Bohemian Rhapsody Documentary

[andy-hughes]

I watched and enjoyed this - apart from two parts.

I wonder how they persuaded a lot of Oxford Dons to sit around a table and dissect a pop song with full earnestness and nonsensical conclusions - they looked and sounded ridiculous.

But not as ridiculous as Richard E Grant declaiming the lyrics as though he was delivering a speech from Macbeth - he also looked and sounded ridiculous.

The entire point about pop is that it doesn't have to mean anything - why waste time pretending to find something that does not exist?

Other than that - it was good.

Anyone else see it?

[douglas9401]

No.

"The entire point about pop is that it doesn't have to mean anything - why waste time pretending to find something that does not exist?"

Helluva way for a music journalist to declare a career of deception and waffle then resign. :-)

[Cloverjo]

No, on which channel?
Your description reminds me of Eng Lit school lessons when we had to talk about what poems actually meant.
They all meant what the writers wanted them to mean. Why analyse them apart from filling up a bit of tv space?

[jno]

there are nonsense lyrics around, always have been (Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla, brawla sooit?) but Bohemian Rhapsody may not be among them. I've heard it explained, for instance as Mercury coming out ("Mother, I've just ****ed a man"). It's worth thinking about, at the very least, and if you come up with no coherent meaning ... so be it.

[Ken4155]

Rather like these snobby arty farties who will attempt to explain to us plebs just why a 'work of art' is a 'work of art'. Remember Freddie being asked in an interview what the meaning of Bohemian Rhapsody was and his reply was something like, "Whatever you want it to mean, darling." That'll do for me:-)

[Cloverjo]

I was trying to think of a Harold Pinter quote after someone asked what one of his plays meant. I cant remember the exact words, so googling is getting me nowhere. Anyone remember? His answer was something like 'It is what it is'

[jno]

I do recall reading about Pinter telling an actor he should pause longer: "You're pausing for two dots - I think if you look at the script you'll find it's three."

[goodgoalie]

Is it this?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/7902767/Harold-Pinter-sent-sarcastic-letter-to-pupils-who-sought-hidden-meaning-in-his-plays.html

[Mamyalynne]

"It is what it is" has a very long history indeed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fihi_Ma_Fihi

[davegosling]

Or Don Mclean, who got so sick of people asking him what American Pie meant, he used to reply "It means I never have to work again".

[Cloverjo]

Thank you, good goalie. That's the one I was thinking of.
I love the two dots thing, jno.
Eek, mamya, I read the first line and hadn't a clue :)

Sorry, I've gone off the topic of Bohemiam Rhapsody, Andy.
I love Harold Pinter

[bednobs]

lol other than the whole premise of the program being wrong - it was good?

[naomi24]

What was the title of the documentary? I'd be interested in watching it.

[douglas9401]

Good morning. :-)

http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/queen/videos/the-story-of-bohemian-rhapsody.htm

[jno]

it may have been this old one

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0438465/

[Old_Geezer]

"It is what it is","Fihi Ma Fihi", "Brexit means Brexit", ah; culture and art through the ages.

[jno]

most of it seems to be on youtube

[EDDIE51]

I assume they persuaded the Oxford dons, by offering them a big fat fee. Why look for an explanation above the obvious?

[naomi24]

Good morning douglas, and thanks.

Thanks jno.

[andy-hughes]

Douglas - // Helluva way for a music journalist to declare a career of deception and waffle then resign. :-) //

Indeed it would be - if my writing was trying to find lofty justifications for throw-away pop nonsense.

As it is, that's not my field of operation, so I'm not involved.

[andy-hughes]

Eddie - // I assume they persuaded the Oxford dons, by offering them a big fat fee. Why look for an explanation above the obvious? //

That may be so if you were talking reality 'celebs' who turn up to the opening of an envelope, but these are people who are known for their work in academia, and have no need for this sort of nonsense.

Likewise Richard E Grant, who must have known that he looked like a prize ninny declaiming lyrics so seriously to camera.

The last time this was done, was by the peerless Peter Sellars -



but he meant to be funny!