Bohemian Rhapsody, the legendary 6-minute rock opera hit, had a different title before it was released - see what Freddie Mercury had originally named the song.
Go to any major event, karaoke bar, wedding, etc., and there are a few legendary songs that are bound to play - one of which inevitably is Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. The 6-minute rock opera classic has become a mainstay song that mostly everyone knows - but Freddie Mercury gave the song a different title originally, a new historical archive reveals.
A new scribbling from Freddie shows that he originally intended to name the song "Mongolian Rhapsody."
Did you know ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was originally titled ‘Mongolian Rhapsody’?Written entirely by Freddie Mercury, a never-before-seen early draft reveals untold insights into one of the greatest pop songs of the 20th century.Read more: https://t.co/m8t4hoE39s pic.twitter.com/hlSHvhxCODMay 31, 2023
If you look closely at the paper, you can see the title "Mongolian Rhapsody" written and then crossed out, with "Bohemian Rhapsody" written above it.
When looking at the note, scribblings of unforgettable lyrics from the song, including "Figaro," "Beelzebub," and "Bismillah" can be seen as well.
Since the song is so popular, it's inevitable that people have some strong opinions about the song - and most are glad that Queen kept "Bohemian Rhapsody" as the title.
"Glad he changed his mind, that doesn't roll off the tongue as well," someone tweeted about the news.
Although this historical revelation is fascinating, it still doesn't give much insight as to what the song is supposed to be about. Jim Jenkins, a biographer for Queen, has said previously that Freddie Mercury never really liked to explain his lyrics to people; but this isn't new news, fans of Queen can see that portrayed in the critically acclaimed Queen biopic, also titled Bohemian Rhapsody.
In fact, according to The Telegraph, Freddie said of Bohemian Rhapsody while he was still alive, "It's one of those songs which has such a fantasy feel about it. I think people should just listen to it, think about it, and then make up their own minds as to what it says to them."
This piece of paper was acquired by Sotheby's in London from Freddie's close friend Mary Austin, and is up for auction for $1.5 million, along with other memorabilia items from his life.
The collection of memorabilia features other notes with the genesis of lyrics for the hit song, including lyrics that never made the cut, such as: "Mama/ There's a war began/ I've got to leave tonight/ I've got to stand and fight" instead of the actual lyrics, "Mama/ Just killed a man/ Put a gun against his head/ Pulled my trigger, now he's dead."
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