17. Queen--A Night At the Opera

#17: Queen-- A Night At the Opera (1975)

Top-Notch Tracks: "Bohemian Rhapsody" [HJ200 #5], "I'm In Love With My Car," "You're My Best Friend," "Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to...,)" "Sweet Lady," "'39"

Album Depth: "Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon," "Love of My Life," "Good Company," "The Prophet's Song," "Seaside Rendezvous"

Weak Link: "God Save the Queen"

Stand-Out Lyrics: "Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide."--"Bohemian Rhapsody"

"Killjoy. Bad guy. Big-talking small fry."--"Death On Two Legs (Dedicated to...)"

"With my hand on your grease gun, oooh, it's like a disease, son."--"I'm In Love With My Car"

"In rain or shine, you've stood by me, girl. I'm happy at home."--"You're My Best Friend"

"I come from London town, I'm just an ordinary guy. Fridays I go painting in the Louvre."--"Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon"

"He's just a poor boy, from a poor family."--"Bohemian Rhapsody"

"You call me sweet like I'm some kind of cheese."--"Sweet Lady"

"You say you will if you could, but you can't"--"Seaside Rendezvous"

"Don't have to listen to no run of the mill talk jive."--"I'm In Love With My Car"

"Take care of those you call your own, and keep good company."--"Good Company"

"Talk like a big business tycoon. You're just a hot air balloon. So no one gives you a damn. You're just an overgrown schoolboy."--"Death On Two Legs (Dedicated to...)"

"Write your letters in the sand, for the day I take your hand in the land that our grandchildren knew."--"'39"

"And now I know, and now I know, and now I know, I know, I know that you can hear me."--"The Prophet's Song"

"Scaramouch, Scaramouch, will you do the fandango?"--"Bohemian Rhapsody"

"Give us a kiss."--"Seaside Rendezvous"

"Told my girl I had to forget her. Rather by me a new carburetor. So she made tracks saying, 'this is the end, now.' Cars don't talk back, they're just four-wheel friends, now."--"I'm In Love With My Car"

Queen--A Night at the Opera


Album cover: 6 out of 10. It's simple and distinctive, and the white background really stands out. But, it's also got a what-the-hell-does-that-have-to-do-with-anything quality.

Comments: This was my first go-back album. (Okay, so it was probably John that bought the 8-track, but still.) When "News of the World" came out in 1977, it was one of the first three 8-tracks that I remember John owning. We loved it, but we also loved "Bohemian Rhapsody." So, pretty early on in his music-buying career, my brother went back and bought an album from the past. (It took me years to realize that the "A Day At the Races" album came out between "A Night At the Opera" and "News of the World." I had always thought it came out before "A Night At the Opera.")

What can I say about this album? It's got the heavy home-run behemoth that is "Bohemian Rhapsody." But there's more to it than that. "You're My Best Friend" is a solid hit. "Death On Two Legs" is a rip-snorting diss track, and so darn edgy for an Arimo kid! ("And now you can kiss my ass goodbye" indeed!) "Sweet Lady" is a nice rocker, and one of the best songs ever to mention cheese. "'39" is smooth, simple, and folksy. "Love of My Life" is a nice, sad ballad, if you're in the frame of mind for that. And the trio of old-timey sounding songs ("Lazing," "Seaside," and "Good Company") are all quite fun. (Do you realize that paying homage to 1920s music in the 1970s is akin to paying homage to 1970s music in the 2020s? Damn, we're getting old!)

And, of course, "I'm In Love With My Car" is so darn crazy that it made for an easy favorite for the just-learning-to-drive crowd. Yes, I loved my old Barracuda, fishbowl back window and all. (Plus, I actually knew what a grease gun was! Too bad they didn't mention zerks.)

I used to really dislike "The Prophet's Song." I thought it long-winded nonsense. But, over time I've grown to appreciate it a bit more. Instead of "long-winded" I'm more likely to use the term "epic." I'd never really thought of Queen as a prog rock band, but "The Prophet's Song" puts them right there.

The weak link, of course, is "God Save the Queen." It's really sad that they so blatantly ripped off the tune from "My Country 'Tis of Thee." Oh well, I guess nothing really matters.


Up next: Can I get there by limo?

Comments

  1. darenolsonNovember 16, 2021 at 3:36 PM

    Since this album is on my list, I'll save most of my observations about it for my write-up. But I will share this one tidbit about "Death on Two Legs." In junior high, whenever I listened to this album--which was at least once or twice a week--the person that I thought of when this song played was Ron Jolley. These were the lyrics at the beginning of the song that got me to thinking, "Hey, this song reminds me of Jolley."

    Misguided old mule with your pigheaded rules
    With your narrow-minded cronies who are fools
    Of the first division

    The other lyrics in the middle of the song also seemed to be a good fit for how I felt about that bastard, especially the line "And now you can kiss my ass goodbye." Then these lyrics at the end of the song sealed the deal.

    Insane, you should be put inside
    You're a sewer rat decaying in a cesspool of pride
    Should be made unemployed
    Then make yourself null and void

    So there it is. It's the only song out of all the songs I ever heard that I care to associate with Ron Jolley.

    And now you know...the rest of the story.

    Nardo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Slow Joe 40February 11, 2022 at 7:36 PM

      The "only" song? Really? What about this schoolyard favorite:

      "Jolley go milk the bull,
      There's only one teet to pull."

      Delete

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