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40 Years Ago: Queen Begin Recording Their Masterpiece, "Bohemian Rhapsody"


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If you were to write a history of the recording studio and, specifically, its usefulness as a laboratory for musicians’ most ambitious creations, then an entire chapter might well be devoted to "Bohemian Rhapsody." The members of Queen began recording the song on Aug. 24, 1975, redefining the known limits of popular music in the process.

 

Suffice to say that, whatever Chuck Berry had in mind when he asked Beethoven to roll over, "Bohemian Rhapsody"‘s jaw-dropping pastiche of rock and opera sure wasn’t it. But then, Queen’s flamboyant and unpredictable brand of art rock had been simultaneously stumping and amazing all those who’d heard it well before "Bohemian Rhapsody" came along. It continually morphed over the first three albums of the group’s career, until 1974s Sheer Heart Attack started connecting all the dots.

The first months of 1975 saw Queen touring America as headliners for the first time (alternately supported by Styx and Kansas), making their virgin trip to Japan (where they received a hysterical reception worthy of Beatlemania), and, in singer Freddie Mercury‘s case, receiving the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for his work on "Killer Queen."

All of these accomplishments no doubt boosted the band’s confidence (and courage) as they started working on new material, both in unison and individually, for the album they would soon name A Night at the Opera. This was to be produced by their engineer Roy Thomas Baker, and it’s safe to say neither band nor producer could have guessed what Mercury had up his sleeve as he started cobbling together both new ideas and spare song parts he’d been lugging around for years in the privacy of his Kensington apartment.

According to Baker, in an interview with Sound on Sound, his first inkling of what was in store only came when he visited Queen’s singer at his home, and Mercury first played him "Bohemian Rhapsody"‘s initial ballad section, concluding it by casually quipping, "And this is where the opera section comes in!" Mercury, Taylor and the other members of Queen guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon and drummer Roger Taylor then entered the studio following three weeks of rehearsal to help bring Freddie’s madcap magnum opus to life.

Together, the foursome and their studio hands spent as much time arranging, re-arranging, adding, subtracting, and adding some more to "Bohemian Rhapsody"‘s bulk as most bands of the time spent on entire albums. In the end, Mercury’s central ballad wound up preceded by one of Queen’s patented, multi-tracked a capella choirs and was followed by a tasteful solo from May, a minute-long opera section, then a heavy metal instrumental passage and finally a reprise of the core melody, fading gently back into wherever it came from.

All these years later, it’s the song’s operatic climax that remains its most stunning, almost superhuman, accomplishment, as it required them to clock as 10-to-12 hour days over a three-week period. They reportedly needed nearly 200 vocal overdubs in order to flesh out an entire choir. And then, when they were finally done, their label EMI was, to put it mildly, quite unimpressed.

Although, to be fair, the suits’ reasons were typically business-oriented, as "Bohemian Rhapsody’s" edged close to the six-minute mark, well beyond the limit favored by commercial radio. Instead, the label suggested they release Deacon’s excellent "You’re My Best Friend" as first single from A Night at the Opera, but Queen wouldn’t hear of it, and it only took a moment for the immediate support of DJs across Britain to prove EMI wrong.

Officially released in the U.K. on Oct. 31, 1975, "Bohemian Rhapsody" would be No. 1 by Christmas and then hold the spot for an astonishing nine weeks. Its commercial fortunes were undoubtedly helped by the pioneering music video shot by Queen to stand in for them on Top of the Pops while they were already back on tour by the time they were invited to appear. Meanwhile, their single was also on its way to No. 1 in Canada, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Belgium, earning Top 10 honors in multiple other countries and peaking at No. 9 in America, where it eventually became a million-seller.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" stands as one of the best-selling songs in rock history, prone to repeat visits to global charts anytime it is revived for a movie, commercial or other event, and frankly unique as nothing since has come close to matching its sheer heights of excess, bravura, and, oh yeah, inspiration.

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I gotta tell ya, I can go the rest of my life not hearing "Bohemian Rhapsody" ever again and I won't complain. But that doesn't take away from the song's majesty. It's as innovative and creative as music can be.
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:|

You'll always have "Jungleland". Coincidentally, released 40 years ago today.

 

Really?

 

I call myself a fan, and I didn't realise this haha!

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Bohemian_Rhapsody.png 

 

If you were to write a history of the recording studio and, specifically, its usefulness as a laboratory for musicians’ most ambitious creations, then an entire chapter might well be devoted to "Bohemian Rhapsody." The members of Queen began recording the song on Aug. 24, 1975, redefining the known limits of popular music in the process.

 

Suffice to say that, whatever Chuck Berry had in mind when he asked Beethoven to roll over, "Bohemian Rhapsody"‘s jaw-dropping pastiche of rock and opera sure wasn’t it. But then, Queen’s flamboyant and unpredictable brand of art rock had been simultaneously stumping and amazing all those who’d heard it well before "Bohemian Rhapsody" came along. It continually morphed over the first three albums of the group’s career, until 1974s Sheer Heart Attack started connecting all the dots.

The first months of 1975 saw Queen touring America as headliners for the first time (alternately supported by Styx and Kansas), making their virgin trip to Japan (where they received a hysterical reception worthy of Beatlemania), and, in singer Freddie Mercury‘s case, receiving the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for his work on "Killer Queen."

All of these accomplishments no doubt boosted the band’s confidence (and courage) as they started working on new material, both in unison and individually, for the album they would soon name A Night at the Opera. This was to be produced by their engineer Roy Thomas Baker, and it’s safe to say neither band nor producer could have guessed what Mercury had up his sleeve as he started cobbling together both new ideas and spare song parts he’d been lugging around for years in the privacy of his Kensington apartment.

According to Baker, in an interview with Sound on Sound, his first inkling of what was in store only came when he visited Queen’s singer at his home, and Mercury first played him "Bohemian Rhapsody"‘s initial ballad section, concluding it by casually quipping, "And this is where the opera section comes in!" Mercury, Taylor and the other members of Queen guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon and drummer Roger Taylor then entered the studio following three weeks of rehearsal to help bring Freddie’s madcap magnum opus to life.

Together, the foursome and their studio hands spent as much time arranging, re-arranging, adding, subtracting, and adding some more to "Bohemian Rhapsody"‘s bulk as most bands of the time spent on entire albums. In the end, Mercury’s central ballad wound up preceded by one of Queen’s patented, multi-tracked a capella choirs and was followed by a tasteful solo from May, a minute-long opera section, then a heavy metal instrumental passage and finally a reprise of the core melody, fading gently back into wherever it came from.

All these years later, it’s the song’s operatic climax that remains its most stunning, almost superhuman, accomplishment, as it required them to clock as 10-to-12 hour days over a three-week period. They reportedly needed nearly 200 vocal overdubs in order to flesh out an entire choir. And then, when they were finally done, their label EMI was, to put it mildly, quite unimpressed.

Although, to be fair, the suits’ reasons were typically business-oriented, as "Bohemian Rhapsody’s" edged close to the six-minute mark, well beyond the limit favored by commercial radio. Instead, the label suggested they release Deacon’s excellent "You’re My Best Friend" as first single from A Night at the Opera, but Queen wouldn’t hear of it, and it only took a moment for the immediate support of DJs across Britain to prove EMI wrong.

Officially released in the U.K. on Oct. 31, 1975, "Bohemian Rhapsody" would be No. 1 by Christmas and then hold the spot for an astonishing nine weeks. Its commercial fortunes were undoubtedly helped by the pioneering music video shot by Queen to stand in for them on Top of the Pops while they were already back on tour by the time they were invited to appear. Meanwhile, their single was also on its way to No. 1 in Canada, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Belgium, earning Top 10 honors in multiple other countries and peaking at No. 9 in America, where it eventually became a million-seller.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" stands as one of the best-selling songs in rock history, prone to repeat visits to global charts anytime it is revived for a movie, commercial or other event, and frankly unique as nothing since has come close to matching its sheer heights of excess, bravura, and, oh yeah, inspiration.

 

I hate this song buuuuuuuuttt I loved reading this.

 

A piece of music history, it has always been a song I detest, but never mind. I am open minded enough to appreciate and value your honest enthusiasm, this was pretty spiffing to read!

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I agree i have heard BR too much but it is an amazing song.I was 13 when our local tv rock show(Countdown)previewed it and it was nothing like any of the other pop crap that they showed.Of course i liked the heavy part being a young metalhead but the whole song was masterpiece.At school we raved about it but why would you ponce about in white leotards and call yourself Queen? Edited by grasbo
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My God, I have heard this song so many times that i stopped enjoying it ages ago.

When it first appeared it was just an awesome track.It was THE rock song.

Now-TOTAL OVERKILL!

Now if it's played on the tv/Radio,I just turn it off!

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Not to mention kaftans.
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Really a great, spectacular, gripping rock song, but not a Queen fave of mine.

Signed

Mustapha Ibrahim

:smoke:

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I gotta tell ya, I can go the rest of my life not hearing "Bohemian Rhapsody" ever again and I won't complain. But that doesn't take away from the song's majesty. It's as innovative and creative as music can be.

^^^ This. Well said...
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My God, I have heard this song so many times that i stopped enjoying it ages ago.

When it first appeared it was just an awesome track.It was THE rock song.

Now-TOTAL OVERKILL!

Now if it's played on the tv/Radio,I just turn it off!

^^^ This too... :)
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I will class Innuendo as the long lost cousin to Bohemian Rapunzal.A true classic with some great guitar from Steve Howe and Brian.And a last majestic hurrah from old Freddie.Oh,and 'The Show Must Go On'.
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I don't care how many times BR is played, it's earned it.

 

Opinions of those who oppose I just think of these lyrics.

 

Nothing really matters,

Anyone can see,

Nothing really matters,

Nothing really matters to me.

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I will class Innuendo as the long lost cousin to Bohemian Rapunzal.A true classic with some great guitar from Steve Howe and Brian.And a last majestic hurrah from old Freddie.Oh,and 'The Show Must Go On'.

Innuendo is a great track. I enjoy a lot of the album, actually. Isn't Days of Our Lives on that one?
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In all honesty, a lot of hard work, time, talent and charisma went into creating a horrible, back end of Broadway style, pompous rock turd.

 

I remember hearing this as a child, and I hated it even then!

 

I try and I try to understand what makes Queen such a firm favourite amongst the rock community, and I just do not understand!

 

I am delighted that so many people value this song highly though. I know that this was a labour of love, and ReGor has definitely improved my perspective of this song, so let me just say I respect it for being a milestone recording, and for having the power to touch so many lives. Not everybody will agree on everything, and I truly cannot bear even the thought of this song, if it plays again on the radio I might just turn it up and really listen to it.

 

With gritted teeth, but never mind. I enjoy ReGor's enthusiasm to give this band another look.

 

I feel ashamed for hating this band some days. But then again, I hear ones say the same about my favourite artists so maybe I should just accept this is one band that most certainly not for me. Like Pink Floyd.

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Why do some people who don't like a band spend so much time typing nonsense about them? Don't fuckking listen to them and forget about them you can't like everything, just like what you like.

 

Says the guy who started a thread when he didn't like seeing Springsteen brought up time and time again. Lol

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I've said it before......The Prophet Song.......IMO.....Is and will always be.......a much better song.

 

but i still respect this song.

 

Mick

 

I'm with you on this. I love Bohemian Rhapsody - doesn't matter how many times I've heard it, it's an astonishing track - but the Prophet Song is the most beautiful and heavy tune on the album. It's a great tune to sing along to. Even though it's a doomy sort of tune, it gets you pumped when you sing along with it.

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Why do some people who don't like a band spend so much time typing nonsense about them? Don't fuckking listen to them and forget about them you can't like everything, just like what you like.

 

Says the guy who started a thread when he didn't like seeing Springsteen brought up time and time again. Lol

Yeah but I only type one line not a six page essay. This is my point, why even think about it so much?

Edited by treeduck
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