• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Musicaroo

Learn to Make Music Like a Pro

  • Home
  • Singing
    • Learn To Sing Better
      • Best Online Singing Lessons
      • 30 Day Singer Review (Free Trial Available)
      • Christina Aguilera Masterclass Review
      • Roger Love Singing Academy Review
      • Singorama Review
      • The Vocalist Studio Review
    • Microphone Buying Guides
      • Best Mic For Live Vocals
      • Best Mic For Recording Vocals
      • Best Mic For Rap
      • Best USB Mic For Vocals
      • Blue Yeti Vs AT2020
      • AKG C414 XLII Review
      • Audio-Technica AT2035 Review
      • Neumann TLM 103 Review
      • Rode NT1-A Review
      • Sennheiser e945 Review
      • Shure SM7B Review
    • Best In-Ear Monitors For Singers
    • Preamp Buying Guides
      • Best Mic Preamp For Vocals
      • Avalon VT-737SP Review
      • Behringer XENYX 1202FX Review
      • DBX 286S Review
      • Focusrite Scarlett OctoPre Review
      • Grace Design m101 Review
      • Pre-73 Jr Review
      • TubeOpto 8 Review
      • Warm Audio TB12 Review
  • Guitar
    • Buying Guides
      • Best Baritone Guitars
      • Best Bass Guitars
      • Best Bass Practice Amps
      • Best Combo Amps For Metal
      • Best Electric Guitars
      • Best Metal Guitars
      • Best Electric Guitar Amps
    • Bass Guitar Reviews
      • Fender American Performer Review
      • Gretsch G2220 Review
      • Ibanez GSRM20 Review
      • Squier Bronco Review
      • Sterling Ray34 Review
      • Yamaha TRBX 504 Review
    • Guitar Reviews
      • ESP LTD Eclipse EC-256 Review
      • Jackson JS32 Review
      • Les Paul Studio LT Review
      • Ibanez Gio GRX70 Review
      • Ibanez Prestige RG5120M Review
      • Squier Bullet Strat Review
      • Sterling MAJ100 Review
      • Synyster Gates Custom-S Review
      • Yamaha Pacifica Review
    • Guitar Amp Reviews
      • Bugera Infinium V5 Review
      • EVH 5150 III EL34 Review
      • Fender Mustang LT-25 Review
      • Fender Super Champ X2 Review
      • Line 6 Spider V 20 Review
      • Peavey Vypyr VIP 2 Review
      • Yamaha THR10II Review
    • Learn To Play Guitar
    • Tips and Advice
  • Violin
    • Buying Guides
      • Best Electric Violin
      • Best Violins For Beginners
      • Best Violin Bow
      • Best Violin Case
      • Best Violin Rosin
      • Best Violin Shoulder Rest
      • Best Violin Strings
      • Best Violin Tuner
    • Reviews
      • Bunnel Clearance Violin Review
      • Bunnel EDGE Review
      • Bunnel NEXT Review
      • Bunnel Pupil Violin Review
      • Cecilio CEVN-2 Review
      • Cecilio CVN-300 Review
      • Cremona SV500 Review
      • D Z Strad Model 101 Review
      • Mendini MV500 Review
      • NS Design WAV5 Review
      • Ricard Bunnel G2 Review
      • Yamaha SV-200 Review
      • Yamaha YEV-105 Review
    • Tips and Advice
  • Trumpet
    • Buying Guides
      • Best Trumpets
      • Best Pocket Trumpet
      • Best Plastic Trumpet
      • Best Trumpet Mouthpiece
      • Best Valve Oil For Trumpet
      • Best Mic For Trumpet Recording
    • Reviews
      • Allora MXPT 5801 Review
      • Bach TR300H2 Review
      • Carol Brass CPT-3000 Review
      • Eastar ETR-380 Review
      • Jean Paul TR-430 Review
      • Jupiter JTR710 Review
      • Mendini By Cecilio Review
      • Mendini MPTL Review
      • Sky Band Bb Review
      • Yamaha YTR-2330 Review
    • Tips and Advice
  • DJing
    • How To Become A DJ
    • Equipment For Beginners
    • Learn To DJ
    • Set Up DJ Website
    • Get First DJ Gig
    • Grow DJ Career
  • Great Music
    • Bands Like…
    • Great Songs About Things
    • Song Meanings
    • 27 Great, Forgotten 90s Songs
    • Best Karaoke Songs (Easy To Sing And Sound Like A Star)
    • Songs To Sing To Your Girlfriend
You are here: Home / Song Meanings

“Bohemian Rhapsody” Lyrics & Meaning (Queen)

November 28, 2022 By Camila Leave a Comment

bohemian rhapsody lyrics meaningIs there a person on earth who has not heard Bohemian Rhapsody?

It is one of the best-known and most-loved songs ever.

But when it first came out, reactions were mixed. The song did well, but to call it a huge hit would be an overstatement.

Sadly (for what it says about our society) it did not gain massive popularity until the movie Wayne’s World came out.

I guess at this point it does not matter what launched the song.

The universal acclaim it receives today (often from the same critics who once maligned it) is deserved.

But there is still one aspect of the song that fosters a ton of disagreement: the lyrics.

The band has always avoided explaining them, which has left fans with no recourse but to come up with all kinds of theories on their own.

So what does the song mean? Keep reading for a deeper look at the Bohemian Rhapsody lyrics meaning. 

Table of Contents

  • 1 Bohemian Rhapsody Lyrics And Meaning
    • 1.1 Bohemian Rhapsody Lyrics
      • 1.1.1 Intro
      • 1.1.2 Verse 1
      • 1.1.3 Verse 2
      • 1.1.4 Verse 3
      • 1.1.5 Verse 4
      • 1.1.6 Outro
    • 1.2 Bohemian Rhapsody Meaning
      • 1.2.1 Coming To Grips With Bisexuality
  • 2 Bohemian Rhapsody Lyrics & Meaning: Final Thoughts

 

Bohemian Rhapsody Lyrics And Meaning

Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody was published more than forty years ago. But it continues to play all over the world. It even serving as the title for the new Freddie Mercury biopic starring Rami Malek.

It took Freddie Mercury a few years to finish putting together the six sections of the song (intro, ballad, guitar solo, opera, rock, outro/coda).

At the end of the 60s, Freddie was already playing a passage on the piano from what ended up being Bohemian Rhapsody. One of the early passages had the provisional title The Cowboy Song, and included the verse “Mama… just killed a man.”

“Bohemian Rhapsody” belongs to Queen’s fourth studio album, A Night at the Opera (1975). At the time of release, it was apparently the most expensive song to produce in all of history.

Although no figures have been revealed, the rehearsals for this song lasted three weeks, and the recording sessions also lasted three weeks, with voice recordings of up to 12 hours a day. In all, they came together with 120 tracks of vocals that they had to mix with 24-track recorders.

The operatic section alone took a week to record. The most curious thing of all is that no one knew for sure how the final result would sound when joining the different parts.

But Freddie had it all in his head. Brian May said that Mercury even composed the guitar solo that he plays, having recorded a piano guide for him.

But it is the lyrics of Bohemian Rhapsody that invite the most discussion. Let’s take a look at those now, before diving into their meaning.

 

Bohemian Rhapsody Lyrics

Intro

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality
Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see
I’m just a poor boy, I need no sympathy
Because I’m easy come, easy go, little high, little low
Any way the wind blows doesn’t really matter to me, to me

Verse 1

Mama, just killed a man
Put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger, now he’s dead
Mama, life had just begun
But now I’ve gone and thrown it all away
Mama, ooh, didn’t mean to make you cry
If I’m not back again this time tomorrow
Carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters

Verse 2

Too late, my time has come
Sends shivers down my spine, body’s aching all the time
Goodbye, everybody, I’ve got to go
Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth
Mama, ooh (Any way the wind blows)
I don’t wanna die
I sometimes wish I’d never been born at all

Verse 3

I see a little silhouetto of a man
Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?
Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me
(Galileo) Galileo, (Galileo) Galileo, Galileo Figaro magnifico
But I’m just a poor boy, nobody loves me
He’s just a poor boy from a poor family
Spare him his life from this monstrosity
Easy come, easy go, will you let me go?
Bismillah! No, we will not let you go
(Let him go) Bismillah! We will not let you go
(Let him go) Bismillah! We will not let you go
(Let me go) Will not let you go
(Let me go) Will not let you go
(Never, never, never, never let me go) Ah
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
(Oh, mamma mia, mamma mia) Mamma mia, let me go
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me!

Verse 4

So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye?
So you think you can love me and leave me to die?
Oh, baby, can’t do this to me, baby!
Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here

Outro

(Ooh)
(Ooh, yeah, ooh, yeah)
Nothing really matters, anyone can see
Nothing really matters
Nothing really matters to me
Any way the wind blows

 

Bohemian Rhapsody Meaning

First of all, we need to clarify that there is no official meaning of Bohemian Rhapsody. Queen has never wanted to explain their hit and its members limit themselves to saying that it refers to “a private matter in Freddie’s life.”

Mercury himself only spoke to say the following: “It’s one of those songs that has a whimsical touch. I think people should just listen to it, think about it, and then come to their own conclusion about what it means to them.”

Of course, that has done nothing to prevent people from forming numerous theories, analyses, and hypotheses. How could it, with such an iconic song?

 

Coming To Grips With Bisexuality

The theory that has gained the most strength is that the lyrics are Mercury finding a way to accept his bisexuality.

At the time the song was recorded, Mercury was in a relationship with a woman, Mary Austin. He lived with her for years and he bequeathed her a fortune (including his mansion in Kensington, London) when he died.

However, in Queen’s heyday, they apparently began to grow apart. Eventually Freddie confessed that he was unfaithful to her with a man.

This somewhat resembles the plot of a soap opera and could definitely have been the seed of a great internal conflict for the artist, one that he perhaps reflected in Bohemian Rhapsody.

The line “Mama I’ve just killed a man” could refer to his metaphorical death as a straight man. And, of course, some say that “Mama mia let me go” refers to Mary Austin.

Seen from this perspective, the lyrics seem to make more sense and those verses that talk about a poor boy that nobody wants because of his monstrosity may well be autobiographical.

Other theories have pointed to the trauma that Mercury faced when he had to leave his native Zanzibar as a child. Other hypotheses suggest a more literal meaning. That is, a man who has killed another and is afraid of the consequences that this act may have.

Be that as it may, perhaps the best thing is to listen to Freddie and to make the song your own and give it your own meaning. That’s what Mercury himself told us to do and it is the beauty of music. Nay, of art in general.

 

Bohemian Rhapsody Lyrics & Meaning: Final Thoughts

Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody is one of the most famous songs ever written. And the Bohemian Rhapsody lyrics meaning is famously confusing.

Queen themselves have always avoided giving us any real insight. That has left it up to us to decide for ourselves what the lyrics mean. Of course many people can’t simply decide for themselves, they have to let everyone else know what they think, which has lead to numerous different theories.

The one that makes the most sense and seems the most likely is that the lyrics are the result of Freddie Mercury was coming to grips with his bisexuality.

For the unofficial ‘bi-anthem’, check out our breakdown of the Sweater Weather lyrics meaning. This hit by The Neighborhood has been adopted by the LGBTQ+ community.

Of course, the quintessential gay anthem is Village People’s YMCA. We also analyzed the YMCA lyrics and their meaning.

Simon and Garfunkel also have a song about a young man coming to grips with his sexuality. In this case, he does so by hooking up with a much older, married woman. See our look at the lyrics and meaning of Mrs Robinson for more.

Finally, if you want more from Queen, check out our list of songs about winning. It features two Queen songs. I’m sure you can guess which ones.

Like this? Please share...

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

You Might Also Like

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search

Recent Posts

Songs About Winning

12 Songs About Winning (To Inspire And Celebrate Victory)

Wish You Were Here Lyrics Meaning

“Wish You Were Here” Lyrics & Meaning (Pink Floyd)

Hey Jude Lyrics Meaning

“Hey Jude” Lyrics & Meaning (The Beatles)

poker face lyrics meaning

“Poker Face” Lyrics & Meaning (Lady Gaga)

paint it black lyrics meaning

“Paint It Black” Lyrics & Meaning (The Rolling Stones)

Footer

Important Links

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Disclosure

Search

Disclosure

Some recommended products may use affiliate links. musicaroo.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

*Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates

Copyright © 2023 · Musicaroo · All rights reserved.