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Review of Queen's "A Night at the Opera"

© Nick Bendel

A Night at the Opera (1975) is the fourth album from Queen. The remarkable musical diversity present is both a tribute to the band and an indication of their unique and varied sound. Another key feature of the record- and again typical of Queen and their music- is the obvious atmosphere of excess.

Capturing all this well is their classic 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. It is a superb and extraordinary song, being as it is a medley of five pieces. It begins with a choral section before becoming a piano ballad, then come semi-operatic and metal portions, before returning to the soft piano to conclude.

Just as 'big' is 'The Prophet's Song'. 8 minutes long its rock feel makes it sound a lot like Led Zeppelin, except for the middle harmony part which is typical Queen. Coincidentally 'Sweet Lady' has a similar Led Zep feel to it, although it is not as enjoyable as 'The Prophet's Song' which is a very good song.

A Night at the Opera also contains a few tracks which can best be described as quaint. 'Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon' is a short, peculiar and fun little song which bounces along on piano. 'Good Company' is similar but this time is led by what sounds like a ukulele, while ''39' is an excellent, sparse pop song. To give an indication of their antiquated feel, these songs seem more appropriate at a campfire singalong, than on a rock record.

Still more oddities are on this record. 'Seaside Rendezvous' is a bright, fun song with a vaudevillian feel to it, while the opening track 'Death On Two Legs' is a clever mixture of heavy guitars and a sweet melody.

Finally come the more conventional songs. 'I'm in Love With My Car' is typical rock and nothing special. It blends well into the next track, though, 'You're My Best Friend' which is a wonderfully melodic and catchy pop song. 'Love of My Life' is a good piano ballad which- along with all the other songs- shows off the vocal skills of lead singer Freddie Mercury. Closing off the album is guitarist Brian May's (boring) reworking of the British national anthem 'God Save the Queen'.

As can be seen A Night at the Opera is wonderfully diverse. When this is combined with the fact that all four members of the band- Mercury, May, as well as drummer Roger Taylor and bassist John Deacon- contributed songs (though Mercury and May did the bulk of the work), it shows how talented they are. The final track aside, this is a very good album from a very good band.