With the end of the year nearing, it is time for all kinds of lists. Lists of the best and the worst of 2016 have already reached my desk several times, these past few weeks, but I take most joy in lists that go further back.
Every year in December, radio stations play all those guilty pleasures. Whether they turn themselves into the ultimate Christmas playlist (which you usually are done with in a day or so) or they play their listeners favorites of all times pretty much throughout the whole month.
Those lists are always very interesting. You hear songs you haven't heard in ages and you'd pretty much forgotten. You get surprised by songs you really didn't think anyone would even vote for to get in the list. For instance, I would've never imagined songs by Boyzone and Atomic Kitten to become classics, but they have.
As much as the lower regions of those lists change every year. The top position of many of those lists turn out much the same, each year over. This year, the surprise has already been lifted, and word already got out that Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" is number one..... again. It's only the billionth year or so that the song ended up at number one. On a very rare occasion it'll get bumped to the number two spot by Michael Jackson, The Eagles, John Lennon or even Robbie Williams.
I have to admit, I'm one of the many, many people who still isn't tired of the song. I still think it's a masterpiece. It's classic meets rock, pop meets opera. It's got drama in it. It just has all the ingredients of being spectacular.
And this year, one of those lists actually also showed which song was number one for which age group of people. "Bohemian Rhapsody" was voted number on by all the age groups under the age of 55, including the young generation. Only those above 55 preferred The Eagles with "Hotel California" and actually rebelled so much against Queen that their song didn't even make it to their top 3. Nevertheless, this song really seems to stand the test of time.
The song has captured the imagination of many people, so it also fell victim to a lot of parodies, from which I think the one The Muppets did was the absolute best. Recently, a group of people actually acted out the song's lyrics as if it was a movie. Also a good one to look up on a boring rainy Sunday when you get the chance.
