You've just tripped into the place of musical meanderings and prophetic ponderings! Welcome to Tuesday and this week's edition of Tuesday's Musical Notes. As we enter into this land of hit single exploration and His story extrapolation, we confess that today is gonna be a little different!
But it's Tuesday and as you know in Tuesday's Musical Notes land, ANYTHING can and usually does happen!!! Thanks again for stopping by, we hope you enjoy today's adventure...it could be considered a bit...bohemian in nature...
But it's Tuesday and as you know in Tuesday's Musical Notes land, ANYTHING can and usually does happen!!! Thanks again for stopping by, we hope you enjoy today's adventure...it could be considered a bit...bohemian in nature...
For you purists..."Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen from the 1975 album A Night At The Opera
for you Wayne and Garth fans..."Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen from the 1992 soundtrack of Wayne's World
and last but not least, the latest incarnation..."Bohemian Rhapsody" by Pentatonix from the 2017 album PTX Vol. IV - Classics
Told ya it was gonna be different!!!
42 years, 2 Grammys, countless listings on "Top Rock and Roll songs" polls, 2 Movie Soundtracks, a Billboard Hot 100 peak at #9 (1976) AND at #2 (1992 re-release with Wayne's World soundtrack), and topping it all off, this song is closing in on having sold 7 million units. That, ladies and gentlemen is how Queen's 1975 smash hit "Bohemian Rhapsody" has become a legacy in musical history.
From its opening acapella strains, "Bohemian Rhapsody" has become the song that every artist wishes they could have. It was recorded over a three-week period of time, at 5 different recording studios, utilizing 10 to 12 hour days. It came at the trailing end of the Progressive Rock era. Following in the epic song footprint of songs like Chicago's "Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon" from 1970's eponymous album, and Genesis "The Battle of Epping Forest" from 1973's Selling England By The Pound, the nuances and "Movements" within the overall Suite of "Bohemian Rhapsody" seem to be the swan song of ProgRock's unfriendly to radio, "long song" mantra.
The video for the song was made as a promotional tool by the record label shortly after the single was released. This was the standard procedure that allowed bands to make television appearances without being at the actual event. Queen had in fact made several promotional videos for previous singles in their staple of hits. The most notable music show at the time was the BBC show Top of the Pops. As one would imagine, Queen found it difficult to perform "Bohemian Rhapsody" live, so the video was sent to help promote the song to the television-watching public. With the popularity of the video, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is hailed by artists and labels alike in ushering in the age of MTV, which debuted on August 1, 1981. ( "Ladies and Gentlemen, Rock and Roll...") (ahh...the good old days when MTV played MUSIC VIDEOS!)
Lyrically confusing at times, "Bohemian Rhapsody" has been one of the most over-interpreted songs ever written. Freddie Mercury, who wrote the song, never revealed its inspiration to anyone other than Queen bandmates, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon, who kept and continue to keep it their own secret to this day, thus fueling the curiosity behind what the song means. Some of the success of the song can be laid at the feet of the controversy over the lyric each time the single goes up the chart. Specifically, there is much concern over the "Beelzebub" reference (more on this a little later). Regardless of the song's meaning or the rationale behind its success, it has made its way into Rock and Roll history and continues a heavy rotation on radio.
In philosophy, nihilism is the belief in an extreme form of skepticism or a belief in nothingness. With the "Nothing really matters" idea coursing through the veins of "Bohemian Rhapsody" it is easy to see how the adjective "nihilistic" would apply. For an interesting article about those who believe in nothing, "nones" and the interaction believers should be having with them, click here:
We've mentioned the use of today's feature song as the soundtrack to a couple of movies. But have you ever given the thought that "Bohemian Rhapsody" would serve as an interesting underscore to a book of the Bible?
You may remember that the book of Ecclesiastes has been used as source material for Rock and Roll icons of the past. (Ecclesiastes 3 was the source material for the hit "Turn, Turn, Turn" by the Byrds, the title track from the 1965 album). If you've never read this incredible book of poetry, that serves as a commentary on life, take a few minutes and read it. Go ahead...it's only 12 chapters long. Even if you've never made a practice of reading the Bible, you might be amazed by the ebb and flow of the narrative...We'll make it easy for you, here's the link: The Book of Ecclesiastes - New King James Version of the Bible/The Message paraphrase of the Bible parallel Did ya read it?
"Is this the real life, is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, with no escape from reality..." “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?" Are you catching the theme? As we wander down the pathway of lyrics to these tomes, we soon find that the narrator of both seems defeated and is questioning everything there is about life. While "Bohemian Rhapsody" seems to detail the struggle of someone who has just perpetrated a heinous crime and finds himself in the midst of a struggle between those who wish to battle for his soul. ("Beelzebub, has the devil put aside for me?" Think about it. The enemy of your soul has put aside for everyone that God has created in his likeness. That has been his goal since he decided to be God, (something he was not ever will be) to put aside for me and you and then leave us in destitution and misery. This is probably the only true line in the whole song...) The book of Ecclesiastes seems to say, at least initially that there is no purpose to anything we do.
Keep in mind that the Book of Ecclesiastes is thought to have been penned by King Solomon. Solomon was the son of the most venerated King in Jewish history. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines. (women who cohabited with Solomon who were not his wives, but were sexually subservient or his mistresses (dictionary.com)) (Perhaps that could explain his attitude...but I digress.) He is considered to be the author of 3 books of the Bible. Proverbs, Song of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes are considered by scholars, secular and sacred alike, to be some of the most beautiful wisdom-filled literature ever written. But yet, we see in Ecclesiastes a seemingly wise king realizing, in a similar fashion to the narrator of "Bohemian Rhapsody", that worldly pursuits are not the end all be all of this life. It is no wonder that Solomon would have had such thoughts as:
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there anything of which it may be said,
“See, this is new”?
It has already been in ancient times before us.
There is no remembrance of former things,
Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come
By those who will come after.
and,
I hate life. As far as I can see, what happens on earth is a bad business. It’s smoke—and spitting into the wind.
This is where the similarity between the Book of Ecclesiastes and "Bohemian Rhapsody" ends. While the overarching theme of Ecclesiastes seems to be fatalistic, there are points that are made, while cynically, that provides hope...
Seize life! Eat bread with gusto,
Drink wine with a robust heart.
Oh yes—God takes pleasure in your pleasure!
Dress festively every morning.
Don’t skimp on colors and scarves.
Relish life with the spouse you love
Each and every day of your precarious life.
Each day is God’s gift. It’s all you get in exchange
For the hard work of staying alive.
Make the most of each one!
Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily!
This is your last and only chance at it,
For there’s neither work to do nor thoughts to think
In the company of the dead, where you’re most certainly headed.
Drink wine with a robust heart.
Oh yes—God takes pleasure in your pleasure!
Dress festively every morning.
Don’t skimp on colors and scarves.
Relish life with the spouse you love
Each and every day of your precarious life.
Each day is God’s gift. It’s all you get in exchange
For the hard work of staying alive.
Make the most of each one!
Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily!
This is your last and only chance at it,
For there’s neither work to do nor thoughts to think
In the company of the dead, where you’re most certainly headed.
In the end, Freddie Mercury and Queen contend that we are subject to anyway the wind blows. Solomon has another thought as he ends his soliloquy of cynicism. It is a strong command, softened by the undercurrent of hope...
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.
For this is man’s all.
For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.
Friend, there is so much more to this life. It is not "easy come, easy go" or "vanity of vanities, all is vanity". There is incredible hope because of who you are!! You are made in the likeness of the Creator of everything we see, AND everything we cannot see! Did we say EVERYTHING? With that idea it seems to be reasonable to think that You have worth!
The season we are about to enter is the centrality of that hope. People around the world will celebrate this Sunday. Some will celebrate with family, food, and fun hunting eggs placed by a beneficent bunny. For some, this celebration will be enhanced by the enjoyment of meeting together with folks who love you and want to see you. They desire to see you for the purpose of celebrating a tomb that is empty! They desire to see you to join voices with you in praising a God who made a way for you to spend eternity future with Him in heaven!!
He desires to meet with you!! He desires to love you like the Father that He is!! This Sunday, celebrate with believers all over the world as we gather to venerate our true Savior!!! Experience Him like never before!!! He has promised us that He will never leave us or forsake us!!! This Easter, follow Him...I promise that you will not be left to...any way the wind blows...
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy
Yes we read it very insightful and powerful thank you sir
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