Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody

By Amber Arnaout

“Bohemian Rhapsody” was written by Freddie Mercury and performed by his British rock band, Queen. It is a classic that is still widely popular today despite being over 40 years old. The six-minute long song seamlessly transitions from power ballad to opera to hard rock and ends once again with a power ballad. People have called it inspirational, downright silly, and even a work of art, but that’s what makes it enjoyable for both younger and older generations alike.

In the early stages of the song’s release in 1975, the band’s record company believed that their five minute and fifty-five-second song was too long for the radio and would never become a hit. But that was not the case as the song quickly climbed to the top ten in the US and was a number one hit in the UK.

Freddie Mercury got the idea for the song in the late 60s when he came up with the line, “Mama, just killed a man.” It is said that he kept a piano as the headboard of his bed and would wake up, turn around, and play what he heard in his dreams. That was how he came to write “Bohemian Rhapsody”.

To this day, the true meaning of the song is kept a secret. Mercury thought that it was best to leave it up to the interpretations of the fans so they can listen to the song, make meaning of it, and come up with their own conclusions. One popular theory has to do with Mercury coming to terms with his sexuality as no one in the industry discussed it publicly and they never came out.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” is Freddie Mercury’s creation, as the song’s success became his own success and will continue to be a classic hit for many years to come.