That special song

[Goodwatch]

It was the end of 1975, or was it early 1976, that my world was shook up by song that was played on the radio. I had never heard the likes of it before and never since. It starts with an a cappella slow ballad line: “Is this the real life, is this just fantasy?”. The song is unprecedentedly musical and complex. Some call it an over the top mockery of opera and ‘real’ music but to me it remains one of the best rock songs ever released.

In 1976, whilst in high school, the only thing a nerd like me could do to gain some acclaim at all was to do something like playing records at the annual school Disco and so I did. A mate and me brought a large collection of singles and LPs and he also brought an extra turntable as the school had only one.

The song was immensely popular because it contains something for all, including a hard rock intermezzo for would-be metal heads. We had to play it several times that evening although it is no dance track.

Wind forward to 1986. At that time I had a high quality set-up for playing records; Systemdek II, Mission 774 arm rewired with Siltech, Kiseki Blue cardridge, Krell PAM-1 pre-amp and a ‘l Audiophile 20 Watt Class A power-amp with 1,5 Farad capacitors. The capacitors could store so much energy that the amp kept on running and playing for almost one minute after switching off. Speakers were Etude 2-ways with an extra passive woofer.

Of course I played that song many a time on that set-up and I started to notice that it lacked clarity. The highs and middles sounded muffled. I blamed the record and bought another one. Same effect. Even a very expensive Japanese direct metal master cut sounded the same.

Whatever version I tried on whatever medium, the results were always the same and I began to suspect it had to do something with the recording itself.

Wind forward to 31 December 2008. Between Boxing Day and the last day of the year, a Dutch radio station plays the Top 2000 of All Times, a continuous stream of 2000 singles voted for by the listeners. On TV there’s a program during that days that delves into that. They play some tracks from the list, have guests that tell their special memories of their favourite songs, there’s a quiz, etc.

For many years that song is number one. And because of that I started to search for background info on the Net. And there I found the answer to that muffled sound: some parts were overdubbed 180 times to get the right effect!

The song I’m talking about is Bohemian Rhapsody of course

[JimSnyder]

Great song. I was a junior in High School

[Latrodectus]

Frans, I knew which song it was at the beginning of your post...I don't know a lot about the technique you are talking about...but the song is one of the best songs ever made.
When you listen to it today...it still rocks the boat!!!

[Launch Mini]

I still crank that one in the car on a regular basis.
With a great set of headphones, you can hear so many of the levels & the separation.
LOVE it, for sure one of the all time greatest

[B Square]

Now I'll have that damn song in my head for the next two days Thanks alot

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by B Square

Now I'll have that damn song in my head for the next two days Thanks a lot

It was my pleasure, always out to please a fellow TRF member you know!

[Ashley]

I love this song, and I love the Weird Al version of it! That's how I learned all of the lyrics :D

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by Ashley

I love this song, and I love the Weird Al version of it! That's how I learned all of the lyrics :D

Sacrilege "I learned the lyrics through the Weird Al version". I will cry myself to sleep tonight

[redshirt1957]

Originally Posted by Goodwatch

Sacrilege "I learned the lyrics through the Weird Al version". I will cry myself to sleep tonight

Geez Frans, I thought the song would have some real meaning like my most favorite, "Why don't we get drunk and screw". I am starting to doubt you ability to get in touch with your inner self.

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by redshirt1957

Jeez Frans, I thought the song would have some real meaning like my most favourite, "Why don't we get drunk and screw". I am starting to doubt you ability to get in touch with your inner self.

That is fine by me, as long as you don't doubt my ability to ban you

[redshirt1957]

Originally Posted by Goodwatch

That is fine by me, as long as you don't doubt my ability to ban you

I am sitting in our double wide with 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 6 year olds so banning or caneing might just put me out of my misery. Did I fail to mention a wife, mother-in-law, dumb/blind/farting dog, cat, and some dumb fish we have to travel with or the 10 year old goes nuts; and they are all watching me type on my computer wondering....what porn site is the bald headed Viraga needing idiot on. Oh yea, happy New Year my friend.

[Ashley]

Originally Posted by Goodwatch

Sacrilege "I learned the lyrics through the Weird Al version". I will cry myself to sleep tonight

The Queen version was long before my time, you should be happy that the great Weird Al helped the younger generation get to know this timeless classic!

[redshirt1957]

Originally Posted by Ashley

The Queen version was long before my time, you should be happy that the great Weird Al helped the younger generation get to know this timeless classic!

That just made us all feel better! Let me go get my walker and get back on the oxygen.

[Ashley]

Originally Posted by redshirt1957

That just made us all feel better! Let me go get my walker and get back on the oxygen.

Don't forget to bring your prune juice! You have to stay regular

[redshirt1957]

Originally Posted by Ashley

Don't forget to bring your prune juice! You have to stay regular

You promise to change my depends and I will then, promise to drink prune juice. Damn youngsters!

[East Bay Rider]

Originally Posted by redshirt1957

I am sitting in our double wide with 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 6 year olds so banning or caneing might just put me out of my misery. Did I fail to mention a wife, mother-in-law, dumb/blind/farting dog, cat, and some dumb fish we have to travel with or the 10 year old goes nuts; and they are all watching me type on my computer wondering....what porn site is the bald headed Viraga needing idiot on. Oh yea, happy New Year my friend.

Just another day huh?

[Ashley]

Originally Posted by redshirt1957

You promise to change my depends and I will then, promise to drink prune juice. Damn youngsters!

Depends, you say? That is outside of my area of expertise

[Leighton]

Originally Posted by East Bay Rider

Just another day huh?

[JimSnyder]

The only way to watch it :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD03b1b8oAA

[Launch Mini]

I still get that vision of Wayne & Garth rocking out in the car in Wayne's World.

Okay, saw the post above me before I posted

[1MAC]

I remember seeing an interview with Brian May in which he recalled how the original tape had been bounced so many times you could see through it. (Because the iron oxide was all worn off). They then quickly made a copy!

[Uncle-AJ]

The song that changed my life was "Here comes the bride". Nothing has been the same since.

[Jimbits76]

Nice work Dutchie. A truly crazy song, a veritable cornucopia of melody and structure.

Mine is a little different.

I remember family outings, my father driving his hulking 'battleship class' Mercedes 350SE, his audio cassette player blaring out these strange curious songs, with lyrics my brother, sister and I just didn't understand. In our 80's drenched uk pop experience of Duran Duran, Wham and Spandau Ballet, it also seemed as though these guys coming from the Mercedes' speakers just couldn't sing a note!!!!!!!!!
Sat in the rear of the car, we used to whinge and gripe about every song that played although there was one where we just always knew when to shut up...

It starts with a crack of a snare drum like a gunshot shattering silence before Al Kooper's "church" Hammond organ gallops in sounding both joyous and melancholic in the same instance.

Then comes Bloomfield's fender, a twinking piano melody (probably layed by the singer/sogwriter) and the strangely not out of place tamborine percussion.

Eventually the nasal whine howls out an accusatory;

"Wha----once upon a time you dress'd so fine...."

A massive record and not just in the 6 minutes plus running time.

Lyrically vitriolic and full of passion, it tells a tale of a seemingly spurned lover and his attitude towards the hipster ex girlfriend who has now fallen on hard times. Is it about hate or love? Does the protagonist still care enough about his subject to want to see her pain, to still mock her hardship from his "pedestal"? Who hasn't wanted to see those who spurned them be proved wrong? It is a basic human trait!

The song can be interpreted in many ways, it is subjective! Each listener having their own view on the story as it unfolds. Whatever the view, it should be noted that the most prominent theme of the lyrics is that of loss.

The lyrics are biting and intelligent, the vocals are amped, the rich, rolling, turbulent music providing an incredible backdrop.

Although I now prefer other "less populist" songs on the Highway 61 Revisited album (the haunting and beautiful 'Desolation Row', the masterpiece of 'Tom Thumb's'... and 'From Buick 6' which moves like a cheetah on Amphetamine Sulphate) it will always and forever be 'Like a Rolling Stone' which opened my eyes to a wider range of music and to a world of songwriters who write for themselves, songwriters and singers who want the world to hear their voice. For the first time in my life I realised it wasn't about selling records or fame and fortune.

"How does it fee-----el?"

It feels like a brave new world Bob. Thank you!

J

[Gerry]

Originally Posted by Goodwatch

For many years that song is number one. And because of that I started to search for background info on the Net. And there I found the answer to that muffled sound: some parts were overdubbed 180 times to get the right effect!

The song I’m talking about is Bohemian Rhapsody of course

It was getting to the point where some parts of the tape were nearly transparent and that's where the members of Queen said "Enough is enough!" and then I read through the thread and found that 1MAC had beaten me to it! :)

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by Gerry

It was getting to the point where some parts of the tape were nearly transparent and that's where the members of Queen said "Enough is enough!" and then I read through the thread and found that 1MAC had beaten me to it! :)

If only hard disc recorders already existed back then

[marshallr47]

Great classic tune which has gone down in history as one of the best.