A NIGHT AT THE OPERA

'A Night At The Opera' is the fourth studio album of Queen that was released in 1975. This is Queen's most critically acclaimed studio album and is also one of their best selling releases. It was a huge commercial success and it's usually considered the greatest masterpiece of the group. It's often cited among the best rock albums of all time. The album takes its name from the Marx Brothers' film 'A Night At The Opera'. Recorded in the best studios of the time, it was at the time of its release, considered the most expensive album ever recorded. Its production is usually recognized as one of the most perfect of all music history. All instruments were recorded in separate studios, recording only the battery in a studio, the guitar in another and so on. Freddie Mercury once said, at the time: 'It isn't paranoia, is perfectionism'.

'A Night At The Opera' has twelve tracks. The first track 'Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To')' written by Freddie Mercury is a song written to be a 'non-homage' to the band's manager at the time, for a less honest financial conduct with the band. Lyrically, it's an extraordinary song that represents the best character assassination of someone, I've ever heard. Musically, it's a great rock song with good harmonies, nice piano and fantastic vocal work. This is a terrific opener, one of the best I've ever heard. The second track 'Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon' written by Freddie Mercury is a song where he played the piano and made all the vocals. This is a short song with a very old fashioned melody and a theatrical vocal performance. It has a good piano performance and a nice guitar solo too. The third track 'I'm In Love With My Car' written by Roger Taylor is a song with the lyrics inspired and dedicated to one of the band's roadies, Jonathan Harris, whose car was the love of his life. This is a great rock song, very simple and very catchy, which belongs to Roger Taylor's most famous songs in Queen's catalogue. The fourth track 'You're My Best Friend' written by John Deacon represents the first single composed by him to the band. The song was written to his wife, Veronica. This is a beautiful and catchy song with some nice harmonies. The electric piano was performed by him. The fifth track ''39' written by Brian May, relates the story of a group of space explorers who embarked on a very far way space travel, and upon their return, the loved ones they left beyond are all dead. Musically, we are in presence of a superb acoustic ballad with great guitar work and some beautiful harmonies. The sixth track 'Sweet Lady' written by Brian May is, the Achilles' heel on the album. It isn't a very good song but it isn't very bad either. This is my least favourite song on the album. The seventh track 'Seaside Rendezvous' written by Freddie Mercury is a song with similitude with 'Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon'. It has another old fashioned melody and a theatrical vocal performance. This is a funny romantic song with a superior piano work and a fantastic vocal part. The eighth track 'The Prophet's Song' written by Brian May is, without any doubt, with 'Bohemian Rhapsody', the two highlights on the album and represents also the most progressive song on it. It has an astonishing choral section performed a Cappella, probably the best made by him to the band. The ninth track 'Love Of My Life' written by Freddie Mercury was written to his girlfriend at the time, Mary Austin. It's a very beautiful and catchy ballad, probably one of the best ballads I've heard. It became a Queen's classic song, frequently performed on their live shows, where Freddie Mercury frequently stopped singing and allowed the audience to take over of it. The tenth track 'Good Company' written by Brian May is a simple and nice song where he plays koto, a traditional Japanese instrument. This is another song with an old fashioned tune, with a Hawaiian style, very nice and pleasant to hear. The eleventh track 'Bohemian Rhapsody' written by Freddie Mercury is the most known and the best song made by Queen. It was released as a single and soon became a huge commercial success. Perhaps, it's the most progressive single of all time and is really incredible that such complex song may have been so successful. Definitely, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' is one of the greatest rock songs of all time. The twelfth and last track 'God Save The Queen' is the traditional UK's anthem arranged by Brian May. It's a short track that represents a perfect way to close this album.

Conclusion: So, with the benefit of more than forty years hindsight, can we say that 'A Night At The Opera' is Queen's best album? Sincerely, I really don't know. But, it was, without any doubt, their great landmark release and it had a great musical influence on many rock genres, including the progressive rock music. With this album, Queen would release one of their most versatile and eclectic albums. Queen isn't maybe quite as dynamic and over the top as on 'Queen II'. However, they produced a very mature album. 'Queen II' is more balanced and most progressive than this one is. But, I like both albums equally. However, 'A Night At The Opera' is a great album and it's also, with 'Queen II', one of the two best studio albums made by the band. And I would even dare to say that 'A Night At The Opera' is one of the best and one of the most creative and incredible albums ever made in the whole rock music and not just in the progressive rock.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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