Sofia Eury

Date of Award

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Humanities

First Advisor

Clark, Maribeth

Area of Concentration

Humanities

Abstract

This paper delves into the history of the song “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen and its popularity since the time of its creation in 1975. Popularity is measured by the song’s relationship to the music industry and its continued public engagement through 2019. To better understand its popularity, I first discuss the history of the “Bohemian Rhapsody” within the context of the music industry, and songwriter and lead singer of Queen, Freddie Mercury, and the pertinence of his life to the song he created. In 1975, Queen had only existed as a band for a few years, and while they did already have some successful albums out, a song as long as “Bohemian Rhapsody” was risky to release as the first single for their new album, A Night at the Opera. Despite the initial hesitation from the label, the song has now been an important piece of popular music culture for over 40 years. The final chapter delves into the music and narrative of “Bohemian Rhapsody” as well as the myriad of meanings behind the structure and lyrics of the song.

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