The Prophet's Song and Brian

"Now I know" exactly what 8:17 of brilliance sounds like! 
I'm just appreciating some of Brian's fine work on his birthday (it's still his birthday at this hour in the U.S.)
Q magazine said Prophet was "as good as Bohemian Rhapsody" and I do agree. 
The BBC called ANATO Queen's "finest hour" and why not? It truly is!

So what say you People of the Earth ( aka QZers) have you listened to the
wise man lately?  Do you feel Q magazine was correct in their assessment circa 1975?

Each member brought their own trademark to Queen, but I think Brian was a massive influence to Queen's sound, especially in the early days, i mean, you put another guitarist's take over any of their songs, even if they played the same parts exactly, it would sound completely different and very unlike a Queen song do you not think?

As for 'The Prophet's Song', i agree, it's as good as Bohemian Rhapsody, but lets be honest, it would never have made a good single. Just not catchy in that regard, but certainly a perfectly executed song all the same.

I love that song, but IMO wrote two better ones on the same album: '39 and Good Company, my two favourite Queen tracks.

Djdownsy wrote:

"As for 'The Prophet's Song', i agree, it's as good as Bohemian Rhapsody, but lets be honest, it would never have made a good single. Just not catchy in that regard, but certainly a perfectly executed song all the same."

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Well "never" is so absolute!   How about if it had been released during the Renaissance?  It could have been more "catchy" then.   The A side being The Prophet's song and the B side being March of the Black Plague. 
Just joking with it!!!
Seriously, while I also like 39 and Good Company, there is something about the Prophet's Song being a poem set to rock music with rather intense moments interlaced with vocal harmonies throughout.  I just think it's a fantastic piece of work - whether placed in the Renaissance (as I joked above)  or in 2011 on my stereo and going forward.

I do hope other Queen fans like it and it's not the "unloved babe" as in the song.

queenUSA wrote: Djdownsy wrote:

"As for 'The Prophet's Song', i agree, it's as good as Bohemian Rhapsody, but lets be honest, it would never have made a good single. Just not catchy in that regard, but certainly a perfectly executed song all the same."

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Well "never" is so absolute!   How about if it had been released during the Renaissance?  It could have been more "catchy" then. 

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Even disregarding the instrumentation, people in the Renaissance would have complained about the false notes (they didn't use modern equal temperament, centered on A440), the boorish singing (wrong language and style) and the weird use of harmony (our harmony based on thirds wasn't common. The fourth was the key musical interval).

ThomasQuinn wrote: queenUSA wrote: Djdownsy wrote:

"As for 'The Prophet's Song', i agree, it's as good as Bohemian Rhapsody, but lets be honest, it would never have made a good single. Just not catchy in that regard, but certainly a perfectly executed song all the same."

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Well "never" is so absolute!   How about if it had been released during the Renaissance?  It could have been more "catchy" then. 

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Even disregarding the instrumentation, people in the Renaissance would have complained about the false notes (they didn't use modern equal temperament, centered on A440), the boorish singing (wrong language and style) and the weird use of harmony (our harmony based on thirds wasn't common. The fourth was the key musical interval).

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Alright then, I'm no history major, so I'm just guessing at this point - how about
the Middle Ages then? Would it have worked for the multitudes there?

I'd love to hear a full orchestra and choir arrangement if this song, similar to Rajaton's covers.

I personaly think that it is Brians best song and the best song of ANATO....maybe just because I've listen too much to  BoRhap....who knows...;)

I love it -- its beautiful, and perfect, but it wasn't exactly ever going to be a number one.  Its so much more serious then Bo Rhap, and less theatrical, so i can see why it isn't nearly as popular.

The Prophet's Song is a very good song, but is not as good as Bo Rhap, really. Anyway, it's just my personal opinion.

I like it very much.  However, I had ANATO on in the car a week or so ago on a quick day trip to a city about an hour and half away.   My son was driving home and after about a kilometre of the "Now I know, now I know, now I knows" his precise quote was "Mom?  Take that off or I'm driving into a Mack truck.  Thanks."  He was kidding, of course.  Well, kidding about the Mack truck, not the song. :)

GratefulFan wrote: I like it very much.  However, I had ANATO on in the car a week or so ago on a quick day trip to a city about an hour and half away.   My son was driving home and after about a kilometre of the "Now I know, now I know, now I knows" his precise quote was "Mom?  Take that off or I'm driving into a Mack truck.  Thanks."  He was kidding, of course.  Well, kidding about the Mack truck, not the song. :)
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obviously y'all didn't smoke any weed on that trip

No. You know, it seems like yesterday that a six pack was enough so mommy could listen to her music. They grow up so fast. Sniff

It is an amazing song but I always skip that awful repetitive middle. It ruins the flow of the song and the possibility of playing it in the car with friends!

liam wrote: It is an amazing song but I always skip that awful repetitive middle. It ruins the flow of the song and the possibility of playing it in the car with friends!

why is the middle section of The Prophet song annoying to some people, but the section of Bo Rhap classic?.....The song is a Gem..don't think it's quite as great as Bo Rhap, but pretty close.  Nothing like listening to the Prophet song/Love of My Life,  12 minutes of perfection.....