| Day dop 20.07.2011 19:23 |
Brian May supports suggestions that the song contained veiled references to Mercury's personal traumas. Roger Taylor described it as "fairly self-explanatory with just a bit of nonsense in the middle." The following, is my take on the meaning of Bohemian Rhapsody. I am aware that it more than likely isn't completely initially correct, but that's the point of a discussion forum, thus - I am more than happy to edit this if any better suggestions come along to its meaning, or remove parts which would be undoubtedly wrong. "The New York Times commented that "the song's most distinct feature is the fatalistic lyrics". Mercury refused to explain his composition other than saying it was about relationships; the band is still protective of the song's secret. Brian May recalls "Freddie was a very complex person: flippant and funny on the surface, but he concealed insecurities and problems in squaring up his life with his childhood. He never explained the lyrics, but I think he put a lot of himself into that song." May, though, says the band had agreed that the core of a lyric was a private issue for the composer." Wiki quote. "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 has 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 quote. One of the things I noticed many misinformed saying about Bohemian Rhapsody is it's about about Freddie Mercury having Aids, and him dealing with it - which is ridiculous. Mercury did not have HIV or AIDS in 1975. He was diagnosed as HIV positive in the spring of 1987. Aids hit the New York scene in the early 1980's, where he begun clubbing. AIDS was known as the "Gay plague" at that time by the media, as the vast majority of people dying from it were homosexual. It's extremely doubtful that Mercury, like many others, would have even heard of the disease before it broke out. In hindsight, the lyrics are hauntingly fitting at various times to the way in which he died: "Too late, my time has come/ body's aching all the time/gotta leave you all behind and face the truth/I don't wanna die" which almost runs as a bizarre parallel to the songs original meaning. However, the song was without doubt, certainly not about Aids. I have given this tune a fair bit of thought, and I shall explain it as far as I can see, although, give or take a few details not completely covered in the operatic section. Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, No escape from reality, The line “caught in a landslide” line is what he refers to as realising there's no getting away from the fact he is gay, although he later had a relationship with a woman again later on in the year 1984 which would suggest he was actually bisexual) – However, in 1974/5 it would’ve been much harder to deal with than the times we live in now, and furthermore - his religious background – hence “No escape from reality”. Open your eyes, Look up to the skies and see, I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy, Feeling helpless over the situation, he wants no-one’s sorrow; possibly including the God he was brought up to believe in. Because I'm easy come, easy go, little high, little low, any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me... Mercury’s nature was quite dismissive over things – that’s how he coped with life, as a case of having to, and it worked for him. "A very complex person" - and this song deals with various aspects of his character all at the same time. Mama I just killed a man, Put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger, now he's Dead The man that Mercury is talking about in the line “Put a gun against his head “– is his own head, after his first full on sexual encounter with another guy. The “now he’s dead” lyrics tell how he feels about that – his soul left with no purity, as if he has in fact died. Predominantly, his religious upbringing is leaving him feel these things – which takes us to the next line…. Mama, life had just begun, But now I've gone and thrown it all away I think in light of what I previously said, these lines are fairly self-explanatory - he has "thrown it all away" in the eyes of his upbringing/religion. Mama, ooh, Didn't mean to make you cry, If I'm not back again this time tomorrow, Carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters Of course, he didn’t mean to upset his mother. Although it was believed he might not have told her directly, she would’ve found out at some point eventually. “If I’m not back again this time tomorrow, carry on" - is what he is suggesting she should do if she sees that her son has departed from her, or died, i.e. not the son she once had, not being able to accept how he has turned his back on his religion, and possibly his family over his sexual orientation. Then, he is saying she should “Carry on as if nothing really matters” - by which, for him, there's a sense of helplessness over the situation with these lyrics. Too late, my time has come, Sends shivers down my spine, body's aching all the time There's a couple of ways to look at the line "Too late, my time has come". Firstly, in his conflicted mind, he has possibly sold his soul to the devil, so to speak - or more than likely, that he thinks his parents would see it that way. Secondly, for the showman aspect of his character, to make his mark on the world, After the release of their third album ‘Sheer heart attack’ , Bohemian Rhapsody is being penned, and , Queen have risen in popularity somewhat and are now starting to hit the big time. And yet unable to feel fully at ease with himself - he is feeling held back. It wasn’t just a gay act of Mercury's which was a fashionable way to be in the early 1970’s as guitarist Brain May first thought in the initial years of the band. As stated by Mary Austin, Mercury’s lover of seven years; once he finally admitted to her he was gay, he became at one with himself again, and was happy. Yet for a fair while before he told her, he was troubled, and according to her - "avoiding issues, which wasn't him."Fortunately, the pair remained very close friends ever after, finally leaving his house, and the main bulk of his millions to her. Forever judged by his religion, his "body's aching all the time" with guilt at the time of writing this tune. |
| Day dop 20.07.2011 19:30 |
*Continued* Goodbye, everybody, I've got to go, Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth This is about Farok Bulsara (his real name) becoming 'Freddie Mercury' and persona that went with it – including, ironically, the star that was famously known as fiercely private. And yet - there's a sense of; even though that's who he is going to be from here on in, once and for all, he feels on a personal level, a price is going to be paid, or is in fact being paid. There’s another take on the matter of leaving at the end of the tune – when the line “Just gotta get right out of here” is sung, later on - which I'll get to... Mama, ooh, I don't want to die, I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all The line "I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all" suggests that he ("sometimes") feels he can't live up to expectations, and by the mere fact it's said to "Mama", the meaning points towards those expectations of him being a particular kind of son, baring all the other lyrics in mind. This takes us to the next part of the tune; the operatic part, in which the battle is more intense… I see a little silhouetto of a man Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me (Galileo.) Galileo. (Galileo.) Galileo, Galileo figaro Magnifico. I'm just a poor boy and nobody loves me He's just a poor boy from a poor family Spare him his life from this monstrosity Easy come, easy go, will you let me go Bismillah! No, we will not let you go (Let him go!) Bismillah! We will not let you go (Let him go!) Bismillah! We will not let you go (Let me go.) Will not let you go(Let me go.) Will not let you go. (Let me go.) Ah No, no, no, no, no, no, no. (Oh mama mia, mama mia.) Mama mia, let me go Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me There has been particularly a lot of speculation as to the meaning of this part. Many of the words appear in the Quran. "Bismillah" is one of these and it literally means "In the name of Allah." The word "Scaramouch" means "A stock character that appears as a boastful coward." "Beelzebub" is one of the many names given to The Devil. Mercury's parents were deeply involved in Zoroastrianism, and these Arabic words do have a meaning in that religion. Mercury claimed the lyrics were nothing more than "Random rhyming nonsense" when asked about it, but it appears once again, he was being a little too dismissive. The operatic section sees him crying out for his mother to let him go - a mother who loves him as any mother loves her son, and yet a mother who worships her faith, which frowns upon homosexuality. It concludes with him admitting defeat, and that the Beelzebub has a devil put aside for him – no-matter which way he turns, which leads to the heavy rock section, building up to yet another conclusion… |
| Day dop 20.07.2011 19:31 |
*Continued* So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye So you think you can love me and leave me to die Oh, baby, can't do this to me, baby Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here This part appears to be outcome of Mercury’s anger, from the battles and confusion of his inner self, and the outter conflicting views also. He has fears of hurting his parents, worries of his mother and father unable to love him when seen in this new light. And even if his parents still loved him as they did before, their religion would disagree with his lifestyle, then becoming a weight upon their shoulders - the weight that had been his. This leaves him feeling terribly responsible, angry and frustrated with himself - then again annoyed at his loved ones. As if it's all too much, he finally wants to escape the whole situation, irately leaving everyone – “Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here” with a kind of ‘Fuck all this’ attitude (as almost snarled on the recording). Again, remember the earlier line “Goodbye everybody, I’ve got to go” - the painful path taken by the private Farok Bulsara, not the showman Freddie Mercury - yet somehow, the entire song represents both sides of his character, which merge and become one…. bringing us to the final part of the song… Nothing really matters, anyone can see Nothing really matters Nothing really matters to me Going back to the line just before the confession to his mother that he just killed “a man”, as if he confesses or not – it’s still the same outcome for him, it’s still everything that’s been said…. taking us to the final line… Any way the wind blows... To finish on a good note - his mother, family, and Mary Austin always loved him, as he did them, and they still do - to this day, and are extremely proud of his legacy. |
| rhyeking 20.07.2011 20:53 |
Or he just made it up, the way an author can write believable fiction using their understanding of human nature and a heck of an imagination. Employ some cryptic imagery, use a "first-person" narrative and clever arrangements and you get people trying to figure out a non-existent riddle for 36 years and counting. No offense, it's just my opinion. Freddie said he didn't know what it was about and I believe him. I know many documentaries analyse it and discuss it and there are soundbites aplenty connecting his personal life to its lyrics, but I feel its much more evocative if it doesn't have an autobiographical answer. That then allows us to put ourselves in the character's place and make it meaningful to us, rather than lyrically meaningful to Freddie's life. |
| paulosham 20.07.2011 21:06 |
Good song, who gives a fuck what the lyrics mean. |
| DreamersBall78 20.07.2011 22:33 |
rhyeking wrote: Freddie said he didn't know what it was about and I believe him. I know many documentaries analyse it and discuss it and there are soundbites aplenty connecting his personal life to its lyrics, but I feel its much more evocative if it doesn't have an autobiographical answer. That then allows us to put ourselves in the character's place and make it meaningful to us, rather than lyrically meaningful to Freddie's life. This is true as well as people did not even know there was AIDS in 1975. |
| GratefulFan 20.07.2011 22:53 |
We know now from the recent doc that the opening lines may have predated the mid 70's period of personal transition by a few years in the form of 'The Cowboy Song'. Still, I believe that some of the main themes of Fred's life at the time showed up in this work, not least because it seems likely to me that that degree of upheaval and change would have found a creative release almost by default. He certainly composed and performed autobiographically both before and after that, and over both greater and lesser things. At no point would we have ever expected him to say 'Oh yes, that was my coming out song darling.', so what he did or didn't say about it doesn't mean that much for any theory one way or the other, particularly since he made a point of saying he liked people to find their own meaning in songs generally and likely would have avoided a detailed explanation no matter what it was about. |
| Day dop 20.07.2011 23:23 |
I agree..... And, quoted - "Brian May supports suggestions that the song contained veiled references to Mercury's personal traumas." .... and Fred said when he was asked about the song "People still ask me what Bohemian Rhapsody is about and I say I don't know".... which isn't denying he does know ... so he isn't lying there... Clever Fred. |
| Day dop 20.07.2011 23:25 |
Lots of people :-) |
| Day dop 20.07.2011 23:27 |
Aye. It gets on my tits when I see people saying it was about AIDS. That's total nonsense. |
| rhyeking 21.07.2011 00:26 |
Trust me, I know I'm in the minority by not really believing Freddie was writing about direct personal experience, or his life, or whatever. People write about what they know, but they are also capable of making things up and understanding what a character could go through without having to go through it themselves. I guess my biggest issue with the claims that it was about Freddie's own life is that I feel it underestimates Freddie's ability to create a character in a situation of emotional pain and Freddie's ability to invoke imagery for abstract dramatic effect. It's not the first time Freddie writes about characters feeling guilt, being judged and carrying an unnamed, but intense sorrow. Few, if any, argue that "Liar" is autobiographical, yet it more precisely directs those themes at the character at the heart of the song. Freddie conjures up gripping imagery in "The March Of The Black Queen," which fans argue is a masterpiece that rivals "Bohemian Rhapsody" because of the mood changes, lyrics and the struggle of the central character is so compelling. "Rhapsody" combines the most successful elements used in those two works (and others), harnessing all the drama, intensity and grandeur in order to fire our imaginations and create an epic masterwork. It was the next step in the refinement of his writing in using those ideas and really the last time he'd get that close to magnificent desperation on such a scale until the Barcelona album (particularly "The Fallen Priest"). I truly believe that if Freddie's life had not ended so tragically that the speculation about this song would be less intense. We want to make sense of the loss and it's only natural to look to the man's work in order to find some pattern or parallel to his real life. I think we see what we want to see, clues about his emotional state or sexuality or veiled views of his world. Again, just my opinion. |
| master marathon runner 21.07.2011 00:53 |
This has got to be the biggest pile of crap i've read in my life, Freddie living the rock star life at the time of composing Bo Rhap? What on 20 quid a week? Freddie wanted a bit of drama/bombast and whacked this one out with relish. Simple as. ;;;;;; Master marathon runner |
| mike hunt 21.07.2011 00:58 |
rhyeking wrote: Trust me, I know I'm in the minority by not really believing Freddie was writing about direct personal experience, or his life, or whatever. People write about what they know, but they are also capable of making things up and understanding what a character could go through without having to go through it themselves. I guess my biggest issue with the claims that it was about Freddie's own life is that I feel it underestimates Freddie's ability to create a character in a situation of emotional pain and Freddie's ability to invoke imagery for abstract dramatic effect. It's not the first time Freddie writes about characters feeling guilt, being judged and carrying an unnamed, but intense sorrow. Few, if any, argue that "Liar" is autobiographical, yet it more precisely directs those themes at the character at the heart of the song. Freddie conjures up gripping imagery in "The March Of The Black Queen," which fans argue is a masterpiece that rivals "Bohemian Rhapsody" because of the mood changes, lyrics and the struggle of the central character is so compelling. "Rhapsody" combines the most successful elements used in those two works (and others), harnessing all the drama, intensity and grandeur in order to fire our imaginations and create an epic masterwork. It was the next step in the refinement of his writing in using those ideas and really the last time he'd get that close to magnificent desperation on such a scale until the Barcelona album (particularly "The Fallen Priest"). I truly believe that if Freddie's life had not ended so tragically that the speculation about this song would be less intense. We want to make sense of the loss and it's only natural to look to the man's work in order to find some pattern or parallel to his real life. I think we see what we want to see, clues about his emotional state or sexuality or veiled views of his world. Again, just my opinion. He didn't write the lryics to The Fallen Priest......but i get what you're saying...guide Me home/how Can I Go On are pretty deep lryically.....i'm one of the people that think the ballad parts and the heavy bit having some meaing to his personal life. freddie changing his name, and the guilt he might have felt towards his mother. "Mama just kiiled a man" also, coming to terms with his sexuality. I think the middle section has no meaning.......... i think roger said in an interview that freddie once told him what the song was about, but promised he would never tell.... |
| Day dop 21.07.2011 01:34 |
I guess maybe you are unable to comprehend that I've considered a few parts here and there may not be correct, (which is the point of a discussion forum, isn't it? - To discuss?!??!) - Also, that part mentioned - I am also thinking probably isn't right, from what GratefulFan mentioned above, although that particular users manners are a little better than yours. |
| rhyeking 21.07.2011 01:47 |
True, Tim Rice wrote the lyrics, though Freddie and Mike Moran were creating a Wagnerian (or Rachmaninovian, if you will :-) composition before his involvement. The instrumental on the box set doesn't lose much power without the vocals. The album as a whole is easily the spiritual successor to Freddie's work in the first half of the '70s. |
| liam 21.07.2011 02:05 |
It's just a narrative about a man who has killed someone. Why do people seem to think someone can not create something without it being related to their life. The only section to me that is hard to interpret is the operatic part but I believe it is him either on trial for killing or himself trying to deal with the terrible crime he has just committed. "I'm just a poor boy, from a poor family, he's just a poor boy...etc' has always conjured up images of the man in a court room with his defence council arguing against his incarceration. 'We will not let you go!' meaning he is going to prison. Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me' meaning he feels he will also be going to hell for his crimes. Either way..I feel Freddie was just making up a story! |
| Day dop 21.07.2011 02:10 |
Roger stated it was fairly self explanatory with a little nonsense thrown in the middle, and Brian supports suggestions that the song contained veiled references to Mercury's personal traumas... |
| mike hunt 21.07.2011 03:37 |
rhyeking wrote: True, Tim Rice wrote the lyrics, though Freddie and Mike Moran were creating a Wagnerian (or Rachmaninovian, if you will :-) composition before his involvement. The instrumental on the box set doesn't lose much power without the vocals. The album as a whole is easily the spiritual successor to Freddie's work in the first half of the '70s. My favorite work of his since A Day At The Races...... |
| Bo Rhap 21.07.2011 05:30 |
I feel that Bohemian Rhapsody is just a masterclass in how to construct a well written song.It tells a great story. However i feel that Freddie's greatest song may have come an album later in The Millionaire's Waltz. Only my opinion. |
| Benn Kempster 21.07.2011 07:42 |
Genius. Can you explain why they headbang to the rock section in Waynes World? How about why Brian wears clogs? That's one that hasn't come up for a while. What about why the water spins 'round the plughole as it goes down? My little boy has been struggling with that one for ages. |
| Day dop 21.07.2011 08:18 |
You should be able to work those things out for yourself. Don't let your little boy fall down the plug hole now :-) |
| MadTheSwine73 21.07.2011 10:38 |
I think it means whatever you want it to mean. After all, that what most songs are like. |
| eliotidiot 21.07.2011 13:53 |
hey chek this out!!!! link |
| Dusta 21.07.2011 18:20 |
Well, Roger has claimed that it is about something Freddie was dealing with at the time, and that he knows what it is about, but will never tell. And I can remember speculating with friends about what the song was about long ago, when it was playing on the radio, when Freddie was very much alive and kicking! None of us really had an answer, though there were plenty of flawed theories floating around, none of which involved him being gay. We were, afterall, twelve. |
| i-Fred 21.07.2011 20:02 |
... I agree it was something Freddie was dealing with at the time. He was dealing with all these great tunes in his head that he wanted to get out and though... Fk it... Ill put them all one song... End of story ......But for fans out there who like to break it down... its each to there own, and I dont see why they should be shot down for wanting to come to a place like this and have a chat about it.. |
| i_wuv_my_freddie_fruit 22.07.2011 02:58 |
I reckon Freddie went to a futune teller who told him whats going to happen And with the lyrics Aids kill for one and he didnt wanna die from it!!! I know that may seem stupid and all but everyone can have their own say and thats mine |
| i-Fred 22.07.2011 17:28 |
i_wuv_my_freddie_fruit wrote: I reckon Freddie went to a futune teller who told him whats going to happen And with the lyrics Aids kill for one and he didnt wanna die from it!!! I know that may seem stupid and all but everyone can have their own say and thats mine .................a futune teller???? |
| i_wuv_my_freddie_fruit 27.07.2011 06:42 |
Oops it was meant to be Fortune :/ Typo BIG TIME..... |
| LapOfTheGods1986 19.09.2011 07:12 |
I agree, there is probably an element of the personal in Bo Rhap...but more than anything else I feel Bo Rhap was less about the lyrics and more about an experiment to see how he could manage to get three diverse musical styles to flow seamlessly together. The words came a close second as such, and were developed along the way. Not to say that his personal life had NO bearing at all in it, but I guess it wasn't as much that as a terrific idea he decided to develop. |
| sladeboy 02.08.2013 19:07 |
I believe "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Somebody To Love" and "We Are The Champions" are a trilogy about Freddie's battle with his sexuality. Bohemian Rhapsody is the starting point where admits to being being gay. Somebody To Love is about coming to terms with being gay and the problems that come with it at a time when homosexuality was frowned upon. We Are The Champions being the ultimate victory after homosexuality was widely accepted. |
| brENsKi 03.08.2013 04:38 |
fact: the song has never been explained - and probably never will. trying to unpick it to analytical death is pointless - as hypothesizing will not help anyone to arrive at a correct answer. one thing worth considering: how about that Roger says "Freddie told him but asked him to keep it secret" as a way of maintaining the mystique...nothing more. there are hundreds of classics by different bands - that've never been explained...that's what makes them so great...bust the myth and there's a risk you bust the song too. why don't we just leave the song as is - enjoy it for the mystery it will always be |
| noorie 03.08.2013 11:56 |
I remember hearing or reading somewhere that according to Freddie's mother, he had a bunch of half written songs - bits and pieces from before Queen was formed. And I also read (or heard) that Freddie just strung a couple of those together for Bohemian Rhapsody, adding the operatic bits later on. |
| ITSM 05.08.2013 05:44 |
I read a theory that Freddie Mercury attended the Bohemian G r o v e right before he wrote the song with a similar name. I have to say that this is just a theory/speculations, and I hope he wasn't there! Scary place with scary people doing scary things (I think!)... "Bohemian Grove hosts a two-week, three-weekend encampment of some of the most powerful men in the world." Read more here: link |
| letmego 12.08.2013 15:36 |
In short terms what Bohemian Rhapsody is really about: Its truly about Freddie himself struggeling with his religion and his mum, who is deeply faithfull in their religion (Zoroastrianism). It's about losing his religion and maybe his beloved mum, because he can't go on with all their principles anymore. Maybe his mum would shun him when being disfellowshipped like common in many other cults. "Mama, I just killed a man. Put a gun against his head" is definitly about killing his old religous personality. Now "life has just begun" and he can go on living on his own! A few days ago i recognized this myself when i heard the song. Beeing myself raised in a cult and also having a lovely mum, who deeply follows the cult i can fully understand freddie. So i found this thread in the beginning to have the best description of this myth song! |
| brENsKi 13.08.2013 12:59 |
letmego wrote:In short terms what Bohemian Rhapsody is really about: Its truly about Freddie himself struggeling with his religion and his mum, who is deeply faithfull in their religion (Zoroastrianism). It's about losing his religion and maybe his beloved mum, because he can't go on with all their principles anymore. Maybe his mum would shun him when being disfellowshipped like common in many other cults. "Mama, I just killed a man. Put a gun against his head" is definitly about killing his old religous personality. Now "life has just begun" and he can go on living on his own! A few days ago i recognized this myself when i heard the song. Beeing myself raised in a cult and also having a lovely mum, who deeply follows the cult i can fully understand freddie.So i found this thread in the beginning to have the best description of this myth song!what a load of cobblers!!!! - YOU DO NOT know what it's about - only Freddie actually does for sure - and he's dead, so the meaning (if there is one) died with him. You cannot use words like "really" and "truly"...and THEN utter nothing more than opinions. also - fact Freddie's religion is NOT a cult. do some research before spouting bollox |
| matt z 13.08.2013 16:51 |
Over all I've always felt it was something like that. ... with less of the religious thing of course.... Simply about LEAVING THE NEST Their judgment of him (or his own perceived judgment of them/society judging him) which are represented by the operatic babble of what could only be a trial of sorts. The hard rock section is kind of continuing the "argument" one versus the other in a Canon Voice one: Fred So you Voice two: parental judgement Etc. Self explanatory song if you really think about it Tribute to old fashioned drama and tragedies in opera Said it before but it's never really been just its own topic. .... has it? |
| thomasquinn 32989 14.08.2013 08:11 |
New topic: people who revive two year old topics for no good reason should be given forty lashes. Discuss. |
| letmego 14.08.2013 11:12 |
brENsKi wrote: what a load of cobblers!!!! - YOU DO NOT know what it's about - only Freddie actually does for sure - and he's dead, so the meaning (if there is one) died with him. You cannot use words like "really" and "truly"...and THEN utter nothing more than opinions. also - fact Freddie's religion is NOT a cult.Normally i'm not a person who declare something as facts. But at that term i was so excited after listening 20 years to this song and to have an eye opener. So it's only my honest opinon! And for me personally it works very well! |
| FreddieCat 15.08.2013 20:27 |
Monte Rio is a lovely place but I don't relate Bohemian Grove to Freddie. Would be on opposite poles. |
| FreddieCat 15.08.2013 20:39 |
Monte Rio is a lovely place but I don't relate Bohemian Grove to Freddie. Would be on opposite poles. |
| ITSM 19.08.2013 06:42 |
I agree, but the lyrics could fit (?), at least from what I've read about the place and the activities they are doing there. Human sacrifices, devil-worshiping etc... THIS IS JUST THOUGHTS AND/OR A THEORY!!! |
| matt z 25.08.2013 23:16 |
How about reviving a TWO Week old topic? As for suggestive fodder to infer an opinion on his parents unacceptance of him go search out the garden lodge leaked recording of the guys singing different words for QUE SERA SERA .... titled: "Fuck off and die, you fag" Which may be revealing of parental strife. It's only a fun sing along but it's probable it has some root in his lifetime |
| AssDudeRule 31.08.2013 03:20 |
Beyonce's "All the single ladies" has so much depth to it. It's more than just all the single ladies. See what I did there. |
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| ZBGM0 28.12.2013 07:31 |
I know it is stupid to debate about the meaning of Bohemina Rhapsody, because we will never know for sure but there is much more likely that Bohemian Rhapsody is about him then fictional character. Many many of his songs are autobiographical like Living on my own, It’s a hard life, Somebody to love, Don’t stop me now (he liked parties very much), We are the champions, Love of my life, songs from Mr. bad guy and many many many others. I even heard some interview where somebody mentioned that many if not most of his songs are autobiographical. One of the most obvious interesting thing is, that he mentioned in one interview that Bohemian Rhapsody is a song “of extreme” and there is another interview where he mentioned that he is a man “of extreme”. It is not evidence but a good assumption that he and BR are well connected in one way or another. If somebody could post links of this two interviews….. |
| PA99er 12.01.2014 23:16 |
Although Freddie was raised in the Zoroastrian faith, he wrote songs with references to Christianity and other religions. I think that Bohemian Rhapsody is about Judas dealing with his betrayal of Jesus. Judas realizes that his betrayal caused Jesus' death, and he tortured himself over this, eventually committing suicide. When he tried to return the 30 pieces of silver, he was ridiculed and cast aside. In the end, nothing in his life really mattered to him. |
| Chaos Angel 28.04.2014 20:08 |
I think most, if not all of it, may refer to the goings on at the Bohemia grove in northern California.....i think Freddie would know about it, and put it in a song. That kind of thing is super clandestine society stuff, and that may explain why he would talk about it much..... |
| Chaos Angel 28.04.2014 20:10 |
I think most, if not all of it, may refer to the goings on at the Bohemia grove in northern California.....i think Freddie would know about it, and put it in a song. That kind of thing is super clandestine society stuff, and that may explain why he would talk about it much..... |
| matt z 29.04.2014 03:34 |
Hah. It's about Freddie coming to terms with his lifestyle and the anticipated falling out with his family if they rejected him for being gay. The middle section is an interpretation of "the fates" and his parents and their religious damnation of him. (Let me go).... the fear of God takes voice as "thunder bolt and lightning very very frightening me" Galileo very strangely but succinctly represents reason. Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me represents "Jesus, just let me live! " I can't change anything... angry rationalization against religious dogma. The end is reconciliation that it doesn't really matter anyways. In dealing with an operatic theme about a "wanderer" (Bohemian) it's all very simple to see. The song is seen as camp because of the hysterics but it's an open apology and coming to terms of things in a stylistically large way As for posters who claim it's in fact about nothing or Freddie didn't know what it was about. ... that's hardly believable, I'm sure even if he TRIED to Be evasive it wouldn't work. That reminds me of a Brian Wilson quote I can't attribute at the time. He stated that one of his biographers/friends knew more about himself than he did his own damn self. As such, interpretations of songs from the golden era and through comparison with periods in his life. In Brian's case it's simply because of his drug and alcohol abuse. ... Alice Cooper claims he doesn't remember recording the album special forces. (Not a big deal cause it mostly sucks) |
| snookerrope 29.04.2014 03:38 |
Every song like Bohemian Rhapsody has its own meaning. Though I think , this song comes up with something deeper than that. "Goodbye Everybody - I've got to go gotta leave you all behind and face the truth" is something that relates to someone who did wrong. It is speculated that this song is unfolding tale that a man made a grave mistake and wants to face it. |
| Saukkomies 10.05.2014 12:09 |
I wanted to chime in with my own theory. I believe that some of the lyrics are references to the Neapolitan 16th century street performance style known as Commedia dell'Arte, specifically, the import to England that became popularized in the puppetry of the Punch and Judy performers. Although there are no set scripts or plays for Punch and Judy routines, there are common themes and characters that have developed over time and carried on by tradition. Some of these are referenced in "Bohemian Rhapsody": First off: "I see a little silhouetto of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?" The "silhouetto of a man" is a reference to Commedia dell'Arte shadow puppets that were common on the streets of Naples and other parts of southern Italy. "Scaramouche" is one of the most common characters that appear in the Punch and Judy puppet shows. He is also imported from Italy, and is dressed to represent an effete Spanish dandy. He often comes out on stage to dance the Fandango, an 18th century Spanish dance. Next: "(Galileo) Galileo. (Galileo) Galileo, Galileo Figaro Magnifico." This I believe is a reference to the Italian Commedia dell'Arte again. Galileo sometimes appeared in the street performers' skits as someone of ridicule - a foolish wise man, whom the Catholic Church had to censor for spreading crazy ideas. Figaro, of course, is a reference to late 18th century opera "The Barber of Seville", by Pierre Beaumarchais. Beaumarchais based his play directly on Commedia dell'Arte characters and style, including using the name Figaro, which had been a standard character portrayed by street performers in Naples for over 100 years. Finally: "Oh, mama mia, mama mia (Mama mia, let me go.) Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me." There is a theme throughout this part of "Bohemian Rhapsody" that uses Italian phrases, again probably a reference to Commedia dell'Arte. The reference to Beelzebub is also from Commedia dell'Arte, and is something that may be seen in the Punch and Judy shows in England. Beelzebub is one of the names, of course, of the Devil, and was also a stock character used by the Neapolitan street performers. One of the frequently used characters in the Punch and Judy shows is also the Devil, who is sometimes also referred to as Satan or Beelzebub. So there you have it - "Bohemian Rhapsody", I believe, draws heavily from Commedia dell'Arte, which was the traditional style used by the street performers of Naples, Italy from the 16th to 19th centuries. |
| Saukkomies 10.05.2014 12:28 |
In addition to my previous post about the influences of Commedia dell'Arte on "Bohemian Rhapsody", I wanted to add that the entire plot of the song could be almost precisely a stylized version of a Commedia dell'Arte performance, brought up to date. The song talks about a young man who has killed someone, and now must face the consequences of his actions, and is calling for his sweet mother, and bidding farewell to his friends. This moral play was very typical of many of the Commedia dell'Arte performances from the 17th century on. So there you have it - "Bohemian Rhapsody", I believe, draws heavily from Commedia dell'Arte, which was the traditional style used by the street performers of Naples, Italy from the 16th to 19th centuries. This painting shows a scene of a Commedia dell'Arte performance, with the main character on the left preparing to fight and kill his protagonist on the right (both holding knives). The main character's mother hovers behind him, and the constable is coming from stage left to arrest him for murder. Almost a complete depiction of the events described in "Bohemian Rhapsody". link |
| kosimodo 10.05.2014 14:41 |
Finally we know! |
| SmokyQuartz 10.05.2014 19:52 |
Well I've not heard that one before. Obviously we all have our own interpretations and I'm sure there are many different layers in Bohemian Rhapsody. I do like your contribution to it though........and my first thoughts were the innuendo video. I'm not good at this stuff, but I kept thinking of the curtains and the masks in it....and some of the footage of street dancers. Linked to what you have described? or not? (as I say I'm not good with this stuff) |
| kia.r 19.05.2014 14:47 |
thanks for your explanation! but I have to say that Zoroastrian is an Iranian religion and has nothing to do with Arabian language. This part of the song is more likely related to Islam religion. |
| Shrekbrad 22.07.2014 18:28 |
I believe that for too long everyone assumed that the boy in the song was Freddie, thus making it almost impossible to explain the lyrics from A to Z with any satisfactory result. I will be as concise as possible so as not to bore anyone therefore let's assume that the boy is not Freddie but somebody else. I first analyzed the text as you would any literary text then I tried to connect the dots. The key remaining the duality of reality versus fantasy, one aspect of the person and his other self. After hours of comparing notes and detective work, I came to the conclusion that the boy is no other than Sihran Sihran, Robert Kennedy's murderer. I know but just bear with me for a few more words. First some interesting facts, he was very young, 24 when he killed that man and lived with his mother ('mama'). He worked as a stable 'boy'. He was a muslim from Jordan ('Bismillah'). But what brought my attention was the fact that in 1966 he joined the Rosecrucians Cult, which has a few things to do with worshipping Beelzebub and the all seeing eye ('spit in my eye' and not 'spit me in the eye'), and where? A place called Bohemian Grove. And actually what is described here in the song is pretty much a scary ceremony. Oh yes, one more thing, Galileo was a tutor for the Medicis family, founders of the foresaid cult... But what really convinced me was Sihran himself during his trial where he could have faced the death penalty. He explained his duality and the fact that he was not himself when he killed Robert because he was mind controlled. In the song, when he describes it, there no I, or HE or SHE. And many other murderers around that time claimed the same thing, they were triggered into action by a reference to the same book 'The Catcher in th Rye', also often connected by people to this song. ('pulled MY trigger' and not 'pulled THE trigger'). They all claimed to suffer from physical pain from that mind control experience ('body'aching all the time'). I am not suggesting Freddie believed in that, he just translated it into that song. And the duality is everywhere : scaramouche and his double personnality, Fandango which is a dance for couples, etc. And one last thing. If you look up for titles of rhasodies, it is always 'rhapsody in blue' etc or a place 'Danube rhasody'. So Bohemian is a place as we have seen it, or we should have had 'Rhapsody in bohemian tone' or whatever. It is inverted. Then invert the title and it becomes 'Bohemian Soddy Rapt', just what is reported to happen during these ceremonies... There are many more things you can connect as well, just 'open your eyes, look up to the skies and see...' :) |
| Shrekbrad 22.07.2014 18:32 |
I believe that for too long everyone assumed that the boy in the song was Freddie, thus making it almost impossible to explain the lyrics from A to Z with any satisfactory result. I will be as concise as possible so as not to bore anyone therefore let's assume that the boy is not Freddie but somebody else. I first analyzed the text as you would any literary text then I tried to connect the dots. The key remaining the duality of reality versus fantasy, one aspect of the person and his other self. After hours of comparing notes and detective work, I came to the conclusion that the boy is no other than Sihran Sihran, Robert Kennedy's murderer. I know but just bear with me for a few more words. First some interesting facts, he was very young, 24 when he killed that man and lived with his mother ('mama'). He worked as a stable 'boy'. He was a muslim from Jordan ('Bismillah'). But what brought my attention was the fact that in 1966 he joined the Rosecrucians Cult, which has a few things to do with worshipping Beelzebub and the all seeing eye ('spit in my eye' and not 'spit me in the eye'), and where? A place called Bohemian Grove. And actually what is described here in the song is pretty much a scary ceremony. Oh yes, one more thing, Galileo was a tutor for the Medicis family, founders of the foresaid cult... But what really convinced me was Sihran himself during his trial where he could have faced the death penalty. He explained his duality and the fact that he was not himself when he killed Robert because he was mind controlled. In the song, when he describes it, there no I, or HE or SHE. And many other murderers around that time claimed the same thing, they were triggered into action by a reference to the same book 'The Catcher in th Rye', also often connected by people to this song. ('pulled MY trigger' and not 'pulled THE trigger'). They all claimed to suffer from physical pain from that mind control experience ('body'aching all the time'). I am not suggesting Freddie believed in that, he just translated it into that song. And the duality is everywhere : scaramouche and his double personnality, Fandango which is a dance for couples, etc. And one last thing. If you look up for titles of rhasodies, it is always 'rhapsody in blue' etc or a place 'Danube rhasody'. So Bohemian is a place as we have seen it, or we should have had 'Rhapsody in bohemian tone' or whatever. It is inverted. Then invert the title and it becomes 'Bohemian Soddy Rapt', just what is reported to happen during these ceremonies... There are many more things you can connect as well, just 'open your eyes, look up to the skies and see...' :) |
| GERRYISADICK 22.07.2014 18:51 |
Shrekbrad are you high? You first have to understand why if you are right did Freddie write a song about Sirhan Sirhan the Robert Kennedy's assassination was not a major event in Britain as JFK's death. So your assumption makes no sense . The song is more likely about something that happened in Freddie's life . So please don't make statements on this thread that have no bearing |
| Zamidoo 23.07.2014 05:36 |
matt z wrote: Hah. It's about Freddie coming to terms with his lifestyle and the anticipated falling out with his family if they rejected him for being gay. The middle section is an interpretation of "the fates" and his parents and their religious damnation of him. (Let me go).... the fear of God takes voice as "thunder bolt and lightning very very frightening me" Galileo very strangely but succinctly represents reason. Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me represents "Jesus, just let me live! " I can't change anything... angry rationalization against religious dogma. The end is reconciliation that it doesn't really matter anyways. In dealing with an operatic theme about a "wanderer" (Bohemian) it's all very simple to see. The song is seen as camp because of the hysterics but it's an open apology and coming to terms of things in a stylistically large way As for posters who claim it's in fact about nothing or Freddie didn't know what it was about. ... that's hardly believable, I'm sure even if he TRIED to Be evasive it wouldn't work. That reminds me of a Brian Wilson quote I can't attribute at the time. He stated that one of his biographers/friends knew more about himself than he did his own damn self. As such, interpretations of songs from the golden era and through comparison with periods in his life. In Brian's case it's simply because of his drug and alcohol abuse. ... Alice Cooper claims he doesn't remember recording the album special forces. (Not a big deal cause it mostly sucks)I pretty much agree with this... it has always sounded like a stream-of-consciousness about guilt and acceptance of fate to me, and I always assumed that while not necessarily 'about' his sexuality as such, it was heavily influenced by his coming to terms with it ('mama, I just killed a man...' '...pulled my trigger, now he's dead' etc. aren't exactly difficult metaphors to unravel, if you look at it like that). Didn't it more or less coincide with the end of his relationship with Mary Austin, etc.? He also said at some point, 'If you can see it, it's there' about his lyrics (or something tot that effect), so I think the point is that the meaning is supposed to be obscure. |
| Shrekbrad 23.07.2014 05:40 |
You are so right. I apologize. As Robert Kennedy's assassination was a minor event, and the ensuing trial of Sihran of no interest to the general public worldwide at the time, please do not give any credit to my theory. Writing a song on such a trivial subject would of course be ludicrous and preposterous as it did not happened in Britain. Why on earth would an artist talk about it? Let us stick to your idea of the song being something that happened in Freddie's life or to his sexuality, it makes so much more sense. Though we are not sure what that something is, these statements are of course well-founded and are to be taken as facts in an official viewpoint. Please, once again, accept my apologies and be assured that I will refrain from making any further statements that have no bearing. |
| Shrekbrad 23.07.2014 07:14 |
Rewriting Sympathy for the Devil in the following days of Robert's death, the Rolling Stones of course contradict the very notion of little impact on the minds of Europeans at the time, but again you must be right. That assumption makes no sense. After all they're only British, what do they know. And again who cares if in Bohemian Rhapsody, the boy doesn't need no sympathy, not for him nor for the devil beside him. It has no bearing, no connection. Let's stick to the idea that Freddie talks about his childhood. :) |
| Zamidoo 23.07.2014 09:08 |
^^^ You gave an interesting interpretation, Shrekbrad, it's just a little out of 'left field' compared to the usual suggestions. I'm sure that no offence was intended by anyone. |
| Shrekbrad 23.07.2014 12:17 |
No offense taken. ;) Thanks for your comment. You are right, it's a little bit 'left field'. But I believe that Freddie Mercury's genius deserves more than a down to earth explanation of his poetry. It is too easy and does not credit to what he tried to convey. I am not saying I am right, not at all, it is just a theory. But still, not everything should be deciphered through a Freudian lens. We can also try to connect other plausible dots. They may be just coincidences, yes, but there is nothing wrong with trying to find out what is said between the lines. Just debating...or not. :) |
| GERRYISADICK 23.07.2014 12:36 |
Shrekbrad forgive me for being harsh but your explanation was confusing to me a bit. But you are right Freddie's songwriting should not be viewed simply . But we most likely will never know the songs meaning but we still can look into it. Sorry if I offended you have a nice day |
| RockonQueen 07.08.2014 23:33 |
I may be wrong but I am sure I have almost everything right As a song writer myself, I was able to understand the meaning of the song Bohemian Rhapsody. The song is about his life as a gay man coming out into the world. Here is how I know this Bohemian means "out of the ordinary". Knowing that Mercury is gay, and the ordinary is to be straight, it shows that Mercury is bohemian. Anyway the wind blows means "whatever happens". So "Anyway the wind blows doesn't even matter to me" becomes "whatever happens doesn't even matter to me". This is Mercury saying that he is not ashamed to be gay. Being gay or straight doesn't matter to him. When Mercury sings "mama, just killed a man", that man is him. He was hidding his sexual orientation from his parents knowing they wouldn't approve because of their religion. What I believe he means when he uses "killed" is that it kills him so much not to be able to tell them about his secret. He continues as if he did tell his mom his secret by singing "Didn't mean to make you cry, if I'm not back again this time tomorrow,Carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters". Mercury probably believed that his mother would have cried if he told her he was gay. He then sings in the song that if he's not back tomorrow she should carry on. Realizing he was gay was like if the old version of him is gone. If he can't go back (which he can't) all they can do is "carry on as if nothing really matters". It continues keeping the topic of him being gone/dead until the guitar solo. The part after the guitar solo, where it seems like there are a few random words, actually makes sense. "I see a little silhouetto of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?" The silhouetto is of Scaramouche, a boastful and cowardly character in a well known book. I don't know much about Mercury's personality but I believe he is trying to relate Scaramouche to him. Doing the Fandango can be dancing or doing a foolish act. The Galileo Figaro part is a little odd to me, but Figaro was a famous writer, which is close to what Mercury does as a composer "I'm just a poor boy..." Mercury is saying he has to be saved. I'm not sure from what because he's been saying very often throughout the song "nothing really matters" Bismillah and mama mia are just giving expression. Beelzebub is another name for the devil? At the more exciting part of the song, Mercury is saying that you can't hurt him in any way, and then Mercury mentions that his parents that might want to abandon him because he was gay. To finish off they sing "nothing really maters..." the lastly "anyway the wind blows I hope this helped you understand more. |
| RockonQueen 07.08.2014 23:38 |
I accidentally put a question mark beside "beelzebub is another name for the devil" To add to this, isn't being gay a sin? Therefore you'd go to hell |
| gotants 24.09.2014 08:49 |
Funny reading all these pages. I was a Queen fan from the mid 70's. My own take on theis particular song had great meaning to me. It was in 1977, that I finally "realised" the lyrics were not about killing another person, but about one realising that they are now an adult, and childhood is behind them. There is no going back. You are responsible for your actions from now on.."Put a gun against his head".... "I don't want to die"... I was 18 yrs old at the time, and did not know Freedie was gay. But for my personal experiences at the time, the song was an epiphany to me. I had realised that I can no longer go back. I had just "killed myself" myself prior being a child. |
| Lynndelano48@gmail.com 14.12.2014 13:32 |
Great to finally know there was no intentionally deep meaning behind the song but frightfully ironic how his life turned out with regard to the lyrics. Thank you for answering these questions for us. |
| RockonQueen 11.01.2015 20:40 |
I just realized as I checked back on the responses that I didn't say anything about the part where it goes "let me go, Bismilah we will not let you go". I also learned why Galileo is mentioned in the song. Galileo, as you all know, was an astronomer. He also said that the world is round and we revolve around the sun, not the other way around. Because of that, he was thrown out of church. Freddy probably believed that, just like Galileo, he'd get thrown out of church and descriminated by his very catholic parents by admitting to being gay. The "let me go" part is meant to be Freddy battling over himself, trying to let go of who he thought he was, a straight man who would not be descriminated for his sexuality. I've written songs before, and the best are done while crying, and I bet, realizing all the pain he must have gone through knowing that he would never be treated the same way again, that he must have been crying, and that's how it became a great song. I am partially glad that there was a slight discrimination against gays back then, because if there wasn't, there would not be a Bohemian Rhapsody. But at the same time, I hate that discrimination. |
| antiden 12.01.2015 02:13 |
RockonQueen, you're sick. Please, stop smoking that shit. |
