A Night At The Opera

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{{Infobox Album <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Albums -->
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| artist      = Queen
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| album      = A Night At The Opera
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| image      = [[Image:Queen_anato.jpg|175px]]
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| header      = A Night At The Opera, 1975
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| released    = 21 November 1975 (UK), 2 December 1975 (US)
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| recorded    = August - November 1975 at Sarm East, Olympic, Rockfield, Scorpio, Lansdowne, and Roundhouse Studios
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| length      = 42:59
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| label      = EMI
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| producer    = Queen and Roy Thomas Baker
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| previous_album = [[Sheer Heart Attack (album) | Sheer Heart Attack]]
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| previous_album_year = 1974
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| album_year = 1975
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| next_album  = [[A Day At The Races]]
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| next_album_year  =  1976
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Despite having two Top Ten albums and two Top Ten singles to their name, Queen found themselves in serious dire straits at the start of 1975. They had been touring and recording relentlessly for five years, and none of their hard work had started to pay off yet, which raised concerns for the band members. John had married his steady girlfriend, Veronica, in January, and had asked Queen's managers, [[Sheffield brothers | Norman and Barry Sheffield]], for an advance of £5,000 for the down payment of a house, which was outright rejected. Freddie, too, had started to lavish more decorations upon his flat, and was looking to purchase a piano for his own personal use, but money advancements were, again, denied.
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|valign="top"|[[Image:Queen_anato.jpg|thumb|175px|left|]]  
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Health issues were also starting to plague the band. Though Brian had recovered nicely from his bout with hepatitis and gangrene from the spring of 1974, now Freddie's voice was starting to cause problems, and several dates on their US tour had to be canceled so that he could relax and save his throat. It was at first said that nodules had formed on his lymph nodes and that three months' rest was the only cure, but a second opinion revealed his throat was merely excessively swollen, and that only one or two weeks was necessary.
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Nevertheless, the band were understandably exhausted in the spring of 1975 after they finished up their lengthy tour (which included, for the first time ever, a tour of Japan). Things finally came to a head with the Sheffield brothers, and the band enlisted the services of [[Jim Beach]], who initiated negotiations to sever all ties with their former management. The process dragged on for quite some time, but it would end up being a positive for the band in the long run – though it cost them £100,00 and that their former management would receive one percent of the royalties on Queen's next six albums.
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With this in mind, the band went into the recording studios (not Trident) to commence work on their fourth album, which Brian later called "our ''Sgt. Pepper''." The band's desire to experiment had grown exponentially since their previous recording sessions, and it became another case of "making it or breaking it" – while they had passed the proverbial third album litmus test, they needed a massive hit single with which to cement their name firmly as a household item. Enter [[Bohemian Rhapsody]].
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Much has been said about the song, so there will be no attempts here to try to decipher it, but simply said, [[Bohemian Rhapsody]] was one of the first true integrations of pomp and circumstance into the rock world. While many records had combined operatic sounds with rock (see ''The Man Who Sold The World'' by David Bowie, or ''Tommy'' by The Who), this was the first time that opera as an art form had merged with rock. The song took three weeks to record from start to finish, and a legend was started, and later confirmed by Brian and Roger, that so many overdubs had been added that the tape started to wear out; when the band held the tape to the light, they were alarmed to be able to see straight through it.
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At the end of the sessions, the band decided to take a chance and issue the six minute magnum opus as the first single from the album, but had elected not to edit the song down into a more consumable length for radio play. Even the ever-confident Freddie was starting to doubt himself, so he took the song over to his friend [[Kenny Everett]], then a DJ on the BBC, and asked him his opinion of it. After hearing it for the first time, an astonished Kenny responded with, "Oh, forget about this. It could be a half an hour, it's still gonna be number one for centuries." Freddie then gave Kenny the tape, but made him promise not to play it on the air. Kenny promised at first, but, ever the cheeky one, he played it anyway – fourteen times over two days, which initially horrified the band, but caused a huge demand for the song, resulting in a rush-release single on October 31, 1975.
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Of course, we're getting ahead of ourselves here – there are many other songs on ''A Night At The Opera'', all as grandiose and brilliant as [[Bohemian Rhapsody]]. The good ol' fashioned Queen snarl presided in [[Death On Two Legs (Dedicated to......]] (a song written by Freddie about his former managers, though, to protect himself legally, they were never named), Roger's [[I'm In Love With My Car]], and Brian's [[Sweet Lady]]. Freddie's [[Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon]] and [[Seaside Rendezvous]] were affectionate nods to the 1920s music hall and vaudeville genre, while Brian's [[Good Company]] was reminiscent of any number of glorious Kinks records released in the late 1960s. John's [[You're My Best Friend]] was a terrific pop single, while the balladic [[Love Of My Life]], written by Freddie for [[Mary Austin]], would endure and endear in nearly every country for the next thirty years.
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One other epic was constructed during the sessions – Brian's [[The Prophets Song]], which recalled a particular dream he had in which Mother Earth hatches revenge against her inhabitants. Clocking in at over eight minutes, the song was reportedly considered for single release at one point, though the lengthy vocal interlude would likely have been cut; another of Brian's songs, the space folk (!!!) [['39]], would turn up as the B-side of [[You're My Best Friend]] in May 1976, and was one of two songs on the album to feature Brian on lead vocals.
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The grand finale was a suitably over-the-top arrangement of [[God Save The Queen | Britain's national anthem]], which had been sung by audiences during homeland concerts while they were waiting for the band to enter the stage. The song had actually been recorded during sessions for [[Sheer Heart Attack (album) | Sheer Heart Attack]] at Rockfield Studios, and was used from October 1974 until August 1986, and again during the Queen + Paul Rodgers tour, to herald the end of Queen's shows.
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The album was released in November 1975 – a mere fortnight after the [[Bohemian Rhapsody]] single shot into the UK charts – and reached #1 in the UK, and #4 in the US, the first time any of Queen's albums had broken through the Top Ten. [[Bohemian Rhapsody]] reached #1 in the UK and #9 in the US, while the follow-up single, John's [[You're My Best Friend]], peaked at #7 in the UK and #16 in the US. The album has been privvy to several re-releases along the way, including the 1991 Hollywood Records reissue that saw special remixes of [[You're My Best Friend]] and [[I'm In Love With My Car]] tacked on as bonus tracks (it would seem that all the material recorded for the album was released, so, until anyone else says otherwise, any additional titles that may crop up on less reliable encyclopedia sites are just boring jokes propagated by equally boring people). The album was also mixed into 5.1 surround sound and released on DVD-A in 2000 and 2002, with the two-disc 30th anniversary edition featuring both a remastered CD and the DVD-A, though worth picking up would be the 2005 documentary ''The Making Of'' A Night At The Opera, which features Roger and Brian, along with assorted individuals (producers, engineers, peers, record executives, and rock critics) discussing the album at length.
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The band knew rather early on that they had something special on their hands, and invited the press for a special hearing of the album only days before they were due to go on tour again. The album was still being mixed hours before the playback, and further tweaks and edits were made afterward, but the general consensus was that Queen had recorded a killer album, and that it blew their previous three albums out of the water. More than thirty years on, it's hard to disagree.
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==Tracklists==
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{|
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|valign="top" style="width:450px;"|
|valign="top" style="width:450px;"|
'''Vinyl version'''
'''Vinyl version'''
Line 75: Line 38:
==Credits==
==Credits==
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* Musicians:  
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* '''Musicians:'''
: '''[[Freddie Mercury]]''' - vocals, vocals, Bechstein Debauchery, and more vocals, vocal orchestration of woodwinds on [[Seaside Rendezvous]], operatic vocals on [[Bohemian Rhapsody]]
: '''[[Freddie Mercury]]''' - vocals, vocals, Bechstein Debauchery, and more vocals, vocal orchestration of woodwinds on [[Seaside Rendezvous]], operatic vocals on [[Bohemian Rhapsody]]
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: '''[[Brian May]]''' - guitars, orchestral backdrops, vocals, lead vocals on [['39]] and [[Good Company]], toy koto on [[The Prophets Song]], orchestral harp on [[Love Of My Life]], genuine 'aloha' ukulele (made in Japan) and guitar jazz band on [[Good Company]], operatic vocals on [[Bohemian Rhapsody]]
: '''[[Brian May]]''' - guitars, orchestral backdrops, vocals, lead vocals on [['39]] and [[Good Company]], toy koto on [[The Prophets Song]], orchestral harp on [[Love Of My Life]], genuine 'aloha' ukulele (made in Japan) and guitar jazz band on [[Good Company]], operatic vocals on [[Bohemian Rhapsody]]
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: '''[[Roger Taylor]]''' - drums, percussion, vocals, lead vocals on [[I'm In Love With My Car]], bass drum and tambourine on [['39]], vocal orchestrations of brass on [[Seaside Rendezvous]], operatic vocals on [[Bohemian Rhapsody]], timpani on [[Bohemian Rhapsody]] and [[God Save The Queen]], orchestral cymbals on [[God Save The Queen]]
: '''[[Roger Taylor]]''' - drums, percussion, vocals, lead vocals on [[I'm In Love With My Car]], bass drum and tambourine on [['39]], vocal orchestrations of brass on [[Seaside Rendezvous]], operatic vocals on [[Bohemian Rhapsody]], timpani on [[Bohemian Rhapsody]] and [[God Save The Queen]], orchestral cymbals on [[God Save The Queen]]
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: '''[[John Deacon]]''' - bass guitar, electric piano on [[You're My Best Friend]], double bass on [['39]]
: '''[[John Deacon]]''' - bass guitar, electric piano on [[You're My Best Friend]], double bass on [['39]]
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* Produced by: '''[[Queen]]''' and '''[[Roy Thomas Baker]]'''.
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* '''Produced by:'''
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: '''[[Queen]]''' and '''[[Roy Thomas Baker]]'''.
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* Recorded: August - November 1975 at '''[[Sarm East Studios]]''', Aldgate; '''[[Olympic Studios]]''', Barnes; '''[[Rockfield Studios]]''', Monmouth; '''[[Scorpio Studios]]''', '''[[Lansdowne Studios]]''', '''[[Roundhouse Studios]]''', London.
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* '''Recorded:'''
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: August - November 1975 at '''[[Sarm East Studios]]''', Aldgate; '''[[Olympic Studios]]''', Barnes; '''[[Rockfield Studios]]''', Monmouth; '''[[Scorpio Studios]]''', '''[[Lansdowne Studios]]''', '''[[Roundhouse Studios]]''', London.
==Charts==
==Charts==

Revision as of 15:10, 24 September 2008

Vinyl version

  • Side 1:
  1. Death On Two Legs (Dedicated to......
  2. Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon
  3. I'm In Love With My Car
  4. You're My Best Friend
  5. '39
  6. Sweet Lady
  7. Seaside Rendezvous
  • Side 2:
  1. The Prophets Song
  2. Love Of My Life
  3. Good Company
  4. Bohemian Rhapsody
  5. God Save The Queen

1991 Hollywood Records CD

  1. Death On Two Legs (Dedicated to......
  2. Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon
  3. I'm In Love With My Car
  4. You're My Best Friend
  5. '39
  6. Sweet Lady
  7. Seaside Rendezvous
  8. The Prophets Song
  9. Love Of My Life
  10. Good Company
  11. Bohemian Rhapsody
  12. God Save The Queen
  13. I'm In Love With My Car (remix)
  14. You're My Best Friend (remix)

Credits

  • Musicians:
Freddie Mercury - vocals, vocals, Bechstein Debauchery, and more vocals, vocal orchestration of woodwinds on Seaside Rendezvous, operatic vocals on Bohemian Rhapsody
Brian May - guitars, orchestral backdrops, vocals, lead vocals on '39 and Good Company, toy koto on The Prophets Song, orchestral harp on Love Of My Life, genuine 'aloha' ukulele (made in Japan) and guitar jazz band on Good Company, operatic vocals on Bohemian Rhapsody
Roger Taylor - drums, percussion, vocals, lead vocals on I'm In Love With My Car, bass drum and tambourine on '39, vocal orchestrations of brass on Seaside Rendezvous, operatic vocals on Bohemian Rhapsody, timpani on Bohemian Rhapsody and God Save The Queen, orchestral cymbals on God Save The Queen
John Deacon - bass guitar, electric piano on You're My Best Friend, double bass on '39
  • Produced by:
Queen and Roy Thomas Baker.
  • Recorded:
August - November 1975 at Sarm East Studios, Aldgate; Olympic Studios, Barnes; Rockfield Studios, Monmouth; Scorpio Studios, Lansdowne Studios, Roundhouse Studios, London.

Charts

Country Release date First appearance in charts Peak position Chart run Weeks in chart Additional comments
UK 21 November 1975 13 December 1975 1 2-2-1-1-2-1-1-2-4-7-6-11-10-11-13-17-26-21-37-47-39-33-42-45-0-

52-0-55-47-38-46-35-26-25-23-25-22-38-39-39-39-51-50-44-43-57

44 12 weeks in Top 10, 4 weeks at #1
UK - 8 January 1977 (1st re-entry) 40 53-44-40-53 4 48 weeks to date
UK - 22 September 1984 (2nd re-entry) 85 85-0-100 2 50 weeks to date
USA 2 December 1975 27 December 1975 4 116-67-57-48-39-35-28-26-24-23-21-11-9-8-7-6-4-4-4-13-14-14-16-18-18-19-

29-29-37-43-66-66-64-66-28-28-38-41-72-69-76-100-100-126-126-124-166

47 7 weeks in Top 10
USA - 22 January 1977 (1st re-entry) 119 162-151-125-122-119-119-180-180-180 9 56 weeks to date
Austria - - - - - -
Finland - - - - - -
Germany - - - - - -
Japan - - 9 - 52 -
Italy - - DNC - - -
Netherlands - - 1 - - -
Portugal - - - - - -
Spain - - - - - -
Sweden - - - - - -
Switzerland - - - - - -

Information supplied by Fedepeti, 24 August 2004

Singles

Bohemian Rhapsody, 1975
You're My Best Friend, 1976

Additional info

  • Info

Reviews

Winnipeg Free Press, 1976

Queen,' an increasingly popular British quartet which has displayed a wealth of playing and composing talent on its previous three albums, continues to hone and refine its craft on its latest effort, the aptly titled A Night At The Opera.

'There are few instruments capable of matching the potentialities of the human voice, as the band has demonstrated to great advanlage on many occasions in the past. A Night At The Opera marks a conscious attempt of the part of the group to increase its following in North America by way of a more commercially-oriented, almost-poppish musical approach which accentuates all four band member's impressive vocal abilities more pronouncedly than its fiery instrumental work.

Don't get the idea that A Night At The Opera constitutes Queen's attempt at light opera. There's still plenty of the familiar firepower which fans have come to expect from the group, although the over-all emphasis is on the quieter, more subdued side of the group's diverse musical framework? Aided by Roy Thomas Baker's always superb production work (he should also be behind the controls for Be- Bop Deluxe's forthcoming Sunburst Finish LP after doing such a magnificent job on Futurama, lead singer extraordinaire Freddie Mercury — along with guitar whiz Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor and bassist John Deacon — serve up a number of exquisite vocal passages.

The group's tremendous singing is especially evident on a totally acapella section of The Prophet's Song and a lovely acoustic ballad entitled '39. Although the boys display a few excessive tendencies in this area (there are a couple of spots on the record where I find myself echoing the group's plea of "Ooh, give me a good guitar" from its Sheer Heart Attack set), there's no denying that Queen definitely has set its sights on becoming a lot more than just another flashy, English, hard-rock band.

The album also reflects the group's continuing fascination with whimsical 1920's and '30's influenced tunes like the catchy Seaside Rendezvous. Although A Night At The Opera lacks some of the initial impact of the group's earlier work, it more than compensates for that with a more well-rounded, consistently listenable set which should definitely serve to broaden the group's appeal.

Combined with the group's exceptional songwriting abilities (save for a brief rendition of God Save The Queen which closes out side two, all 11 tracks are group originals) which blend clever, often poignant lyrics with attractively-arranged melodies, Queen has an enviable arsenal of musical weapons at its disposal.

After conquering ils native England (A Night At The Opera shot to the No. 1 slot on the British album charts within weeks of its release, and all three of the group's previous efforts currently occupy positions in the Top 50), Queen appears ready to make its mark in North America, The group's potential is practically limitless, indicating that Queen is destined to finally take its place among the small handful of truly major acts working in rock today.

Additional Reviews

Sleeves

Japan LP, 1975
Japan LP (different OBI), 1975
Japan LP (different OBI), 1975
Mexico LP, 1975
Argentina LP, 1975
Israel LP, 1975
Japan LP, 2005
Holland White LP, 1975
France White LP, 1976
Colombia LP, 1976
Venezuela LP, 1976
Uruguay LP, 1976
UK Virgin Vinyl EMI100 series LP, 1997
USA US Mobile Fidelity LP, 2000
USA DCC Audiophile LP Test Press, 2000
Japan CD, 1988
Japan Remaster CD, 1998
Japan Remaster CD, 2004
China CD, 1993
Taiwan CD, 19xx
Taiwan CD / DVD, 2005
France 2 CD Set, 2002
USA 24kt Gold CD, 2000
USA 24kt Gold CD, 2000
UK Cassette, 1975
USA Cassette, 1991
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