In 1976 Queen released their fifth studio album A Day at the Races. Side two opens with the album’s lead single “Somebody to Love”. The song was known to be lead singer Freddie Mercury’s favorite song, although he was reportedly too ashamed to admit it. In this article, we will dive into the story, meaning, and legacy behind the song.
The Story Behind the Song
“Somebody to Love” was written by Queen’s eccentric frontman Freddie Mercury. He penned the song down in The Manor Studio during the writing sessions of the band’s 1976 release A Day at the Races. The gospel epic was heavily inspired by the music of Aretha Franklin, which Mercury was obsessed with.
“That track was me going a bit mad,” Freddie Mercury recalled. “I just wanted to write something in the Aretha Franklin kind of mode. I was inspired by the gospel approach she had on her earlier albums.” Brian may confirmed Mercury’s words and stated Freddie ‘loved’ and even ‘wanted to be like’ Franklin.
The gospel-choir arrangement of the song is a core characteristic of “Somebody to Love”. To achieve the sound the members of Queen used a technique called vocal layering, which they also used in “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, and drummer Roger Taylor multitracked their own voices, giving the impression of being a 150-voice choir. It is interesting to note that bassist John Deacon did not contribute vocals on the track.
You can imagine how long it took to do it,” Mercury reflected on the multitracking. “Over and over and over again. We spent a week on that, but it was worth it. I never want to look back on one of our albums and think, ‘If only we’d spent longer, and done that it would have been better!”
After finishing A Day at the Races, Queen decided to release “Somebody to Love” as the album’s lead single. The song became a top-10 hit in Europe, reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart, and peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The Meaning of the Song
“Somebody to Love” is a song about the narrator’s frustrated quest for love. He pleads to God why, despite his efforts, he is unable to find love. The first two verses are filled with frustration, but in the third verse, the singer admits he is not going to give in to his feeling of despair.
Freddie Mercury was a very private person and rarely discussed the lyrical themes of his songs, but it’s most likely that “Somebody to Love” was personal. “I would love to really have a beautiful relationship with somebody, but it never seems to work out,” He once said. “What I would like most of all is to be in a state of blissful love.”
Read more: The 10 Best Queen Songs of All Time
In 1969, Mercury found somebody to love in Mary Austin, but their relationship wouldn’t last as a result of Mercury’s sexuality. They remained good friends after the breakup. In 1985, Mercury eventually found somebody to love in Jim Hutton, whom he referred to as his husband. They stayed together until Mercury’s passing in 1991.
The Legacy of Somebody to Love
As stated earlier, “Somebody to Love” reached number 2 on the UK charts, and peaked at 13 on the US charts. The song also topped the charts in the Netherlands. Over the years, the song grew out to be one of Queen’s most iconic songs.
In 1992, George Michael performed “Somebody to Love” during The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. His performance was praised by the members of Queen and counts as the standout moment of the tribute concert.
“When I think of Freddie, I think of everything he gave me in terms of craft,” George Michael reflected. “Just to sing those songs, especially ‘Somebody To Love’, was really an outrageous feeling. It was probably the proudest moment of my career. Living out a childhood fantasy, I suppose.”
In 1993, George Michael included his version of “Somebody to Love” with Queen on his EP Five Live. The cover became a hit and topped the UK singles chart for 3 weeks, making “Somebody to Love” a chart-topper in Queen’s homeland at last.
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