It is the six minute rock single that changed the face of music and rock and roll. Arguably the greatest song ever written, it was named the Song of the Millennium in 2000 and the number 1 song of all time in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Play this song anywhere and see how people react. There will be smiles, singing, and even conversations started. Long live Queen.
In fact, Bohemian Rhapsody is such an icon, it has inspired countless artists and musicians to come out with their own versions of it. Or at least tried. By no means is it an easy song to perform. Not when they have to live up to the legendary Freddie Mercury.
The 12 Tenors gave it a shot and wow did they smash it.
These twelve men come from different countries and over ten years have performed in Europe, China, and Japan. They came together to blend their voices, all to produce such a unique sound that there may be no other act like them anytime soon. No one sings above the other. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, which means that like any other great team, they know how to combine their talents to produce really amazing shows.
It starts off with all twelve men standing in the dark, only a faint hue of blue lights giving a chilling effect which really goes well with the song. Backs turned to the crowd, black suits giving out their silhouettes, they sing the intro,
“Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality…”
Those iconic words are enough to send chills down the back of any real fan. Not to mention it’s such a wonderful song to sing along to.
These guys don’t rely on a lot of instruments. It’s their voices that provide the foundation and the background for all their performances, only accompanying one of their own as he sings lead vocals. Just listen!
Go ahead and sing along. The pianist has you covered.
The song’s interpretation is really up to the listener. The power ballad, light to heavy opera, and hard rock arrangement was entirely written by Freddie Mercury. The song took nearly a month to finish with one week dedicated to the operatic section.
And the only person who knew that this song would be a hit was Freddie himself.
Producer Roy Thomas Baker wasn’t sure about what they were doing but as he listened to the final recording, he had a feeling this was something special. Fast forward 45 years later and we’re all still singing, “Mama, just killed a man.”
The tenors go through the first half of the song with ease.
Not an easy thing to do. But come the operatic section, they assemble in the signature diamond poses from the song’s music video. One man on top, two flanking him on the left and right, with one guy situated at the bottom. Just like Mercury, May, Rogers, and Deacon.
“I see a little silhouetto of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?”
Scaramouche? That would be a stock character from an Italian clown tradition. Fandango is of course a dance. Galileo the astronomer, Figaro is from The Barber of Seville. Bismillah means “In the name of Allah“, and Mamma Mia is an Italian expression referring to the Virgin Mary. This was Freddie’s writing and no one knows for sure who or what inspired him.
The hard rock section does not use an electric guitar. Instead, the tenors harmonize and use their voices to sing the popular riff.
They then sing the last part of the song together, some at bass, others at higher pitches, still sounding like one efficient instrument without overly shouting or going off key. It’s still opera at its core when you listen closely. Very Mercury. And when the curtains fall and the lights dim, the final note sounds with a clashing gong.
Listen to this fantastic rendition of a classic by clicking on the video below!
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Source: YouTube, bbcamerica, businessinsider
