Queen's hit Bohemian Rhapsody is probably her most iconic song.
In fact, it's one of the most iconic songs in music.
But what does that really mean and what's the story behind it?
Freddie himself has stated that the interpretation of the song is left to the individual.
"It's one of those songs that has such a fantasy feel to it," he once said.
"I think people should just listen, think about it, and then decide what it's telling them...
“Bohemian Rhapsody didn't come out of nowhere. I did a little research, although it was an ironic mock opera. Why not?'
Freddie had a piano that he used as a headboard, and when he woke up in the middle of the night with a eureka moment, he'd jump on the piano and start writing. With this piano he wrote Bohemian Rhapsody.
When they recorded the song, Freddie uses the same piano used in Paul McCartney's Hey Jude.
Begun in 1968, it was finally completed in 1975.
Queen fans are aware that the band has always been protective of the song's lyrics, realizing they are very personal to Freddie.
Brian May once said: "Freddie was a very complex person: irreverent and funny on the surface, but he hid insecurities and problems as he balanced his life with his childhood.
"He never explained the lyrics, but I think he put a lot of himself into this song."
It was released on Queen's A Night At The Opera in 1975 and was around the time Freddie was in a relationship with Mary Austin.
It is well documented that he cheated on her with someone who worked at a record company and revealed the affair to her the following year.
Some have speculated that this may have been the inspiration for the track Bohemian Rhapsody.
Others said it was Freddie's way of coming out to his fans.
However, in November 2015, Queen guitarist Brian May denied these reports.
Biographer Lesley Ann-Jones previously suggested that the lyrics, including the line "Mom, you just killed a man / Put a gun to his head, pulled my trigger, now he's dead," was a metaphor for the death of the Freddie's heterosexuality.
But Brian and Roger Taylor revealed that nobody knows and never will know what the song is really about.
'Why is? None of us know. As far as I know, Freddie never spoke about it and didn't mean to, and that's the way it should be," Brian told the BBC.
"He had something on his mind and he loved spinning these little magic pieces," he continued. "A little bit of reality and a little bit of fantasy."
Brian also suggested that there was no point in trying to "unravel" the meaning behind the lyrics: "They'll never understand because they'll never know what happened in that lyric."
Roger added: "What does that mean? I'm always asked that and I don't have an answer.'
While some find no meaning to the song and believe that Freddie made up every word, they are wrong.
Scaramouche has meaning - he's a character from a 17th-century comedy show called Commedia dell'arte. He was a buffoon who always managed to get out of any sticky situation at the expense of others.
Bismillah isn't jargon either—it's the term Muslims use when Christians say "mercy." It means "in the name of Allah".
Lyrics of Bohemian Rhapsody
Is this real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide
Without running away from reality
Open your eyes
Look at the sky and see
I'm just a poor boy, I don't need sympathy
'Cause I'm easy to come, easy to go
A little high, a little low
Anyway, the wind blows, I don't care, I don't care
Mom just killed a man
Put a gun to his head
I pulled the trigger, now he's dead
Mom, life has only just begun
But now I've gone and thrown it all away
Mom, oh
I didn't mean to make you cry
If I'm not back by this time tomorrow
Carry on, carry on like nothing really matters
Too late, my time has come
That sends shivers down my spine
The body aches all the time
Goodbye everyone, I have to go
I have to leave you all and face the truth
Mama, ooo (the wind blows anyway)
I do not wanna die
Sometimes I wish I'd never been born
I see a small silhouette of a man
Scaramouch, Scaramouch, you do the fandango
Thunderbolt and lightning scare me greatly
Galileo, Galileo,
Galileo, Galileo,
Gallileo Figaro – großartig
But I'm just a poor boy and nobody loves me
He's just a poor boy from a poor family
Spare him the life of that monstrosity
easy come easy go you will let me go
Bismillah! No, we won't let you go - let him go
Bismillah! We won't let you go - let him go
Bismillah! We won't let you go, let me go
Won't let you go, let me go (never)
never let you go, let me go
never let me go ooo
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
Oh Mama Mia, Mama Mia, Mama Mia let me go
Beelzebub has a demon ready for me
To me
To me
So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye
So you think you can love me and let me die
Oh baby you can't do this to me baby
I just have to get out, I just have to get out of here
Oh Sim, Oh Sim
Nothing matters
everyone can see
Nothing really matters to me, nothing really matters to me
In any case, the wind is blowing
Composers: Freddie Mercury
Interestingly, the song's operatic parts took about three weeks to record, and Queen never performed them live as they were too difficult to do justice, so they recorded those parts instead.
The music video for Bohemian Rhapsody was also the first music video - it was made for Top Of The Pops because they didn't want to go on and perform.
Bohemian Rhapsody spent nine weeks at number one in the UK before being ousted by Abbas Mamma Mia.
music turns 40in 2015 and became the UK's third best-selling single of all time, remaining one of the few songs guaranteed to get an entire audience singing along to the lyrics.
The long-awaited Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody has finally hit theaters after years of work.
Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming movie...
When is the Bohemian Rhapsody release date?
Bohemian Rhapsody hits UK cinemas today, Wednesday 24th October.
What is this about?
The film promises "the band's meteoric rise through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound, their near-implosion as Mercury's lifestyle spirals out of control, and their triumphant reunion on the eve of Live Aid, where Mercury, faced with a life-threatening illness, menacing, the band leads to one of the greatest performances in rock history.
The synopsis continues, "In the process, it will solidify the legacy of a band that has always been more like a family and continues to inspire misfits, dreamers and music lovers to this day."
Producer Graham King also said the film will live up to audiences' expectations: "This is a story that has something for everyone. Freddie Mercury is connected in a way only a handful of artists have ever been. I am very honored to be part of Queen's legacy."
Who is in the cast?
Actor Mr. Robot took to the world stage to play the late Queen singer, and it's a film sure to divide longtime fans of the iconic British band.
In fact, Rami, 37, has described taking on the role as one of the "scariest" career decisions he's ever made.
on oneInterview mit The Guardian, Rami recalled his first thought when offered the role of Freddie, saying, "I have to do this."
The TV star continued, "[It's] kind of a headshot moment. How are you? And I like to think if it's a fight or flight situation, I'll fight.
"The scariest ventures I've chosen in my life have been the most rewarding and rewarding. And that turned out to be a defense of that equation.'
Eager to live up to the coveted role, Rami had an intimate dinner with Queen guitarist Brian May and Kinks singer Ray Davies to get to know his character better. Needless to say, Rami heard some brilliant anecdotes about the late musician while also learning about a softer side of his personality.
Rami said of the meeting: "The only thing that ever came up was how generous he was. How he could make you feel like the most important person in the room.”
The film also stars Gwilym Lee as former EastEnders star Brian May.Ben Hardy as Roger Taylor, and Joe Mazzello as John Deacon.
And what about Sacha Baron Cohen?
Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen was originally on board to play Freddie but left in 2016 due to creative differences with Queen, while Brian Singer was reportedly fired as director after filming had already begun.
And director Bryan Singer?
The movie was shot in London, but thatOn December 1, Fox confirmed that production had been suspended due to Singer's "unexpected unavailability."🇧🇷 The decision is believed to have "reflected a growing conflict between Singer and actor Rami Malek and was caused by Singer's absence from the set".
Dexter Fletcher later took overby Singer, although the latter still received direction for the film.
What is the rating of Rotten Tomatoes?
At the time of writing, therotten tomatoesRating for Bohemian Rhapsody is 54%.
Because the score is below 60%, the overall rating is considered rotten as opposed to fresh, which is reserved for ratings above 60%.
How were the reviews?
With so much controversy surrounding the film, Rami's performance will no doubt be scrutinized down to the last detail, but luckily the actor has already garnered rave reviews.
A New York Times critic said Rami approached the role with "incredible enthusiasm," while another from Us Weekly said his performance transformed Bohemian Rhapsody from a "good movie" to a "good one."
Metro.co.ukRebecca Lewisgave the film 3* and said –
With a magnetic screen presence, Malek becomes so completely Freddie that by the end of the film you forget you aren't watching the original Live Aid performance as Freddie parades about the Wembley stage with the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. . – and you eat out of Malek's hand too.
To read the full Metro.co.uk review,click here
And the premiere?
The premiere of new Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, took place alongside one of her most famous performances at the SSE Arena in Wembley.
The arena is adjacent to the stadium, which is on the site of the original stadium that hosted the 1985 Live Aid concert. The original stadium was demolished in 2002.
Queen played for 20 minutes during what was considered the band's finest moment and saw them perform a mix of Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Gaga and Hammer To Fall, among others.
They were attended by 72,000 fans back then, while 6,200 will attend the premiere in the smaller arena.
"We are delighted to be at the SSE Arena in Wembley and to give Queen fans the opportunity to be part of a fantastic event," said Chris Green, Managing Director of Fox UK. "The location is perfect for showing the film's spectacular performances."
Ok time for a trailer
This first trailer draws heavily on Queen's iconic song and also shows glimpses of the recording process when the band made their breakthrough six-minute song, titled Bohemian Rhapsody.
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