Bohemian Rhapsody

Lyrics and meaning

The title's "Bohemian" refers to the "easy come, easy go" "poor boy" character singing the song (a follower of bohemianism - "living a wandering or vagabond life"). A musical rhapsody is a "composition irregular in form and suggestive of improvisation", which applies to the song itself and not something in the song, so a literal interpretation is that the song title means "A rhapsody about a bohemian".

Related Topics:
Bohemianism - Rhapsody

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The lyrics set the stage with the theme "No escape from reality", then tell the story of "a poor boy" who is "easy come, easy go" and shoots a man dead. He tells his mama "I don't want to die. I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all." The court responds to his pleas with "We will not let you go". The killer's reply, "Any way the wind blows, doesn't really matter to me," is a refrain from start to end. Believing that things don't matter do not prevent them from mattering. There is indeed, "No escape from reality".

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It has been suggested that the song references Freddie Mercury's struggle with AIDS. As Bohemian Rhapsody was first performed in 1975, roughly 6 years before the AIDS epidemics 1981 start, these thoughts are incorrect. However, the song does contain many lyrics that reference death: "Mama, life had just begun, but now I've gone and thrown it all away", "Mama, ooohoo, didn't mean to make you cry, if I'm not back again this time tomorrow, carry on, carry on... as if nothing really matters", "Too late, my time has come, sends shivers down my spine, body's aching all the time," "Goodbye, everybody, I've got to go, gotta leave you all behind, and face the truth", "Mama, ooohoo (anyway the wind blows) I don't wanna die! I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all!" and "So you think you can love me and leave me to die!". It has also been suggested that the song refers to a death sentence. Another suggestion is that it refers to an inner struggle over his sexual identity.

Related Topics:
1975 - AIDS epidemic - 1981

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