Fun fact: Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody is the U.K.'s best-selling rock single of all time. This strange six minute song was even inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004. Initially, I didn't really like it. The song just just seemed like 3 separate songs just jumbled together into one; a strange mix of a slow, emotional ballad with opera and hard rock. But what caught my attention was the lack of a chorus. If you listen to the majority of songs that hit the top of the charts today, most, if not all have that catchy little bit that you find yourself humming throughout the day. After listening to it a few times however, I started to change my mind. I rather liked the way that the lyrics and music came together to tell a story of a boy and the mental changes he goes through from point 'A' to point 'B'. I even came to appreciate the strange mix of music! The changes in music genres started to provide a sort of background music for the story that helped to reflect the inner turmoil and struggle the hero experiences as he tries to clear his conscience.

                It opens softly with the boy feeling confused and shocked after committing a terrible crime. He calls out for his mother, and begins confessing, trying to clear his conscience. He apologizes and says his goodbyes as "his time has come to face the truth." The guitar solo bridges the transition from a ballad to opera, or his passing on.The music crescendos, as he is being judged. He makes his case as a poor, unloved boy and pleads to be let go. I could picture a courthouse scene here; there are two sides; one side argues for him (defendant), the other against him (prosecution). The music climaxes as he eventually loses, and devil is put aside to torment him. The music then transitions to hard rock as he then tries to fight tooth and nail against his judgment, and is determined to escape. It's not apparent if he gets out or not. However, the end of the song suggests that the boy has reflected and accepts his fate and whatever happened to him.

"Anyway the wind blows..."

               The song tells a shortened version of the hero's journey. The boy is called and departs from his familiar world to face challenges that he eventually overcomes, and emerges transformed by his trials. The boy's journey to put his conscience to rest is accompanied by three different songs that reflect his position in the cycle. The dramatic buildup and the involvement of supernatural powers appeal to the audience's imagination, hooking listeners into this erratic and aborbing tale of a murderer.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/k-ARuoSFflc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>