Queen - A Night at the Opera

Title: A Night at the Opera
Artist: Queen
Label: Elektra 7E-1053
Released: 1975

I remember buying this because I wanted to hear The Prophet's Song really bad. I've got to say that after listening to it the other day, I can't believe I ever actually wanted to hear this. This album is a stone cold turd. I know I'm supposed to love this record, but I just don't. Death on Two Legs is a nice start and I forgot my love/hate feelings towards Brian May's guitar sound. He gets some nice, firm crunchiness I like on this song and even the backing vocals work okay for me. Then it ends and goes into Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon, and I can't stand that kind of British Dance Hall crap that so many British bands have foisted on us over the years (I'm talking to you Beatles and Kinks!). It's corny and while it's not poorly played or anything, it's just horrid and has no place in my rock n' roll.

I'm in Love With My Car steers us back on track, but it's just not enough. The side bogs down with songs like 39 and the absolutely turgid Seaside Rendezvous. I know, it's campy, and fun, but I think it's stupid. It's just too corny. Sweet Lady might have turned into something, but it seems like a better idea than what it turned into.

Then when I go to flip the record over, I'm thinking that it's gonna kick off with The Prophet's Song and it's gonna redeem itself totally. Man, was I wrong! How could I have wanted to hear that? It's just too much. Too many "breaks" with nonsense a' capella silliness. It's too long overall, and the good part is about thirty seconds long. I literally started laughing at it. The rest of it gets worse. Love of My Life doesn't belong anywhere near a rock n' roll album, and we've all heard Bohemian Rhapsody enough, haven't we? I think that one works because the first attempt at that kind of rock theatrical trick on this album, The Prophet's Song is so laughably bad.

I know it's popular and I don't mean to skewer someone's sacred cow here, but A Night at the Opera just doesn't do it for me. I think I'll be putting it in the pile to trade in during my next purge.