The Cavern
Rock & Words
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (Queen, 1975)
Artist: Queen (C+)
Recording Dates: Aug - Nov ’75
Release Date: November 21st, 1975. UK
Record Label: EMI / Parlophone
Producer: Queen, Roy Thomas Baker
Rating: 9.5 (MUST HAVE, ICONIC ALBUM)
Era: The Great Transition (1970-1980+)
Subgenre: Art Rock
Mejor Canción: Really?
Tracklist: 1) Death On Two Legs; 2) Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon; 3) I'm In Love With My Car; 4) You're My Best Friend; 5) '39; 6) Sweet Lady; 7) Seaside Rendevouz; 8) The Prophet's Song; 9) Love Of My Life; 10) Good Company; 11) Bohemian Rhapsody; 12) God Save The Queen.
I like to think of this album as the equivalent of the White Album , because of its enormous variety of genres, its retro 40s feel, and the sense of humor it brings. A Night At The Opera features a classically-tinged opening that suddenly explodes into a fiery and ferocious quasi-metal with “Death On Two Legs”; British Music Hall in “Sunday Afternoon ”; and a kind of hard rock. Stephen King-esque in “ I'm In Love With My Car”; a mid-tempo pop ballad with an electric keyboard base in “ You're My Best Friend”; an acoustic ballad in “39”; a very lively rocker with “Sweet Lady”; a very fun ragtime with “ Seaside” " Rendevouz ," a dark and impressive first operatic-progressive experiment with "The Prophet's Song," a heart-wrenching piano-based ballad with "Love Of My Life," traditional jazz with May's tritones in "Good Company," the sublime and majestic epic Broadway-esque operatic collage that is " Bohemian Rhapsody," and finally the May-wants-to-be- Jimmy - Hendrix closing number , "God Save the Queen." All that's missing is a reggae or ska track . Otherwise, there's everything in just 12 songs, from kick-ass ballads vying for the title of most beautiful song in the world, to incredibly complex, overproduced , and impossible-to-play-live odes to rock opera.
After two albums that were a mix of metal and progressive rock and failed commercially, the band finally began to approach their definitive sound with Sheer Heart Attack . With three albums under their belt, they had only one hit song, "Killer Queen," which had been a smash hit worldwide, and the band was already considered among the stars or elite groups, but the truth was they were close to bankruptcy. The single's sales weren't enough to cover their expenses, and to make matters worse, their manager, Norman Sheffield, had practically abandoned them. Exhausted and demoralized after the Sheer Heart Attack tour , they took a break in 1975 and each went their separate ways. They returned to London in May, where they began planning their next album, looking for a new manager—who ultimately turned out to be John Reid—and went into the studio to record in August . John Reid was the polar opposite of Sheffield. From the outset, he cared for the band, motivated them, and negotiated an enormous budget from EMI for the album's production, which turned out to be the most expensive to date, surpassing even Sgt . Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Dark Side of the Moon. With a virtually unlimited budget, the excellent result is not surprising; what is surprising is that it was given to a group that, until then, had been nothing more than a bright prospect, but still lacking commercial success. The gamble, therefore, paid off for everyone involved.
One of the reasons the costs ballooned was the sheer number of studios they used. Specifically, A Night at the Opera was recorded at Elstree in Hertfordshire, Rockfield in Wales, Olympic , Sarm, Scorpio, and Lansdowne in London, and the Roundhouse concert hall . The idea was that this allowed each member to record their own part without any interruptions or waiting for others. Furthermore , each studio was supposed to have features that enhanced a particular aspect of the recording—one for vocals, another for drums, and so on. The band's gamble was so significant that they later admitted to saying that if the album hadn't been a success, Queen would have broken up.
The result is remarkable. The band has finally managed to combine all the strengths of their previous albums: catchy pop-rock, a very clever and very British sense of humor , and stunning vocal harmonies. It's not a concept album, but the 12 songs maintain a very cohesive, very retro, 1930s or 40s atmosphere. The melodies are mostly delightful, and the pop influence is noticeable even in the most aggressive tracks. Now, some say it's an overproduced , extremely complex album, and so on. It certainly had a huge budget, but not all the songs have that quasi-progressive complexity . Sure, we have "The Prophet Song" and " Bohemian Rhapsody," which had so many studio tricks and layered vocal tracks that they were impossible to reproduce live, but we also have minimalist songs like "Love of My Life," "'39," and "God Save the Queen," each performed with basically just one instrument. There are complex songs, but not all of them are. The band simply buckled down, betting everything they had left and entering the studio at their creative peak. And musically! Freddie had fully mastered his voice, becoming commander-in-chief with it, leading with his intonations, his enormous range, and his charisma. Brian also possessed a very distinctive style, with that tritone that appears in most of the songs. I don't know if he's a virtuoso, at least not on the level of Page or Clapton, but he's a great guitarist, and here he's also close to his peak. John Deacon is very underrated as a bassist; here he plays some very good lines, like in "Death On Two Legs," and Taylor also has some good moments, in addition to reaching the highest note with his voice in the climax of " Bohemian Rhapsody." Each member contributed at least one song, although Freddie is the one who dominated the songwriting credits. But it does highlight the good collective and creative moment, since the contributions of Roger and John are not bad at all.
The lyrics are silly, like most of Queen's, but that doesn't detract from the album's musical greatness. They took the title from one of the Marx Brothers' most famous films, as did the album that followed, A Day at the Races . The cover is white, with the Queen logo featuring the swan and two lions in the center… although everyone still confuses it with the Queen II cover, which has the faces of the four members fading into darkness. Perhaps because the video for " Bohemian Rhapsody" begins with this same concept, but it's a sign that almost everyone who raves about this album has rarely listened to it in its entirety, and is more easily fooled by the magnum opus that is " Bohemian Rhapsody ."
The album opens with “Death On Two Legs ( Dedicated To…)”, which begins with a rare and incredibly fast piano arpeggio that fades away to give way to a dark and menacing dissonant intro at the :20 mark. Two layers of distorted guitars seem about to explode, but suddenly fall silent to introduce the piano figure that finally kicks off the song. This is an extremely violent and powerful track, bordering on metal and incorporating operatic vocals for a magnificent and unique result. The way they respond to each other in the middle section is simply breathtaking. The melody is also exquisite, with great detail from Freddie, and careful attention to those scales, like when one Freddie leaves and another immediately enters, and then they all join in—it's a true vocal pyrotechnics combined with a powerful guitar, with genuinely apocalyptic and dark results. They don't need to bite bats to sound menacing. The band was truly furious when they made this song. It's perhaps one of the most bitter songs in history, along with Lennon's "How Do You Sleep" and U2's " One " ( which idiots still dedicate to their girlfriends and even dance to at their weddings!!!! ), since it was dedicated to their former manager, Norman Sheffield, who ripped them off and left them broke. So Mercury's anger while singing is real. And the venomous lyrics are also completely sincere. They didn't include their former manager 's name in the title to avoid legal trouble, but he revealed himself when he tried to sue them after the album came out. Obviously, his lawsuit didn't go anywhere, and Queen completed their revenge when the guy revealed himself in the dedication. Hahaha ! At 2:20 we have a great solo from May, maybe not very technical, but equally raw and powerful, like the rest of the song. An impressive song that opens the album with crushing energy; If " Bohemian " weren't on it, it would be the best song on the album.
Then Freddie changes the channel and the mood for a very cute little music hall number, "Lazing In A Sunday Afternoon". It's one of the minor tracks, lasting just over a minute, but it's devilishly catchy and tender, and it shows that even in the supposed filler tracks, they put in meticulous care. Freddie does almost everything, from the piano to all the vocals you hear, except of course for the final guitar solo, which , although brief, has that distinctive May touch. The strange effect of the lead vocal is because they recorded the vocal track and then played it back through headphones inside a trash can, re-recording it with the enclosed echo effect that the final take has. A harmless little song, but charming and irresistible.
Then we have the controversial theme song that appears on every Taylor album. Actually, “I'm In Love With My Car” is perhaps his best song. At least with Queen; I haven't had the courage to listen to his solo albums, haha. The thing is, when Taylor started working on the demo of the song on his own, Brian initially thought it was a joke. When he realized he was serious, he thought he'd gone mad. They then spoke with Roger to see if he might need therapy, or if drugs were making him unhinged, and Taylor clarified that it wasn't an ode to Stephen King's “Christine”, but rather based on Jonathan Harris, a race car driver whose true love was a Triumph TR4. Some of the sounds in the song are from Taylor's Alfa Romeo, which led some to suspect that this explanation wasn't entirely accurate. Anyway, it's the best thing Roger ever wrote. And even his awful voice doesn't sound out of place this time; it actually works well on the track, aggressive and raw. The three minutes it lasts aren't too long. I can't imagine Freddie singing this song, and that's perhaps a point in Roger's favor for the first time on the four albums. The guitar is what saves everything, creating a raw, saturated atmosphere that makes the vocals sound good. There are many layers of guitar, with plenty of distortion and delay , good arrangements, and fast solos throughout the song. Roger himself adds some great drum fills, running through all his drums.
Then comes “You're "My Best Friend", a lovely composition by John Deacon, showcases his talent throughout the song with a great guitar line and rapid scales. But the real highlight is the electric piano, which shapes the song with its watery, sustained sounds. In fact, Deacon himself plays the piano, relegating Freddie from "his" instrument, and later adding the bass in the studio. In live versions, it's the only song where John doesn't play all four strings. The melody is beautiful, and the lyrics are heartfelt and sincere, dedicated by John to his wife, Veronica Tetzlaff. Brian chimes in with his distinctive tritone in the middle verses and delivers a simple yet memorable guitar solo at the two-minute mark. And finally, everyone contributes those sing- long harmonies that made this song a classic. Roger sounds great, kicking off the song with a drum roll every time it seems about to stop. It's impossible not to hum along, impossible not to smile when you hear it.
Next up is “'39”, an acoustic ballad by Brian May, sung by the same artist. The thing is, May has a very high-pitched timbre that sounds a lot like Freddie Mercury's, but with a little attention, you can hear the difference in range and modulation. The song is beautiful, with a lovely, almost tender melody, with touches of folk and country, without being dark or particularly happy. At 3:17, there's a false ending, but the guitar returns for a few more strums before the real end. The lyrics are quite unusual, about a group of special travelers who leave for a year and return, but due to the effects of relativity, what was a year for them was 100 years on Earth, and all their loved ones have died. The title is supposedly because the journey begins in 1939, but as a curiosity, if you start counting the songs on Queen's four albums in order, beginning with “Keep Yourself,” the song is actually 1939. "Alive ", this would be #39.
We continue with “Sweet Lady”, a powerful rocker with plenty of distortion, a tremendous riff, and again, a number of formidable vocal hooks. This is another Brian song, although this time Freddie sings it. The song works very well, starting in 3/4 time with good guitars combined with the bass. But at 2:35, a bridge comes in with a time signature change, and the band sounds too disjointed, each member playing their own thing, with the lead guitar not fitting in. I've never understood what they were trying to do with this part. Roger says it's the most difficult drum part he ever recorded. It's not bad, but the ending is somewhat… errr … disconcerting.
Then we have the hilarious "Seaside Rendezvous", a Freddie ragtime track that's impossible not to tap your foot to, unless you're actually tapping your feet like a fool. The melody is infectious, and no matter how bad your mood is, it'll bring a smile to your face on this little trip down memory lane. Ultimately, that's the song's sole purpose: to entertain us and showcase the band's versatility. As a fun fact, the " tap " section you hear in the middle was actually created by Freddie and Roger using thimbles. They must have had a blast during the instrumental sections, since there are no horns here; it's just Mercury and Taylor's voices creating a bunch of sounds and editing them to resemble clarinets, tubas, trumpets, and a kazoo .
The eighth song is “Prophet's Song”, a majestic, dark, multi-part piece with an incredibly complex vocal arrangement. Only God knows how many tracks were layered for that choral effect, perhaps even more impressive than “ Bohemian Rhapsody” itself. The melody is tremendous, bombastic, and overall, this is the track that comes closest to the sound of the first two albums, with progressive influences, but showcasing the operatic vocals in a truly monumental way. At 3:20, there's a shift from the more rock-oriented track ; Freddie remains as the lead vocals, and more voices enter in cannon for “Now I Know ,” which also features Roger and Brian singing. Cuts and delays were used on the tapes for this section, making it impossible to perform live. The instrumentation returns almost at the 6-minute mark with another heavy, dense riff. The song is good, but perhaps too long, clocking in at nearly 8 minutes. This is a May composition, supposedly based on a nightmare he had shortly after the Sheer Heart Attack sessions . It's an incredibly complex song, which , depending on your mood, can be either overly dense and lengthy or a perfect progressive gem showcasing the experimental limits of Queen.
The final guitar note of “Prophet’s Song” segues into “Love of My Life”, a delicate Mercury ballad that sounds almost vulnerable in the higher registers, where his piano and voice alone move us almost to tears. The music is minimalist, yet it perfectly complements the vocal emotion. Shortly after, Mercury adds more backing vocals for a celestial polyphony. At 1:50, Brian adds a guitar arrangement that serves as a string arrangement. At 2:20, there’s another guitar solo with sustained notes, a metal solo that fits almost miraculously into the ballad, interspersed with a classical piano solo. The song briefly ignites at 2:50 before closing with a final verse and a harp solo that Brian plucked string by string and then blended together to create that exhilarating feeling at the end. One of Queen’s best and most moving ballads!
Next up is “Good Company”, where Brian again takes the lead vocals. He plays a Hawaiian ukulele , which gives the song its unusual feel. But the melody is catchy and combines with the lyrics to create a festive and quirky atmosphere. May himself adds his classic embellishments with the Red Special. Towards the end, clarinet and brass arrangements come in for a closing in true Dixieland style. This is further proof that A Night At The Opera shouldn't be taken too seriously to be appreciated as the gem it is. While there are undoubtedly three or four very dense, serious, and almost progressive songs, the bulk are simple tracks with no other intention than to entertain, like this one. That balance is what makes the album work so well. And the lyrics are brilliant, with a funny moral and the exquisite play on words with the possible meanings of “Company” in English.
Then we have the mother of all bombastic, majestic, complex, and operatic songs in history: "Bohemian Rhapsody". God, what a perfect, brilliant song. The vocal melody is flawless in every fragment. Freddie wrote it in parts and had the others record their sections independently, without them knowing what the hell they were doing. Like a kind of collage. At this stage, it was known as " Freddie's Thing." The song doesn't have a conventional verse-bridge-chorus structure. Rather, it's divided into sections. The first part is an intro that begins with a complicated polyphonic section with a lot of layered vocals, for the " Is This is real life . this just "Fantasy ?… ". It's not just an insertion of a cappella vocals; they vary across the channels to give the sensation of them swirling around in your head, especially when listening with headphones. This part ends at :50 to begin the ballad. This section is characterized by the beautiful piano arpeggio and Freddie's heartfelt vocals. Sporadic bass lines from Deacon highlight the notes, while the narrator recounts how he killed a guy. At 1:20, Roger fades in with his cymbals to join the rhythm along with the bass, while Freddie adds greater intensity and drama to the song with his voice. At 1:43, the song ends with the final " Nothing". really matters …” to return to the piano figure. Freddie says goodbye and says he must face the consequences, the intensity rises again to create a small climax, and at 2:35 we enter the first solo, slow and majestic, as emotive as Freddie's voice, and which serves as a bridge to change tone and enter the next section. At 3:00 we enter the operatic fragment, also known as “Galileo” because of the sequences they create. This fragment was supposed to be a small bridge between the ballad and hard rock , but it grew and grew until it spanned more than a minute. This part is spectacular. It begins with a piano marking the time and Freddie just singing “I see a little “Silhouette of a man ,” and abruptly the rest of the group joins in, multiplied by 30,000, and then another chorus of about 100,000 answers. There are descending cascades , falsettos , polyphony, moments when they are almost silent, others when Mercury is left with an affected voice, and then they begin again to create tension in the “ Mamma mia, mamma.” mine” until that other musical orgasm in “ Beelzebub !.. has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me for MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" In an impossible note sung by Taylor. With this, the song explodes at 4:08 with a riff and a devilish rhythm , while Freddie threatens : "So you think you can stop me and spit in my eye , so you think "You can love me and leave me to die." The song reaches an unprecedented intensity here, and Brian's second guitar solo comes in, faster, more distorted, and darker. When it fades out at 4:50, Brian's guitar continues, but with a different rhythm; the guitar sounds warm with the tritones, and the song seems to break free for the outro , with a heavenly piano and Freddie singing " Nothing." really " Matters to me…" When I learned it was originally a collage, I was a little disappointed, just a little; but honestly, there was no other way to make this masterpiece. A perfect song in terms of tension, instrumentation, vocal delivery, and everything. Once they assembled it, the song continued to grow until it reached almost 6 minutes, and they refused to cut a single second and released it as a single. This would become by far Queen's biggest hit, the song that propelled the album and the one that still has them as a cult band to this day. For a long time, I thought the lyrics didn't make sense. Actually, they don't. May would say that the lyrics reflect the guilt Freddie carried. If you put them in the context of AIDS and the way Freddie's life ended, you can't help but feel a chill down your spine, but of course, Mercury couldn't have known that at the time. " Bohemian Rhapsody" is a damn gem from every angle. If I had to choose one as the best in history at gunpoint, I think it would be this one. That's how it is. flat.
Finally, the album closes with “God Save the Queen”, a one-minute tribute from Brian to Her Majesty in the purest Jimi Hendrix style, only with multiple layers of guitar. The first take was recorded during the Sheer Heart Attack sessions .
In short, a great album, but as I was saying, I don't know if it's AS great as many claim. It has many very good songs, but the truly monstrous ones are "Death On Two Legs," " Bohemian Rhapsody," and, depending on the mood, "Prophet's Song." The rest are very well-crafted pop pieces, but much lighter and with no other purpose than to entertain. And they succeed, thankfully, because if the whole album were serious, I think we'd all be shooting ourselves in the foot. But there's always the feeling that it's missing something to be a truly epic album, on par with Dark Side of the Moon or Led Zeppelin IV, perhaps also overrated albums , but with more justification than this one.
That doesn't detract from its enjoyment. The balance between light, fun tracks and epic, dense monsters makes this a very interesting album, which is also easy to listen to. Of course, it would end up being a massive hit, earning multi-platinum records , propelling Queen to glory and making them one of the most powerful bands of the second half of the 70s, with several albums at the same level and with Led Zeppelin already in decline. A Night in the Opera would become an incredibly influential album, a pinnacle to reach, and with a song that, no matter how many times a day it's played on the radio, still impresses me today.
By Corvan
Oct/25/2013
