Being in a great rock band inevitably involves some hubris. No one will listen to an artist who thinks they’re OK, which usually leads to a huge ego, but occasionally it’s justified. Freddie Mercury had more charm and energy than any previous vocalist, but he was most proud of his musical abilities and believed ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was unbeatable. Why does ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ work so well? It’s simple to declare Mercury is correct and move on. It’s still one of the most famous rock songs and one of the hardest to sing at karaoke, but it’s also one of the most unusual hits.
Mercury mashed three tunes together. The work has the makings of many hits, but to comprehend it, you must look at how they overdubbed everything. A Night at the Opera was already one of the most costly British recordings, but ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ might cost a third more due to its layering. No one could sit down and execute the operatic portion in one go, and Roger Taylor’s enormous high note before the guitar riff undoubtedly took numerous tries and a few kicks in sensitive spots to get perfect. Mercury subsequently said, “Who can you compare that to? One band has an operatic single. We were certain it would be a complete hit. We have had to compromise, but removing a song will never be one of them.”
Despite its progressive rock roots, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is not necessarily prog. Mercury wasn’t trying to emulate Yes or Genesis, and even the prog rock titans probably couldn’t have done anything this audacious straight away, particularly with millions of overdubs. Only Queen could equal this tune in the studio decades later. The title track of Mercury’s final album, Innuendo, may have been complex enough to rival their signature hit, featuring a tamer section with flamenco-style guitar before building up to a roaring finish.
The rest of the world has noticed. From Thom Yorke’s mini-epic on Radiohead’s ‘Paranoid Android’ to Childish Gambino’s ‘This is America’, current musicians have combined musical elements as Mercury did. Few musicians could match Mercury’s masterwork, but it produced some of the most ambitious songs of the previous 50 years.
