A Literalist Reaction to The Prophet's Song by Queen

[@Ranadkins]

“The delay was done by using two stereo Studer machines - they were still running the tape from one reel to the other the way you'd normally run a tape machine, whereas you run it from one reel through and then off the machine and then straight to a different machine, and then playing back on a different machine, so the tape would actually be laying across the room. There were a few chairs and lamps and coat hooks around that we hooked it over until we ended up with the right delay. He had to perform it live, so it's being performed live with the delays in his headphones and he could hear it so he could sing along with it and then harmonize with the vocals when it came back to him."

[@glennbraiden3310]

This song is nearly 50 years old….and was recorded on a 24 track Analogue machine…….as such it IS a work of sheer genius!! Brian wrote the song after having a vivid dream of the scenario.

[@kentnottingham9635]

I can’t even guess how many times I put headphones on to friends ears to listen to this! Stereo geniusNESS!!!!

[@kentnottingham9635]

This is from the first album I ever bought as a kid. I literally bought it for “Best Friend” and because my sisters wouldn’t let me listen to theirs. They thought I was crazy for my purchase because they already had it. I wore out side one TWICE before wanting more and turned the album over to hear side two. WOW, side TWO!!!

[@JayFal68]

This song is just as good as Bohemian Rhapsody, this is a fantastic song off A Night At the Opera album

[@AkrianAri]

well, it is the top of my Queen playlist and I love every second of this song - for me it is as long as it should be :)

[@debramoore7513]

Queen guitarist Brian May penned this song after a dream he about the Great Flood. There’s definitely nods to Noah and the Ark. I love the “cannoning” Freddie uses in his vocals. Brilliant!! 🐘🐅🦓🦒🦏

[@Nimrods7]

He also get the “children of the land” part from the dream

[@jeanflora-nn7ix]

"White Queen" and "March of The "Black Queen".

[@irenedownie6559]

I love, love, love this song and always have. For me, it’s sheer perfection. ❤️

[@Ranadkins]

I’m an Atheist and I still enjoy this song. It’s Queen showing their diversity. I also enjoy the song Jesus on their first album. It’s Queen.

[@alyt1985]

This is my favorite song.

[@kathramsay1569]

It’s a flipping masterpiece! ❤️❤️

[@sourisvoleur4854]

Queen at their proggiest. Has been my favorite Queen song since I heard it.

[@EchoesDaBear]

This is proof positive that Queen could do progressive, and heavy prog at that (just listen to that end section! I was like you in my youth - all I knew was their 'greatest hits', but as I collected more of their albums, I realized that Queen could practically do anything, and this song (and album) really solidified it for me. Contrast this song with '39, Seaside Rendezvous, Bohemian, Love Of My Life, etc...one album, SO many styles! Too long? Nah, this was just perfect. This set the stage for years later, another epic track in Innuendo - where they completely mastered a progressive & heavy track!

[@davidmacfarlane1763]

Queen 2 was proof enough :)

[@EchoesDaBear]

@@davidmacfarlane1763 indeed. I didn't find Queen 2 as progressive - hard, heavy rock, absolutely - look no further than Ogre Battle! March of The Black Queen was as proggy as it got (for me). My #1 song on that album. So many styles on those first 6 albums. After News Of The World I found the styles kind of narrowed a bit.

[@lindsaycrellin4588]

This was written by Brian May after a dream he had while recovering from being ill while they were making the album Sheer Heart Attack he had recovered from hepatitis then had a duodenal ulcer which had to be operated on x

[@kathramsay1569]

Masterpiece.

[@ZENOBlAmusic]

You guys should do The Fairy Fellers Master- Stroke from Queen, I would love to see you interpreting those lyrics. The Prophet's Song was written by Dr. Brian May, he is of course an Astrophysicist, and he did write Hammer To Fall as well, which does make a reference to nuclear war. This song about a wild dream about this prophet. I think the acapella section is suppose to be religious indoctrination. That is why it is repetitive and slightly too long. It does mention Noah's flood, luckily the protagonist wakes up, at the end, but he does think to himself that perhaps you should listen to some people that you might not always want to listen too. This delay was unique at the time, Brian May actually build the system himself for his guitar. He often used it on guitar harmonies. Freddie did this live as well, he was very good at improving and creating a melody from his own voice, and basically singing with himself. It is not studio trickery, Queen did not even use synths at the time. This is also from the same album as Bohemian Rhapsody, so they have already explored multiple overdubbing of harmonies. Freddie was born into the Zoroastrian religion. At this stage Climate Change is really a mainstream idea, it is certainly not some small fringe movement anymore. Nuclear power is far more effective and efficient then wind and solar power, as Germany will likely unfortunately discover this winter.

[@LiteralistReactions]

Thanks for all that back story on the tune! Awesome. - JD

[@lesblatnyak5947]

Couldn't get the suits to release that song today. Cool experimental Queen stiring the mind.

[@LiteralistReactions]

The suits suck. The suits at the record companies, the suits at the radio stations, the suits at the streaming sites, they all play it safe and live and make choices by the all-powerful question; "What does Karen, a stay-at-home mom with 2.5 children, want to hear?" - JD

[@lesblatnyak5947]

@@LiteralistReactions don't blame Karen for the suits lack of love for music

[@Rand_Althor1966]

great video guys. this has always been one of my favorite queen songs. regardless of whats it's about lol. Death on two legs is my favorite. you guys gotta do it if you haven't heard. lots of love

[@LiteralistReactions]

We did Death on Two Legs. - JD

[@Rand_Althor1966]

@@LiteralistReactions oh ok. going to find and watch that one right now

[@jodyheigaard9949]

For your own enjoyment you should watch "The Making of A Prophet's Song". Brian goes through all the tech stuff it took to make this song. They had to use a lot of creativity and ingenuity to get all of the sounds they wanted from 70's tech. Another good lyric song to disect is White Man from A Day At The Races. It's another Brian May song.

[@jpirard]

This is Queen at it's PROGGIEST, there is also a lot of STYX type harmonies as well.

[@trevorgoddard2278]

This song has a lot of different levels, there are the obvious biblical references but the line "Two by two, my human zoo" is referencing personal relationships and under it all the prophet is a reference to scientists telling everyone if we are not careful, what we are doing to our planet could kill us all (a meaning that becomes more and more relevant as time goes by) A lot of Brian May's creations have more thought provoking meanings in their lyrics "White Man", "'39", "Hammer to Fall" and even "We Will Rock You". it is clear he used a lot of his beliefs and personal experiences in his music, sometimes the meanings are obscured and then he writes "All Dead, All Dead" which couldn't be clearer, or "Fat Bottomed Girls" which he wrote simply because he thought Freddie would enjoy singing it.

[@KelliViti]

Fred didn't write this song. Brian Did. The shape, & scope are his.

[@jeffhauf5598]

Great review. This is one of my favorite Queen songs. But I also first heard it in 1981 at age of 10 on headphones. The back and forth of multiple Freddie’s really caught my young ears along with the typical Queen bombast. Totally get both of yours critiques though. A couple Queen recommendations i have are ‘39 and stone cold crazy. Billy Joel did a song called Zanzibar, but you may have already known that.

[@LiteralistReactions]

We did '39 (I have always loved that song and, as usual, had no clue what they were really singing about!), will add a vote to Stone Cold Crazy and Zanzibar by Billy Joel! - JD

[@jeffhauf5598]

@@LiteralistReactions cool thanks. Looking forward to seeing ‘39 as it doesn’t look released. How far ahead are you with videos? I always find it amusing when you can tell the order of release is different with the order of recording.

[@LiteralistReactions]

I thought it was out! lol - I moved it up to tomorrow. Unless I already tried to upload and it was blocked entirely, it will air tomorrow morning. - JD

[@deboraclark5791]

Love the early Queen. This one is Brian's song. So intricate. Great reaction.

[@kuntumlaleanqueezer]

I subscribe because of Queen

[@LiteralistReactions]

I guess we have to bump up our Queen a bit, then, yes? - JD

[@richardscales9560]

The ending is always unsatisfactory when it's cut out of the album segue.

[@coils4foil537]

Married to a “Queen-a-holic”. Asked her about this song at dinner and she said everything Dave said 🤷‍♂️.

[@paulhorgan6152]

You can't have a Queen song over 5 minutes and moan about it ❤❤❤🇬🇧🇬🇧😊😊😊

[@IanHillan]

...runs into the next song, hence the weird ending.

[@LiteralistReactions]

Thanks for clarifying! - JD

[@kathramsay1569]

I have to disagree , this is a musical masterpiece by Brian. The echoey effect is known as canon, like row row row your boat. The harmonies were so complex in canon. Remember they were using tape which had to be draped across the room to delay machines. I think you need to listen to it full volume sitting back with closed eyes to appreciate the musical complexity. ❤️

[@cogline]

Hello fellow humans. I have never heard this song. Like Jon, I'm not wowed. Some of Queen I love, like News Of The World and Jazz era songs. "Dead On Time" is a scorcher. "Don't Stop Me Now" is killer

[@LiteralistReactions]

Votes added! - JD

[@kathramsay1569]

Oops, it’s a musical masterpiece! The echo piece is known as canon, one singer can build up harmonies. There are also references to the nd of the world. Don’t laugh at people who warn you of the Great Tribulation. ❤️✝️

[@10CentHead]

You grew up on 80’s Queen, so I won’t be too upset at you… I heard this when it was new and utterly groundbreaking. I feel that many KZbinrs are missing the technical hurdles they had to overcome to produce something like this. No laptops or non-linear editing systems to assemble. Plus… this was tape echo.

[@marblackCanada]

It is not a delay, didn't exit then. Two real to real placed far enough apart to get it right. Brian May wrote the song from a dream and is had a degree in astrophysicist and 30 years later became Dr.May.

[@marvalstith2749]

This confirms Freddie to be a Frontman of immeasurable high quality. Queen's record making proceswas whomever wrote the song picked for an album was responsible for the production. ..called the direction. Thus it's what Brian wanted for this. I never have understood the track..except gave Noah's ark story credit for it's genesis. Was thrilled to see you were doing the reaction. Have read Brian looked to this being the pick for the single on A Night At The Opera. Of course we know instead Bohemian Rhapsody was the pick. BTW I'm thinking Freddie's religion was close to Christianity...my research told me Zoroastrian is an ancient precursor to Christianity.

[@steverakes6182]

What's the matter with you two, this is a fantastic song.

[@Ninang363]

Agreed on "the Barber Shop Quartet" thing, but you got to admit Brian's guitar solos were melodic and great.

[@geniousatqw]

Song suggestion: Zanzibar Artist: Billy Joel Album: 52nd Street Least we forget!

[@LiteralistReactions]

You know the drill, Lesterlexxx... Added! - JD

[@obiwanbenobi4943]

'39 is a much more interesting song. :) I do like this one too (two and a three) but there are others I'll listen to more including the campy fun songs that they seemed to have stopped doing... Sadly...

[@LiteralistReactions]

You know we did '39, right? Lyrics were an eye-opener for both Dave and I! - JD

[@obiwanbenobi4943]

@@LiteralistReactions Haha, I had some vague memory of that, but it's still a good song to listen again. :)

[@kathramsay1569]

It’s Genesis and the times of Noah prior to events of Revelation.

[@timshelton8535]

This must have been Queens last couple albums. News Of The World was the last one I tried listening to.

[@LiteralistReactions]

Actually, it's from 1975's A Night At The Opera which also includes; Death on Two Legs, You're My Best Friend, Bohemian Rhapsody, and eight other great songs. Hint: the album Dave holds in the thumbnail is always the source album for the song he reacts to. - JD

[@BlueJazzKeys]

LOL 2 sides of the same plastic coin.

[@TheReadWriter]

There were no "delay devices" back then, not parameters to set. They literally (literalist? I don't think so) had to stretch the tape across the room between two tape recorders to get the delay. "Two by two human zoo", Noah's flood didn't have a human Zoo, it had an animal zoo. Weak and a "nonliteralist" reaction. Thumbs down for me.

[@djlaino]

I like Queen, but I’d like a refund for those 10 minutes of my life please. 😮

[@LiteralistReactions]

As soon as we receive your payment for access, I'll send your refund. 😁- JD

[@marvalstith2749]

@@LiteralistReactions LOL ...