‘Somebody to Love’ is a song by the British rock band Queen, written by lead singer and pianist Freddie Mercury. it went to No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. It was the first single from A Day at the Races, on which Mercury, May and Taylor multitracked their voices to create the impression of a 100-voice gospel choir. The band have spoken of sections of the song which were recorded but never made it onto the final mix of the song, some of which have been leaked online. Roger Taylor said, ‘"Somebody To Love’ is Aretha Franklin-influenced. Freddie's very much into that. We tried to keep the track in a loose, gospel-type feel. I think it's the loosest track we've ever done.”
The lyrics, especially combined with the gospel influence, create a song about faith, desperation and soul-searching; the singer questions both the lack of love experienced in his life, and the role and existence of God. This is reinforced by frequent use of word painting. Staying true to Queen's guitar-driven style, it was also filled with intricate harmonies and a notable guitar solo by May. The song has similarities to Queen's earlier hit ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ with its complex harmonies and guitar solos; however instead of mimicking an English choir, the band turned to a gospel choir. It reached No. 2 in the UK and No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. The song demonstrated that "Queen could swing as hard as it could rock, by channelling the spirit of gospel music".
Written by Mercury at the piano, ‘Somebody to Love’ is a soul-searching piece that questions life without love. Through voice layering techniques, Queen was able to create the soulful sound of a 100-voice choir from three singers: Mercury, Brian May, and Roger Taylor. John Deacon did not sing backing vocals on the recorded album.
Billboard stated that the song grabs attention with gimmicks such as changes in volume and tempo and the use of classical music elements. Cash Box said that "sounding like the Harvard Chorale on the opening and backing up Freddie Mercury might be their idea of a logical progression from 'A Night At The Opera’ and "there’s a grand finale, with handclapping and thundering percussion." Record World said that "the group continues to stretch the limitations of the commercial single" by incorporating "operatic overtures" along the lines of "Bohemian Rhapsody." Los Angeles Times critic Robert Hilburn said that "its gospel-tinged urgency maintains the English band's knack for arrangements that are at once off-beat, yet well within the broad rock mainstream.”
Labels – EMI (UK), Elektra (US), Tonpress (Poland)
Songwriter – Freddie Mercury
Producers – Queen
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]Can anybody find me
Somebody to love?
[Verse 1]
Ooh, each morning I get up I die a little
Can barely stand on my feet
Take a look at yourself in the mirror and cry
Take a look in the mirror and cry
Lord, what you're doing to me? (Yeah, yeah)
I have spent all my years in believin' you
But I just can't get no relief, Lord
[Chorus]
Somebody (Somebody)
Ooh, somebody (Somebody)
Can anybody find me
Somebody to love?
Yeah
[Verse 2]
I work hard (He works hard) every day of my life
I work 'till I ache my bones
At the end (At the end of the day) I take home
My hard-earned pay all on my own
(Goes home, goes home on his own)
I get down (Down) on my knees (Knees) and I start to pray (Praise the Lord)
'Till the tears run down from my eyes, Lord
[Chorus]
Somebody (Somebody)
Ooh, somebody (Please)
Can anybody find me
Somebody to love?
Oh
[Bridge]
(He works hard) everyday (Everyday)
I try and I try and I try
But everybody wants to put me down
They say I'm going crazy
They say I got a lot of water in my brain
I got no common sense
(He's got) I got nobody left to believe
No, no, no, no
[Guitar solo]
[Chorus]
(Ooh, ooh, ooh, Lord)
Ooh, somebody
Ooh (Somebody)
Anybody find me
Somebody to love
Can anybody find me
Someone to love?
[Verse 3]
Got no feel, I got no rhythm
I just keep losing my beat (You just keep losing and losing)
I'm okay, I'm alright (He's alright, he's alright)
I ain't gonna face no defeat (Yeah, yeah)
I just gotta get out of this prison cell
(One day) Someday I'm gonna be free, Lord
[Outro]
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
(Find me, find me)
Find me somebody to love (Find me)
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love-ove-ove
(Ooh, find me, find me)
Find me somebody to love
(Somebody to love)
Find me somebody to love
Somebody (Somebody)
Somebody (Somebody)
Somebody (Find me)
(Somebody find me somebody to love)
Can anybody find me
Somebody to love?
(Find me somebody to love) Ooh
(Find me somebody to love)
Find me somebody
(Find me somebody to love)
Somebody, somebody, somebody to love
(Find me somebody to love)
Find me, find me
Find me, find me, find me
(Find me somebody to love)
Ooh, somebody to love
(Find me somebody to love)
Ooh, find me, find me
Find me somebody to love
(Find me somebody to love)
Anybody, anywhere, anybody
Find me somebody to love, love
Find me, find me, find me, find me