I vividly remember hearing “Bohemian Rhapsody” for the first time in November 1975. I was lying in my bedroom after supper, listening to my chosen Top 40 radio station (1470 CFRW/Winnipeg) when the DJ introduced the song. He said, “There’s this band from England called Queen and they have a new song called ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’ I don’t know what to make of it, but here we go.”
This sort of pre-selling a song is radio blasphemy. You’re never EVER supposed to disparage a song that your station has chosen to play. Naturally, this caught my attention. And what came next blew my mind. Fifty years later, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is still blowing minds. Can you imagine something like this on Top 40 radio today?
Here’s the original video (a wild and crazy thing back then) followed by a new 50th anniversary 360 video. (Via Sean)