Taking Sides: "Bohemian Rhapsody" vs "Paranoid Android"

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Another of tonight's vital pub questions.

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 30 December 2002 01:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Tough; but Ill take Bohemeian Rhapsody cause Paranoid Android isnt even one of the best songs on OK Computer.

― David Allen, Monday, 30 December 2002 03:53 (twenty-three years ago)

It seems like I can't get sick of "Paranoid Android"'s opening melody, so it edges Queen out. Plus, the video is far better.

But based on these two songs, one conclusion is obvious: EVERY multi-section song WORKS

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Monday, 30 December 2002 04:05 (twenty-three years ago)

that's why my friend likes destiny's child, because their songs have different 'levels', see esp. 'say my name' and 'independant woman'.

i only like bohemian rhapsody ironically and i don't like paranoid android at all. so bohemian rhapsody wins but can i pick say my name instead?

― minna (minna), Monday, 30 December 2002 04:31 (twenty-three years ago)

So you like Say My Name yet like Bohemian Rhapsody ironically?

*dies*

― David Allen, Monday, 30 December 2002 06:00 (twenty-three years ago)

But "Bohemian Rhapsody" is ironic! What, you thought it was a real opera song?

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 30 December 2002 07:57 (twenty-three years ago)

No it's not ironic! At least it isn't if I'm right about what ironic means.

Queen weren't giggling at themselves or asking that we not take it seriously. They were braver than that. They probably knew what people's reactions would be, but they did it anyway. Lot's of people like it in a non-ironic way, myself included.

― mei (mei), Monday, 30 December 2002 09:13 (twenty-three years ago)

I hate Bohemian Rhapsody. I don't hate Paranoid A, though it has its irritating aspect. I can't quite even remember how it goes, now.

― the pinefox, Monday, 30 December 2002 09:55 (twenty-three years ago)

I came to like "Paranoid Android" first after hating both - but now I think that the only thing that allowed me to like "PA" was a secret liking of "Bohemian Rhapsody" which took longer for me to admit.

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 30 December 2002 11:14 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh fer the luv o' mary...

― Kim (Kim), Monday, 30 December 2002 11:37 (twenty-three years ago)

both rub.

― michael wells (michael w.), Monday, 30 December 2002 11:43 (twenty-three years ago)

both grate!

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 30 December 2002 12:47 (twenty-three years ago)

Bohemian Rhapsody and Paranoid Android are both slightly ironic, but PA wins for being a better song.

― Callum (Callum), Monday, 30 December 2002 13:44 (twenty-three years ago)

No it's not ironic! At least it isn't if I'm right about what ironic means.
Queen weren't giggling at themselves or asking that we not take it seriously.

I believe the song was just an ironic goof -- the maudlin, hamfisted, drag-show opening; the turning of funny-sounding (and totally unrelated) opera phrases into a hyperhistrionic, multivoiced mishmash. I have a feeling the big cock-waving "rock" section might be the only genuine part of the song. But "Bohemian Rhapsody" is just really having a bit of fun at the expense of the musical theater tradition.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 30 December 2002 13:51 (twenty-three years ago)

Both songs are deeply, deeply classic. The quintet section of "BH" is sheer genius, as is the half-tempo section of "PA".

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 30 December 2002 14:13 (twenty-three years ago)

"Bohemian Rhapsody" - better voice, more creative/surprising, I actually find it more touching. I liked "PA" also though.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 30 December 2002 14:40 (twenty-three years ago)

PA and BR both have clumsy parts and sublime parts. BR wins, because I expect better from Radiohead.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 30 December 2002 15:30 (twenty-three years ago)

BR is just superior in all ways. Paranoid Android = worst ever song about robots.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 30 December 2002 16:29 (twenty-three years ago)

yes, but pa doesn't have the spontanous head-bopping bit, whih is urgent and key.

coldplay's yellow has this effect on indie kids.

there was some droner0x0r classic which did it to the whole van while on tour but can't remember what it was...

― masonicboom, Monday, 30 December 2002 17:17 (twenty-three years ago)

I hate BR but have to admit this: Freddie Mercury throws himself into this corn with complete, unembarassed gusto. I like and agree with Jody Beth's description of the song, and really have to wonder how in the world it achieved classic status, or even became a hit, except on the strength of sheer novelty. I mean didn't the rock fans this was pitched at think it was a bit gay or something? Even the "rock" section sounds phony and camp.

I can't for the life of me remember how PA goes.

― Sean (Sean), Monday, 30 December 2002 17:47 (twenty-three years ago)

Jody Beth! What sacrilege! To question the verity of Mercury's suicial suite. I can only take my nihilism with sentimentality, and this song gives me both in spades.

Put these two songs against each other and Freddie Mercury just rapes Thom Yorke's puny ass till his anus resembles a shotgun wound.

And I LIKE Paranoid Android.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 30 December 2002 17:56 (twenty-three years ago)

but the winner is, of course - "Heroes and Villains"
-- a distant forebear of the "Bohem' ", and a more vivacious exponent of the pocket- pop'era genre than the two younger 'uns put together

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:01 (twenty-three years ago)

I doubt "Paranoid Android" will graduate to the level of being dusted off and parodied in the 2017 equivalent of "Wayne's World", for whatever that's worth. If we were to make sweeping comparisons of this sort, I'd wager that "Paranoid Android" has a bit more in common with some humorless dirge by the Floyd than Queen's histrionic epic.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:06 (twenty-three years ago)

That was a parody and not a loving tribute? Either way, it got "Bohemian Rhapsody" back on the charts again.

― hstencil, Monday, 30 December 2002 18:07 (twenty-three years ago)

PA has the better video but nothing will ever get Wayne, Garth and partied out Phil lipsynching along in a Gremlin out of my mind.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:31 (twenty-three years ago)

yes, but pa doesn't have the spontanous head-bopping bit, whih is urgent and key.

Yes it does! The "OFF WITH HIS HEAD" music! Alternating between 7/8 and 4/4 doesn't mean you can't still bop your head, dammit!

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:51 (twenty-three years ago)

"Bohemain Rhapsody" itself wasn't parodied, but the ritual of lip-synching/head-banging to it was.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 30 December 2002 19:02 (twenty-three years ago)

Both songs are gigantic head-bobbing rockers of proportions most rock bands don't even know exist. Both give me sizable chills and goosepimples. Even trying really hard I can't find anything ironic about either recording.

Personally, I think I have to go with "Paranoid Android" however, 'cause I can relate far more to the feelings it conveys (fear, disenchantment, overwhelmed-ness, etc.) as opposed to "Bohemian Rhapsody" (guilt, confusion, shame, etc.).

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 30 December 2002 19:09 (twenty-three years ago)

One is named after Marvin, the other one isn't. Ergo = Paranoid Android rocks my universe.

― Lord Custos Omega (Lord Custos Omega), Monday, 30 December 2002 19:11 (twenty-three years ago)

it's the frickin rhapsody for fks sake! the rhapsody is BALLS OUT STUPID tugging at your heartstrings reaching for your cock (or whatever it is you females have)under the table. would you get weasel walter covering paranoid android? NO. because its "yuh, danny from marketing got me the entire king crimson back catalogue yesterday, hey fancy writing a song guys? myxolidian or dorian? kewl..."

― bob snoom, Monday, 30 December 2002 21:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Even trying really hard I can't find anything ironic about either recording

In the case of BR anyway, I suggest you try a little harder.

― Sean (Sean), Monday, 30 December 2002 21:10 (twenty-three years ago)

In his attempt to heap scorn, Bob hits on precisely why "PA" is so wonderful.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 30 December 2002 21:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Ha ha ha, I bop my head to both songs easily, although maybe not spontaneously

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Tuesday, 31 December 2002 01:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Both are unspeakable. BR is wildly overrated by a larger number of people, but it does offer some entertainment when lots of people are singing along loudly and badly, as in the pub crawl last weekend, so I vote for that, reluctantly.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Friday, 3 January 2003 20:45 (twenty-three years ago)

Martin, you hurt me in my heart.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 3 January 2003 20:58 (twenty-three years ago)

Weasel Walter has covered Bohemian Rhapsody, but not Paranoid Whatever, therefore the Rhapsody wins. (Even though Queen suck.)

― Dave Fischer, Friday, 3 January 2003 21:47 (twenty-three years ago)

I wish more people sang along to "Paranoid Android" in pubs - it would be grebt!

― Tom (Groke), Saturday, 4 January 2003 03:36 (twenty-three years ago)

it would be grebt to see them try, it would hurt this mang to hear them try.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Saturday, 4 January 2003 03:37 (twenty-three years ago)

two years pass...

I'm sorry, but I've only liked Bohemian Rhapsody any time I was younger than 13. Nothing against Queen or the song itself. i just can't stand it, of course this is amplified by how often I hear people going on about it, and the singing to it. So I choose Paranoid Android, with a Radiohead bias in mind.

― Tokyo Ghost Stories (Tokyo Ghost Stories), Saturday, 23 April 2005 04:37 (twenty years ago)

three weeks pass...

OK this is a tough one; these are two of my least favourite songs ever. Let's see: "Paranoid Android" features one of the most horrible guitar solos ever, but "Bohemian Rhapsody" is the tackiest, most pretentious, nauseating piece of tripe ever recorded. So "Paranoid Android".

And how is it possible that "Bohemian Rhapsody" was voted song of the decade 1975-1984 for the Ivor Novello Awards? I was all excited to see that "West End Girls" won for 1985-1994 and then I read about BH and almost threw my computer out of the window.

― daavid (daavid), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 00:08 (twenty years ago)

"Paranoid Android" features one of the most horrible guitar solos ever

eh?

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 00:11 (twenty years ago)

OK, maybe not "one of the most horrible", just kind of ugly.

― daavid (daavid), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 00:18 (twenty years ago)

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is so insufferable. Every time I see a band of idiots reenacting the Wayne's World scene I want to throw up. So "Paranoid Android."

― Roadkill Bingo (Roadkill Bingo), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 00:25 (twenty years ago)

DESTROY BOTH

― Ian John50n (orion), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 00:28 (twenty years ago)

Bitch'n'posture, bitch'n'posture, blah blah blah. They're both fine songs. Calling out Freddy Mercury for being pretentious? Geez. Take a stand over something else, call someone on his/her racism -- anything. Everyone loves a vicious denunciation, but Shirley, we can find more deserving targets.

― Heidy- Ho, Tuesday, 17 May 2005 01:05 (twenty years ago)

I didn't say Freddy Mercury was pretentious. Only the song. Particularly the lyrics, even if they are not meant to be serious.

― daavid (daavid), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 01:12 (twenty years ago)

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is really something special, and also has slightly more melodic qualities. Plus there's those great vocal harmonies. Both are great though.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 12:19 (twenty years ago)

Rot. "Paranoid Android" is pretentious cacophonous rubbish without a melody, like all Radiohead records after The Bends except for "No Surprises" and "Bitter Sweet Symphony," and even the latter one was stolen from the Kinks. Perhaps if Radiohead had concentrated on writing melodic songs instead of making a racket they would be as popular today as Coldplay.

― Comstock Carabinieri (nostudium), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 12:22 (twenty years ago)

???

You are aware that "Bitter Sweet Symphony" was by The Verve? Right?

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 12:34 (twenty years ago)

???

You are aware that "Bitter Sweet Symphony" stolen from the Stones? Right?

― Huey (Huey), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 15:23 (twenty years ago)

Comstock, are you trying to be the ILM poster boy for getting everything about music 100% wrong?

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 16:50 (twenty years ago)

You are aware that "Bitter Sweet Symphony" stolen from the Stones? Right?

Mostly, yes. But what does that have to do with Radiohead anyway?

From "Kid A" onwards, I may agree that Radiohead have become victims of tunelessness ("Hail To The Thief" was a slight improvement though), but there are lots of great tunes on "OK Computer". Sort of "pretentious" maybe (not that there's anything wrong with that as long as there are tunes) but still very tuneful. And "Exit Music (For Films)" is the best thing they have ever done by far!

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 16:54 (twenty years ago)

dan, look at his user name

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 16:59 (twenty years ago)

DAMMIT how does he get me every single time????? I had this really awesome diss post lined up, too! Fuck it, I'm posting it anyway:

I mean, basically at this point I'm amazed that the tiny pudding you appear to be using for a brain is sufficiently imprintable to allow you to type, let alone form coherent sentences, but maybe the joke is on us and you're actually a neurological experiment where a surgeon has hooked electrodes up to a horse's ass and all of that equine effluvia is being transformed into the illogical ramblings you're posting here, in which case I would expect the Nobel Prize to be in the mail already so would you mind stopping now?

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 17:01 (twenty years ago)

Bohemain Rhapsoda

― On the bass, 57 7th, he wrote this (calstars), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 18:59 (twenty years ago)

I am making a film called Bohemian Android about a robot that goes to coffee shops, makes Pollock-like art with calculated randomness, and reads the great works while speculating whether an artificial being can really understand their meaning.

― mike h. (mike h.), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 19:16 (twenty years ago)

..like all Radiohead records after The Bends except for "No Surprises" and "Bitter Sweet Symphony," and even the latter one was stolen from the Kinks.

I recant anything I said previously, Comstock is hilarious.

― mike h. (mike h.), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 19:18 (twenty years ago)

Yeah but that was deliberately funny.
Whereas this:
Nothing against Queen or the song itself. i just can't stand it
Well.

― Koens (Koens), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 19:24 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

both rub.
-- michael wells (michael w.), Monday, 30 December 2002 11:43 (5 years ago) Bookmark Link

^^^this dude knows what's up

― Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 8 January 2008 11:56 (eighteen years ago)

lame

― latebloomer, Tuesday, 8 January 2008 11:57 (eighteen years ago)

submitted to OED for their 'popism' entry

― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Tuesday, 8 January 2008 13:22 (eighteen years ago)

three years pass...

"Paranoid Android" features one of the most horrible guitar solos ever

Umm... which one? The one in the last 30 seconds or so is possibly top 5 solos ever for me.

― billstevejim, Thursday, 2 June 2011 01:35 (fourteen years ago)

lol nrq

― buzza, Thursday, 2 June 2011 03:08 (fourteen years ago)

PA is way more self-conscious.

― lol sickmouthy (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, 2 June 2011 03:58 (fourteen years ago)

It's about a paranoid android, of course it's self-concious.

― ◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝ (Moka), Thursday, 2 June 2011 16:11 (fourteen years ago)

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