Classical Composer Reaction/Analysis to Somebody to Love (Queen) | The Daily Doug (Episode 551) 

Freddie was a voice of the century.

My son, no matter how bad he's feeling with his health issues, always breaks into a huge smile when he hears this song. Few things bring me more joy as a dad. Such a powerful, timeless song.

I think their Montreal '81 live performance is just on another level. Roger Taylor's backing vocals were PERFECTION.

I will sometimes use this song to help teach Shakespeare actors to appreciate how loose phrasing can be without losing the sense of rhythm underneath. Freddie was incredible.

I'm from Montreal, people still talk about that show from 1981!!

Freddie loved Aretha Franklin, especially her music when she used Baptist gospel choirs. He was fascinated by her seemingly effortless phrasing which he attempted to emulate but felt he felt he never successfully recreated. (He claimed that he struggled with phrasing though, to me, his phrasing always seemed so organic and natural). Brian claimed that Freddie wanted to be Aretha Franklin. Queen's (especially Freddie's) performance at the two stand-alone performances in Montreal in 1981 were fueled by a twinge of anger. Queen had agreed to allow a movie company to film both performances at the urging of their manager, lawyer Jim (Miami) Beach. But unfortunately, it turned into a nightmare for the band members. The movie company intended to film both nights of the concert using high-quality 35mm film and then select the best performance from either night to create a Queen live concert performance that they planned to show on a thing called Moblevision (a sort of traveling IMAX). According to Brian and Roger, the movie company made a complete mess of the editing but, unfortunately, because of the contract, the movie company owned the rights to the Montreal footage and sound recordings. Then in late 2006, Queen acquired the Montreal film and recordings. At that point, Roger and Brian (with the approval of John) hired a team of experts to remix and remaster the concert footage but unfortunately, the film company had discarded all unused footage and recordings. The experts had to sometimes resort to using the sound from one night with visuals from the other. That is why the videos from that concert are so clear. It was all transferred from 35mm tape to HD video. The film crew constantly got in the way of the band and their team backstage and even onstage. They tried to prevent Queen from performing their pre-concert sound and stage check because it was "inconvenient" for the film crew. The film director went so far as to try to dictate (unsuccessfully, I might add) to Freddie, Brian, and John where they must stand and limits where they could move while performing. Then the director (Saul Swimmer) did the unthinkable. Before the concert, he went in front of the audience and instructed them to remain seated and keep quiet during the concert or the guards stationed around in the theatre would remove them from the concert. That really pissed off the band. Brian claimed that he had never seen Freddie so annoyed. The band's anger came out in their playing as many of the songs were played faster than normal. At one point during the concert, Freddie addressed the audience directly and said, "Listen! If you guys want to move around and shift your want asses a little, it's okay. It is okay by us. You can take all your clothes off if you want to. It doesn't matter." To which John responded with the bass riff of "Under Pressure". Freddie devised a way to take revenge on the movie director. A key element in the success of combining these two different performances into a single concert was that the band would be wearing the same clothes on both nights. Freddie, in his most diabolical mindset, decided to destroy the continuity thus making it almost impossible to combine the two nights. He started both nights wearing his white jeans, superman muscle shirt, leather bomber jacket, and Adidas shoes. He very quickly discarded the bomber jacket (it was hot on stage) and during the concert on both nights, he did strip off his muscle shirt. But, on the second night, during a break, Freddie changed his clothes completely and returned onstage wearing a pair of white "booty" shorts, a bright red neckerchief, a white cap, a red wristband but no shirt, no socks, and no shoes. Only Freddie would have the chutzpah to appear like that (unless you look closely his shorts could be mistaken for underwear). Oh, and Queen's manager ("Miami" Beach) was punished by the band for inflicting this movie company on them. Miami was banned from their dressing room and the boys refused to speak to him for weeks. After all, they were rockstars and one has to expect some diva behavior.

❤What a force of nature Freddy was/is!

Shout out to Roger for his amazing backing vocals! ❤️❤️👏🏻👏🏻

You can also hear this gospel vibe in Freddie's song, "The Golden Boy," that he recorded and performed with Montserrat Caballe. Fantastic work.

Love the jacket. 😊. No one sings like Freddie. No one plays and harmonizes like Queen. Try 1976 HydePark -Take MyBreath Away. Just Freddie on piano hypnotizing hundreds of thousands of people. The recorded version is gorgeous too with harmonies.

His vebrato is remarkable. A young reactor never hearing Queen before went instantly nuts over Freddie's vebrato.

I personally think the performance from Montreal in 81, Freddie was at the peak of his singing - it is phenomenal! Slight correction, this was released in the 80’s on VHS cassette under the title “We Will Rock You”. It was filmed in 35mm film and was made to be shown in cinemas. The band were not keen on the process with many cameras getting in the way. The band didn’t have the rights to the film until finally they obtained it in mid 2000’s where it was transferred to DVD and latterly Blu Ray. What a revelation after watching it on VHS for years! Great video.

Freddie! Forever!

You can't beat queen performing LIVE!!!!

What a band . Incomparable

Alright the jacket! One of my favorites, toward the end of the song in Montreal Freddie has tears flowing down his cheeks, Freddie was always looking for a real relationship. Great reaction

Great work as always! Awesome jacket! Something that you should definitely analyse from Freddie Mercury is his collaboration with Montserrat Callable on Barcelona, He wrote a whole album of duets for them to sing together. The song Barcelona was used as the theme song for the 1992 Olympic games. It is really the first true mixture of pop and opera. There are also other interesting Queen songs such The Millionaire Waltz.

Another excellent version of this was Milton Keynes in "82. The same song, totally different interpretation yet equally fantastic.

glad you brought up Montreal '81...maybe the best live performance ever!

Freddie was a baritone, so those higher notes are crazy!!

Most iconic high note from Roger in the middle of the song. When he sing YEAH like guitar noise

Most musically gifted rock band ever. They are the only one who repeated sections/phrases in a musical piece only when the song called for it and not just because.

Oh my... can't wait for what Doug has to say about the voices in this song 🤩

I always get goosebumps when Freddie hits that high E-flat after the buildup! EVERY SINGLE TIME! I seriously wish I could have heard him sing live, but sadly, I was born several years after his passing and it makes me sad.

Yep, two albums in my crate of albums from the 70's my kids are in awe over, A Day at the Races and A Night at the Opera! A magical time with artists like Freddie!

Hard to believe there's just 10 years between Somebody To Love in 1976 and Wembley'86 and the yellow jacket Freddie and Queen. So many changes in musical style and fashion, compared to todays artists

Love the jacket. Not sure I've ever seen you so happy. :-) Love all Queen reactions, but I'm still trying to get you to do "White Queen" at Hammersmith in 1975. I don't think you'll regret it.

These guys are not a band, they are an institution.

Enjoyed this very much. Like to share a personal story. Around 1976/77 my father took my sister to see the Bay City Rollers and after they came back I, as a 10 year old boy asked if he’d take me to see Queen. His response. Son, Queen will be a bunch of nobody’s in a few years. Boy, was he wrong!

I'd say this was absolutely Freddie's best vocal performance ever.

Still getting goosebumps. Since 1976 when i was a kid and my sister bought the record

Queen has been my favourite band since 1975. I can't believe how lucky I have been! Even saw them live 4 nights in a row in 1985, just a few months before their Live Aid gig. I grew up with Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Queen, and they are all fantastic bands, but look at how Queen are almost as big today as they were in their heyday. What a band! Timeless quality.

You will never ever find a better version/performance of Somebody to Love than Live - 1981 Montreal. It's unreal!

That was fun! I have enjoyed live Queen performances several times over the years. No matter what Adam Lambert haters say, both times I saw him play this with them, he gave it the love and respect it deserves. It is a wonderful song to see as an audience member. I'm thankful beyond words for my 7 Freddie concerts and 2 +Adam shows. These are some of the very best people on our planet. Again, thanks for sharing the second video. It sure brings back old memories.

Doug, this is my first time listening to you analyze a song. I applaud you over other critiquers because you are the first person to come to the audience extremely well prepared. You knew the history of the song, the meaning, the evoked feelings…you even knew all the band member’s names and instruments. You’d be surprised how disappointing it is to hear someone try and discuss a Queen song and not know who plays bass, drums, and guitar. I’m going to search your catalog for more of your Queen analyses since IMO you are the king of Queen. Thank you for making a Queen fan since 1974 a very happy person 💛💛💛. 💛s for the coveted Freddie jacket.

You should do their song The millionaire Waltz from the Day At the Races album. Crazy song that never got the attention like Bohemian did.

The refrain "can anybody find me somebody to love" has a double meaning. It's asking for a connection to someone, but it's also asking if anyone can find that the speaker is someone that can be loved, that is worthy of love.

Looking pretty fly in that jacket, Doug! I always enjoy listening to Queen. What an uplifting song!

Freddie was an incredible front man….

Doug - great to pin down the chord structure, but what about the note bending? The Aretha? Also, I would just like to go on record as saying that as magnificent and stunning as Freddie was, as tasteful and precise as Brian's playing was, this multi-faceted performance in particular was made possible by a certain uber-talented drummer/singer, Mr. Roger Taylor. You got a drummer that can trade lead lines with the singer while keeping the beat? WhaaaaaH? He's incredible... Roger Taylor was Queen's secret weapon on many occasions, particularly Somebody To Love. Credited with "screams" (and "dog whistle pitch" in Freddie's playful wording) on several Queen album liner notes. LOL.

You _HAVE_ to do "It's Late" off the News of the World album. In my opinion, it's their second best song, behind BH, of course. News of the World is one of the best albums ever (again, IMO). Actually, I think their first seven albums were all like greatest hits comps. Not one bad song.

'With this now in my closet.' I had to have a little giggle when i heard that.

Thanks, Doug - hearing the original, it's hard to believe anything could be better - until you hear it LIVE... this is my favorite song... lol the entire band was on fire for this one... this entire concert was amazing... also especially "Save Me"... enjoy your reactions...

Freddie, Brian and Roger contributed notable backing vocals to Ian Hunter's "You Nearly Did Me In" (from his 1976 album All American Alien Boy). Queen, of course, supported Mott the Hoople before they became headliners, so made friends with Hunter at that time.

What Feddie´s jacket!!!!! One of the top five Queen song, without doubt. The live version of the album "Queen on fire - Live at the Bowl" is incredible. "The" voice has no limits there. For those who do not know this version I recommend it.

I fell in love with Queen in the 70's due to their musical abilities, but also due to their sense of humor. Which is reflected in the way they named their two albums "A Night at the Opera" and "A Day at the Races" after Marx Brothers movies. Which lead to the band actually meeting Groucho Marx. Freddie was once asked about the lyric in BR "Mama Mia let me go!" and replied that that was all the Italian he knew. Brian once said that nobody could put their harmonies together like Freddie could.

Chorus voices ... a guaranteed success. Awsome band!

Doug - you definitely rock the yellow jacket 😁

Freddie OWNED every stage he stepped onto.

You need to react to Queen’s “White Man.” Another epic you will love. On the same album as Prophet’s Song … A Night at the Opera.

I love that Montreal clip, watched it many times. My favourite moment is at 16:14, after the long, high descending 'looove', and the band comes back in full for the reprise/coda...they are so tight as a band, nailed it...amazing

I think the live version is even better than the studio version

It's well worth checking out George Michael singing this at the Freddie tribute show. Possibly the only person who ever got close to his vocal quality

You should have mentioned the great bass line by John Deacon.

Nice jacket Doug. That's Freddie's jacket. Very nice. ♥️🎤🎤❤

The Live in Montreal video had moments when Freddie seemed pretty disappointed in what he was getting back from the audience. I think there were parts of the back and forth with the crowd that he cut short because of that. At one point he told them they should get up and move instead of just sitting there. I saw the Houston stop of this tour, and while I don't remember those parts, I don't think we were that great for energy, either. Great show, though!

Now it's time to react to "You Take My Breath Away", with Freddie doing ALL the vocals!!!

P.S. I saw them 5 times. There was nobody, ever, like Freddie.

Reminds me of losing Taylor Hawkins. He loved to sing this at Foo Fighters shows 😢

Doug, you're so sweet! Thank you as always for brightening my day when things are difficult

Sir Doug , you are absotely pleasure to watch and listen with these epic songs, keep it up bro and enjoy youtubing :)

I'm jealous of this guy's accuracy at hearing the key and chord tonics... )

I was in the 7th grade when this came out; it's still one of my very favourite songs.

I enjoy your appreciation of them. And Roger, singing his heart out, head twisted to the mic whilst pounding those drums. The energy it took! :))

Doug, great sharing of a great song! One thing I’ve noticed recently though is that your hair now reminds me of Dominar Rygel XVI from Farscape 😂

Now you HAVE to check out the live performance from the Montreal concert .. quite simply mind blowing

It’s dangerous thinking you know what Fred meant in a song.

The video is from their 1981 greatest flix. I used to have a copy of it on lazer disc in the early 80’s. Great stuff!

This was great. And showed us one of the few videos where John Deacon is seen singing as well as the other three.

Love the jacket, Doc! I'll defer to your wisdom on the lyrical analysis. Been with Queen since '74, and Freddie's take on his songs were that they were "disposable. Like Kleenex." Doesn't seem like he gave that kind of thought to his lyrics, but anything's possible.

You are adorable! Love the jacket. And I especially love to see an expert react to this epic performance. I quite enjoyed it.

The studio version is good, but the Live in Montreal is such a masterclass of a live performance of a song! It lacks most of the backing vocals, but the way the band manages the energy during the song is top notch!! To me, it´s one of the best live albums EVER (by far the best by Queen)! About the guitar solo, I love how Brian mixes the minor pentatonic over the major tone to give this bluesy flair to it!!

In live shows performing "Somebody To Love", Freddie always did a LOT of IMPROVISING with the vocal rifts at the beginning and later near the end... so EACH live version of the song is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. (Someone has actually edited together ALLL of Fred's different vocal riffs at the beginning and ending from several different live shows, into one single FANTASTIC video compilation... I believe it's labeled "Somebody To Love Supercut".) My FAV live performance of this song is actually the one at MILTON KEYNES BOWL in 1982, and that is the rendition which Queen included in their official compilation of Best Live Performances. (It's really NEAT that Janine got to be at this Montreal show, though... What a treat!)

Foo Fighters doing this with Taylor singing was special.

What an energy, what a talent, just magnificent, Freddie and Queen at his best❤

The first Queen song I ever heard in my life and still my second favourite. I still remember when I was a small kid, after I had seen Gloria's rendition in the movie Happy Feet at our local cinema. After I had told my father about that cool song, I remember he was so happy he took out all his Queen albums to show me. He then told me that, as a young Québécois teenager, he was there at the Montréal concert and it still was one of the greatest moment of his life !!! After listening to their music, I fell in love with the group. Yeah, great memories ! I hope I'll also be able to share my music passion with my future kid(s) one day ! In the meantime, take care y'all !!!

Thank you for this analysis. It's a wonderful song.

amazing -thanks Doug -more Queen please! Don't Stop Me Now!

One of the greatest Queen tracks ...

Awesome jacket!!! Love your Queen reaction

that Montreal concert is incredible, they were totally at the top of their game

That was wonderful Doug, thank you ❤

Queen were always a live band. No one could touch them live.

Hi Doug. pleased check for Marc Martel, who is the lead singer for the Queen Etravaganza. The group is the first tribute band ever while the original members still continue to perform. I'm sure when you cloe your eyes you will hear Freddies tones and vocal tastes from Marc singing Queen.

so glad you did the live 1981 Montreal!

I actually think, could be wrong, that "March of the Black Queen/Funny How Love Is" from Queen II was a major influence in the band multi-tracking that led to almost wearing out the master tape recording "Bohemian Rhapsody". By the way Doug I saw them at Madison Square Garden doing this in September 1980 & July 1982.

Never fo!!!rget Rogers extremely good vocals

I haven't even seen the analysis and I've upvoted this because of the jacket.

It's well worth your time to listen to this song in Montreal 1981.

Awesome! I can’t wait for this one!

This was Freddie's favorite song and his mother's favorite also.

I love "Hammer to Fall", "Crazy Little Thing to Love" and "Las Palabras de Amor"

Brought up a Queen lover. My clain in 2nd July 1971 they played their 1st concert under the name Queen. That is my birthay!

I just saw on another reaction, the second time Freddy gets up and plays the audience is because Brian was having an issue with his guitar and had to duck out, so the rest stepped in to distract the crowd until Brian came back in. Freddy started singing when Brian was ready.

My all time favorite song💜

After the huge success of Night at the Opera everyone was wondering if Queen could follow up with another album just as special. At the time Day at the Races was released a lot of fans and critics saw it as a comedown from a Night at the Opera. Freddie said he thought Somebody to Love was a better song than Bohemian Rhapsody. I was a teenager at the time and I loved DATR especially Somebody To Love. Brian said they were so much happier when they made the album because they weren't facing bankruptcy. They decided to get away from the layered harmonies for their next album News of the World because punk was sweeping the scene and they wanted to try a stripped down approach. We Will Rock You, We Are the Champions from Montreal 1981 is fantastic. I saw Queen live on the Day at the Races tour and it was a revelation to see Freddie's charisma on display. No one plays piano like him either.💛

Love your reaction! And the jacket looks beautiful! As a 40+ years Queen fan I really dig the reaction of the new younger fans discovering Queen and Freddie. I never was lucky enough to see Freddie play live but saw Brian and Roger together with Paul Rodgers 6 times in a row through Europe. There will never be another Freddie but thanks to his music he lives on!

The intro to the live version has a gospel feel to it.

The thing about the live performance is that they did it live, no backing tracks or nothing. Of course it doesn't have all the layers, but it's live and goddamn tight.

Really enjoy your reactions and analysis, and this one was a hoot! I don't often ask about bands, but there is one hugely influential band from the 70s and 80s that usually gets ignored - The Sensational Alex Harvey Band. Their dark cover of Delilah, The Faith Healer and Next are all good places to start. Alex Harvey was astonishing.