Freddie Mercury: Hit “Bohemian Rhapsody” should be called differently

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Notes from Freddie Mercury show that the hit “Bohemian Rhapsody” should have been called something else

Queen singer Freddie Mercury 1985

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Queen singer Freddie Mercury has created a song of the century with “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Previously unknown records show that the singer actually had a different title in mind – and different lyrics too.

Almost everyone knows “Bohemian Rhapsody”, probably the most famous song by the rock group Queen. Or at least a part, because the pompous, almost six-minute-long work consists of several parts and mixes styles together. Some lines are immediately memorable: the “Mama Mia, Mama Mia” part, for example – or of course the first lines of Freddie Mercury’s song: “Mama, just killed a man…”

Actually, the legendary song should have had a different title and the text also sounded different in the first drafts. This is shown by old notes by Queen singer Freddie Mercury, which are now being auctioned off at Sotheby’s in London. In 1974, Mercury scribbled a first version of the song in pencil on a notepad belonging to the British Midlands airline, which no longer exists.

Freddie Mercury: “Bohemian Rhapsody” should be called “Mongolian Rhapsody”.

Apparently he initially intended “Mongolian Rhapsody” as the title, but then crossed out the first word and replaced it with “Bohemian”. And Mercury also had a different idea for the text, as the records show. Instead of the famous “Mama / Just killed a man / Put a gun against his head / Pulled my trigger, now he’s dead” his first idea was as follows: “Mama / There’s a war began / I’ve got to leave tonight / I’ve got to stand and fight.”

The “New York Times” said several biographers of Mercury that this version had not been known before. The notes give fans and music historians a previously unknown insight into the genesis of one of the greatest rock hits of all time. Since Mercury’s death in 1991, the recordings had been at his London home.

Only now have they been released for auction by his heiress and executor, Mary Austin. Designs from other Queens hits such as “Somebody to Love”, “We Are the Champions” and “Killer Queen” will also be auctioned, as well as furniture and clothing items from the Mercury estate. Sotheby’s estimates the value of the “Bohemian Rhapsody” draft at between 800,000 and 1.2 million pounds – the equivalent of around 930,000 to 1.4 million euros. The auction will take place in September.

Sources: “New York Times” / Sotheby’s

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