Beginning as piano ballad, morphing into cod-Mozart and then stomping monster rocker and back to ballad, goodness knows how the band must have felt when he first unveiled it at the keyboard. The multi-part epic, “Bohemian Rhapsody” took months to construct. Naturally, no coversation about the album is complete without mentioning Mercury’s crowning moment. “You’re My Best Friend” was the second hit from the album and remains a pop classic frothy but enduring. Mercury, of course, is far more in-yer-face with the frippery of “Seaside Rendezvous” and “Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon”.ĭeacon, always the underrated member, may have had only one number, but it was a doozy.
May’s “The Prophet’s Song” serves up a slice of high concept sci fi, while his “39” is amiable country hoke. With the writing divided fairly equally between Mercury and May (with John Deacon and Roger Taylor getting one number apiece as well) it veers between high camp and west coast rock with aplomb. Opening with a thinly veiled attack on their previous manager, “Death On Two Legs” the album then careens through a gamut of styles. A Night At The Opera was to add opera, trad jazz, heavy metal and more to the mix. …Heart Attack had hinted at a working knowledge of 19th century parlour balladry, 20s ragtime and Jimi Hendrix. But this was a band with ambition in spades. Combining these swathes of Freddie Mercury and the band’s vocals (both Brian May and Roger Taylor were also perfectly adequate singers) with a thousand guitar lines and Taylor’s Zeppelinesque drums had crossed the pop/rock divide with ease. The aforementioned Sheer Heart Attack had seen their patent methodology of multi-layered recording producing a lush and yes, operatic, ambience produce something that had never been heard before. A Night At The Opera, borrowing its title from the Marx Brothers’ film could so easily have been an enormous folly. This aspect would be reused on the next album, A Day at the Races.Although Queen’s, previous album, Sheer Heart Attack, had yielded two hits, reached number one in the UK and even gone gold in the US it’s a testament that EMI were prepared to let them then create what was, at the time, the most expensive album ever made. The album takes its name from the Marx Brothers film of the same name, which the band watched one night at one of the studios when recording.Mainly owing to the success of Bohemian Rhapsody, the album remained at #1 on the charts in the UK for nine consecutive weeks.At the time of its release, it was the most expensive album that had ever produced.Charts and certifications Chart performances Chart (1975-76) Love Of My Life (live version from the Milton Keynes Bowl, England, June 1982) iTunes LP Bonus Video Previously Released.Seaside Rendezvous ('A Night At The Opera' 30th Anniversary DVD video) iTunes LP Bonus Video Previously Released.Bohemian Rhapsody (original no flames promo video) iTunes LP Bonus Video Previously Released.Love Of My Life (live version from the Festhalle, Frankfurt, February 1979) Bonus EP Audio Previously Released.'39 (live version from Earl's Court, London, June 1977) Bonus EP Audio New Content.I'm In Love With My Car (Guitar & Vocal Mix 2011) Bonus EP Audio New Content.You're My Best Friend (Backing Track Mix 2011) Bonus EP Audio New Content.
Bohemian Rhapsody (Operatic Section A-Capella Mix 2011) Bonus EP Audio New Content.Keep Yourself Alive (Long Lost Retake, June 1975) Bonus EP Audio Previously Released.Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon ( Freddie Mercury) Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to…) ( Freddie Mercury)
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