Lyrics for Bohemian Rhapsody as interpreted by kevin


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askewchan
01-09-2002

 Rated  +10 
"Bismillah" is the opening word in the Qu'ran (Koran) and literally means "In the name of Allah."
"Scaramouch" according to the dictionary means "a stock character who appears as a boastful coward."
"Beelzebub" is one of the many names given to the Devil (yes, it is spelled this way-not as above).
"Fandango" is a Spanish dance done in triple time.

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6 Replies  · 
mercanfat
01-09-2002

 Rated  0 
This song is the best song ever...

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1 Reply  · 
HoE BuNnY
01-28-2002

 Rated  0 
i love this song, it just makes me want to cry :')

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damionignis
02-01-2002

 Rated  -1 
I'm not sure about the details, but I've always thought of this song as Freddy's battle with AIDS. It sort of makes sence, realizing that when he speaks of killing a man, he is speaking about himself, and that he is acting as his own judge and jury. It's a song of self-dissapointment that he had gone and killed himself... Maybe it's just me...

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3 Replies  · 
slave2disco
02-03-2002

 Rated  -1 
An epic, from beginning to end...headbanging in Wayne's World notwithstanding.

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paulotheman
02-18-2002

 Rated  0 
I think it's doubtful that it's to do with his battle with aids considering he wrote it ten years before he found out he had aids :)

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1 Reply  · 
damionignis
02-19-2002

 Rated  0 
... I guess I was wrong... it still works though...

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Cool_Dandy
02-28-2002

 Rated  0 
I have no idea of the this songs meaning BUT I love it. I think I love it so much because it's so complex. At first I just found it to be a very sad song. Then, like damioniqnis, I also thought the song was about Freddie's battle with AIDS. BUT when I was introduced to this song I had no idea of its original date of recording and Freddie Mercury dies shortly after. Paulo points out that this song was written ten years before Freddie was aware of his HIV status but it could be possible that he was speaking of the epidemic in general or a friend. And it is not known when Freddie was actually diagnosed. Hell, I have no idea...lol! This song is so complex! From the changes in tempo to their use of sarcasm. Hey, I guess that makes it a Queen hit, right? This, without a doubt is one of my favorite songs ever. Although it would be nice to comprehend the lyrics. ;)

*Just found this site tonight (by accident) and it's GREAT!

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1 Reply  · 
fizhvamp15
02-28-2002

 Rated  -3 
i love this song, in fact im listenin 2 it now!
i met a copy-cat band the other day and they sang this song. it made me wanna jump up on stage and join in with them!

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azizul
04-18-2002

 Rated  +2 
a controversially great song.. from my perspective anyway. among the best alongside led zeppelin's immortal "stairway to heaven".

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Gummitch
04-18-2002

 Rated  0 
I really don't think Freddie was talking about the AIDS epidemic: it was 1975, they didn't even know what AIDS was. Once he said the song was auto-biographical, but I really don't know what that meant.

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Vasagi
04-18-2002

 Rated  0 
They had something on Queen on VH1 - on that they said that this song was some kind of mockery or spoof of the English upper class...

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cft19
04-19-2002

 Rated  0 
Paulotheman and Gummitch, are correct. Its not about Freddie's struggle with AIDS, it acutally about nothing. When asked in an interview, Freddie said "People still ask me today what Bohemian Rhapsody is about and I tell them, I don't know"

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2 Replies  · 
pkjun
04-23-2002

 Rated  +7 
Want my overanalyzed take? It's pretentious, silly and yes, overanalyzed, and completely destroys the entire song! It turns a cool song into another piece of dirt and manages to be glaringly wrong in the way!

Okay, let's make it the classic stages of acceptance after a shock. He just killed someone. Duh. It's in the lyrics.

First comes shock. Note the 'is this the real life / is this just fantasy' it opens with and the dreamlike tune it's in.

(from this point on, it's all within his head. All of it.)

Note also the 'I need no sympathy' melodramatic nobleness he takes on in a play to get sympathy.

He comes back to the world, and immediately tries to turn to the childhood source of sympathy, his mother. He tries again to act like a hero, telling her 'nothing really matters' (in his mind, of course. it's all in his mind.)

The chill of what he has just done rips across him, and at the first glimpse of pain he immediately goes into the classic 'I wish I was never born!'-type complete theatrical show, hoping once again for sympathy.

Now comes the weird (albeit exceedingly cool) part.

The trial.

First his 'judges' (representing the severity and harsh reality of the consequences) come forth, half-threatening him with taunts of "scaramouche / scaramouche / will you do the Fandango" (it's defined above)

He crumples, first expressing shock. Then, he twists his earlier defeated hero's claims to say "I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me" in a direct appeal to reality.

His other side, however, rushes in to try to save him from himself, begging the judges to release him.

He appeals, and is rejected.

His consul appeals several times in turn to allow him to stay in his own dreamlike state of deconnectedness.

The judges continue to strike down his pleas, growing more and more forceful, until he finally realizes that he has lost. First is a generic "well, I lost. I'm going to hell, and I've got a demon with my name on it" first realization.

Then comes the anger phase. He strikes back at the world and himself with guitars in the background (note the playing of a much stronger version of the theme from the opening "mama" part) . He then tries to escape outright, claiming he's "just gotta get out / just gotta get right out of here".

However, after a crecendo, he realizes that he's not about to win anything or survive anything, so he simply resigns. It's very similar to the opening sequence--although instead of a dream, he seems much more lucid in this state. He repeats much of what he's said earlier, only now he either believes it or has no choice but to accept it.

There. I think it's an interpretation of the process gone through after a shock. It's quite obviously wrong, but I can't help but thinking it.

Besides, it's my favorite song. Let me warp it however I want ;)

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5 Replies  · 
pkjun
04-23-2002

 Rated  -1 
By the way, listen to weird al's Bohemian Rap City. It's the best satire of this song ever made. It's just the same lyrics and tune of this--to a polka beat with polka instruments. It really does a great job of showing what a silly, pretentious song this really is.

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1 Reply  · 
honestyormystery
04-24-2002

 Rated  0 
i luv this song, its so awesome!

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magic
04-25-2002

 Rated  -2 
This song "rockar fett"

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Bo
04-25-2002

 Rated  +2 
i think i spk 4 everyone here wen i say this is mega

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gorgood
04-26-2002

 Rated  -5 
O.K. bear with me. I know this was written before his AIDS was diagonosed, I think it can fit.
Any way the wind blows. His bisexuality
Killing a man by putting his gun to his head. His "gun" could be his manhood, and pulling the trigger now he's dead.. Could be his"climatic moment" infected someone else. and they died
shivers up and down his spine body aching all the time are his symptoms.
Leaving you all behind to face the truth is his dying and his final judgement.


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2 Replies  · 
MetaLuna
04-28-2002

 Rated  -1 
I have to agree with pkjun to a point. If Freddie said it wasn't about anything, then it wasn't about anything, but to me it sounds just like a simple story. A guy kills another guy and goes through the stages of denial. Meh.

As for all you morons who say that shit about AIDS... don't be retarded. AIDS wasn't even KNOWN until 1985. I mean, for chrissakes, that's like saying that a song written in 1950 is about the Internet. And gorgood especially... you offend me with your ham-fisted interpretations of the lyrics into bullshit sexual innuendos.

And Bo. Dude. Learn to speak English. Seriously.

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1 Reply  · 
gorgood
04-29-2002

 Rated  0 
thank you metaluna for helping me understand. It's nice to met someone with all the answers, I believe I prefaced my comments, and I know when it was written relative to the DIAGNOSED cases of AIDS. If you think AIDS wasn't around before 1985 you're dumber than you look. I said it can work, like other songs can be made to work AFTER an event if you try. So if you are offended stick it. IF you recall Freddie denied he had AIDS until about the day he died, so It's just possible he may heve been( brace yourself and your sensibilities) lying.

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2 Replies  · 
gorgood
04-29-2002

 Rated  0 
note to PKJUN, I like your interpretation
Gor

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pkjun
04-29-2002

 Rated  0 
Thanks :)

Now see, I do find a couple of problems with the AIDS interpretation, though. First, not all the lines fit. I mean, what the hell is the Bismillah and Scaramouche for? I think mine clicks a bit nicer, but that's just me...many people like the AIDS interpretation...

...so who am I to doubt it ; )

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gorgood
04-29-2002

 Rated  0 
Oh I sincerely doubt the AIDS interpretation. It is interesting, but like you say it really doesn't fit. That whole Bismillah stuff really kills it. I just thought it could kind of fit in those first few verses. I think you are right on Pkjun.
Thank you for the rational discussion. (take note Metaluna)

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Pagey Moon
05-01-2002

 Rated  0 
I think that this is one of those songs like "Stairway to Heaven"...No one knows what it means (not even the author), but it's still one of the best ever.

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1 Reply  · 




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