A NIGHT AT THE OPERA

Review #58. Queen's A Night at the Opera, took its name from the Marx Brothers movie with the same title. It was released on November 1975 and it was the most expensive album ever made. (At the time). It became an immediate success, reaching No.1 at the UK album charts, and stayed there for 4 weeks, while in the States reached at No.4. The musical media praised the album on many occasions, but because the style of this album was not clear, they categorized it from Heavy Metal up to Progressive Rock. Of course, the truth - as usual - lies in the middle. The band was at its best form in this album, with Brian May's guitar leading many songs, or just 'painting' small melodies and solos in others. Roger Taylor and John Deacon hold the background very tight, while Freddie Mercury gives some of the best performances of his career. The album opens with a three-song medley, including the "noizy" Death on Two Legs followed by the operatic Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon, and closing with the Hard Rock-like, I'm in Love with My Car. The lead vocals on Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon, was sung in the studio, and reproduced through headphones in a tin bucket elsewhere in the studio. A microphone picked up the sound from the bucket, which gives that hollow "megaphone" sound. The A-side - of the vinyl edition of course - continues with You're My Best Friend and 39, both mellow and melodic songs. Sweet Lady, is a Hard Rock-like, distortion-driven song, written by Brian May. Roger Taylor remembers it as the most difficult drumming part he ever recorded. The A-Side closes with Seaside Rendezvous, which was Freddie Mercury's composition, but although it is a rather unique song, it doesn't add something more to the album. The B-Side opens with the 8-minute-long The Prophet's Song, written by Brian May. A wonderful song, that never achieved the success that it deserved. Next, comes the sweet and mellow Love of My Life, written by Freddie Mercury for his girlfriend at the time. It is one of Queen's most covered songs and one of the most popular songs in their live shows. Good Company that comes next, was composed by Bryan May but it's nothing special. And right after that, comes the album's highlight, which is not other than the extremely famous Bohemian Rhapsody. When it was released as a single, it climbed at No.1 on the UK singles chart, stayed there for 9 weeks, and within a year sold over 1.000.000 copies. After Freddie Mercury's death in 1991, it climbed again at No.1 and stayed there for another 5 weeks. It is considered to be one of the best songs of the 20th century. The album's closing track is a "Rock" cover version of God Save the Queen, the Brittish national anthem. Concluding this, the only thing I want to say is that, in my opinion, A Night at the Opera is a must- have for any Rock music fan's discography. 4.5 stars from me