Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody Single (1975)

The Six-Minute Chart-Topper

Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” 7-inch vinyl single, was released in the UK on October 31, 1975, on EMI Records (catalogue: EMI 2375). Backed with “I’m In Love With My Car,” this groundbreaking rock opera, written by Freddie Mercury, was the lead single from the album A Night at the Opera. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker and Queen, the A-side’s operatic structure, multitracked harmonies, and surreal lyrics blended ballad, hard rock, and mock opera.

Mercury referred to "Bohemian Rhapsody" as a "mock opera" that resulted from the combination of three songs he had written. It was recorded by Queen and co-producer Roy Thomas Baker at five studios between August and September 1975. Due to recording logistics of the era, the band had to bounce the tracks across eight generations of 24-track tape, meaning that they required nearly 200 tracks for overdubs. The song parodies elements of opera with bombastic choruses, sarcastic recitative, and distorted Italian operatic phrases. Lyrical references include Scaramouche, the fandango, Galileo Galilei, Figaro, and Beelzebub, with cries of "Bismillah!".

Although critical reaction was initially mixed, retrospective reviews have acclaimed "Bohemian Rhapsody" as one of the greatest songs of all time, and it is often regarded as the band's signature song. The promotional video is credited with furthering the development of the music video medium. It has appeared in numerous polls of the greatest songs in popular music, including a ranking at number 17 on Rolling Stone's 2021 list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time." A Rolling Stone readers' poll also ranked Mercury's vocal performance in the song as the greatest in rock history.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" topped the UK Singles Chart for nine weeks (plus another five weeks following Mercury's death in 1991) and is the UK's third best-selling single of all time. It also topped the charts in countries including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the Netherlands, and has sold over six million copies worldwide. In the United States, the song peaked at number nine in 1976, but reached a new peak of number two after appearing in the 1992 film Wayne's World. In 2004, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Following the release of the 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, it became the most streamed song from the 20th century. In 2021, it was certified diamond in the US for combined digital sales/streams equal to 10 million units, and is one of the best-selling songs of all time. In 2022, it was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Personnel

Freddie Mercury – lead and backing vocals, piano, operatic vocals (middle register)

Brian May – electric guitar, operatic vocals (low register)

Roger Taylor – drums, timpani, gong, operatic vocals (high register)

UK Variants

Single 7" Vinyl Commercial in Picture Sleeve

Label: EMI – EMI 2375

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo, Picture Sleeve

A Bohemian Rhapsody

B I'm In Love With My Car

Published By – B. Feldman & Co. Ltd.

Published By – Trident Music (2)

Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Queen (4)

Printed By – Delga

Producer – Queen, Roy Thomas Baker

B. Feldman & Co Ltd., T/AS Trident Music

℗ 1975 Queen

Made in Gt.Britain

This original UK release comes in a matt paper picture sleeve.

Matrix / Runout (Run-out matrix A-side stamped): EMI 2375 A-2

Matrix / Runout (Run-out matrix B-side stamped): EMI 2375 B-

Single 7" Vinyl Commercial in Company Sleeve

Single 7" Vinyl Four Prong Centre

Label: EMI – EMI 2375

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single

A Bohemian Rhapsody

B I'm In Love With My Car

Published By – B. Feldman & Co. Ltd.

Published By – Trident Music (2)

Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Queen (4)

Pressed By – EMI Records

Producer – Queen, Roy Thomas Baker

B. Feldman & Co Ltd., T/AS Trident Music

℗ 1975 Queen

Made in Gt.Britain

After the initial picture sleeve run, the single was sold in standard EMI sleeve.

Single 7" Vinyl Solid Centre

Label: EMI – EMI 2375

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single

A Bohemian Rhapsody

B I'm In Love With My Car

Published By – B. Feldman & Co. Ltd.

Published By – Trident Music (2)

Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Queen (4)

Pressed By – EMI Records

Producer – Queen, Roy Thomas Baker

B. Feldman & Co Ltd., T/AS Trident Music

℗ 1975 Queen

Made in Gt.Britain

After the initial picture sleeve run, the single was sold in standard EMI sleeve.

Single 7" Vinyl White Label

Label: EMI – none

Single 7" Vinyl White Label

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single Sided, White Label

A Bohemian Rhapsody

Record Company – EMI Records Ltd.

Japan

Single 7" Vinyl Commercial in Picture Sleeve

Label: Elektra – P-1430E

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo

Country: Japan

A ボヘミアン・ラプソディ = Bohemian Rhapsody

5:55

B アイム･イン・ラヴ・ウイズ・マイ・カー = I'm In Love With My Car

3:05

Made By – Warner-Pioneer Corporation

Licensed From – Elektra Records Corp.

Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Elektra Records

Distributed By – Warner-Pioneer Corporation

Photography By – Kenji Miura

Vocals, Performer – クイーン*

℗ 1975 Elektra Records

Weekly charts

Chart (1975–1976) Peak position

Australia (Kent Music Report) 1

Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 1

Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 7

Canada Top Singles (RPM) 1

Finland (Suomen Virallinen) 10

Ireland (IRMA) 1

Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 1

Netherlands (Single Top 100) 1

New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 1

Norway (VG-lista) 4

South Africa (Springbok Radio) 2

Spain (AFE) 4

Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 18

Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 4

UK Singles (OCC) 1

US Billboard Hot 100 9

US Cash Box Top 100 6

West Germany (GfK) 7

Sources

Discogs

45cat

YouTube

Wikipedia

Official Charts Company

AllMusic

Billboard