As detailed by Brian May in a documentary about this album, the speed-up effect that happens in the middle of the guitar solo was achieved by starting a reel-to-reel player with the tape on it, as the original tape player was stopped.
The dream he had was about The Great Flood, and lyrics have references from the Bible and the Noah's Ark account.
In an interview held in 1975, May elaborated on writing the song:
"I had a dream about what seemed like revenge on people, and I couldn't really work out in the dream what it was that people had done wrong. It was something like a flood. Things had gone much too far and as a kind of reparation, the whole thing had to start again. In the dream, people were walking on the streets trying to touch each others hands, desperate to try to make some sign that they were caring about other people. I felt that the trouble must be ā and this is one of my obsessions, anyway ā that people don't make enough contact with each other. A feeling that runs through a lot of the songs I write is, that if there is a direction to mankind, it ought to be a coming together, and at the moment, it doesnāt seem to be happening very well. I worry about it a lot. I worry about not doing anything about it. Things seem to be getting worse.
"But I wasn't trying to preach in the song at all. I was just trying to put across the questions which are in my mind, rather than the answers, which I don't believe I have. The only answer I can see is to be aware of things like that and to sort of try to put yourself to rights. There is an overseer in the song, though, whose cry to the multitudes is to 'listen to the warning of the seer'. In the song is this guy who also appeared in the dream. I don't really know whether he was a prophet or an impostor, but anyway, he's standing up there and saying, 'Look, you've got to mend your ways.' I still don't know whether he's the man who thinks he's sent from God or whether he isn't. The song asks questions rather than gives answers." "
Interview with Freddie Mercury, 5/21/1976 The Record Mirror:
"That's a Brian May track really. It's one of the nicest songs on the album. It really took a long while to record that one. A lot of work has gone into that track, and he practically went insane trying to get it together. We do that completely different on stage... It's one of the things that we wanted to do, y'know; the same as I wanted to do the operatic side of things in Bohemian Rhapsody. Brian wanted to try a completely different angle on that track. It's something that he had in mind for a long while and I think it's been very successful."
The Prophet's Song
Queen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Listen to the warning"
The Seer, he said
Beware the storm that gathers here
Listen to the wise man
I dreamed I saw on a moonlit stair
Spreading his hands on the multitude there
And ice cold hearts of charity bare
I watched as fear took the old man's gaze
Hopes of the young in troubled graves
I see no day, I heard him say
So grey is the face of every mortal
Oh-oh, people of the earth
"Listen to the warning"
The prophet, he said
For soon, the cold of night will fall
Summoned by your own hand
Oh-oh, children of the land
Quicken to the new life
Take my hand
Ooh, fly and find the new green bough
Return like the white dove
He told of death as a bone white haze
Taking the lost and the unloved babe
Late, too late, all the wretches run
These kings of beasts now counting their days
From mother's love is the son estranged
Married his own, his precious gain
The earth will shake, in two, will break
And death all around will be your dowry
Oh-oh, people of the earth
"Listen to the warning," the seer, he said
For those who hear and mark my words
Listen to the good plan
Ah-ah-ah-ah
And two by two, my human zoo
They'll be
Running for to come
Running for to come
Out of the rain
Oh, flee for your life
Who heed me not, let all your treasure make you
Oh, fear for your life
Deceive you not, the fires of hell will take you
Should death await you
Oh-oh, people can you hear me (Oh-oh, people can you hear me)
(Oh-oh, people can you hear me)
And now I know (and now I know, and now I know)
I know, I know that you can hear me (and now I know that you can hear me)
And now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know
Now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know
Now I know (now I know, now I know)
The Earth will shake, in two will break (the Earth will shake, in two will break)
The Earth will shake, in two will break (the Earth will shake, in two will break)
Doubts all around, around, around, around, around, around, around, around
(Doubts all around, around, around, around, around, around, around, around)
(Doubts all around, around, around, around, around, around, around, around)
Now I know (now I know, now I know)
Now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know
Now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa (whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa)
Listen to the wise, listen to the wise, listen to the wise
Listen to the wise, listen to the wise man
(Listen to the wise man, listen to the wise man)
La-la, la-la-la-la, la-la (la-la, la-la-la-la, la-la)
La-la, la-la-la-la, la-la (la-la, la-la-la-la, la-la)
La-la, la-la-la-la, la-la (la-la, la-la-la-la, la-la)
La-la, la-la-la-la, la-la (la-la, la-la-la-la, la-la)
La-la, la-la
Come here (la-la, come here)
I, you come here (I, you come here)
I, you come here (I, you come here)
I, you (ah)
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Listen to the mad (listen to the mad)
Listen to the man (listen to the man)
Listen to the mad man (listen to the mad man)
God give you the grace to purge this place
And peace all around may be your fortune
Oh-oh, children of the land
Love is still the answer, take my hand
The vision fades, a voice I hear
Listen to the madman
Ooh, but still I fear and still I dare not
Laugh at the madman
The Prophet's Song by Queen is a complex and symbolic song that predicts a catastrophic event. The song starts with a warning to the people of Earth to listen to the Seer's prophecy, which predicts a storm gathering on the horizon. The lyrics then describe a dream where the singer sees a man crying for a love that has gone stale and icy hearts of charity. This man is surrounded by fear and troubled graves, with no hope of a better tomorrow. The Seer then warns that the cold of night will fall soon, summoned by man's own hand.
The second verse contemplates death and its consequences. The lyrics describe how death will take those who are lost and unloved and how the wretched kings of beasts will count their days. From the mother's love, even the son is estranged, and the earth will shake, breaking into two, and death will be their dowry. The Seer warns that people must listen and act upon his words to avoid these fatal consequences. The song concludes on a positive note that love is still the answer, and people should take the Seer's hand to fly and find a new life, symbolized by the new green bough and the return of the white dove.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh-oh, people of the earth
Calling out to the people of Earth
"Listen to the warning"
Urging people to listen carefully
The Seer, he said
Referring to a wise old man, the Seer
Beware the storm that gathers here
Warning about a dangerous storm that is approaching
Listen to the wise man
Advising people to listen to the knowledge of the wise man
I dreamed I saw on a moonlit stair
Recounting a vivid dream sequence
Spreading his hands on the multitude there
Describing the image of a man reaching out to a crowd
A man who cried for a love gone stale
Depicting a man who grieves over a lost love
And ice cold hearts of charity bare
Expressing the lack of compassion in society
I watched as fear took the old man's gaze
Observing an old man's fearful expression
Hopes of the young in troubled graves
Suggesting a future that is bleak and bleak for the young
I see no day, I heard him say
Quoting the old man's belief that there is no hope for the future
So grey is the face of every mortal
Metaphorically referring to the monotony of mortality
For soon, the cold of night will fall
Predicting a chilly future
Summoned by your own hand
Attributing the cause of this future to human action
Oh-oh, children of the land
Calling out to the younger generation of Earth
Quicken to the new life
Encouraging them to move on and embrace change
Take my hand
Urging them to take his hand for guidance
Ooh, fly and find the new green bough
Encouraging them to seek out new beginnings
Return like the white dove
Suggesting that they will return as symbols of peace
He told of death as a bone white haze
Referring to an ominous portrayal of death
Taking the lost and the unloved babe
Referring to a cruel and gruesome death
Late, too late, all the wretches run
Describing a sense of panic or desperation
These kings of beasts now counting their days
Referring to people who are losing their power or influence
From mother's love is the son estranged
Quoting a common phrase to show feelings of alienation
Married his own, his precious gain
Referring to selfish or corrupt behavior
The earth will shake, in two, will break
Predicting a catastrophic event in the future
And death all around will be your dowry
Referring to death as an inheritance
For those who hear and mark my words
Addressing people who listen and take heed
Ah-ah-ah-ah
A vocal sound effect, not connoting much meaning
And two by two, my human zoo
Metaphorically referring to people like a zoo exhibit
They'll be running for to come
Suggesting a sense of chaos and urgency
Out of the rain
Reflecting on the imagery of nature and its effects on humans
Oh, flee for your life
Urging people to preserve themselves
Who heed me not, let all your treasure make you
Warning people who do not listen to the consequences of their actions
Oh, fear for your life
Urging people to be afraid
Deceive you not, the fires of hell will take you
Describing a threatening and dangerous situation
Should death await you
Suggesting that death is inevitable for some
Oh-oh, people can you hear me (Oh-oh, people can you hear me)
An appeal for human attention and awareness
(Oh-oh, people can you hear me)
Repeating the appeal in hopes for a response
And now I know (and now I know, and now I know)
Making a self-realization
I know, I know that you can hear me (and now I know that you can hear me)
Acknowledging that people can actually hear him
The Earth will shake, in two will break (the Earth will shake, in two will break)
Repeating a previous line with more emphasis
Doubts all around, around, around, around, around, around, around, around
Reflecting on uncertainty and fear
(Doubts all around, around, around, around, around, around, around, around)
Repeating the previous line with more emphasis
Listen to the wise, listen to the wise, listen to the wise
Admonishing people to listen to those with knowledge and experience
Listen to the madman
Suggesting that people may need to look towards unconventional sources for guidance
God give you the grace to purge this place
Expressing a hope for God's help and intervention
And peace all around may be your fortune
Desiring a peaceful future
Love is still the answer, take my hand
Urging people to consider the value of love and to take guidance
The vision fades, a voice I hear
Suggesting that the vision of the future is disappearing
Listen to the madman
Repeating the earlier guidance for people to seek unconventional sources for guidance
Ooh, but still I fear and still I dare not
Admitting to feeling hesitant or afraid
Laugh at the madman
Repeating the earlier guidance to listen to the unconventional sources
Lyrics Ā© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Brian Harold May
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jakobcepon
1970. Freddie joined the band.
1970. Queen was formed.
1971. John deacon joined the band.
1973. Debut album
1975. The greatest song.
1977. Two of the greatest rock anthem ever.
1978. The happiest song ever.
1980. The greatest bassline
1981. The most iconic bassline
1985. The greatest performance.
1991. The greatest frontman in rock history. Died š.
1992. The greatest tribute concert for Freddie.
1995. The most emotion album was released. And it was made in heaven š.
2018. A great movie. Bohemian rhapsody.
R.I.P freddie mercury.
Queen forever š¤©.
@francesca2509
My top ten queen songs (at the moment)- they change all the time are
1. Mad the swine- Queen
2. The fairy fellers master stroke- Queen II
3. Seaside Rendezvous- A Night at the Opera
4. Iām in love with my car- A Night at the Opera
5. Spread your wings- News of the World
6. Seven seas of rhye- Queen II
7. In the lap of the gods (original)- Sheer Heart Attack
8. Lily of the Valley- Sheer Heart Attack
9. You take my breath away- A Day at the Races
10. Flick of the wrist- Sheer Heart Attack
But I also really like
Keep passing the open windows- The Works
I want it all- The Miracle
Hammer to fall- The Works
Itās a hard life- The Works
Brighton rock- Sheer Heart Attack
Crazy Little Thing Called Love- The Game
Iām going slightly mad- innuendo
The show must go on- innuendo
Need your loving tonight- The Game
Doing alright- Queen
Rain must fall- The Miracle
Donāt try suicide- The Game
Now Iām here- Sheer Heart Attack
Jesus- Queen
One vision- A Kind of Magic
We will rock you- News of the World
Killer queen- Sheer Heart Attack
Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy- A Day at the Races
Under pressure- hot space
Life is real- hot space
Get down make love- News of the World
Made in heaven- made in heaven
Liar- Queen
Some day one day- Queen II
The prophets song- A Night at the Opera
Las palabras de amor- hot space
In only seven days- jazz
Love kills- Queen forever
Somebody to love- A Day at the Races
These are the days of our lives- innuendo
Innuendo- innuendo
Donāt try so hard- innuendo
The miracle- The Miracle
Princes of the universe- A Kind of Magic
Barcelona- greatest hits III
But I love them all :)
@Adennos
70s Queen and 80s Queen are two completely different bands
@roverwaters3875
"who happen to have big hits" ...so easy
@housewifeyoongi7694
Rover Waters ikr it's soooo easy to get big hits
@calfman3333
They went from The Prophets Song in 1975 to Invisible Man in 1989 lol.
@shawnmoore9551
Adennos prey tell explain yourself
@Neodude991
@@calfman3333 But also did Was It All Worth it from the same album...
@nana-cr1vc
"bohemian rhapsody it's too long, it's six bloody minutes"
brian may, about to introduce the prophet song: chuckles i'm in danger
@shakynicoden
****the march of the black queen plays in the background***
@janiquevaillot8554
Great ! Friendly from France. A true fan of Queen since I was a teenager
@carmencalderon751
liar starts to playing