This week in 1976, Queen were at the top of the UK singles chart with the epic – taking that word back – operatic, glammy cut “Bohemian Rhapsody” from their November 1975 album, A Night At The Opera. The single is still one of the best-selling releases in the UK, and it even had a resurgence 1991 in the wake of lead singer Freddie Mercury’s death. Wayne’s World helped out a lot too.
About a year ago I wrote a piece that touched briefly on the recording of “Rhapsody”, and the numerous vocal takes that Mercury recorded to create the final product. You can snag more Queen facts here too.
The classic rock staple has been tackled more than most songs we can think of off hand, with covers a plenty permeating all over the Internet and YouTube. Even if you have the worst voice in the world and no musical instincts to speak of, it’s still a fun song to sing along too. Everyone thinks they can harmonize, for better or worse.
The Muppets
William Shatner
Brohemian Rhapsody
The Ten Tenors
Maynard James Keenan + Billy Howerdel
With Old Computers!
Hayseed Dixie Grasses It Up
Wayne’s World
Porkka Playboys
Bad News
“Weird Al” Yankovic
Constantine Maroulis
P!nk
With Slide Whistles
With Four Violins
With Elton John and Axl Rose and the surviving members of Queen
The ASL Treatment
Glee-ked
Emilie Autumn
Demon Kogure
This article appears in Jan 12-18, 2012.