I'm of similar age. Watching a young woman feel the joy, confusion, shock and amazement of this song, it's so nice to see! Reminds me of hearing it for the first time on one of my older brother's albums :)
L'explication est simple c'est de la musique de génie ça traverse les décennies comparé à aujourd'hui ou il n'y a plus ce genre de création tout est synthétique @@ross8884
You hit the nail on the head, without knowing it. This was actually three partly written songs which Freddie cobbled together to form this masterpiece.
I'll add my vote for the Queen Live Aid 1985 performance. It's 21 minutes, and includes a short version of this, and several other songs, a couple of which you will almost certainly have heard before, and never knew it was this band. Freddie Mercury's voice and command of the 72,000 people at Wembley Stadium is mesmerizing. And it's one of the band's top performances ever.
Select the Live Aid 1985 version that shows 2 men dressed in police uniforms -- that will prevent you from getting the version that cuts off the last song. Go for it!
Freddie Mercury unforgotten and unrivaled, one of the greatest singers in rock music history. Be sure to check out more of Queen and its brilliant frontman
A few fun facts about Queen: * Guitarist Sir Brian May has a Ph.D. in Astrophysics and built his electric guitar (Red Special) when he was 17 (with his dad). * Bassist John Deacon has a degree in electronics. He designed and built the amp that Brian sometimes uses to create unique sounds on Red Special. John was also involved in the band’s financial management. * Drummer Roger Taylor has a degree in biology (pre-med). His vocal range is better than most lead singers of other groups. * Lead singer Freddie Mercury has a degree in graphic design. It goes without saying that his vocal range was amazing and he was the best front man of any band. * All four have written #1 hits, and all are members of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Fun fact about 'Bohemian Rhapsody' I just heard - the song that knocked it off the no.1 spot in the UK also had "mamma mia" in the lyric: Abba's 'Mamma Mia', to be precise. What are the chances?
I remember when Bohemian Rhapsody was first released. The radio stations didn't know how to play it as they usually clipped songs short. They just couldn't do that with this song, so they were forced to play the whole thing. It topped the music charts for many, many weeks. Truly, one of the most epic songs.
Oh my, first Led Zeppelin, now Queen!! You are on a huge musical journey and I am here for it!!! This song came along and confused, provoked and hit us all in the face with its beauty and brilliance ❤❤
A sidebar, Brian May, the lead guitarist, is also an astrophysicist and has even worked on projects with NASA space missions. Queen is / was a very intelligent crew. Now you've opened the bottle you need to really check them out. Especially their live performances. INSANEly good!! As we say in Texas; y'all be safe.
Check out Greenday concert were the crowd at the gig sing Bohemian rhapsody before the band comes on stage. The meaning to the words mean different things to different people and all are correct. Its just a wonderful rollercoaster ride that keeps on giving all the way through.
One of his oldest friends Noddy Holder (from 70's group Slade), heard it before its released, and he said something like It's a masterpiece Freddie, but you'll never get a 6 minute song on the radio. Even Legends like Noddy Holder can be wrong. Great reation, as too many reactors constantly pause this song, and that just breaks it up, so good for you listening to the whole song.
I sometimes forget there are still people alive who have not heard this song. It's considered England's second national anthem, and everyone born there knows the lyrics word for word by the time they are in their teens. (Watch the green day sound check where they play this song and the entire crowd sings along, it's magic.) Welcome to the club young lady.
Hi! Great reaction! Just a little tip: When listening to Queen just go for the studio version first and then for the live one: Queen would play their songs live differently especially Freddie with his voice. Next song I suggest you to listen to is Somebody to love studio version and its live version at the Hammersmith Odeon 1979. Welcome to the Queen world. Enjoy!
That is actually really excellent advice. Just about Every live performance was different, and by design too. So to better appreciate both that and just how good the relative song could be when the conditions were perfect, you have to hear the studio versions first. And this song is an absolute perfect example of that, because unless they have a decent choir of backup singers, this song is impossible to do in the full, live. For an example of that. The very first scene only has Freddy singing by himself, overdubbing himself over and over. The magnetic tape was virtually see through by the time they were done. Their is a video on how this song was made, and it’s worth a watch.
To give an idea of just how well known this song is in the UK, there's a video on youtube from a Green Day concert (I think that's who it was) where the band weren't on stage yet and they were just playing some background music when this track came on. And the entire crowd proceeded to sing the entire song including the guitar solo's. It's just insane
Far as I'm concerned, Freddie Mercury was the greatest singer of all time. Truly unparalleled and there will NEVER be anyone else who could beat him. Queen truly are one of the greatest bands of all time, in ANY musical genre, and there are TOO MANY other songs from them to recommend just one or two. This truly was their absolute musical masterpiece, but there are SO MANY other songs of theirs that are worth checking out, really just scroll down through the comments and pick pretty much ANYTHING and it'll be worthwhile. My personal two cents, my personal favourite has always been the title track from their last album (while Freddie was still with us, anyway) Innuendo, also there's The Show Must Go On, Radio Gaga, Love of My Life, One Vision, Who Wants to Live Forever, The Seven Seas of Rhye, Another One Bites the Dust, Hammer to Fall, I Want to Break Free, Is This the World We Created, These Are the Days of Our Lives, A Kind of Magic, We Will Rock You, Crazy Little Thing Called Love and SO MANY others ... have fun!
I really like how young people from all walks of life reacting to these songs and videos are so open minded about things like Freddie's bisexuality and his emotional journey because of it. No judging or stepping back from totally enjoying the music and his special gifts. Thanks for a great reaction.
Hola Ola, Freddie began writing this in the late 1960s, but it wasn't recorded until 1975. Queen has many great songs, but this would be their most iconic. I highly recommend checking out their performance at Live Aid. Many consider it the greatest live performance ever. It's about 20 minutes long, but well worth it. Queen stole the show that day.
Queen are so diverse. This song shows as many sides of Queen. One moment they are rocking hard and then they are doing an off beat kind of song and then the next song will combine multiple styles. They can go from cabaret to really hard rock from one song the next. They can sound like Led Zeppelin and they add harmonies and vocals reminiscent of Uriah Heep. Musically, I also here Beatles influences, not in the vocals but in how the Beatles also could change musical genres from one song to the next.
If you watch the movie about Freddie…the studio heads didn’t want them to do this song because it was too long. They did it anyway and a masterpiece was born! ❤❤
So many comments about Freddie, Freddie wasn't Queen! When Queen were a current band people didn't single Freddie out all the time. However since his death it's alway Freddie and Queen, as if the the other 3 were backup musicians, it's wrong.
Queen was legendary. Freddie Mercury was dying of aids and this song was very personal for him and the band. It was the 80’s so many good people died. RIP Freddie❤
Gald you were able to see Queen for the first time. Freddie was the ultimate performer with an amazing voice and a beautiful soul. Why do I love reaction videos like yours? Watching someone of a different gender, nationality and generation appreciating the same music I grew up with and loved is powerful. Music is a great uniter and something we always need more of. I highly recommend you watch Queen's Live Aid performance- it's one of the most amazing live performances you'll ever see.
how far down the rabbit hole that is queen you wanna go? -somebody to love -another one bits the dust -we will rock you -we are the champions -crazy little thing called love -who wants to live forever -under preasure -radio gaga -dont stop me now
Hi Olavity. So glad you enjoyed this Queen hit and yes it was a masterpiece way ahead of it's time as it was released in 1975 they have a lot of great hits to many to mention but I think you should watch the ' Live Aid ' performance in 1985 to really get a liking for them in my opinion.❤❤❤❤❤❤🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💋💋💋💋
Thanks so much.. I always enjoy "young folks" discovering the genius of my favorite band from my teenage years... So glad you listened with headphones! Look forward to more reactions from you!
This song is a forever classic, written by Freddie Mercury and perfectly executed by the iconic band, Queen. There is nothing to say except it is perfect. Freddie never said what this song was about and in fact it is a mash up of three songs Freddie had written but never finished. He said that the song means whatever it means to the listener. I don't know that it really means anything or if Freddie actually attached any meaning to it for himself. I love the song and that is all I need from it. Perhaps the next song you should react to would be Somebody To Love, Live at Montreal, 1981. It will really show you how great of a singer Freddie is, how talented the other band members are and the command that Freddie had over the audience. Thank you for your reaction.
@@birgitrichter55 Just an FYI. This is not a live version, it is the official studio version set up to look like it was live. There are live versions of Bohemian Rhapsody out there but the beginning acapella portion is omitted and then the middle section is played from the studio tape because it would be impossible for the three vocalists to reproduce the sound on the recording. The recording is seriously multitracked to sound like a choir even though it is only Freddie, Roger and Brian. The acapella portion in the beginning is all just Freddie, multitracked. It is a beautiful song and so well put together. I am glad we are all still able to enjoy it.
I saw Queen in 1977 and they were Awesome I am now retired and yes I still listening to Queen Many thanks to Kenny Everett R I P who played this song on his radio show 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
One suggestion made below, was to listen/watch the studio versions first. And that is obviously BEFORE you watch ANY of the live events. That is actually really excellent advice. Just about Every live performance was differen and sometimes very different, and by deliberate design too. So to better appreciate both that and just how good each and everyone of the relative songs could be when the conditions were perfect, you have to hear the studio versions first. And this song is an absolute perfect example of that, because unless they have a decent choir of backup singers, this song is impossible to do in the full, live. For an example of that. The very first scene only has Freddy singing by himself, overdubbing himself over and over. The magnetic tape was virtually see through by the time they were done. Their is a video on how this song was made, and it’s worth a watch.
Yes it was played a lot in the early days of MTV. However it was not the first or even in the first 25 Music Videos played on MTV. "Video Killed the Radio Star" was the first music video played on MTV "Money For No Thing" was the must play Music Video ever played on MTV was a Music Powerhouse & Respected in Music Business. Now, it has lost its respect and it's way 😢
Queen is a British rock band that was formed in 1970 and was comprised of: Freddie Mercury - Lead vocals and piano Roger Taylor - Drummer and vocals Brian May - Lead guitar and vocals John Deacon - Bass guitar Queen has released 15 studio albums, 10 live albums, 16 compilation albums, two soundtrack albums, 2 extended plays, 73 singles, and seven promotional singles. "Bohemian Rhapsody", which was released originally in 1975, 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 "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 3 weeks 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. * Galileo who was an Italian astronomer, physicist, and engineer definitely refers to Brian (Queen's lead guitarist) who in real life is Dr. Brian May, who has a Ph.D.in Astrophysics. * 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. * The final reference of Magnifico is John Deacon (Queen's bass guitarist), 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 homemade electric guitar (dubbed The Red Special) 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. 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. Welcome to the world of Queen!
Now THAT was a great reaction. I loved watching you experience this masterpiece for the first time. What you felt is what I feel each and every time I listen to it. Bravo 👏 If you continue with Queen, you will find songs out there that you have heard but just never realized who they were from. Have fun 🤩
Here you go . To help you understand the "Roller Coaster" The clue is in the name. .. 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, color, and tonality. An air of spontaneous inspiration and a sense of improvisation make it freer in form than a set of variations. The word "Rhapsody" is derived from the Greek: ῥαψῳδός, "Rhapsōidos", a reciter of epic poetry (a rhapsodist) Yea a Rhapsodist or in this case a roller coaster operator.. Thanks for a fun reaction.
Mandatory Somebody To Love live Montreal 1981..ranked as the second greatest live performance with Live Aid as the greatest live performance in musical history ♥️👑🎤🎸🥁🎹
Among the many unique qualities of this song, there's no chorus, no refrain verse like a lot of pop songs, especially in the early to mid 1970s. They defied all the local pop music formats and the fact that it was back in the mid 1970s. They took a chance releasing this in 1975, considering most of the chart songs at that time were disco and R&B songs and few pop songs. Music in a constant state of flux in the 1970s. I was a schoolboy when this was released. I'm now 62 years old.
The layered 4:45 part(bouncing graphics) used 21 4 track reel to reel tape recorders including those at Abbey Road. Each of the 4 layers was hand cued by Freddy,
The big choir sound part ( bismillah, etc ) was done with them recording a ton of overdubs. In concert for that section of the song, they just played the tape.
I would be careful searching for meanings of their songs on the internet. Queen had always stated that they want their listeners use their own imagination and that it adds to the mystery and magic of their songs. I know you reacted to movies before ? Are you still doing that ? Have a beautiful day !
Having seen them twice in the eighties, live they are amazing, There are many live videos here on RUclips, I highly recommend watching their their performance in the Live in Montreal 1981 concert. That tour was the first time I saw them at Madison Square Garden in September 1980.
According to Domesticated Companion, each band member of Queen had a different career path in mind before they started with the band. May studied astronomy, holding a Ph.D. in physics and astronomy that took him some time to complete. He didn’t finish his Ph.D. until 2007. Deacon received a bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering. Taylor went to medical school. There he began studying dentistry, but instead, he switched to studying biology. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from East London Polytechnic. Mercury, influenced by his parents and their desire to see their son succeed in a career, started to study art in West London. After switching to graphic art and design, Mercury graduated with a two-year diploma in 1969. Between the time of his graduation and the start of his rock star journey, he worked part-time as a baggage handler at Heathrow Airport.
I m old, i Remember when this Song go in out, i find the ticket for them concert, talk about 1985/86 i think, but i can not buy, that concert was a story of all music, lot lot of people from all world go to that concert, i was Lost a piece of story! Well the "Queen" the best on the world
Now you need to listen to Innuendo. It's considered a modern Bohemian Rhapsody, but it's even better, especially for the unexpected interlude played by former Yes guitarist Steve Howe. It's a must listen song, at least once in a lifetime.
I was always under the impression this was Freddie’s coming out song. As he is softly telling his mom “I just killed a man” meaning Farrokh Bulsara and decided to be Freddie Mercury.
Queen was a band that u couldn't classify in 1 genre... They had incorporated everything from pop music to rock to disco to cabaret... Queen also added layers of vocal harmonies to their records and created a unique sound. Formed in the UK in the early 70's, the original Queen was: Freddie Mercury (lead vocals/ piano), Brian May (guitar), Roger Taylor (drums) and John Deacon (bass)... May and Taylor would also do lead vocals on certain songs. 'Bohenmian rhapsody' was Queen's first #1 hit single in 1975 and made the band superstars overnight... Other Queen songs: 'We will rock you/ We are the champions' ... "Don't stop me now" ... 'Another one bites the dust' ... 'Killer queen' ... 'Love of my life' ... 'I want it all' ... 'Radio ga ga'... 'I want it all' ... 🤘🤘🔥🔥
Welcome to the Queen discovery. For a nice compilation of their populair songs just watch their Live Aid performance. This song was watched 1.733.858.092 times 15 years ago and still one of their most populair songs.
I know some people say it's about murder but it was written when he was discovering himself and when he changed his name. The lyric 'i sometimes wish id never been born at all' is a great give away. Roger Taylor, the drummer said they never knew because Freddie never told them but it was obvious what the hidden meaning was.
Honey, I am 50+ years old, and your recap made me cry. It was so incredible. I did not expect this to happen at all! OMG! Thank you so much! 🎸😢❤🎤
I'm of similar age. Watching a young woman feel the joy, confusion, shock and amazement of this song, it's so nice to see! Reminds me of hearing it for the first time on one of my older brother's albums :)
You no shes just saying what's on Google 😂
L'explication est simple c'est de la musique de génie ça traverse les décennies comparé à aujourd'hui ou il n'y a plus ce genre de création tout est synthétique @@ross8884
You hit the nail on the head, without knowing it. This was actually three partly written songs which Freddie cobbled together to form this masterpiece.
More like crafted it together, rather than cobbled it! I take your point though.
It's called bohemian rhapsody for a reason
4:03 Brian May composed the guitar solo
And they worked so good as a whole.
100th like
I'll add my vote for the Queen Live Aid 1985 performance. It's 21 minutes, and includes a short version of this, and several other songs, a couple of which you will almost certainly have heard before, and never knew it was this band. Freddie Mercury's voice and command of the 72,000 people at Wembley Stadium is mesmerizing. And it's one of the band's top performances ever.
Select the Live Aid 1985 version that shows 2 men dressed in police uniforms -- that will prevent you from getting the version that cuts off the last song. Go for it!
She will go crazy after seeing Live Aid 😊
日本の男性です。
45年前、17歳の時にボヘミアンラプソディを聴いて衝撃を受けました。
high schoolの時でしたが忘れられない曲になりました。
それからクイーンに夢中になり日本公演も行きました。
今、貴女のような若い方々がクイーンの曲に親しんでもらえることをとてもうれしく思います。
Enjoy your Queen journey!! You will Appreciate Most Eveeything they recorded. Their Live performance at Live Aid 1985 is an EPIC 4 songs!! 🖤💛 👸 🌟 ✔
This is considered by many people the greatest rock song ever!!!
And I'm one of them, it will be 50 years old in 2025.
Absolutely! Weren’t we so lucky then?
It IS the greatest song ever according to Guinness Book of World Records
Freddie Mercury unforgotten and unrivaled, one of the greatest singers in rock music history. Be sure to check out more of Queen and its brilliant frontman
A few fun facts about Queen:
* Guitarist Sir Brian May has a Ph.D. in Astrophysics and built his electric guitar (Red Special) when he was 17 (with his dad).
* Bassist John Deacon has a degree in electronics. He designed and built the amp that Brian sometimes uses to create unique sounds on Red Special. John was also involved in the band’s financial management.
* Drummer Roger Taylor has a degree in biology (pre-med). His vocal range is better than most lead singers of other groups.
* Lead singer Freddie Mercury has a degree in graphic design. It goes without saying that his vocal range was amazing and he was the best front man of any band.
* All four have written #1 hits, and all are members of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Fun fact about 'Bohemian Rhapsody' I just heard - the song that knocked it off the no.1 spot in the UK also had "mamma mia" in the lyric: Abba's 'Mamma Mia', to be precise. What are the chances?
I remember when Bohemian Rhapsody was first released. The radio stations didn't know how to play it as they usually clipped songs short. They just couldn't do that with this song, so they were forced to play the whole thing.
It topped the music charts for many, many weeks.
Truly, one of the most epic songs.
There’s Freddie Mercury and then there’s everyone else….
Queen are easily my favourite band ever, I grew up loving their music, a 93 baby. I highly recommend their live aid set in 85
Freddie we still love you. ROCK IN PEACE. More queen please great reaction again young lady. 💯❤️🇮🇹🤘
Oh my, first Led Zeppelin, now Queen!! You are on a huge musical journey and I am here for it!!!
This song came along and confused, provoked and hit us all in the face with its beauty and brilliance ❤❤
A sidebar, Brian May, the lead guitarist, is also an astrophysicist and has even worked on projects with NASA space missions.
Queen is / was a very intelligent crew.
Now you've opened the bottle you need to really check them out. Especially their live performances. INSANEly good!!
As we say in Texas; y'all be safe.
Check out Greenday concert were the crowd at the gig sing Bohemian rhapsody before the band comes on stage.
The meaning to the words mean different things to different people and all are correct. Its just a wonderful rollercoaster ride that keeps on giving all the way through.
I remember when Queen was on the radio.
The bad news? You've never heard that song before. The good news? You've never heard that song before 😉 Loved your reaction!!!
I saw Queen live in 1983 in Munich,One of t he best Concerts for me ever....
Your gonna enjoy this wonderful journey discovering this amazing music by Queen
One of his oldest friends Noddy Holder (from 70's group Slade), heard it before its released, and he said something like It's a masterpiece Freddie, but you'll never get a 6 minute song on the radio. Even Legends like Noddy Holder can be wrong. Great reation, as too many reactors constantly pause this song, and that just breaks it up, so good for you listening to the whole song.
I sometimes forget there are still people alive who have not heard this song. It's considered England's second national anthem, and everyone born there knows the lyrics word for word by the time they are in their teens. (Watch the green day sound check where they play this song and the entire crowd sings along, it's magic.) Welcome to the club young lady.
No it's not considered England's 2nd anthem that's JERUSALEM..
England's??? Britain's more like.🙄
Hi! Great reaction! Just a little tip: When listening to Queen just go for the studio version first and then for the live one: Queen would play their songs live differently especially Freddie with his voice. Next song I suggest you to listen to is Somebody to love studio version and its live version at the Hammersmith Odeon 1979. Welcome to the Queen world. Enjoy!
That is actually really excellent advice.
Just about Every live performance was different, and by design too.
So to better appreciate both that and just how good the relative song could be when the conditions were perfect, you have to hear the studio versions first.
And this song is an absolute perfect example of that, because unless they have a decent choir of backup singers, this song is impossible to do in the full, live.
For an example of that. The very first scene only has Freddy singing by himself, overdubbing himself over and over.
The magnetic tape was virtually see through by the time they were done. Their is a video on how this song was made, and it’s worth a watch.
Really EXCELLENT advice🖖
The quintessential rock opera.
OMG when she started the head bob, I lost it.
All I see is Wayne and Garth rocking out in a 1976 AMC Pacer!!😂 😂😂
Probably the best song ever. Period.
The truth is that no one really knows what this song is about because Freddie never disclosed it.
But I have heard about 2 million theories.
To give an idea of just how well known this song is in the UK, there's a video on youtube from a Green Day concert (I think that's who it was) where the band weren't on stage yet and they were just playing some background music when this track came on. And the entire crowd proceeded to sing the entire song including the guitar solo's. It's just insane
Far as I'm concerned, Freddie Mercury was the greatest singer of all time. Truly unparalleled and there will NEVER be anyone else who could beat him. Queen truly are one of the greatest bands of all time, in ANY musical genre, and there are TOO MANY other songs from them to recommend just one or two. This truly was their absolute musical masterpiece, but there are SO MANY other songs of theirs that are worth checking out, really just scroll down through the comments and pick pretty much ANYTHING and it'll be worthwhile. My personal two cents, my personal favourite has always been the title track from their last album (while Freddie was still with us, anyway) Innuendo, also there's The Show Must Go On, Radio Gaga, Love of My Life, One Vision, Who Wants to Live Forever, The Seven Seas of Rhye, Another One Bites the Dust, Hammer to Fall, I Want to Break Free, Is This the World We Created, These Are the Days of Our Lives, A Kind of Magic, We Will Rock You, Crazy Little Thing Called Love and SO MANY others ... have fun!
I really like how young people from all walks of life reacting to these songs and videos are so open minded about things like Freddie's bisexuality and his emotional journey because of it. No judging or stepping back from totally enjoying the music and his special gifts. Thanks for a great reaction.
Hola Ola,
Freddie began writing this in the late 1960s, but it wasn't recorded until 1975. Queen has many great songs, but this would be their most iconic.
I highly recommend checking out their performance at Live Aid. Many consider it the greatest live performance ever. It's about 20 minutes long, but well worth it. Queen stole the show that day.
Timeless masterpiece!
Queen are so diverse. This song shows as many sides of Queen. One moment they are rocking hard and then they are doing an off beat kind of song and then the next song will combine multiple styles. They can go from cabaret to really hard rock from one song the next. They can sound like Led Zeppelin and they add harmonies and vocals reminiscent of Uriah Heep. Musically, I also here Beatles influences, not in the vocals but in how the Beatles also could change musical genres from one song to the next.
If you watch the movie about Freddie…the studio heads didn’t want them to do this song because it was too long. They did it anyway and a masterpiece was born! ❤❤
Enjoy your Queen journey. Watch Queen at Live Aid 85. Definitely the best live performance that went down in music History❤
The intro with all the harmonies are Freddie and Freddie with overdubbed layers to give it the choir effect.
So many comments about Freddie, Freddie wasn't Queen! When Queen were a current band people didn't single Freddie out all the time. However since his death it's alway Freddie and Queen, as if the the other 3 were backup musicians, it's wrong.
Freddie was always making the point that he was just one of four elements of the group. It's difficult because he is such a charismatic personality.
Queen was legendary. Freddie Mercury was dying of aids and this song was very personal for him and the band. It was the 80’s so many good people died. RIP Freddie❤
more Queen please..
Freddie was a truly one off! ❤
The guitar is so happy at the beginning and then so sad at the end
Bohemian Rhapsody is a masterpiece ❤❤❤
My dear you are another soul saved ...the 70's was musical magical... Janis Joplin, Deep Purple, Queen, Led Zeppelin, etc, etc, ....just keep going
I was lucky enough to see Queen four times during the seventies in Chicago! Couldn't get enough of them!!🤩🤩
Somebody to love live montreal 1981 is one of their best performances ever definitely worth checking out 👍🔥😎
Gald you were able to see Queen for the first time. Freddie was the ultimate performer with an amazing voice and a beautiful soul. Why do I love reaction videos like yours? Watching someone of a different gender, nationality and generation appreciating the same music I grew up with and loved is powerful. Music is a great uniter and something we always need more of. I highly recommend you watch Queen's Live Aid performance- it's one of the most amazing live performances you'll ever see.
I hope there's more of you young people loving good rock music
this is definitely the greatest song ever made it deserves to top every poll as the greatest song
how far down the rabbit hole that is queen you wanna go?
-somebody to love
-another one bits the dust
-we will rock you
-we are the champions
-crazy little thing called love
-who wants to live forever
-under preasure
-radio gaga
-dont stop me now
Hi Olavity. So glad you enjoyed this Queen hit and yes it was a masterpiece way ahead of it's time as it was released in 1975 they have a lot of great hits to many to mention but I think you should watch the ' Live Aid ' performance in 1985 to really get a liking for them in my opinion.❤❤❤❤❤❤🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💋💋💋💋
Thanks so much.. I always enjoy "young folks" discovering the genius of my favorite band from my teenage years... So glad you listened with headphones! Look forward to more reactions from you!
Eagles ‘Hotel California’ next
The most beautiful vocals in the universe, and even you were headbanging to it
This song is a forever classic, written by Freddie Mercury and perfectly executed by the iconic band, Queen. There is nothing to say except it is perfect. Freddie never said what this song was about and in fact it is a mash up of three songs Freddie had written but never finished. He said that the song means whatever it means to the listener. I don't know that it really means anything or if Freddie actually attached any meaning to it for himself. I love the song and that is all I need from it. Perhaps the next song you should react to would be Somebody To Love, Live at Montreal, 1981. It will really show you how great of a singer Freddie is, how talented the other band members are and the command that Freddie had over the audience. Thank you for your reaction.
I agree, I'm obsessed with this song and this live version is my favorite of all time 😊
@@birgitrichter55 Just an FYI. This is not a live version, it is the official studio version set up to look like it was live. There are live versions of Bohemian Rhapsody out there but the beginning acapella portion is omitted and then the middle section is played from the studio tape because it would be impossible for the three vocalists to reproduce the sound on the recording. The recording is seriously multitracked to sound like a choir even though it is only Freddie, Roger and Brian. The acapella portion in the beginning is all just Freddie, multitracked. It is a beautiful song and so well put together. I am glad we are all still able to enjoy it.
Welcome to the Queen rabbit hole. Hit after hit after hit after hit.
Greatest band ever, and the greatest song ever wirtten and sung by freddie
My first concert as a kid. Queen was AMAZING!!!!!
Alot of good rock music from the 60s and 70s and 80s
I saw Queen in 1977 and they were Awesome I am now retired and yes I still listening to Queen
Many thanks to Kenny Everett R I P who played this song on his radio show 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
One suggestion made below, was to listen/watch the studio versions first.
And that is obviously BEFORE you watch ANY of the live events.
That is actually really excellent advice.
Just about Every live performance was differen and sometimes very different, and by deliberate design too.
So to better appreciate both that and just how good each and everyone of the relative songs could be when the conditions were perfect, you have to hear the studio versions first.
And this song is an absolute perfect example of that, because unless they have a decent choir of backup singers, this song is impossible to do in the full, live.
For an example of that. The very first scene only has Freddy singing by himself, overdubbing himself over and over.
The magnetic tape was virtually see through by the time they were done. Their is a video on how this song was made, and it’s worth a watch.
This video is what launched MTV
Yes it was played a lot in the early days of MTV.
However it was not the first or even in the first 25 Music Videos played on MTV.
"Video Killed the Radio Star" was the first music video played on MTV
"Money For No Thing" was the must play Music Video ever played on MTV was a Music Powerhouse & Respected in Music Business.
Now, it has lost its respect and it's way 😢
There's a saying - Never trust anyone who doesn't head-bang when the rock cuts in after the operatic segment. You're one of us, now. :)
Love ur reaction,u were spot on.ive seen these live twice.truly amazing.x
No one can resist head banging when the song picks up. Great reaction.❤❤❤ You should watch and react to the movie.
Queen is a British rock band that was formed in 1970 and was comprised of:
Freddie Mercury - Lead vocals and piano
Roger Taylor - Drummer and vocals
Brian May - Lead guitar and vocals
John Deacon - Bass guitar
Queen has released 15 studio albums, 10 live albums, 16 compilation albums, two soundtrack albums, 2 extended plays, 73 singles, and seven promotional singles.
"Bohemian Rhapsody", which was released originally in 1975, 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 "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 3 weeks 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.
* Galileo who was an Italian astronomer, physicist, and engineer definitely refers to Brian (Queen's lead guitarist) who in real life is Dr. Brian May, who has a Ph.D.in Astrophysics.
* 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.
* The final reference of Magnifico is John Deacon (Queen's bass guitarist), 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 homemade electric guitar (dubbed The Red Special) 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.
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.
Welcome to the world of Queen!
Absolute masterpiece!!!
I grew up with this... Hard to imagine someone`s emotions watching this for the first time today. After all this is 50 yrs old....
Enjoy this journey with Queen! A must for u has to be- Somebody to Love! Live n Montreal! Another masterpiece!
Great reaction! I would like to add in my vote for Queens' appearance at Live Aid 1985 next.
Esta canción es increible, creo que la he escuchado miles de veces y siempre me emociona. Saludos desde Ciudad de Guatemala en Centro América.
Now THAT was a great reaction. I loved watching you experience this masterpiece for the first time. What you felt is what I feel each and every time I listen to it. Bravo 👏 If you continue with Queen, you will find songs out there that you have heard but just never realized who they were from. Have fun 🤩
I don't think it's necessary to analyse the song too much. It's just beautiful and never to be repeated.
Here you go . To help you understand the "Roller Coaster" The clue is in the name. ..
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, color, and tonality. An air of spontaneous inspiration and a sense of improvisation make it freer in form than a set of variations.
The word "Rhapsody" is derived from the Greek: ῥαψῳδός, "Rhapsōidos", a reciter of epic poetry (a rhapsodist) Yea a Rhapsodist or in this case a roller coaster operator.. Thanks for a fun reaction.
What makes me think the most is how you didn't know him, how there are people who don't know Queen.
This is such an Amazing Song!! Great Vocals!!
Mandatory Somebody To Love live Montreal 1981..ranked as the second greatest live performance with Live Aid as the greatest live performance in musical history ♥️👑🎤🎸🥁🎹
OMG you must see somebody to love live 1981 from Montreal❤Youll love it😂
Among the many unique qualities of this song, there's no chorus, no refrain verse like a lot of pop songs, especially in the early to mid 1970s. They defied all the local pop music formats and the fact that it was back in the mid 1970s. They took a chance releasing this in 1975, considering most of the chart songs at that time were disco and R&B songs and few pop songs. Music in a constant state of flux in the 1970s. I was a schoolboy when this was released. I'm now 62 years old.
The layered 4:45 part(bouncing graphics) used 21 4 track reel to reel tape recorders including those at Abbey Road. Each of the 4 layers was hand cued by Freddy,
Loved your reaction, so great to see young people appreciate good music!
Reaction > Queen Some Body To Love Official video, Killer Queen, Don't Stop Me Now
Bella la canción..preciosa!! Una obra de arte..y tú siempre muy hermosa 👍👍💞
The big choir sound part ( bismillah, etc ) was done with them recording a ton of overdubs. In concert for that section of the song, they just played the tape.
I would be careful searching for meanings of their songs on the internet. Queen had always stated that they want their listeners use their own imagination and that it adds to the mystery and magic of their songs. I know you reacted to movies before ? Are you still doing that ? Have a beautiful day !
Having seen them twice in the eighties, live they are amazing, There are many live videos here on RUclips, I highly recommend watching their their performance in the Live in Montreal 1981 concert. That tour was the first time I saw them at Madison Square Garden in September 1980.
According to Domesticated Companion, each band member of Queen had a different career path in mind before they started with the band. May studied astronomy, holding a Ph.D. in physics and astronomy that took him some time to complete. He didn’t finish his Ph.D. until 2007.
Deacon received a bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering. Taylor went to medical school. There he began studying dentistry, but instead, he switched to studying biology. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from East London Polytechnic.
Mercury, influenced by his parents and their desire to see their son succeed in a career, started to study art in West London. After switching to graphic art and design, Mercury graduated with a two-year diploma in 1969. Between the time of his graduation and the start of his rock star journey, he worked part-time as a baggage handler at Heathrow Airport.
Requests : The Prophets Song, Father to Son, Who wants to live forever and Mustapha (great Song, never requested) 😊
I m old, i Remember when this Song go in out, i find the ticket for them concert, talk about 1985/86 i think, but i can not buy, that concert was a story of all music, lot lot of people from all world go to that concert, i was Lost a piece of story! Well the "Queen" the best on the world
Now you need to listen to Innuendo. It's considered a modern Bohemian Rhapsody, but it's even better, especially for the unexpected interlude played by former Yes guitarist Steve Howe. It's a must listen song, at least once in a lifetime.
I was always under the impression this was Freddie’s coming out song. As he is softly telling his mom “I just killed a man” meaning Farrokh Bulsara and decided to be Freddie Mercury.
Queen was a band that u couldn't classify in 1 genre... They had incorporated everything from pop music to rock to disco to cabaret... Queen also added layers of vocal harmonies to their records and created a unique sound.
Formed in the UK in the early 70's, the original Queen was: Freddie Mercury (lead vocals/ piano), Brian May (guitar), Roger Taylor (drums) and John Deacon (bass)... May and Taylor would also do lead vocals on certain songs.
'Bohenmian rhapsody' was Queen's first #1 hit single in 1975 and made the band superstars overnight... Other Queen songs:
'We will rock you/ We are the champions' ... "Don't stop me now" ... 'Another one bites the dust' ... 'Killer queen' ... 'Love of my life' ... 'I want it all' ... 'Radio ga ga'... 'I want it all' ... 🤘🤘🔥🔥
directs the choir with my pinky
Arguably the best song so far
The first music video I ever watched...I was 3 years old...
Welcome to the Queen discovery. For a nice compilation of their populair songs just watch their Live Aid performance. This song was watched 1.733.858.092 times 15 years ago and still one of their most populair songs.
Great band great song. Saw them live in 1976.
Queen best song somebody to love
A definite theatrical masterpiece
Alleluia..di Emma kook🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶
Bellissimo brano
I know some people say it's about murder but it was written when he was discovering himself and when he changed his name. The lyric 'i sometimes wish id never been born at all' is a great give away. Roger Taylor, the drummer said they never knew because Freddie never told them but it was obvious what the hidden meaning was.