Other than Greatest Hits or Greatest Hits II how many of us have actually listened to a whole Queen album. I've certainly not. Ever. Never wanted to either.
So ubiquitous are their singles, so shoved down our throats by every inane commercial radio station that I have never felt any desire to hear another Queen song. Any smidgen of interest I might have shown was shattered by that obnoxious scrotum Ben Elton and his vile science-fiction musical 'We Will Rock You'. A musical that I had the misfortune of watching. I've never recovered. It's most heinous crime was to suggest that "Kurt Cobain died for Rock n Roll". No Ben, he committed suicide and it was very, very sad. You horrible smug champagne socialist knobhead. Eurgh. What a horrible man he is. I would have walked out then but it my wife's birthday treat and there were glow-sticks. Woo!
There is another reason to avoid Queen. Did you know that 'Don't Stop Me Now' is apparently Absolute Radio's most requested song ever by drivers of white vans. Doesn't that say just it all?
So to recap I have zero interest in listening to this album but I am doing so as part of my ongoing musical education.
I would be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy at least some of it. Well most of it actually.
The best and worst thing about A NIGHT AT THE OPERA is its multiple personalities. Because all members of Queen contribute songs, it's all over the place. Hard rock, music hall, unashamed pop, folky strumalongs, end-of-the-pier cheekiness, mystical prog, dixieland, trad jazz, light opera and back to hard rock before finally asking us all to be upstanding for the National Anthem.
There are some absolute classics here: 'Death on Two Legs' and 'Sweet Lady' a fuzzed up rock tracks. '39' is Brian May's attempt at "sci-fi skiffle" with some quite nutty lyrics about time dilation and Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity. I'm not even joking. Look it up. Bouffant Brian even sings it and he's rather good. Sadly he also sings on the jazz-hands number 'Good Company' which is much less fun.
'The Prophet Song' is prog-rock overload. The lyrics are based on a biblical dream Brian had about Noah and the Great Flood. It's Queen's 'Stonehenge'. Lumbering in at 8:19 minutes it's their longest song and comes complete with a 2 minute vocal canon from Mercury. This layered section certainly tests your patience but thankfully Bri steps into the breach to rescue us with some truly epic soloing. Phew.
The album also contains John Deacon's first Queen song, the lovely single 'You're My Best Friend' and another little ditty you may know called 'Bohemian Rhapsody'.
Despite what many say about this being an five-star "classic album" I think there are some absolute stinkers: The irritating 'Seaside Rendezvous' which comes complete with tap dancing, kazoos and kiss me quick hats. And then there is Roger Taylor's 'I'm In Love With My Car'. The song that Brian May initially thought was a joke. Apparently when it came down to releasing the first single from A NIGHT AT THE OPERA Taylor was so insistent that this garbage be the B-Side that Taylor locked himself in a cupboard and would not come out until Mercury agreed.
They should have left him in there.
So what have I learnt from this experience? Freddie Mercury liked to behaves like an camp old vauldeville dame (who'd have guessed), there's a reason Roger Taylor is a drummer, Brian May can sing and Queen albums have potential to be much more fun than I imagined. I still think Ben Elton's a **** though.
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA is eclectic, eccentric and quintessentially English.
Pop and circumstance if you will!
'DEATH ON TWO LEGS'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7Fin7aD1SE
'39'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xki7lbro9_U
'I'M IN LOVE WITH MY CAR'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdDNFJpil50
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