The Queen of Mystery
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen is one of the most well known and widely loved songs in the world. Very few people don’t know at least some of the lyrics. It’s a noticably recognizable and exciting song without a doubt. One of the most compelling aspects of Bohemian Rhapsody is that no one really knows the true meaning of the strange, yet perfectly constructed lyrics. There are aspects of the song that hint that the protagonist is contemplating suicide, but then the song switches gears completely into an upbeat verse that doesn’t seem to fit, but actually works seamlessly. Freddie Mercury, the lead vocalist of Queen and lyricist behind Bohemian Rhapsody has been very secrative about the meaning behind the song, when asked once, he replied…
"People still ask me what Bohemian Rhapsody is all about, and I say I don't know. I think it loses its myth and ruins a kind of mystique that people have built up. Rhapsody is one of those songs that have a fantasy feel about it. I think people should just listen to it, think about it, and then decide for themselves what it means to them." – Mercury
The reason why people love Bohemian Rhapsody so much is because the meaning behind the lyrics can be whatever they want it to be. It leaves us wondering and questioning, “what the hell was this guy thinking?” while still getting us excited to sing along. I think that alone is the purpose behind the song, to make people interested and excited to hear the next wacky verse. That, within itself, can be a perfectly valid reason to write music, to intrigue the listener and inspire people to form their own opinions. Music like this, that can keep people interested and intrigued is a timeless thing, and will be remembered for generations and generations.
Every time Bohemian Rhapsody comes on when I’m in the car with my dad we always sing along so loudly that we can feel people staring from the cars next to us and we don’t care at all. That is the kind of song Bohemian Rhapsody is, the kind that makes people come together, jam out, and not worry about anything for the uncommonly long 5 minutes and 55 seconds of this one of a kind music.
Personally, the meaning I get from the song is that there will always be hardships and struggles in life, no matter who you are. The important thing is to see