Musical Analysis #2
Bohemian Rhapsody
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When my now husband started dating in high school we would go on these long road trips for baseball tournaments and during one of those trips this was when he introduced me to this gem. I had never heard of it but it instantly became a staple on those road trips. It brings a smile to my face to think of those trips and the fun that we would have belting this song out loud with the windows rolled down. Since then I haven't listened to it very much but doing these musical analyses' gives me a chance to reminisce on those sweet memories.
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Lyrics
The lyrics are thought to be coming out song for the lead singer Freddy Mercury according to Genius.com. It is thought that the first verse of this song is a representation of the killing of his old image confirmed by Freddy's partner Jim Hutton. The song is 6 minutes long which is very long as we all know but the changes that are made all throughout the song keep you wanting more. According to the band's drummer Roger Taylor, the lyrics are a clear transition of Freddy coming out. Like Jim Hutton said the first verse is the killing of his old image later in the song it says " I see a silhouette of a man" which is him still thinking about his past what he was and what he is now. Freddy himself states that the song itself is just about relationships with some gibberish in the middle. I wouldn't say that the song itself resonates with me but the way that it is so different is what I love about it.
Texture
The beautiful thing about Bohemian Rhapsody is the layers that come with it. According to wordpress.com the intro to the song is homophonic meaning there are multiple notes played but they are based around one sound. In the middle of the song, there is a switch to a polyphonic texture where multiple different melodies cause an echo effect to the song. The multiple textures in this song it what gave it so much depth and emotion. The beginning of the song starts off slower then later changes to rock and it also has a classical opera section. The range of this song was boundary-pushing.
Melody and Rythem
This song has a range of melodies that are introduced. Some of the melodies are accompanied by various rhythms. The first melody is a start of a Capella for a moment then after about a minute it is accompanied by a piano, a little bit of a guitar, and some drums. Later in the song rhythm picks up and goes into a guitar solo bringing out the rock in the song. After the guitar solo comes the polyphonic texture that is used with the melody and the overlapping of the voices.
Timbre
Is the sound is the sound quality or tone quality of a note played on a particular instrument according to masterclass.com. In this song, there is no lack of anything really. In the part that is after the guitar solo, there is a lot of overlapping of melody and the instruments that are involved at the quality they are made for a beautiful and powerful song.
Sources
Comments
But it took no time for me to learn every word of the song, which is why it's so weird that Dana Carvey is obviously lip-synching during the scene. I feel like all he needed to do was listen on repeat like I did, ha!
I think the opening of the song is my favorite, with Freddie's sorrowful voice on full display. When he sings, 'life had just begun/but now I've gone and thrown it all away', it really makes you think about what it means for a young person to take a life and also ruin their own in the process.
If you'd like something a little more cheerful after that sentence, I highly suggest watching George Michael's performance of "Somebody to Love" from the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. No one can match Freddie's voice or showmanship but George gives an amazing performance and you can tell that the crowd loves it, especially when he throws it over to them at the end. Brian May even gives him a nod of approval.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvM2Cmi-YRU