“Bohemian Rhapsody” is a legendary song from Queen that never seems to get old – especially when artists put their own spin on the classic.
One epic rendition took place when the University of California Men’s Octet gathered on stage at the Welcome Back to A Cappella Showcase. As they stood in a group and crossed their arms, little did the audience know they were in for an unforgettable performance.
It doesn’t take long to scour the internet to turn up some pretty amazing covers of Queen.
Famous artists like Jennifer Nettles blew everyone away with “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and many people believe Marc Martel sounds uncannily like Freddie Mercury.
Even a lot of today’s younger generation has an appreciation for Queen’s music. On reality talent shows like The Voice Kids, we’ve seen girls belt out “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “Somebody to Love,” while an entire choir left everyone awestruck with their audition.
Get ready for another incredible version of “Bohemian Rhapsody” put on by the UC Men’s Octet.
The a capella ensemble joined the show that was hosted inside Berkeley’s Hertz Hall. Years later, people are still loving their performance, which has now been watched more than three million times.
The University of California Men’s Octet was originally founded in 1948 and is made up of some of the school’s most talented singers. They cover a variety of music genres, including pop, doo-wop, barbershop, and even Berkeley spirit songs.
Apparently, they can rock Queen’s mega-hit too.
All eight men had their heads bowed on stage in the beginning, with their hands over their chests. Suddenly, they lifted their heads and broke into singing the intro portion of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The crowd couldn’t hold back their excitement!
It’s not an easy six-minute track to take on by any means, as it flows through several musical sections that are very diverse. When someone does, however, it’s always fun to see what they’re going to do with it.
The UC Men’s Octet did not disappoint. As they belted out the song a capella style, they also had plenty of actions to go along with their performance.
For the ballad of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” one man stood in center as the “Freddie” of the group. His beautiful vocals filled the room as the other men supported him as backup singers.
Once it reaches the operatic portion of the song, it goes to a whole other level. The ensemble really cranks up their dramatic (and quite comical) movements as they sing the non-sensical lyrics like, “Galileo Figaro magnifico.”
As the octet reaches the 3:40 mark and transitions into the rock and roll segment – the crowd goes wild. The men even bust out their electric guitars as they bring down the house.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is a masterpiece that’s earned many accolades over the years. According to Forbes, it spent time at the top of the charts and became part of the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004. Rolling Stone has it placed on its “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” list, and it’s also been named the “most-streamed song from the 20th century.”
With how entertaining and brilliant “Bohemian Rhapsody” is, it’s no surprise that so many artists have created their own renditions of the classic, and no doubt, will continue to do so.
The UC Men’s Octet’s version is one you don’t want to miss. Press play on the video below to see it for yourself!
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