Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Marks 40 Years

Forty years ago Saturday, the world had not yet heard "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. That all changed on Oct. 31, 1975. The song should have failed coming out of the gate. It was the most expensive single ever made up to that point and the opera parts alone took 70 hours to record. Record label executives said at nearly six minutes long, it was too long to get radio airplay. Record buyers thought otherwise. It was Queen's first number-one single in the U.S., and it was the first British single to hit number one twice with the same version. It shot back onto the U.S. charts in 1992 when it was used in the movie "Wayne's World." Queen guitarist Brian May says he remembers Freddie Mercury bringing it into the studio and pounding on the piano. He says Mercury played piano the way most people play drums.