eras. Is fantastic and different in all. Majestic, sublime. Freddie Mercury is passionate, terrific musician, magnificent singer and the stage presence is unforgettable. People say that he was bigger than life! Wembley 86 is fantastic too. Milton Keynes 82, the rest my friends below said to you. Welcome to the QUEEN experience, no regrets! A big hug to you both! ♥️👑
Thank you fam! Super excited to learn more about the band and hear more of their music! It's going to be a fun journey!
@@TheCottons 🤩😘👑♥️
Freddie wrote this in his Early Twenties. You do know also in 1986- 1987 era Freddie wrote an album of Operatic songs- and sang them with the famous Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballe! It’s called ‘ Barcelona’ a year after Freddie passed it was used as the theme song of the 1992 Olympics in Spain From rock to opera and the first singer to do it. Freddie also made a solo album- ‘Mr. Bad Guy’.
Queen - greatest band of all time!!!! Please do Somebody To Love live in Montreal, Under Pressure or Who Wants To Live Forever - both live at Wembley! Really, ANYTHING live of theirs is awesome!!!
Adding them to our list!
Crazy little thing called love, Radio Gaga :I want to break free, we will Rock You, under pressure ( with David Bowie) and many more.
Barcelona! With Montserat Caballiere
Queen lìve aid 1985
I believe the man he killed in the song actually represented him killing himself with AIDS. He knew was dying when he wrote it.
I LOVE watching you appreciate the genius of Queen
Queen making of one vision
This is a masterpiece written by Beloved Freddie I have been a fan for 48 years.
I was 15 in 1973 when I first heard Killer Queen.... been a fan ever since
This song is from 1975, Freddie never said what about is this song , so many people only pretend that they know everything about this song, but even his friends don ´t know the true. It ´s only on your fantasy
Oh interesting! His coming out song theory makes sense. But we’ll never know
@@tessvan1072 he was diagnosed as positive with HIV for another 12 years, in 1987. Aids wasn't a named disease at this point.
True. Only way to understand the feeling behind this song, is to understand Freddie, and no matter how close you think you are, good luck with that
@@TheCottons Freddie never publicly came out, he never hid his sexuality but kept it private and never acknowledged he was bisexual to the media or fans as he felt it was nobody's business
All the voices right up to the 'opera' section are just Freddie singing on top of himself.
Big thumbs up for this reaction guys! I still can't believe there are people who haven't heard this song! Therefore, we're gonna find each and every one of those people and have them listen to it, with headphones! Now that you've found Queen, jump right into the rabbit hole and enjoy, you will NOT regret it! And we'll love watching you! 😅
As you may (or may not) know, Queen is a British rock band that was formed in 1970 and is comprised of:
Freddie Mercury - Lead vocals and piano
Roger Taylor - Drummer and vocals
Brian May - Lead guitar and vocals
John Deacon - Bass guitar
"Bohemian Rapsody" is the creation of Freddie Mercury but he never told anyone what he was thinking when he wrote the lyrics. Freddie tended to write in metaphors so I would not suggest taking any of his songs literally. He wanted listeners to be able to apply to the song whatever meaning it had to them personally. Not what it meant to him.
BTW - Freddie did admit that it was composed of three separate songs that he had been working on but could not seem to finish. So he decided to mash them together, adding some transitions and bridges, and created "Bohemian Rhapsody".
"Bohemian Rhapsody" can be broken down into 6 parts. Part I is the "Into". The video image shows the four members of Queen singing and harmonizing the lyrics of the "Intro" in acapella. In reality, it is only Freddie's voice you hear on the recording. Freddie laid down 5 separate tracks of himself singing and harmonizing with himself. (FYI - multi-tracking and overdubbing runs rampant in Bohemian Rhapsody.)
Next is the "Ballad" portion of the song ('Mama, just killed a man'). Freddie had worked on it for years but the song never had a name. The other members of Queen tentatively titled it as "Freddie's Cowboy Song". The lyrist Tim Rice (who wrote the lyrics for "Jesus Christ, Superstar", "Evita", "Alladin", "The Lion King", ...) who was a close friend of Freddie's believes this portion of the song’s lyrics were about Mercury confessing to his fans that he was gay.
The third section is the guitar solo. This is only part of Bohemian Rhapsody not written by Freddie. Freddie told Brian that he wanted a guitar solo in the song and where he wanted it to fit into the song but left it to Brian to create. Brian wanted to have his guitar effectively sing a verse that would inject a different melody. He heard something in his head. He said that he could hear this melody and had no idea where it came from. That melody isn’t anywhere else in the song, but it’s on a familiar chord sequence, so it dovetails in quite nicely.
The guitar solo leads to the "Operatic" section. Freddie not only loved Rock but he loved Opera. He was always fascinated with the idea of combining rock and opera. It took 3 weeks to record "Bohemian Rhapsody" and the "Operatic" section was much smaller when they began recording but Freddie kept adding on to it.
There are various lyrics in the "Operatic" section that seems to refer to the members of the band:
- Freddie appears to cast himself as Scaramouche, a stock clown of 16th-century Italian literature. FYI - The Fandango is a lively Spanish dance, traditionally accompanied by guitars, castanets, or hand-clapping which can both be sung and danced. When you see a live Queen performance, you will understand the reference as Freddie both sings and "dances" his performance for the audience.
- Galileo who was an Italian astrometer, physicist, and engineer definitely refers to Brian (Queen's lead guitarist) who in real life is Dr. Brian May. Brian's Ph.D. is in Astrophysics and he consulted with NASA on various projects like its New Horizons probe,
- Figaro refers to the Mozart opera, "The Marriage of Figaro" and it is a subtle way to reference Roger Taylor (Queen's drummer) who has a four-range vocal span (E2-E6) and was even frequently cited as hitting E5 in live performances. Freddie compared Roger's voice to a dog whistle. [FYI - Freddie's own vocal range extended from low F2 to high F6.]
-The final reference of Magnifico is to John Deacon (Queen's bass guitarist), who has a degree in Electrical Engineering. John is the creator of the "Deacy Amp" which when connected to Brian May's "Red Special" guitar through a treble-booster, could produce sounds reminiscent of various orchestral instruments such as violin, cello, trombone, clarinet, or even vocals.
It is hard to realize that it is only Freddie, Brian, and Roger singing in the "Operatic" section (John never sang on the records). This was 1975, well before digital recordings and they were using 24-track analog tape. This made it necessary for the three to overdub themselves many times and "bounce" these down to successive sub-mixes. Some sections feature 180 separate overdubs!
The fifth section is the "Hard Rock" portion. In this section, Freddie sings angry lyrics addressed to an unspecified "you", accusing them of betrayal and abuse and insisting "can't do this to me, baby", before the final lines conclude with him singing, "just gotta get right outta here".
(FYI - the "Operatic" and the "Hard Rock" sections of BoRap were featured in a scene in the 1992 film Wayne's World, in which the main character and his friends headbang in a car to the rock part.)
In the sixth and final section, the "Outro" returns back to the "Ballad" to close the circle of the song and ends with the sound of a Chinese gong.
the use of Figaro...
you might not think it has relevance but it's still an interesting 5m video with a different perspective
pop song professor Bohemian Rhapsody deconstructed
looks at the sections that rhyme and don't about existentialism...
Thank you so much for this well thought out informative comment! It has made us want to take a deep dive into the band. Freddie was gifted! They don't make them like that anymore!
Freddie was one of a kind there will never be another Freddie ever, tfw talent is insane. He writes, sings, plays multiple instruments and almost anything else. He was a gifted graphic artist with a degree in art. All of the band members have college degrees with Brian having a PHD. They are one of the most educated bands out there. You have to see Live Aid, not the movie one the real one. It is said to be the best rock concert ever. Freddie is on fire and the band is right there with him. He was very sick for that concert and was told not to sing Freddie would never let the people down. I could go on and on. Welcome to Queen world. These four men made magic. 😢
John Deacon never sang because he was too busy at Home Depot looking for paint.
Damn Debra, I have never heard such an extensive overview like this. Now, I dont have to read a book or do research. I do know that part of the song was a coming out that he is gay and the person that he 'killed' was the old persona because now he cant go back(this was 1975). I did know that the band were some damn smart people. The astrophysics Brian May who built the guitar he is playing with the help of his father. And in the Movie there is that scene where Freddie is 'arguing' with his band mates and he is reciting each one of his band mates other professions and when he comes to the drummer he makes a joke about him being a dentist. I thought to myself, 'with teeth like yours, you are going to make fun of your friend who can be a dentist'. I was in high school when this song came out so I have heard it all my life and I sing along with it in the car and it never gets old for me.
Queen 1985 Live Aid one of the greatest performances ever
You are very wrong, it wasn't one of the greatest performances ever ....... it was THE greatest!
What he said! 🫶👑💙
The is the pinnacle of music combined with talent! It was set by queen in 1974 and is still alone at the top !
1975😁
A RHAPSODY IS DIFFERENT SONGS IN ONE MELODY.
This style was known back in the time as opera rock!
That's actually Freddie X5 multitrack at the beginning of the recorded version.
I don't know if there is an answer to why, but I think he wanted it to sound so tight that he needed even the same vocal quality the same singing together.
Greatest rock group
Yesss 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
Queen we will rock you and we are the champions live in montreal
Live Aid 1985 is a must!! “Liar” Live at the rainbow 1974 and Don’t stop me now are other songs.
The opening (where you say it sounds like a gospel choir) is actually only Freddie singing layered. While yes the band is known for their harmonic skills - they (Freddie) went with just Freddie on the track opening.
He is amazing!
This was the first rock opera ever written-by Freddie Mercury. All four band members have written number one songs for Queen. Freddie had a unique voice and was a genius. Only the good die young. RIP Zanzibar Prince.
The best performance of all time, IMO, is Queen at Montreal, 1981, Somebody to Love.
New subscriber, love your reactions. I saw queen in 1977. I'd seen several rock concerts. However, I left their show thinking what the heck did I just see. It was phenomenal. Would love you to react to more queen. They are amazing.
No bigger rock n roll rabbit hole you could have fallen into. So much to learn, listen to or react to. Start at the beginning with Queen (one) Queen 2 (this one is important, especially side 2(the black side)!!!!! Go get it, you be impressed!!!
Freddie wrote this when he was 29.he was a genius and a showman.
Beautiful
Nice reaction - thank you! If you liked the gospel influence here then you must see "Somebody to Love" live in Montreal, 1981 (Queen is one of the few bands who are better live). It's Fred's homage to Aretha. According to Brian, Queen's guitarist, Freddie love Aretha to the extent he wanted to be Aretha. It's sublime - but poignant because the performance took place exactly 10 years (to the day) before Freddie's untimely death.
As for Bo-Rhap, Freddie was always reticent about discussing the meaning of the lyrics but the general feeling is that it's his "Coming Out" song. The man he "kills" is figurative - it's his former "straight" self.
That sounds great! I will add it to our list!
AHHHH interesting I'll have to listen to it again through that lens.
Poignant is the right word. I celebrated my 24 birthday, on Nov 24, 1981, at this concert in Montreal. Freddie passed on my birthday on Nov 24, 1991. I cried. I light a candle for Freddie every year on that date and remember what an amazing presence he had.
QUEEN OFFICIAL VIDEOS are typically best to watch 1st as the videos have so much visual creativity. Though "Somebody to love" live in Montreal is a definite exception.
Freddie wrote this song, all were great vocalists and writers . They did the song We Will Rock You, We are the champions, Spread your wings
You should listen to some documentaries. Unfortunately Freddie has passed on. He was the best ever.
Queen, one of the best bands in music history! Bohemian Rhapsody one of the best songs ever written! Cool reaction.
They actually came up with a multitrack layering system so four guys sounded like a choir and nobody else has been able to copy it
This was Freddie’s coming out to his Mother. A chronicle of his life. Thank God his family was so accepting.
Where did you hear that?
That’s not true.
Yeah, that’s not true
Welcome to the world of Freddie Mercury and Queen! You won’t be disappointed!! Check out Live aid 1985, best live performance of all time!
Good job guys. I suggest you check out every Queen song you can possibly find and there are a lot of them, you'll become hooked. You were very impressed with the 1.5 billion views, but that's nothing if you think about it. That song was made over 40 years ago. Can you imagine the views it would have if TH-cam existed back then. I see others have explained the song, but I want to stress that I always laugh when people doing reactions pretend they haven't heard the song. You guys were clear about that. It's just that older folks like me always want to ask people if they have been living under a rock if they pretend to do a first time reaction and it's clear they have heard the song. IT is the most recognized song in the world still. Look it up. Check out this song being sung at a Green Day concert by the audience. It will give you chills and probably make you cry.
Ya I feel like most people recognize clips of it because it’s such a huge song but aren’t familiar with the whole thing. Such an epic song. Will have to check out that Green Day concert!
You should watch their Live Aid concert. Freddie had strep throat and his dr told him to not sing and despite that he gave one of the greatest performances of all time
That video was created and filmed in three hours, and was the first purpose made music video ever made! I think this fact is #23 in the list of about #100 as to why this band is the most remarkable group of musicians ever to come together in the history of music!
I enjoyed your reaction, it's a complicated song to start with. I'd recommend starting with early Queen, Stone Cold Crazy live at the Rainbow 1974, White Queen a night at the Odeon, Keep yourself alive or Spread your wings official videos. I can already tell that whatever you choose to do next you'll enjoy it I'd be happy to tag along with you on your Queen journey.
Yes!!, Also “You take my breath away” live, would be a good idea. m.th-cam.com/video/UBBne8R66xo/w-d-xo.html
WOW, I've never heard of any of those songs! This is going to be an amazing journey!
Queen absolutely amazing talented band , all the members of Queen have written no1 hits, Queen greatest hits is still the best selling album of all time in the Uk 🇬🇧, Queen have sold 300 million albums worldwide, I attended many Queen concerts in there days , absolutely amazing, Freddie one of the best vocalist and frontman ever!
I couldn't even imagine seeing that much talent live!
This song was in 1991's Wayne's World. I'm old.
Freddie said he likes people to have fun with his music. Imagine a crowd of 350,000 having fun with this one.
now: "somebody to love" live montreal 1981
This has been highly requested, will be our next one!🙌🏽
If your interested in Freddie’s love of classical and opera and how it influenced him react to Monseratte Cabelle and Freddie Mercury Barcelona. He loved opera and recorded a whole album before he passed with Cabelle, his love of her voice is clear to see. Enjoy
This song/music video is from 1975. The clothes and hair are glam rock style.
So cool!
This was the very first video ever used to sell a song...way before MTV existed...all four members wrote, that is why their music is so diverse
Where did they play the video before MTV?
@@TheCottons This is not the first promotional music video. The Beatles had promotional videos back in the 1960s. They were used on music-oriented TV shows.
@@TheCottons
It was made so the BBC would have something to show on the program "Top of the Pops" (a weekly program featuring the top records that week) Queen were going to be on tour and they definitely couldn't perform the entire song.
Another One Bites The Dust, We Will Rock You, and We Are The Champions. All by Queen. (Make sure it's the official music video version for best results.
Those are going to be some FUN reactions!
Thanks to both of you. Great couple and a very enriching reaction to a song I grew up with :)
So many to choose from but Somebody to love live Montreal 81 , White Queen live Hammersmith thanks for the reactions
Both are awesome perfomances
you got to react to them at live aid! the whole thing!
a thing a lot of people miss is the fact that ALL members of queen can sing and they sounds as good as this in a live performance without the aid of todays Auto tune and other post production effects this is what set's queen apart from any other band or artist.
Not quite true. Deacon did not sing well.
@@roberthudson1959correct! Freddie would have John's mic 🎤 turned off. He sang you just couldn't hear him. Poor Deacie 😢
Two underappreciated songs by Queen
*Who needs you
*Melancholy Blues
Freddie was so beautiful. The whole world has lost a priceless treasure 🌹❤️🌹
The recording executives said it wouldn't make it.
Guess, Freddie & Queen knew best, and so did you both, BRAVO🎉!!!!!
All those beautiful harmonies are the result of a very complicated 3 weeks recording in 6 different studios, only Freddie knew how it had to be sounded. In the first part Freddie is harmonizing with himself and the chorus section is based on the voice of 3 of them, because John (the bass player) couldn't sing well.
Queen is the most versatile rock band, they wrote their own stuff in cca. 15 different genres from rock to jazz, to pop about 200 songs. Freddie Mercury never took singing lessons, he was a gifted musician whose powerful and emotional performances are still legendary.
He is incredible! They are incredible! Can't wait to hear more!
Intro was just Freddie
But the 3 of them to harmonise fantastically together
nice!
It was all Freddie
I love you both and your reactions. If you have not listen to Love of my Life please do. There are several version but the best is Wembley, '86.
One of my favorite Queen songs is "love of my life". If you do listen to it then please look up his Rockin in Rio concert. There were over 250,000 paying concert goers there and it will show you the control Freddie has with his audiences. He would move his hands and they would do what he wanted. When watching this though you have to remember that this is not a crowd that English is their first language. This shows how much Freddie was loved and Brian May has a guitar solo in that song where the whole quarter of a million people were chanting "Brian, Brian, Brian". Thank you for the reaction. I look forward to watching more.
Freddie wrote this by himself and harmonized with himself in the beginning part.
"Wayne's World, Party Time.. Excellent!".... Party on Wayne! Party on Garth!
Thanks for your reaction. I really enjoy seeing reactions who "really" haven't heard of their songs. They are truly one of a kind. As for Freddie; there is no other. The harmonies just comes together. It's amazing. Even though they claim that there is no meaning, that they leave it up to the audience, my "personal" opinion is that this was him coming out as being gay. Epic song. If you want to see more of Freddie's talent, may I recommend Somebody to Love Live th-cam.com/video/LRt2jX1kaYo/w-d-xo.html and Under Pressure th-cam.com/video/OVzvoPP6M50/w-d-xo.html The way Freddie works the crowd is amazing. There are so many songs out there that I'm sure you have heard of like We will Rock You, We are the Champions, Another One Bites the Dust th-cam.com/video/HnCgN4knr0Y/w-d-xo.html , Don't Stop Me Now. All great songs.
Freddie Wrote the whole song by himself and I did all the music
My favourite queen song is My Melancholy Blues. You should listen to it. anyway... nice reaction.... more Queen please.
Thank you for the recommendation! Will definitely be doing more Queen!
Freddy nearly collides with Brian May at one point, i"m sure Brian was thinking "Freddy watch out you're going to impale me with that microphone stand!"
It actually is "three songs in one". Freddie was working on three different songs and had the genius inspiration to combine them into this epic masterpiece. This was done in 1975, 4 years after Queen started. And it isn't a "mullet", it's just long hair. Almost all the guys in the 70s had long hair. The song is considered "rock opera". There is no "meaning" to the song, the band said the purpose was to allow each listener to decide what it means to them. They have literally hundreds of songs, but "Love of My Life" is one of the most popular love songs. You've probably heard some of their songs at sporting events without knowing who was singing: We are The Champions and Another One Bites the Dust are most often used.
Those are some classics, that's crazy!
one song
nope is 5 bro (acapella-rock balland-opera-hard rorck-code)
@@rednecrodevil3754 whatever, on the album its one song. You can't deny this.
@@barbarapennell9717 i know man in 1 song he have 5 part's that why is the greatest song ever
You should review Innuendo, The Show Must Go On, live version of Who Wants to Live Forever from Budapest concert. So many great songs!
Well I could give you my opinion but if you ask I will oblige you. Great reaction
Nobody really knows what this song is about because Freddie never would say, he wanted it to be up to the listener to decide what it means to them. It is generally accepted that the part about killing a man is a metaphor for leaving his old self behind and becoming someone different. The song itself is a rhapsody which is several songs (this one is composed of 3 songs Freddie wrote) with a similar theme that when meshed together form a complete composition, usually without a chorus. Choosing where to go next with Queen is a lot like shooting ducks in a barrel, you can't miss no matter what you choose. Queen has an extensive catalog of over 200 songs consisting of every genre from vaudeville to speed metal and everything in between. The four men who make up Queen are all top awarded musicians in their own right, each having written at least 3 number one songs and being in the songwriters hall of fame. The Band is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Each of the members are college educated with Freddie (lead vocals, Piano, Frontman) achieving a degree in Design, Fashion and Advertising (he designed the Queen logo which still appears on all things officially Queen). Dr. Brian May (lead Guitar, keyboards, Piano Uke, Harp, Vocals (plus occasionally lead vocals) has a PhD in Astrophysics, built his guitar that he still uses today with his dad when he was a teen from stuff they had laying around the house, works with NASA, has a charity called Save Me that supports wildlife in the UK, owns the Stereoscopy Society of London along with still performing with Roger Taylor as Queen + Adam Lambert (currently on tour in UK and Europe). Roger Taylor (Drums. Percussion, guitar, vocals (sometimes lead vocals) holds a degree in Biology and is currently on the Queen + Adam Lambert Tour with Brian. John Deacon (Bass, guitar, piano, drums, upright bass) holds an advanced degree in Electronics and built the Deacy Amp (which is a small amplifier that allows for Brian to make his guitar sound like strings, horns and even bagpipes) from some things he found in a dumpster. 40 + years later, people are still trying to duplicate that amp. Some have come close but none are exactly like the Deacy. John retired from music a short time after Freddie passed away. John was very traumatized by Freddie's death and said he just could no longer perform. Okay, that is the short story on the band, there is tons more and many will be happy to provide you with lots of info. My favorite Queen performance is White Queen, Live at Odeon, Hammersmith, secondly would be You Take My Breath Away Live at Hyde Park. As suggested below, you should also react to Somebody To Love Live in Montreal. If you jump down the Queen rabbit hole, you will become addicted and a huge fan. This band is amazing.
You really need to read the story on how this song was put together. There's something like 180 overlays on the original tape.
Wow that’s insane! 😯
1 writer. 1 producer. Freddie Mercury
One of the most famous songs of all times. And the band was so talented. The lead singer dominates the show with his talent. But the rest of the band is amazing as well. For example, the guitarist is an actual astrophysicist. Plus his guitar work is amazing...very under appreciated because he is so understated and Freddie is so good everyone else in the bad just seems to be backing him.
Queen has over two hundred songs so enjoy. Somebody to love at Montreal
This is even today the most played song on BBC radio one! In the UK. This is despite being told it wouldn't get played because it was to long.when released it was by far the longest pop record ever released.
The song is actually about him coming out to his family...he 'killed' the old Freddie, then goes through all the responses he got from others, then finally defiant in their faces. It was 3 different songs he was working on, but, in his genius, he combined them into a classic for the ages. And it WAS in the movie Wayne's World.
The beginning of a rock god..Rock in Rio..Love of my life..
Bohemian Rhapsody' WAS Freddie's confessional. It was about how different his life could have been, and how much happier he might have been, had he just been able to be himself, the whole of his life. The world heard this song as a masterpiece of imagination, a great command of musical styles. It was his comming out song, that time not accepted. "I killed a man" is about himself, the regular view his momma had about him, for comming out. It is virtual.
You have 300 Queen songs to get through amazing!!
Best song ever written
The amazing thing about this song and other songs of the time is that this was all done on analogue tape, if they recorded and then bounced the track there was no tweaking it later. Each layer had to be captured as it would end up on the final mix. No autotune was around and other recording studio effects such as reverb were rudimentary. I doubt, even with digital recording equipment of today could achieve something as perfect as this.
As others have said Somebody to Love but also Another One Bites the Dust and I want to Break Free.
Is played on the radio all the time just on the classic rock
There is a documentary somewhere on TH-cam on how the song was put together. But Rick Beato did a "What Makes This Song Great' in which he also interviews Brian May (lead guitarist) who explains some of how Freddie made the song. Rick Beato has a TH-cam channel. Also, Wings of Pegasus (British guitarist) has a You Tube channel and he explains why Queen was so good at Live Aid. Very, very informative and fun.
Chris Stapleton- cold, you should probably leave, I was wrong(Austin city limits live), Tennessee whiskey, and broken halo, sometimes I cry
Those are some of his best songs
You should check out the band, Kansas. Perhaps start with "Carry On Wayward Son". Talk about several songs within a song! Then check out "Roundabout" by Yes. You'll be blown away!
Wow 🥰 loved your reaction liked subscribed 😁❤️ Freddie Mercury ❤️ more queen reactions please 😍 one of my favorites songs by queen is killer queen 👑 and love of my life 😍
Thank you! We’ll definitely be doing more Queen, adding those reactions to our list!😃🙌🏽
loved your reaction! For something VERY beautiful...listen to "You take my breath away"...I love the studio version. It will knock your socks off!
NOW PLS WATCH THE LIVE PERFORMANCE FROM 1981 ❤️
Is it the one in Montreal?
@@TheCottons YES YALL the energy at that specific concert is unmatched 😩✨❤️ LOVE YALL ❤️
And Somebody to love from Montreal 1981.
And the live aid concert is just fantastic.
You really need to watch “Is this the World we created! A lovely song that Dr. May and Freddie performed at the very end of Live Aid.
When recorded in in 1975, tracks were only 24, but in some parts there were 180 overdubs. The filming took a few months. Remember, it's 1975. They didn't have the tech we have now.
Really GREAT reaction!!!
Thank you so much for watching!🙌🏽
Someone to love Montreal live 1981 classic
When i hear yall react to our Queen Mariah & yall say you've never heard all this song & that song, am just wondering WHAT. Now this pops up & you saying same thing too and am like WHAT again. Who has never heard of QUEEN too. QUEEN is legendary and these songs are classics. What continent are yall from bc that sh*t don't make no damn sense. Next thing, yall will say you've never heard of COLDPLAY & they are modern. Nothing will surprise me with yall 🤣
Over forty years ago
Excited for your 1st time really hearing this!! ✌ PEACE!!!