Carátula del álbum A night at the opera de Queen

A night at the opera de Queen

Álbum de Queen

Valora este álbum

A night at the opera es un álbum de Queen, publicado en 1975 por EMI. El disco incluye 12 canciones, entre ellas «Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To ...)», «Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon», «I´m In Love With My Car» y «You're My Best Friend».

A Night at the Opera no es solo un álbum, es un acontecimiento en la historia de la música popular. Lanzado en 1975, este cuarto trabajo de estudio de Queen es la culminación de todas sus ambiciones artísticas, una obra grandilocuente y ecléctica que desafió todas las convenciones. Con un presupuesto desorbitado para la época y una creatividad desbordante, la banda creó su magnum opus, un disco que contiene una de las canciones más icónicas jamás grabadas y que los catapultó al estatus de superestrellas globales.

Contexto de creación

Tras el éxito de Sheer Heart Attack, Queen se encontraba en una situación financiera precaria debido a un contrato abusivo con su anterior mánager. Libres de esas ataduras, la banda decidió apostar a lo grande. "A Night at the Opera" fue, en su momento, el álbum más caro jamás producido.

La banda lo concibió como una declaración definitiva: o triunfaban a una escala masiva o se disolvían. El título, al igual que el de su siguiente álbum, fue tomado de una película de los Hermanos Marx, reflejando el sentido del humor y el caos controlado que impregnaba su música.

El proceso en el estudio

La grabación se extendió durante varios meses en múltiples estudios, incluyendo Sarm East, Trident y Abbey Road. La banda, junto al productor Roy Thomas Baker, empleó una cantidad ingente de tiempo y recursos para materializar sus complejas ideas. Se utilizaron estudios de 24 pistas y se experimentó con técnicas de sobregrabación hasta un punto nunca antes visto. Solo para la sección operística de "Bohemian Rhapsody", se necesitaron más de 180 sobregrabaciones vocales, un proceso que llevó semanas y que desgastó las cintas maestras hasta hacerlas casi transparentes.

Estilo y propuesta sonora

"A Night at the Opera" es la definición de la diversidad estilística de Queen. El álbum es un viaje a través de una asombrosa variedad de géneros musicales. Desde el heavy metal hasta el pop más dulce, pasando por el skiffle, el dixieland, el music hall y, por supuesto, la ópera. Lo que une a estas piezas tan dispares es el inconfundible sello de Queen: arreglos vocales e instrumentales de una complejidad barroca, melodías inolvidables y una ejecución impecable.

Desglose de temas

El álbum contiene algunas de las canciones más celebradas de la banda. "Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to.)" es una apertura de tono duro y letra confrontacional. En el otro extremo del espectro, "You're My Best Friend", escrita por John Deacon, es una canción pop perfecta que se convirtió en un gran éxito mundial.

Brian May aporta joyas como "'39", una historia de ciencia ficción contada en formato de "folk espacial", y la majestuosa "The Prophet's Song", una épica progresiva de más de ocho minutos.

Bohemian Rhapsody

Y luego está "Bohemian Rhapsody". La composición de Freddie Mercury es reconocida como una de las canciones más innovadoras de la historia. Con casi seis minutos de duración y una estructura que desafía toda lógica (balada, solo de guitarra, ópera, hard rock y coda), era la antítesis de un sencillo comercial. La discográfica se negó a lanzarla como single, pero la banda se mantuvo firme. La canción se convirtió en un fenómeno cultural sin precedentes, permaneciendo en el número 1 de las listas británicas durante nueve semanas.

Vídeos promocionales

Para promocionar "Bohemian Rhapsody", la banda grabó un vídeo promocional que es considerado pionero en el concepto del videoclip musical tal y como lo conocemos hoy. Basado en la icónica portada de Queen II, demostró que un vídeo podía ser una herramienta artística y de marketing fundamental.

Salida al mercado y resultados

El álbum fue un éxito monumental en todo el mundo, consolidando a Queen en la primera división del rock.

La crítica especializada

La crítica se rindió ante "A Night at the Opera". Los medios que antes habían sido escépticos ahora aclamaban la audacia, la creatividad y el genio musical de la banda. Con el tiempo, su estatus no ha hecho más que crecer, y aparece constantemente en las listas de los mejores álbumes de todos los tiempos.

Listado de Canciones

  1. Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To ...)

    Letra

    Words and music by freddie mercury You suck my blood like a leech You break the law and you preach Screw my brain till it hurts You've taken all my money And you want more Misguided old mule with your pig headed rules With your narrow minded cronies Who are fools of the first division Death on two legs You're tearing me apart Death on two legs You've never had a heart of your own Kill joy bad guy big talking small fry You're just an old barrow boy Have you found a new toy to replace me? Can you face me? But now you can kiss my ass goodbye Feel good are you satisfied? Do you feel like suicide? (i think you should) Is your conscience all right Does it plague you at night? Do you feel good feel good? You talk like a big business tycoon You're just a hot air balloon So no one gives you a damn You're just an overgrown schoolboy Let me tan your hide A dog with disease You're the king of the 'sleaze' Put your money where your mouth is Mister know-all Was the fin on your back Part of the deal? (shark) Death on two legs You're tearing me apart Death on two legs You've never had a heart (you never did) of your own (right from the start) Insane you should be put inside You're a sewer rat decaying in a cesspool of pride Should be made unemployed Then make yourself null and void Make me feel good i feel good
  2. Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon

    Letra

    Words and music by freddie mercury I go out to work on monday morning Tuesday I go off to honeymoon Ill be back again before it's time for sunnydown Ill be lazing on a sunday afternoon Bicycling on every wednesday evening Thursday I go waltzing to the zoo I come from london town I'm just an ordinary guy Fridays I go painting in the louvre I'm bound to be proposing on a saturday night There he goes again Ill be lazing on a sunday lazing on a sunday Lazing on a sunday afternoon
  3. I´m In Love With My Car
    vídeo del tema I´m In Love With My Car
    The machine of a dream Such a clean machine With the pistons a pumping And the hubcaps all gleam When I'm holding your wheel All I hear is your gear When my hand's on your grease gun Oh, it's like a disease, son I'm in love with my car Got a feel for my automobile Get a grip on my boy racer roll bar Such a thrill when your radials squeal Told my girl I'll have to forget her Rather buy me a new carburetor So she made tracks saying this is the end now Cars don't talk back, they're just four-wheeled friends now When I'm holdin your wheel All I hear is your gear When I'm cruising in overdrive Don't have to listen to no run-of-the-mill talk jive I'm in love with my car Got a feel for my automobile I'm in love with my car String back gloves in my automolove
  4. You're My Best Friend
    vídeo del tema You're My Best Friend
    Ooh you make me live Whatever this world can give to me It's you you're all I see Ooo you make me live now honey Ooo you make me live Ooh you're the best friend that I ever had I've been with you such a long time You're my sunshine and I want you to know That my feelings are true I really love you Oh you're my best friend Ooo you make me live Ooh I've been wandering round But I still come back to you In rain or shine You've stood by me girl I'm happy at home You're my best friend Ooo you make me live Whenever this world is cruel to me I got you to help me forgive Ooo you make me live now honey Ooo you make me live You're the first one When things turn out bad You know I'll never be lonely You're my only one And I love the things I really love the things that you do You're my best friend Ooo you make me live I'm happy at home You're my best friend Oh you're my best friend Ooo you make me live You you're my best friend
  5. '39

    Letra

    In the year of thirty-nine Assembled here the volunteers In the days when lands were few Here the ship sailed out into the blue and sunny morn The sweetest sight ever seen And the night followed day And the story tellers say That the score brave souls inside For many a lonely day Sailed across the milky seas Never looked back never feared never cried Don't you hear my call? Though you're many years away Don't you hear me calling you? Write your letters in the sand For the day I'll take your hand In the land that our grand-children knew In the year of thirty-nine Came a ship from the blue The volunteers came home that day And they bring good news Of a world so newly born Though their hearts so heavily weigh For the earth is old and grey Little darlin' we'll away But my love this cannot be Oh, so many years have gone Though I'm older than a year Your mothers eyes from your eyes cry to me Don't you hear my call? Though you're many years away Don't you hear me calling you Write your letters in the sand For the day I'll take your hand In the land that our grand-children knew Don't you hear my call? Though you're many years away Don't you hear me calling you? All your letters in the sand Cannot heal me like your hand For my life still ahead pity me
  6. Sweet Lady

    Letra

    You call me up and treat me like a dog You call me up and tear me up inside Youve got me on a lead You bring me down You shout around You don't believe that I'm alone. Sweet lady Sweet lady Sweet lady... Stay sweet. You say You call me up and feed me all the lines You call me sweet lime I'm some kind of cheese Waiting on the shelf You eat me up You hold me down I'm just a fool to make you a home And you say Sweet lady Sweet lady Sweet lady... Stay sweet. My sweet lady Though it seems like we wait forever Stay sweet baby Believe and weve got everything we need.
  7. Seaside Rendezvous

    Letra

    Seaside - whenever you stroll along with me I'm merely contemplating what you feel inside Meanwhile I ask you to be my Clementine You say you will if you could but you can't I love you madly Let my imagination run away with you gladly A brand new angle - highly commendable Seaside Rendezvous I feel so romantic - can we do it again Can we do it again some time Fantastic, C'est la vie mesdames et messieurs And at the peak of the season The Mediterranean This time of year, it's so fashionable I feel like dancing - in the rain Can I have a volunteer Just keep right on dancing What a damn jolly good idea It's such a jollification as a matter of fact So tres charmant my dear Underneath the moonlight Together we'll sail across the sea Reminiscing every night Meantime - I ask you to be my Valentine You say you'd have to tell your daddy if you can I'll be your Valentino We'll ride upon an omnibus and the the casino Get a new facial - start a sensational Seaside Rendezvous - so adorable Seaside Rendezvous - Oooh Oooh Seaside Rendezvous - give us a kiss
  8. The Prophet's Song
  9. Love of My Life
    vídeo del tema Love of My Life
    Love of my life, you've hurt me, You've broken my heart, and now you leave me. Love of my life can't you see, Bring it back bring it back, Don't take it away from me, Because you don't know what it means to me. Love of my life don't leave me, You've stolen my love and now desert me, Love of my life can't you see, Bring it back bring it back, Don't take it away from me, Because you don't know what it means to me. You will remember when this is blown over, And everythings all by the way, When I grow older, I will be there at your side, To remind you how I still love you I still love you. Hurry back hurry back, Don't take it away from me, Because you don't know what it means to me. Love of my life, Love of my life.
  10. Good Company

    Letra

    Take good core of what youve got My father said to me As he puffed his pipe and baby B. He dandled on his knee Don't fool with fools wholl turn away Keep all good company Oo hoo oo hoo Take care of those you call your own And keep good company Soon I grew and happy too My very good friends and me Wed play all day and sally J. The girl from number four And very soon I begged her wont you Keep me company Now marriage is an insinuation sure My wife and I our needs and nothing more all my friends by a year By and by disappear But were safe enough behind our door. I flourished in my humble trade My reputation grew The work devoured my waking hours But when my time was through Reward of all my efforts my own Limited company I hardly noticed sall as we Pated company All through the years in the end it appears There was never really anyone but me Now I'm old I puff my pipe But no-ones there to see I ponder on the lesson of My lifes insanity Take care of those you call your own And keep good company
  11. Bohemian Rhapsody
    vídeo del tema Bohemian Rhapsody
    [Intro] Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide No escape from reality Open your eyes Look up to the skies and see I'm just a poor boy (Poor boy) I need no sympathy Because I'm easy come, easy go Little high, little low Any way the wind blows Doesn't really matter to me, to me [Verse 1] Mamaaa just killed a man Put a gun against his head Pulled my trigger, now he's dead Mama, life had just begun But now I've gone and thrown it all away Mama, ooh 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 [Verse 2] 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, oooh (Anyway the wind blows) I don't want to die I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all [Bridge] I see a little silhouetto of a man Scaramouch, Scaramouch, will you do the Fandango Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me (Galileo) Galileo (Galileo) Galileo, Galileo Figaro Magnifico-o-o-o-o I'm just a poor boy nobody loves me He's just a poor boy from a poor family Spare him his life from this monstrosity Easy come, easy go, will you let me go? Bismillah! No, we will not let you go Let him go Bismillah! We will not let you go Let him go Bismillah! We will not let you go Let me go (Will not let you go) Let me go (Will not let you go) (Never, never, never, never) Let me go, o, o, o, o No, no, no, no, no, no, no (Oh mama mia, mama mia) Mama Mia, let me go Beelzebub has the devil put aside for me, for me, for me! So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye? So you think you can love me and leave me to die? Oh, baby, can't do this to me, baby Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here (Oooh yeah, Oooh yeah) [Outro] Nothing really matters Anyone can see Nothing really matters Nothing really matters to me Any way the wind blows
  12. God Save the Queen

    Letra

    God save our gracious queen! Long live our noble queen! God save the queen! Send her victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us, God save the queen!