Tater Thoughts

Freddie's magnum opus; and still his biggest mystery. This is his baby, "Bohemian Rhapsody". A composition years in the making. 180 vocal overdubs that took a week of 12-hour days to record, with plenty of amusing outtakes. Over a billion YouTube views. The Song of the Millennium. A once-in-a-lifetime composition. One of Brian May's most-loved guitar solos ever. A complexity that rivals any other prog rock song, and it still managed to appeal to the masses. An iconic live performance. And so much more.

In a playful and perfectly executed dixieland jazz arrangement (!) Brian gives us nostalgia and a longing for connection in "Good Company". You'd be forgiven for not even knowing this was Queen: After all, Freddie is absent, Brian sings lead and yes, the guitars certainly don't sound like guitars. But what they do sound like, is amazing and impressive.

Freddie's most iconic ballad, and a special connection between band and fans, "Love of My Life" is classically inspired, with harmony vocals all provided by the writer in an immaculate performance. Brian creates complimentary arrangements on his guitar, echoing the tenderness of Freddie's vocals, and with gentle support from John and Roger, this song becomes a magical moment and a touching romantic gesture. It's taken on new life as a live number.

Brian's prog rock masterpiece, "The Prophet's Song" is certainly on par with more popular Queen tracks. Employing a great use of delay, distortion, key changes, drop-d tuning (!) and so much more; including an immaculate vocal performance from Freddie (as well as vocal contributions from Brian and Roger) during the surprising and perfectly executed canon is simply stunning. Live, this went through several incredible transformations.

I've been dealing with a thing and it's permeated every aspect of my life the last couple of weeks. If you're struggling with something too, let's get through it together.

Freddie is back with another brilliantly vaudeville-inspired composition, "Seaside Rendezvous". This is easily the most jovial number on A Night at the Opera, and perhaps Queen's silliest song ever with Freddie and Roger doing ridiculously lovable vocal tricks. They prove their versatility with amazing prowess, stepping right out of a time machine from the '30s.

A stark contrast to Brian's folksy number before it, "Sweet Lady" is all hard rock but it's delivered in a surprising meter of 3/4. Roger has said this is one of the hardest songs he ever recorded on drums, all because of Brian's unique waltz-like arrangement and complex riffs. Live, it's one of the few Queen numbers that somehow feels less innate for the boys, despite its loud and raw energy. And in a surprising twist, my opinion about it has changed...

Who would have thought that a song written in 30 minutes would go on to be #1 in 37 countries, and become the most-recognizable pop song of the last few decades? I fell in love with the Spice Girls the moment I heard "Wannabe". And my enthusiasm for it continues to this day, 25 years later. The girls would always have a riot with it live, and the celebration of this number simply never stops.

Brian's ode to astronomy, space travel, relativity, and nostalgia is a rich soundscape of acoustic guitars, and more acoustic guitars. In a surprising twist, "'39" features muted and softened electric guitars, minimal percussion, and a double bass (courtesy of John and his persistence). But this folk number is still distinctly Queen, with intricate vocal harmonies. It's one of my favorite live numbers from the boys.

John brings it with his second contribution to a Queen album, "You're My Best Friend". This instantly recognizable song (thanks in large part to John's inclusion of electric piano) became a big hit for the boys, and is one of their most enduring numbers. It's been included in countless shows and films. Live, it was a peppy and poppy break from the harder rock and roll, and it's easily one of their happiest, cheeriest songs ever.