Freddie Mercury and his band, Queen, released "Bohemian Rhapsody" in 1975 as the lead single of their "A Night at the Opera" album, and one name in the lyrics - Galileo.
Decades after its release, "Bohemian Rhapsody" remains one of the most popular songs released by the rock band. It also garnered several nominations and accolades over the past years, including the nominations for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus and Best Arrangement for Voices at the Grammy Awards.
It was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004.
What Does "Galileo" Mean in Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody"?
Two theories emerged as Queen's fans became curious about why Mercury chose Galileo's name to be included in the lyrics.
The first theory involves Mercury's relationship with his bandmates and his desire to honor Brian May, who has a passion for astronomy and has since earned his Ph.D. in astrophysics.
The second is about the name being used to call Jesus Christ in Ancient Rome. "Galileo Figaro Magnifico" also means "Magnify the Galilean's image."
While Mercury never explained it himself, Queen's band members have always spoken highly of the track.
"Freddie was a very complex person: flippant and funny on the surface, but he concealed insecurities and problems in squaring up his life with his childhood. He never explained the lyrics, but I think he put a lot of himself into that song," May told Blender in 2002. "He knew exactly what he was doing. It was Freddie's baby. We just helped him bring it to life."
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Meanwhile, producer Roy Thomas Baker recalled adding more lines to the track's operatic section that it got longer than expended. When they thought they were done, the late musician reportedly came in to tell him that he added a few more "Galileos."
Before the release, Mercury and the band spent at least 12 hours a day to perfectly harmonize the part, and their hard work paid off as the track earned diamond status as a single following its arrival on the music scene.
In 2022, "Bohemian Rhapsody" was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the U.S. Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
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