"Bohemian Rhapsody", which was released originally in 1975, is the creation of Freddie but he never told anyone what he was thinking when he wrote the lyrics. Freddie tended to write in metaphorsand this is one of them. 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 "Bohemian Rhapsody" 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 A cappella. 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 "Freddie's Cowboy Song". The lyricist Tim Rice (who wrote the lyrics for "Jesus Christ, Superstar", "Evita", "Aladdin", "The Lion King", ...) was a close friend of Freddie's and he 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 the 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 fourth section which is 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 an accumulation of 3 weeks at 6 different studios to record "Bohemian Rhapsody" and the "Operatic" section was much smaller when they began recording but Freddie kept adding to it. Various lyrics in the "Operatic" section seem to refer to the band... * Freddie casts himself as Scaramouch, a stock clown of 16th-century Italian literature. *.Galilao refer to Brian with his BSc degree in physics and later his Ph.D.in Astrophysics. * Figaro refers to the Mozart opera, "The Marriage of Figaro" and it is a subtle way to reference Roger 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. * The final reference of Magnifico is John who has not just a BSc but a First Class Honors Degree in Electronics. John is the creator of the "Deacy Amp". When Brian's Red Special guitar was connected through a treble-booster (an effects unit used by guitarists to increase the high end of their tonal spectrum) to the "Deacy Amp", Brian could produce sounds reminiscent of various orchestral instruments, such as violin, cello, trombone, clarinet, or even vocals from his guitar. [The story of the Deacy Amp is that shortly after John joined the band in 1971, he was walking along a London street when he spotted a cluster of bright electrical wire sticking out of a dumpster. As an electrical engineering student with a penchant for tinkering, the wires warranted a closer look. John did some digging and found that they were connected to a circuit board. Once he returned home, he noted that the board seemed to be from an old radio. Since John had to leave his amp at Queen's rehearsal space, he thought he might be able to build an amp to use at home. So he decided to retrofit the circuit board and wiring into a small cabinet that housed two speakers, including a 6.5-inch Elac Twin Cone. He installed a quarter-inch input jack and a volume knob, the latter later removed when he discovered that the makeshift amp sounded its best when turned all the way up. The whole unit was powered by a brick-sized PP9 nine-volt battery pack that they were connected to a circuit board. Eventually, he brought the amp to the band’s rehearsal space to show it off. Brian was immediately intrigued. Brian asked John if he could try it out. When Brian plugged in the Deacy Amp, magic was made. Stoked by the guitarist’s renowned high-attack play style and combined with his treble booster and Red Special, it became clear that the Deacy was the final piece of the puzzle. Queen had discovered their famous tone. .Poor John lost the use of his 'practice amp that day. Brian would go on to use the Deacy Amp on between 90 and 95 percent of Queen songs. Brian used the little amp from the 1970s until the 90s and, unlike most amps, the Deacy, unburdened by complexity, never failed to deliver a consistent tone. It was a solid-state design and had no tubes, which made it more durable than a tube amp. According toBrian, it never malfunctioned.] 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 "Outré", returns to the "Ballad" to close the circle of the song and ends with the sound of a Chinese gong. As far as the video itself… Though some artists had made video clips to accompany songs before this video, including Queen themselves, it was only after the success of "Bohemian Rhapsody" that it became a regular practice for record companies to produce promotional videos for artists' single releases. According to Brian, the video was produced so that the band could avoid miming on Top of the Pops (Top of the Pops [TOTP] was a British music chart television program, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly). They knew that there was no way that they could realistically mime such a complex song live on TV. In addition, the band was already booked to appear at Dundee's Caird Hall on tour, which clashed with the date that TOTP scheduled the performance of Bohemian Rhapsody on the program. If TOTP accepted the promo video in place of the band live miming on the air, it would solve all the issues. The video was recorded in just four hours on 10 November 1975, for £4,500 (a little over $4,800). The band was involved in the discussion of the video and the result was a cooperative between the band, the director, the assistant director/floor manager, and the cameraman. All of the special effects were achieved during the recording, rather than editing. The visual effect of Freddie's face cascading away (during the echoed lines "Magnifico" and "Let me go") was accomplished by pointing the camera at a monitor, giving visual feedback, a glare analogous to audio feedback. The honeycomb illusion was created using a shaped lens. The video was edited within five hours because it was due to be broadcast the same week in which it was taped. The video was sent to the BBC as soon as it was completed and aired for the first time on Top of the Pops in November 1975. The video has been hailed as launching the MTV age.
This comment is far too good not to pin. This is so informative and chock-full of goodness. Thanks for taking the time! I'm sure many will enjoy this comment for a long time to come.
One small correction about the Deacy amp. Brian still uses it to this day. He was on Rick Beato's YT channel discussing the making of BoRhap (a must see!) and brought out the Deacy amp, saying he still uses it today. Brian said John gave it to him "in perpetuity." No replica has ever been its equal. Gotta love John's mastery!
@@HealthAtAnyCost Actually, Brian last used it for recording on his 1998 album release, “Another World.” The original Deacy Amp became fragile and aged as time passed, but it remained a cherished part of Queen’s legacy. In 2010, a Deacy Amp replica received official approval from both Brian May and John Deacon. Brian uses a replica though he still holds the original close. In summary, the Deacy Amp lives on in the hearts of music lovers, even though Brian does not actively use it in recent performances.
This was the first ever "theatrical" music video, They used the 5 major recording studios in London(including Abbey road) to record this 7:26 They had 84 layers on 4 track at one point that were all hand cued by Freddie to give the bouncing echo.
Freddie's masterpiece and the first 45 I ever bought in 1975.......and this is recognised as the first promotional music video. Now you need to go and listen to Bohemian Rhapsody's big brother .."March of the Black Queen" !!
Freddie’s voice and piano, John’s bass, Brian’s guitar solo, Roger’s drums and falsettos, the operatic section… all these things combined make this song so powerful and beautiful. Not a second wasted. This is one of the songs that got be into Queen. I think you guys should listen to Innuendo and The Show Must Go On. They’re both beautiful songs and definitely worth listening to. And of course thank you for reacting to this, it really made my day!
funfact: Freddie and the band wanted it so badly as the first release of the album... and the people in the record campany said: "No one wants to listen to a song that lenght on the radio! And for all: Nothing that is that complex!" Bohemian Rhapsody is a thing u have to figure out. At the age of twenty i thought i would understand it. Now at 60 i'm not still sure if i will ever understand it completely. Thanks for the reaction!
Queen's most known song, most people say. Their best selling song was surprisingly Another One Bites the Dust. Classic song, very innovative music and video. The live version from Rock Montreal is quite incredible. Every time Queen performed live, they made it a point to not just recite their album tracks live, but to give their audience a SHOW. Each song is slightly unique when done live. Keep the Queen coming! Thank you!
fun Queen fact - a DJ called Kenny Everett stole a demo of this song and over a weekend played it constantly and this lead the public to demand the single. the rest is history
Don't you love a thing thing that does what it says on the tin? A rhapsody in music is a one-movement work that is episodic yet integrated, free-flowing in structure, featuring a range of highly contrasted moods, colour, and tonality. An air of spontaneous inspiration and a sense of improvisation make it freer in form than a set of variations.
This song spent 9 weeks at the top of the UK charts and was only knocked off by ironically, "Momma Mia" by ABBA. Thank you for Queen and both of you look so good on screen.
It is so good to see you all back doing some Queen. Freddie never said what the songs were about that he wrote, he wanted the person to make up their own minds. I got my own thoughts, but that is just what they are. I knew Mrs. Coach would remember some when she heard it playing, This was three song put together as one. Have a good day! Thanks for revisiting Queen.
Excellent observation regarding John's restraint. It reminds me of theatre when a character *decides* not to speak but is still in complete control of their actions. John had the chops, he knew he had them, and he could afford being more economical when it served the song. That's a true professional!
Yeah, he really just stood out on this despite not really being active...just a true professional as you said, doing his part perfectly and it was impactful.
Brian stated later that John was totally locked into Freddie’s left hand, which was doing the same thing…❤He knew and performed rhythm with fantastic timing…They called John & Roger a “Sonic volcano”as their timing was so tight, it sounded like one instrument❤..I Love this song and Thanks so much for your great reaction..❤
This song stands head and shoulders above EVERYTHING ELSE ever recorded. Utterly unique in every way. It starts on a rest to start with, it changes key & time signature inside the 1st 4 bars and then does it again 🤯 it’s beyond compare. The greatest song ever written!! NOTHING comes close to it. Musically and harmoniously, it’s a work of absolute genius!! The best band that have ever existed and in a league of their own. Freddie, Rog, John and Bri are Gods among mortal men.
My nieces and nephews grew up with Queen they are in there mid 30s to mid 40s..there kids are in there teens and grew up the same..my sons grew up with Queen and now my grandsons..4.6.8..Bohemian Rhapsody is always no1...
This is where the recording of Bohemian Rhapsody began: Rockfield studios in South Wales 😮 (all the backing tracks were recorded there, and later additional 4 different studios were used to record all of the parts) ruclips.net/video/l8ctqWVJipI/видео.htmlsi=K7MFFpauEP9HLBP Brian and Roger visited the studio nearly 30 years later ... it was an emotional walk down the memory lane... (from the outside it doesn't really look like there is a studio 😮😅)
The three sections of the song are defined as The crime, The trial, The redemption. Freddie never explained the song. It is speculated that the song was about his coming to terms with his sexuality. Have a great day. Looking forward to seeing more posts.
Originally, it was supposed to be three different songs, covering chapters of the same story. Then Freddie decided to bring them all together into one. He was very secretive about it and didn't expose any of it to the band, until he had it completely ready for recording.
I can listen to this one 100 times and I did already but cannot have enough freddie's vocals are insane but,all the,band the guitar solo and tha back vocals are so unique and by Brian may it was freddie's baby all done by him this man is musical genius in every thing he did ,he really was blessed voice magical.piano playing showman best ever all the package liked your reaction ❤
lol. When this first dropped, many people had the same reaction, especially if you only heard on the radio. Their Montreal performance of this one is fantastic.
This song was a Christmas number one in the UK. It was there for nine weeks. Queen decided to make this film because they were on tour, and they would’ve had to have appeared on the BBC’s top of the Pops. A weekly pop show that featured all the top 40 hits of the time. They didn’t want to appear on it because they hated it. You we’re not allowed to play live on the show you had to mime and lip sync at the time. When they found out that they gone to number one, they were stuck in a lift. The song took about five hours to film.
I dont know how anyone has never heard this song...even this generation since the movie came out in 2018. It is a classic!! Truly Freddie's masterpiece!
There are many reasons someone would not have heard this song (see YT reactor Virgin Rock - she had never heard of Queen or Freddie). I agree that it is a VERY famous, well-known song, but there ARE some people who, for reasons of location, lifestyle etc will have never heard or know of it.
There is the full documentary about how the BoRhap was created (the song, the video...) From 14.45 Brian explains how they recorded it (backing tracks, overdubs, harmonies ... ) and it was a long process. It is really a monumental achievement how they've done it with 24 tracks (no click track, no auto tune, just 4 amazing musicians) almost 50 years ago ... Freddie had all the parts for construction of the song in his head. Epic. ruclips.net/video/m4qYBqIieEk/видео.htmlsi=9e82vUKBhWu71gA6 The documentary is very educative, I've learned a lot and Brian explained it along the recordings in a way that even "ordinary people" can understand. I really recommend to take the time listening to it. When you'll start, 45 minutes will fly in a second.
Thanks so much, Coachies! YES... headphones/earbuds SO important to fully appreciate this masterpiece! appreciate your reaction! (thanks for calling our Deaky on the bass... of course, Brian and Roger were also stunning.. as I've often said... this is a whole BAND.. not just Freddie & some back-up guys.... they all have multiple number one hits... and each of them is in the songwriters HOF, independent of "queen")
Ogre Battle/Nevermore/March of the Black Queen is where you get MUCH MORE of this style of Queen. None were radio hits but they win Bohemian Rhapsody by a landslide in my opinion! Some of Queens very best work! Actually all of Queen 2 is SO GREAT!!! Queen one is no slouch either btw!
Coach, you mentioned in another video that you hadn’t heard this live. You can watch a live version from Montreal. I believe they close their shows with BoRap
The "four heads" a cappella opening was only Freddie singing all the harmonies which are multitracked together. The chorus effect in the operatic section was achieved by overdubbing their harmonies multiple times. There is an interesting "making of" documentary, "Inside The Rhapsody" which describes the tape being transparent after so many overdubs. Three voices, four instruments and a gong. Amazing. (BTW, it's not a concoction, it's a RHAPSODY!)
Hi I just wanted to say how fantastic it is to see someone react to Queen and actually learn all the band members names, and not just Freddys, which can be really annoying. Because Queen was for people, not just one person and three backup players. Try reacting to Green Day at Hyde Park, the audience sings Bohemian, Rhapsody.
Is what it is and what it is is an absolute masterpiece. Always has been, always will be. Great reaction. Take a gander at Freddie's dabble in opera and react to Barcelona ❤️
There were many music videos before "Bohemian Rhapsody", but Dr. Brian May said this was the first music video made for the sole purpose of selling the single.
It has been number 1 in the uk 3 times, 1st when it came out, 2 nd when it was in Wayne’s world, which broke queen into the states, and the 3 rd time was when Freddie died.
I have mentioned Brian May’s song, ‘Too much love will kill you’, previously but probably didn’t catch your attention. It’s about his struggle with loving two women, which he was going through at the time. Mrs Coach will love it too.
I saw that light bulb as Freddie sung that first note. I'd think you'd have to be from another dimension to have not heard it, then again, who knows it's been almost 50 years now. And of course there's the scene in "Wayne's World".
Thank you!! I love this video, and this has been my favorite all-time songs (masterpiece) for going n 50 years! I never tire of it, it’s been my ringtone forever, and it made me a life-time fan of Queen. There’s lots of history and interpretations of the song, but it was “Freddie’s thing”, as the other band members used to call it, Bismillah is Arab? for “for the love of God” , or something similar. I think Freddie just wanted to play and do a rock opera, as I always thought of it. It’s brilliant, and considering this was at least 6-7 years before MTV, they used to say this is how MTV came about, this awesome video which had never been tried this way before. It was just a promotional video for some Brit Hits show….
Brian said very recently that he still finds the guitar run he does really hard. He said Freddie composed it on the piano and then he had to play it! Also with the adrenaline running it was difficult to calm down and play it well. I think he succeeds!!
Hi Coach and Mrs.Coach...on Freddie’s behalf I need to explain...Scaramouche, a 16th clown from the Commedia Dell’ Arte...Fandango, a Spanish dance....Galileo, a 16th century polymath...Einstein called him “the father of modern physics”...Bismillah, is Arabic for, “in the name of God”....Beelzebub, another name for Satan...as Freddie said “I just love that word, it doesn’t mean that I study Demonology”...... Freddie was the ultimate polymath.....Freddie loved languages...you can see that in his songwriting...I’ll take a break now😂🤩
Hi sheila here inevif your paterons ive got one for you coach. It i want it all,recorded when freddie was alrady very sick he could no longer carry his mike or dance about. I love this rocker the bands smiles says everything. Freddie wanted to work till he could no longer sing which was exactly what he did. Propping himself up in the studio when he could no longer stand. This song shows his bravery, resiliance youll love it. Blesdings from England
Freddie's masterpiece - timeless! Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Coach for your great reaction. I heard this song many times but still Love it! By the way love your Shirt and cap Coach🙂
Hey, if you've never seen the video, why not? My much older brother hated Queen and used to razz me terribly, till he saw this video on the old Midnight Special. He LOVED this video and I didn't have to listen to Jones' crap again. At least not about Queen. Everything else tho, it was game on. Anyhoo, I was 11 in 1975 when this thing cracked my world in two. There was never anyone, anything, like Freddie. I took French because of his songs. I took Hebrew because of his songs. (Wait till you get to the "Jazz" album...) Ballet. The lot. He raised me better than my own people. And did you see how much that outfit went for at the auction? Long live Freddie. Love you guys!
This was around in the states in the 80's? This was at #1 in the Top Twenty singles chart here in the UK for several weeks in December 1975 and January 1976, when I was aged 14. I got to see them live in September 1976 at Cardiff Castle, Wales and it was a rainy night but a glorious performance. They came back to public prominence after performing at the Live Aid concert in 1985.
Yes, very distinctly remember it on the radio in the mid 80s during the last years of high school. It was absolutely popular here at that time. At least in our part of the world. LOL
@@CoachCastTV Might have been as a result of the 1985 Live Aid concerts in London and Philadelphia which got the UK public back into them (they'd been ostracised for a while after playing Sun City in South Africa, which other major bands had boycotted due to the aparthrid regime in South Africa.
Queen and this song, in particular, are still influencing music today. If you notice the genre jumping in some Kpop songs, it is similar to the construction of Bohemian Rhapsody.
Absolutely...it's been mentioned several times...and we have reacted to the "K-Pop Bohemian Rhapsody" as some referenced it, "I Got a Boy" by Girls' Generation.
Basically this song is a 3 act opera. Imagine if Freddie had lived, the musicals he could have written, like Andrew Lloyd Webber did. These composers were like the Verdi and Puccini of their time. Interestingly, Brian May, the guitarist, one of the best ever guitarists, is a physicist.
Thank you! (And... I told you so!) Nobody knows what the song is about, although multiple people have propounded various theories. Freddie never explained any of his lyrics, and said about all his songs, "It means what you think it means." He had three unfinished songs, took them apart, and smooshed them all together into this masterpiece. John had to stand beside the piano during recording the video because he needed to time his individual bass chords exactly to Freddie's playing, and since all the parts were recorded separately and layered together in production, they had yet to get the timing precise enough for a performance. If you watch carefully, John is 100% focused on Freddie's left hand rather than what his own hands are doing. Now it's imperative to watch Pentatonix's cover of the song. Before watching this video, you wouldn't have been able to appreciate just how much trouble they went to to reproduce it as faithfully as they possibly could.
hello hi Mrs coach you who are on the other side of the world, I hope you are doing well, you are adorable to me and what a pleasure to see your comments on my idols "queen" it is a shame that at home in the USA queen at was often censored, especially on the clip "i wan't to break free", the English media didn't like them very much, often it ended badly with the press! but whatever, they brought a lot to rock;; and many groups were inspired by Queen to name a few.....metallica, green day, nirvana, cold play, and others. I had the chance to see them in concert during their European tour in 1979 Jazz tour in France, it was really the best concert of my life! then the year after AC/DC back in black tour good too! Now I hope that you have not forgotten me my friends for a song that I recommended to you with a touch of madness about a fairly violent Queen who will surprise you enormously and few know Queen in this aspect! long live rock philippe
The greatest part for this song is its resurgence in the early-90's that led a whole new generation to loving it because of the iconic scene from the movie Wayne's World. Mike Myers even sent an early tape of the scene to Freddie as he was on his death bed to get his blessing. Freddie loved it and immediately gave it his blessing to be in the movie. He died in the months between the film being shot (summer of 1991) and it's release in the first part of 1992, so he never got to see how much that scene brought Queen back into popularity with kids as young as 10-12 years old finding out about them through the movie. I know some people may give me crap for that last statement, but it's true. I was one of those kids who had never heard of Queen (although I knew We Will Rock You & We are the Champions from sports games) until that scene. It brought them back into importance for everyone around my age and a bit older who didn't really know of them, and it changed our lives in a lot of ways.
Yes, a lot of people have had a hard time believing we didn't listen to Queen other than a few radio hits, especially people from the UK. However, Queen simply wasn't that big a deal here and we never went down that path musically.
It really was a rock opera. At the time initially it wasn't successful because DJ's wouldn't play it because of the length of the song. Remember there was no auto tune then. Brian May is a genius on the guitar, but what a lot of people don't know is that he is also an astrophysicist. Dr Brian May. By the way the snake bracelet he is wearing in this video sold in September 2023 for 550,000 pounds.
Great video guys! You are right, it is multiple songs, Freddie said it was 3 songs in one, he spent 10 years making it just right, and at one point, part of it was going to sound like a cowboy song! Freddie also never spoke of the meaning either, and he said that people can make up what it means to them, it’s different for every person. It’s always great to see you guys do Queen!
Loved this reaction of one of the best songs of the last century, by such a renowned band like Queen. It has been mentioned a few times that Mrs Coach loves ballads, so I wanted to suggest one of the best voices on the planet: Luis Miguel. A great first introduction would be his legendary medley _Luis Miguel - La Incondicional ( HD ) El Concierto._ I hope that the fact that it's in spanish would not deter you from hearing and enjoying the absolute powerhouse of a man that is Luis Miguel. He's been compared to Sinatra and Michael Jackson and he's definitely on a class of his own, with a career of 40+ years. He still sings and tours at 54 years old.
Fabulous reaction Mr & Mrs Coach! Freddie never explained the meaning behind the lyrics, he always preferred for listeners to put their own views on it! An iconic Queen masterpiece! Love from Oz🇦🇺
I'm a Fat Bottomed Girls fan lol. Was fortunate to see Queen back in the 90s while stationed (military) in Berlin. Nice job. Edited: it was the late 80s, my memory fails me.
Arabic for In the name of God, during the trial where the character is facing the death sentence for committing murder. He is convicted and at the finale, accepts his fate so nothing matters any more. The gong at the end may represent the sentence being carried out. At least one of his friends said he believed it was based on "Faust" who made a bargain with the devil, Belezibob, and had to try to redeem his soul. Scaramouch is an operatic comic character, but also tragic. On the surface it is a story found on the front pages of newspapers daily, i.e., a young man kills someone, goes on trial, and faces the consequences. It also shows the 5 stages of grief finishing in acceptance. Freddie and Brian said several times that what matters is what it means to the listener, and that they don't discuss what it meant when written. Each person decides it's meaning but there is no definitive or correct answer.
Great job! Please continue your journey with Queen🙏 How about doing live concerts? You’ve already done two tracks from Milton Keynes, so why not doing the rest😉
Listetning to the song with ear phones takes you to another dimension, comparing to listening to the radio. Bismillah means In the name of Allah. “I remember Freddie coming in with loads of bits of paper from his dad’s work, like Post-it notes, and pounding on the piano,” May said in 2008. “He played the piano like most people play the drums. And this song he had was full of gaps where he explained that something operatic would happen here and so on. He’d worked out the harmonies in his head.”
Friendly reminder, John didn’t sing (much) so only 3 guys, with multiple overdubs made the choir portion. It’s also separated by suprano, alto, tenor and bass, (left to right) and Freddy on piano, just shy of center.
Although Freddie spent his early years in Zanzibar and his family followed the Zoroastrian faith, he nevertheless included "Bismillah" (Arabic for "in the name of God") probably as a result of also being exposed to the Islamic faith of the greater part of the population. Later, of course, he went to school in India and only came to England when he was about 17. It's a nice nod to the multiculturalism of his upbringing.
Your journey down the Queen path cannot be complete without Bohemian Rhapsody. In fact, your journey into great MUSIC of the past cannot be complete without Bohemian Rhapsody! Bohemian Rhapsody, was released in 1975 on the album "A Night at the Opera" which gives a hint as to the musical genre. Freddie Mercury was a huge fan of opera so this song was written as an operatic suite consisting of five distinct parts: an acapella intro, a ballad segment, an operatic passage, a hard rock section, and a reflective coda. Generally it is classified as rock-and-roll, but specifically as a "rock opera" and "progressive rock." Truth is, labeling any Queen song, or Queen the band, is next to impossible! "Bohemian" describes an unconventional, artistic style with freedom and individuality as key elements. "Rhapsody" in musical composition refers to a single work comprised of episodic, diverse pieces arranged into a free-flowing structure designed to heighten emotions. This song came to be because Freddie had pieces of songs he never completed, so he put them together, each section totally different yet masterfully blended into a truly epic masterpiece. It is the band's magnum opus, and is unanimously considered one of the best songs ever written. As for the meaning of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", Freddie was purposefully vague. As with most of the greatest songs, the lyrics are written to be poetic and mysterious. Are they literal or figurative? As separate pieces initially, should the song have a singular meaning? Who knows! The meaning is open to interpretation for each listener to decide, based on how the music and lyrics touched them. You will read comments claiming the song's meaning, but the fact is, the entire band has never stating a specific meaning and has been firm that there isn't one, or if Freddie DID have a specific interpretation, he never shared it. Any assertion of the meaning pertaining to Freddie's sexuality are speculative and because certain groups WANT that to be the meaning.
"Bohemian Rhapsody" was one of my avenues of escape from CMIPTSD. Also: "Boy, put your lipstick on! No one can tell you nothing!" -- Ariana Grande Freddie looking spicy hot in this M/V~ Also Also: Wayne's World~
Hey coach, you guys crack me up. Love your Queen reviews. This was recognized as the first music video made to promote a song. Again, Queen, leading the way. Okay, time for Hitman or Breakthru. Get ur done.. Thanks, coach, and mrs. coach. Boomer Sooner.
Queen didn’t like to explain the lyrics to their songs and wanted the listener to be able to interpret them. Many people believe this song is about Freddie coming to terms with his sexuality and accepting who he truly was. When he says “I just killed a man” I believe he means that he killed the man he used to be, the straight man he’s been pretending to be. The man his parents wanted him to be. When he says “Mama didn’t mean to make you cry” because his family was religious and maybe he couldn’t be the son they wanted. “Goodbye everybody, I’ve got to go and leave you all behind and face the truth” In the middle section they sing “Bismillah will you let me go, no we will not let you go, let him go.” Bismillah is arabic for In the name of god. Then he says “So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye.” In his Zoroastrian religion, there was a time when people would be stoned to death and being gay would be a sin. The last lines “Nothing really matters, nothing really matters to me.” I believe is him giving permission to everyone to be their true self and love whoever they want because it doesn’t matter. “ Anyway the wind blows.” What do you think?
"Bohemian Rhapsody", which was released originally in 1975, is the creation of Freddie but he never told anyone what he was thinking when he wrote the lyrics. Freddie tended to write in metaphorsand this is one of them. 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 "Bohemian Rhapsody" 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 A cappella. 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 "Freddie's Cowboy Song". The lyricist Tim Rice (who wrote the lyrics for "Jesus Christ, Superstar", "Evita", "Aladdin", "The Lion King", ...) was a close friend of Freddie's and he 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 the 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 fourth section which is 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 an accumulation of 3 weeks at 6 different studios to record "Bohemian Rhapsody" and the "Operatic" section was much smaller when they began recording but Freddie kept adding to it.
Various lyrics in the "Operatic" section seem to refer to the band...
* Freddie casts himself as Scaramouch, a stock clown of 16th-century Italian literature.
*.Galilao refer to Brian with his BSc degree in physics and later his Ph.D.in Astrophysics.
* Figaro refers to the Mozart opera, "The Marriage of Figaro" and it is a subtle way to reference Roger 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.
* The final reference of Magnifico is John who has not just a BSc but a First Class Honors Degree in Electronics. John is the creator of the "Deacy Amp". When Brian's Red Special guitar was connected through a treble-booster (an effects unit used by guitarists to increase the high end of their tonal spectrum) to the "Deacy Amp", Brian could produce sounds reminiscent of various orchestral instruments, such as violin, cello, trombone, clarinet, or even vocals from his guitar.
[The story of the Deacy Amp is that shortly after John joined the band in 1971, he was walking along a London street when he spotted a cluster of bright electrical wire sticking out of a dumpster. As an electrical engineering student with a penchant for tinkering, the wires warranted a closer look. John did some digging and found that they were connected to a circuit board. Once he returned home, he noted that the board seemed to be from an old radio.
Since John had to leave his amp at Queen's rehearsal space, he thought he might be able to build an amp to use at home. So he decided to retrofit the circuit board and wiring into a small cabinet that housed two speakers, including a 6.5-inch Elac Twin Cone. He installed a quarter-inch input jack and a volume knob, the latter later removed when he discovered that the makeshift amp sounded its best when turned all the way up. The whole unit was powered by a brick-sized PP9 nine-volt battery pack that they were connected to a circuit board.
Eventually, he brought the amp to the band’s rehearsal space to show it off. Brian was immediately intrigued. Brian asked John if he could try it out. When Brian plugged in the Deacy Amp, magic was made. Stoked by the guitarist’s renowned high-attack play style and combined with his treble booster and Red Special, it became clear that the Deacy was the final piece of the puzzle. Queen had discovered their famous tone.
.Poor John lost the use of his 'practice amp that day. Brian would go on to use the Deacy Amp on between 90 and 95 percent of Queen songs. Brian used the little amp from the 1970s until the 90s and, unlike most amps, the Deacy, unburdened by complexity, never failed to deliver a consistent tone. It was a solid-state design and had no tubes, which made it more durable than a tube amp. According toBrian, it never malfunctioned.]
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 "Outré", returns to the "Ballad" to close the circle of the song and ends with the sound of a Chinese gong.
As far as the video itself…
Though some artists had made video clips to accompany songs before this video, including Queen themselves, it was only after the success of "Bohemian Rhapsody" that it became a regular practice for record companies to produce promotional videos for artists' single releases.
According to Brian, the video was produced so that the band could avoid miming on Top of the Pops (Top of the Pops [TOTP] was a British music chart television program, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly). They knew that there was no way that they could realistically mime such a complex song live on TV. In addition, the band was already booked to appear at Dundee's Caird Hall on tour, which clashed with the date that TOTP scheduled the performance of Bohemian Rhapsody on the program.
If TOTP accepted the promo video in place of the band live miming on the air, it would solve all the issues.
The video was recorded in just four hours on 10 November 1975, for £4,500 (a little over $4,800). The band was involved in the discussion of the video and the result was a cooperative between the band, the director, the assistant director/floor manager, and the cameraman. All of the special effects were achieved during the recording, rather than editing. The visual effect of Freddie's face cascading away (during the echoed lines "Magnifico" and "Let me go") was accomplished by pointing the camera at a monitor, giving visual feedback, a glare analogous to audio feedback. The honeycomb illusion was created using a shaped lens.
The video was edited within five hours because it was due to be broadcast the same week in which it was taped. The video was sent to the BBC as soon as it was completed and aired for the first time on Top of the Pops in November 1975.
The video has been hailed as launching the MTV age.
This comment is far too good not to pin. This is so informative and chock-full of goodness. Thanks for taking the time! I'm sure many will enjoy this comment for a long time to come.
Kudos to you mine friend for making such a long comment!
WOWWW this comment is absolutely epic thank you so much for sharing all of this amazing information.
🤗❤️
One small correction about the Deacy amp. Brian still uses it to this day. He was on Rick Beato's YT channel discussing the making of BoRhap (a must see!) and brought out the Deacy amp, saying he still uses it today. Brian said John gave it to him "in perpetuity." No replica has ever been its equal. Gotta love John's mastery!
@@HealthAtAnyCost Actually, Brian last used it for recording on his 1998 album release, “Another World.” The original Deacy Amp became fragile and aged as time passed, but it remained a cherished part of Queen’s legacy.
In 2010, a Deacy Amp replica received official approval from both Brian May and John Deacon. Brian uses a replica though he still holds the original close.
In summary, the Deacy Amp lives on in the hearts of music lovers, even though Brian does not actively use it in recent performances.
Freddie’s masterpiece, his crown and glory!
This was the first ever "theatrical" music video,
They used the 5 major recording studios in London(including Abbey road) to record this
7:26 They had 84 layers on 4 track at one point that were all hand cued by Freddie to give the bouncing echo.
It was the first song they played at the live aid concert you watched!
One of the best songs ever, such a timeless piece. It's legendary, what else is there to say 👑
Freddie's masterpiece and the first 45 I ever bought in 1975.......and this is recognised as the first promotional music video.
Now you need to go and listen to Bohemian Rhapsody's big brother .."March of the Black Queen" !!
Coach remembers the 45s. We've come a long way.
Freddie's "Bohemian Rhapsody" is an artist's concoction of a living experience told thru music. Congrats to Queen!
Freddie’s voice and piano, John’s bass, Brian’s guitar solo, Roger’s drums and falsettos, the operatic section… all these things combined make this song so powerful and beautiful. Not a second wasted. This is one of the songs that got be into Queen. I think you guys should listen to Innuendo and The Show Must Go On. They’re both beautiful songs and definitely worth listening to.
And of course thank you for reacting to this, it really made my day!
We appreciate you watching and appreciate the other suggestions you left on the other video.
funfact: Freddie and the band wanted it so badly as the first release of the album... and the people in the record campany said: "No one wants to listen to a song that lenght on the radio! And for all: Nothing that is that complex!" Bohemian Rhapsody is a thing u have to figure out. At the age of twenty i thought i would understand it. Now at 60 i'm not still sure if i will ever understand it completely. Thanks for the reaction!
Queen's most known song, most people say. Their best selling song was surprisingly Another One Bites the Dust. Classic song, very innovative music and video. The live version from Rock Montreal is quite incredible. Every time Queen performed live, they made it a point to not just recite their album tracks live, but to give their audience a SHOW. Each song is slightly unique when done live. Keep the Queen coming! Thank you!
fun Queen fact - a DJ called Kenny Everett stole a demo of this song and over a weekend played it constantly and this lead the public to demand the single. the rest is history
not like the friendly bo rap movie version where he just gives it to him
Don't you love a thing thing that does what it says on the tin? A rhapsody in music is a one-movement work that is episodic yet integrated, free-flowing in structure, featuring a range of highly contrasted moods, colour, and tonality. An air of spontaneous inspiration and a sense of improvisation make it freer in form than a set of variations.
This song spent 9 weeks at the top of the UK charts and was only knocked off by ironically, "Momma Mia" by ABBA. Thank you for Queen and both of you look so good on screen.
You are very kind. Thank you! Coach likes some ABBA songs.
And it was at no1 in the UK for five more weeks following Freddie's death in 1991
@@Gillie51-bl8suand was at #2 on the billboard charts in the US
The Greatest Song of all Time ❤
It is so good to see you all back doing some Queen. Freddie never said what the songs were about that he wrote, he wanted the person to make up their own minds. I got my own thoughts, but that is just what they are. I knew Mrs. Coach would remember some when she heard it playing, This was three song put together as one. Have a good day! Thanks for revisiting Queen.
Appreciate you watching!
Excellent observation regarding John's restraint. It reminds me of theatre when a character *decides* not to speak but is still in complete control of their actions. John had the chops, he knew he had them, and he could afford being more economical when it served the song. That's a true professional!
Yeah, he really just stood out on this despite not really being active...just a true professional as you said, doing his part perfectly and it was impactful.
Brian stated later that John was totally locked into Freddie’s left hand, which was doing the same thing…❤He knew and performed rhythm with fantastic timing…They called John & Roger a “Sonic volcano”as their timing was so tight, it sounded like one instrument❤..I Love this song and Thanks so much for your great reaction..❤
Well there ya go. The precursor to the music video industry, created by Queen.
I remember the news at 11 pm, Played this ,saying it was the #1 song in the world. And that was in late 1975.
This video is recognised as the first ever music video made!
In 1975!
This song stands head and shoulders above EVERYTHING ELSE ever recorded. Utterly unique in every way. It starts on a rest to start with, it changes key & time signature inside the 1st 4 bars and then does it again 🤯 it’s beyond compare. The greatest song ever written!! NOTHING comes close to it. Musically and harmoniously, it’s a work of absolute genius!! The best band that have ever existed and in a league of their own. Freddie, Rog, John and Bri are Gods among mortal men.
Oh Freddie, soooo beautiful here🥰
My nieces and nephews grew up with Queen they are in there mid 30s to mid 40s..there kids are in there teens and grew up the same..my sons grew up with Queen and now my grandsons..4.6.8..Bohemian Rhapsody is always no1...
To answer a previous question from Mrs. Coach, Freddie wore white because it made him more noticeable on stage, especially from a distance. 😁
Bohemian rhapsody & We are the champion are almost an anthem
This is where the recording of Bohemian Rhapsody began: Rockfield studios in South Wales 😮 (all the backing tracks were recorded there, and later additional 4 different studios were used to record all of the parts)
ruclips.net/video/l8ctqWVJipI/видео.htmlsi=K7MFFpauEP9HLBP
Brian and Roger visited the studio nearly 30 years later ... it was an emotional walk down the memory lane...
(from the outside it doesn't really look like there is a studio 😮😅)
Reminds of cruisin main street, windows down, AM radio blaring this song. Coaches wife must have been studying?
Probably, LOL.
The three sections of the song are defined as The crime, The trial, The redemption. Freddie never explained the song. It is speculated that the song was about his coming to terms with his sexuality. Have a great day. Looking forward to seeing more posts.
Originally, it was supposed to be three different songs, covering chapters of the same story. Then Freddie decided to bring them all together into one. He was very secretive about it and didn't expose any of it to the band, until he had it completely ready for recording.
I can listen to this one 100 times and I did already but cannot have enough freddie's vocals are insane but,all the,band the guitar solo and tha back vocals are so unique and by Brian may it was freddie's baby all done by him this man is musical genius in every thing he did ,he really was blessed voice magical.piano playing showman best ever all the package liked your reaction ❤
lol. When this first dropped, many people had the same reaction, especially if you only heard on the radio.
Their Montreal performance of this one is fantastic.
This song was a Christmas number one in the UK. It was there for nine weeks. Queen decided to make this film because they were on tour, and they would’ve had to have appeared on the BBC’s top of the Pops. A weekly pop show that featured all the top 40 hits of the time. They didn’t want to appear on it because they hated it. You we’re not allowed to play live on the show you had to mime and lip sync at the time. When they found out that they gone to number one, they were stuck in a lift.
The song took about five hours to film.
She looks so shocked. lol
Between it being a huge hit, Wayne's world and numerous other things that used this song it was everywhere
One Of My All Time Favorites, Queen Is Definitely The Best 💯
Saw them in Springfield Mass 1977. Thin Lizzy was the opening act. To this day, one of the best concerts I've ever seen!
I dont know how anyone has never heard this song...even this generation since the movie came out in 2018. It is a classic!! Truly Freddie's masterpiece!
The funny thing is it wasn't even his favorite of his songs. That was reported to be Somebody to Love.
There are many reasons someone would not have heard this song (see YT reactor Virgin Rock - she had never heard of Queen or Freddie). I agree that it is a VERY famous, well-known song, but there ARE some people who, for reasons of location, lifestyle etc will have never heard or know of it.
The Queen holy trifecta: March of the Black Queen, BoRhap and Innuendo. All equally complex and genius.
There is the full documentary about how the BoRhap was created (the song, the video...)
From 14.45 Brian explains how they recorded it (backing tracks, overdubs, harmonies ... ) and it was a long process. It is really a monumental achievement how they've done it with 24 tracks (no click track, no auto tune, just 4 amazing musicians) almost 50 years ago ...
Freddie had all the parts for construction of the song in his head. Epic.
ruclips.net/video/m4qYBqIieEk/видео.htmlsi=9e82vUKBhWu71gA6
The documentary is very educative, I've learned a lot and Brian explained it along the recordings in a way that even "ordinary people" can understand. I really recommend to take the time listening to it. When you'll start, 45 minutes will fly in a second.
Thanks so much, Coachies! YES... headphones/earbuds SO important to fully appreciate this masterpiece! appreciate your reaction! (thanks for calling our Deaky on the bass... of course, Brian and Roger were also stunning.. as I've often said... this is a whole BAND.. not just Freddie & some back-up guys.... they all have multiple number one hits... and each of them is in the songwriters HOF, independent of "queen")
Ogre Battle/Nevermore/March of the Black Queen is where you get MUCH MORE of this style of Queen. None were radio hits but they win Bohemian Rhapsody by a landslide in my opinion! Some of Queens very best work! Actually all of Queen 2 is SO GREAT!!! Queen one is no slouch either btw!
Coach, you mentioned in another video that you hadn’t heard this live. You can watch a live version from Montreal. I believe they close their shows with BoRap
Would definitely be interesting to see this done live.
On Sunday Nov 24th will be 33 years since Fred was taken from us. When I miss Fred I listen to his music and there I find him.
We have a special reaction coming that day.
@CoachCastTV Looking forward to it. Miss him so much but so grateful we had him for the time he was here 😢
funny cause freddie often put down his piano playing skills and everyone always says he was an expert
The "four heads" a cappella opening was only Freddie singing all the harmonies which are multitracked together. The chorus effect in the operatic section was achieved by overdubbing their harmonies multiple times. There is an interesting "making of" documentary, "Inside The Rhapsody" which describes the tape being transparent after so many overdubs. Three voices, four instruments and a gong. Amazing.
(BTW, it's not a concoction, it's a RHAPSODY!)
LOL...that's good info. Thanks so much!
Masterpiece❤I still love you Freddie❤️
Hi I just wanted to say how fantastic it is to see someone react to Queen and actually learn all the band members names, and not just Freddys, which can be really annoying. Because Queen was for people, not just one person and three backup players.
Try reacting to Green Day at Hyde Park, the audience sings Bohemian, Rhapsody.
They certainly all deserve praise for their individual roles.
Is what it is and what it is is an absolute masterpiece. Always has been, always will be. Great reaction. Take a gander at Freddie's dabble in opera and react to Barcelona ❤️
That one comes up a lot. We'll try to get it.
@@CoachCastTV Any one with Monserrat Caballé is a winner in my opinion, not only Barcelona
There were many music videos before "Bohemian Rhapsody", but Dr. Brian May said this was the first music video made for the sole purpose of selling the single.
It has been number 1 in the uk 3 times, 1st when it came out, 2 nd when it was in Wayne’s world, which broke queen into the states, and the 3 rd time was when Freddie died.
Freddie would never say what it was about. He said a poet never interprets his work it’s up to the listener to interpret it.
I have mentioned Brian May’s song, ‘Too much love will kill you’, previously but probably didn’t catch your attention. It’s about his struggle with loving two women, which he was going through at the time. Mrs Coach will love it too.
That one is on the channel now. 😆
I think that this video was the first EVER music video!
I saw that light bulb as Freddie sung that first note. I'd think you'd have to be from another dimension to have not heard it, then again, who knows it's been almost 50 years now. And of course there's the scene in "Wayne's World".
Thank you!! I love this video, and this has been my favorite all-time songs (masterpiece) for going n 50 years! I never tire of it, it’s been my ringtone forever, and it made me a life-time fan of Queen. There’s lots of history and interpretations of the song, but it was “Freddie’s thing”, as the other band members used to call it, Bismillah is Arab? for “for the love of God” , or something similar. I think Freddie just wanted to play and do a rock opera, as I always thought of it. It’s brilliant, and considering this was at least 6-7 years before MTV, they used to say this is how MTV came about, this awesome video which had never been tried this way before. It was just a promotional video for some Brit Hits show….
Brian said very recently that he still finds the guitar run he does really hard. He said Freddie composed it on the piano and then he had to play it! Also with the adrenaline running it was difficult to calm down and play it well. I think he succeeds!!
Oh, he definitely killed it.
Queen, I Want it All (Extended version)
Queen - Sheer Heart Attack (Through The Years)
It's genius, is what it is...
If they ever do the Musical "We Will Rock You", in your area, it is a MUST-see.
Hi Coach and Mrs.Coach...on Freddie’s behalf I need to explain...Scaramouche, a 16th clown from the Commedia Dell’ Arte...Fandango, a Spanish dance....Galileo, a 16th century polymath...Einstein called him “the father of modern physics”...Bismillah, is Arabic for, “in the name of God”....Beelzebub, another name for Satan...as Freddie said “I just love that word, it doesn’t mean that I study Demonology”...... Freddie was the ultimate polymath.....Freddie loved languages...you can see that in his songwriting...I’ll take a break now😂🤩
This is fantastic info! We always appreciate your insight. 😃
I love this song so much, thank you.
Hi sheila here inevif your paterons ive got one for you coach. It i want it all,recorded when freddie was alrady very sick he could no longer carry his mike or dance about. I love this rocker the bands smiles says everything. Freddie wanted to work till he could no longer sing which was exactly what he did. Propping himself up in the studio when he could no longer stand. This song shows his bravery, resiliance youll love it. Blesdings from England
That sounds like one we definitely need to do. Thanks so much!
Freddie's masterpiece - timeless! Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Coach for your great reaction. I heard this song many times but still Love it! By the way love your Shirt and cap Coach🙂
Thanks so much! We appreciate you!
Hey, if you've never seen the video, why not? My much older brother hated Queen and used to razz me terribly, till he saw this video on the old Midnight Special. He LOVED this video and I didn't have to listen to Jones' crap again. At least not about Queen. Everything else tho, it was game on. Anyhoo, I was 11 in 1975 when this thing cracked my world in two. There was never anyone, anything, like Freddie. I took French because of his songs. I took Hebrew because of his songs. (Wait till you get to the "Jazz" album...) Ballet. The lot. He raised me better than my own people. And did you see how much that outfit went for at the auction? Long live Freddie. Love you guys!
This was around in the states in the 80's? This was at #1 in the Top Twenty singles chart here in the UK for several weeks in December 1975 and January 1976, when I was aged 14. I got to see them live in September 1976 at Cardiff Castle, Wales and it was a rainy night but a glorious performance. They came back to public prominence after performing at the Live Aid concert in 1985.
Yes, very distinctly remember it on the radio in the mid 80s during the last years of high school. It was absolutely popular here at that time. At least in our part of the world. LOL
@@CoachCastTV Might have been as a result of the 1985 Live Aid concerts in London and Philadelphia which got the UK public back into them (they'd been ostracised for a while after playing Sun City in South Africa, which other major bands had boycotted due to the aparthrid regime in South Africa.
@@tonygriffin_ Very possible.
This was Freddy’s rock opera
Queen and this song, in particular, are still influencing music today. If you notice the genre jumping in some Kpop songs, it is similar to the construction of Bohemian Rhapsody.
Absolutely...it's been mentioned several times...and we have reacted to the "K-Pop Bohemian Rhapsody" as some referenced it, "I Got a Boy" by Girls' Generation.
Basically this song is a 3 act opera. Imagine if Freddie had lived, the musicals he could have written, like Andrew Lloyd Webber did. These composers were like the Verdi and Puccini of their time. Interestingly, Brian May, the guitarist, one of the best ever guitarists, is a physicist.
Queen es todo oro.
Thank you! (And... I told you so!)
Nobody knows what the song is about, although multiple people have propounded various theories. Freddie never explained any of his lyrics, and said about all his songs, "It means what you think it means."
He had three unfinished songs, took them apart, and smooshed them all together into this masterpiece.
John had to stand beside the piano during recording the video because he needed to time his individual bass chords exactly to Freddie's playing, and since all the parts were recorded separately and layered together in production, they had yet to get the timing precise enough for a performance. If you watch carefully, John is 100% focused on Freddie's left hand rather than what his own hands are doing.
Now it's imperative to watch Pentatonix's cover of the song. Before watching this video, you wouldn't have been able to appreciate just how much trouble they went to to reproduce it as faithfully as they possibly could.
Yes, not sure why John stood out so much in the video, but he really did.
hello hi Mrs coach you who are on the other side of the world, I hope you are doing well, you are adorable to me and what a pleasure to see your comments on my idols "queen" it is a shame that at home in the USA queen at was often censored, especially on the clip "i wan't to break free", the English media didn't like them very much, often it ended badly with the press! but whatever, they brought a lot to rock;; and many groups were inspired by Queen to name a few.....metallica, green day, nirvana, cold play, and others.
I had the chance to see them in concert during their European tour in 1979 Jazz tour in France, it was really the best concert of my life! then the year after AC/DC back in black tour good too! Now I hope that you have not forgotten me my friends for a song that I recommended to you with a touch of madness about a fairly violent Queen who will surprise you enormously and few know Queen in this aspect! long live rock
philippe
AC/DC and Queen...great bands. We appreciate you watching! 🙏
The greatest part for this song is its resurgence in the early-90's that led a whole new generation to loving it because of the iconic scene from the movie Wayne's World. Mike Myers even sent an early tape of the scene to Freddie as he was on his death bed to get his blessing. Freddie loved it and immediately gave it his blessing to be in the movie. He died in the months between the film being shot (summer of 1991) and it's release in the first part of 1992, so he never got to see how much that scene brought Queen back into popularity with kids as young as 10-12 years old finding out about them through the movie.
I know some people may give me crap for that last statement, but it's true. I was one of those kids who had never heard of Queen (although I knew We Will Rock You & We are the Champions from sports games) until that scene. It brought them back into importance for everyone around my age and a bit older who didn't really know of them, and it changed our lives in a lot of ways.
Yes, a lot of people have had a hard time believing we didn't listen to Queen other than a few radio hits, especially people from the UK. However, Queen simply wasn't that big a deal here and we never went down that path musically.
The original rock opera and now we have Nightwish, brought to us by CoachcastTV.
Mrs Coach you learn something knew everyday.
Yes! Learn or stagnate.
It really was a rock opera. At the time initially it wasn't successful because DJ's wouldn't play it because of the length of the song. Remember there was no auto tune then. Brian May is a genius on the guitar, but what a lot of people don't know is that he is also an astrophysicist. Dr Brian May. By the way the snake bracelet he is wearing in this video sold in September 2023 for 550,000 pounds.
My favorite version of this is live at Montreal 81 concert!
Even Queen didnt know what it meant 😂😂😂😂
The live version at Montreal is great too!
Great video guys! You are right, it is multiple songs, Freddie said it was 3 songs in one, he spent 10 years making it just right, and at one point, part of it was going to sound like a cowboy song! Freddie also never spoke of the meaning either, and he said that people can make up what it means to them, it’s different for every person. It’s always great to see you guys do Queen!
It's really cool when an artist does something and then allows people to interpret it on their own.
@@CoachCastTV I agree
And this is why "I Got a Boy" by Girls' Generation is known as the Bohemian Rhapsody of Kpop. It's just all over the map, music wise.
Loved this reaction of one of the best songs of the last century, by such a renowned band like Queen.
It has been mentioned a few times that Mrs Coach loves ballads, so I wanted to suggest one of the best voices on the planet: Luis Miguel. A great first introduction would be his legendary medley _Luis Miguel - La Incondicional ( HD ) El Concierto._ I hope that the fact that it's in spanish would not deter you from hearing and enjoying the absolute powerhouse of a man that is Luis Miguel. He's been compared to Sinatra and Michael Jackson and he's definitely on a class of his own, with a career of 40+ years. He still sings and tours at 54 years old.
Thank you for this suggestion. We have no issue with different languages as we have plenty of foreign artists on the channel.
Queen - Sheer Heart Attack (Through The Years)
philippe
Fabulous reaction Mr & Mrs Coach! Freddie never explained the meaning behind the lyrics, he always preferred for listeners to put their own views on it! An iconic Queen masterpiece! Love from Oz🇦🇺
Thanks so much!
Masterpiece...👌
Bismillah is Arabic and it translates literally to: In the Name of God
I'm a Fat Bottomed Girls fan lol. Was fortunate to see Queen back in the 90s while stationed (military) in Berlin. Nice job. Edited: it was the late 80s, my memory fails me.
Oh yeah...that's a great song, too!
I remember hearing this first in Wayne's World! 😊
Arabic for In the name of God, during the trial where the character is facing the death sentence for committing murder. He is convicted and at the finale, accepts his fate so nothing matters any more. The gong at the end may represent the sentence being carried out. At least one of his friends said he believed it was based on "Faust" who made a bargain with the devil, Belezibob, and had to try to redeem his soul. Scaramouch is an operatic comic character, but also tragic. On the surface it is a story found on the front pages of newspapers daily, i.e., a young man kills someone, goes on trial, and faces the consequences.
It also shows the 5 stages of grief finishing in acceptance. Freddie and Brian said several times that what matters is what it means to the listener, and that they don't discuss what it meant when written. Each person decides it's meaning but there is no definitive or correct answer.
Great comment!
Great job! Please continue your journey with Queen🙏 How about doing live concerts? You’ve already done two tracks from Milton Keynes, so why not doing the rest😉
Just like this, you have heard Somebody to Love, but not the way Freddie sings it live in Milton Keynes. Freddie sings it with a blues song.
Listetning to the song with ear phones takes you to another dimension, comparing to listening to the radio. Bismillah means In the name of Allah. “I remember Freddie coming in with loads of bits of paper from his dad’s work, like Post-it notes, and pounding on the piano,” May said in 2008. “He played the piano like most people play the drums. And this song he had was full of gaps where he explained that something operatic would happen here and so on. He’d worked out the harmonies in his head.”
Interesting to hear how he composed it.
Brilliant reaction guys mr coach you are funny
What in the world? In the UK you expect brilliance and variety from all our top musicians. Very obvious meaning to the whole song to.
Haha Mrs coach is gold
Friendly reminder, John didn’t sing (much) so only 3 guys, with multiple overdubs made the choir portion. It’s also separated by suprano, alto, tenor and bass, (left to right) and Freddy on piano, just shy of center.
Although Freddie spent his early years in Zanzibar and his family followed the Zoroastrian faith, he nevertheless included "Bismillah" (Arabic for "in the name of God") probably as a result of also being exposed to the Islamic faith of the greater part of the population. Later, of course, he went to school in India and only came to England when he was about 17. It's a nice nod to the multiculturalism of his upbringing.
That's awesome!
Your journey down the Queen path cannot be complete without Bohemian Rhapsody. In fact, your journey into great MUSIC of the past cannot be complete without Bohemian Rhapsody!
Bohemian Rhapsody, was released in 1975 on the album "A Night at the Opera" which gives a hint as to the musical genre. Freddie Mercury was a huge fan of opera so this song was written as an operatic suite consisting of five distinct parts: an acapella intro, a ballad segment, an operatic passage, a hard rock section, and a reflective coda. Generally it is classified as rock-and-roll, but specifically as a "rock opera" and "progressive rock." Truth is, labeling any Queen song, or Queen the band, is next to impossible!
"Bohemian" describes an unconventional, artistic style with freedom and individuality as key elements. "Rhapsody" in musical composition refers to a single work comprised of episodic, diverse pieces arranged into a free-flowing structure designed to heighten emotions. This song came to be because Freddie had pieces of songs he never completed, so he put them together, each section totally different yet masterfully blended into a truly epic masterpiece. It is the band's magnum opus, and is unanimously considered one of the best songs ever written.
As for the meaning of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", Freddie was purposefully vague. As with most of the greatest songs, the lyrics are written to be poetic and mysterious. Are they literal or figurative? As separate pieces initially, should the song have a singular meaning? Who knows! The meaning is open to interpretation for each listener to decide, based on how the music and lyrics touched them. You will read comments claiming the song's meaning, but the fact is, the entire band has never stating a specific meaning and has been firm that there isn't one, or if Freddie DID have a specific interpretation, he never shared it. Any assertion of the meaning pertaining to Freddie's sexuality are speculative and because certain groups WANT that to be the meaning.
Excellent comment. And yes, we have learned that it is impossible to define this band with one genre. They're unique to be sure.
"Bohemian Rhapsody" was one of my avenues of escape from CMIPTSD.
Also: "Boy, put your lipstick on! No one can tell you nothing!" -- Ariana Grande
Freddie looking spicy hot in this M/V~
Also Also: Wayne's World~
CMIPTSD is a real issue for many of us. We need a helpline or something.
Hey coach, you guys crack me up. Love your Queen reviews. This was recognized as the first music video made to promote a song. Again, Queen, leading the way. Okay, time for Hitman or Breakthru. Get ur done.. Thanks, coach, and mrs. coach. Boomer Sooner.
We always appreciate you!
Nice your reaction.... ❤❤❤❤
70's
Queen didn’t like to explain the lyrics to their songs and wanted the listener to be able to interpret them. Many people believe this song is about Freddie coming to terms with his sexuality and accepting who he truly was. When he says “I just killed a man” I believe he means that he killed the man he used to be, the straight man he’s been pretending to be. The man his parents wanted him to be. When he says “Mama didn’t mean to make you cry” because his family was religious and maybe he couldn’t be the son they wanted. “Goodbye everybody, I’ve got to go and leave you all behind and face the truth” In the middle section they sing “Bismillah will you let me go, no we will not let you go, let him go.” Bismillah is arabic for In the name of god. Then he says “So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye.” In his Zoroastrian religion, there was a time when people would be stoned to death and being gay would be a sin. The last lines “Nothing really matters, nothing really matters to me.” I believe is him giving permission to everyone to be their true self and love whoever they want because it doesn’t matter. “ Anyway the wind blows.” What do you think?
That makes for a very logical argument. Interesting.