From Barbershop to Bardcore: 6 Amazing (and Unexpected) Covers of Queen’s “Somebody to Love”

When Queen released “Somebody to Love” in November 1976, it was a new direction for the band. Singer Freddie Mercury was deeply inspired by gospel music, and the piece gave him the opportunity to channel his creativity into a piece that fused Queen’s rock power with the spirit of a choir. The famed singer wrote the song at the piano and arranged the epic chorus parts with one particular singer in mind.

“Freddie wanted to be Aretha Franklin, you have to bear this in mind, and that explains everything,” explains guitarist Brian May. “He loved Aretha. And, this was his Gospel epic. It kind of followed in the steps of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ in the sense that we were building up these multiple vocal parts, but this time we were being a Gospel choir, instead of being an English choir.”

The members of Queen (minus bassist John Deacon) overdubbed all of the chorus parts themselves.

Although the song was Mercury’s unique take on gospel-tinged vocals, its influence has been felt throughout much of popular music. We have six examples of how “Somebody to Love” can be transformed and still retain its spiritual essence.

Jacob Collier Turns “Somebody to Love” Into a One-Man Gospel Choir in Lisbon

Aside from its glorious chorus, “Somebody to Love” has a lovely piano part. Music whiz Jacob Collier brings both of those elements to this improvised rendition recorded in Lisbon, Portugal in 2022.

He begins by singing with a synthesizer that harmonizes his vocals before sitting at the piano. His version begins with a slow, thoughtful pace as the audience sings along. After two verses and choruses, he brings the dynamics down and introduces his signature reharmonizations and solo flourishes.

Soon, he begins to play the audience like an instrument. For the iconic “Find me somebody to love” refrain, he assigns each section of the capacity crowd a part to sing, starting with the lyrics and filling it in with beautiful harmonies.

There’s no better word for this performance than “magical.”

Camille Trust Delivers a Soulful, Stripped-Down Take on Queen’s Classic

NYC-based artist Camille Trust performed for Sofar Sounds in the Big Apple as part of a collaboration on the release of the film, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Her version brings all of the vocal fire of Mercury with an extra dose of soul.

Trust is joined by two backup vocalists as well as a guitarist. Although the arrangement is sparse, it certainly doesn’t feel like it’s missing anything.

Signature Brings Barbershop Harmony to “Somebody to Love”

Signature is an a cappella group from South Florida that describes their style as “BarberSoul.” In 2016, they competed in the Barbershop Harmony Society International Convention and performed “Somebody to Love” during the quarter finals.

The quartet’s impressive take features tight vocal harmonies and rhythms that reflect doo-wop more than gospel.

A Wedding String Quartet Gives Queen’s Anthem a Classical Twist

The aptly named Wedding String Quartet brings a new level of class to the Queen classic. Just as Signature’s version brought out a stylistic difference, the quartet’s cover feels like it should be played in an English garden on a summer day.

Seb Skelly’s Brass Arrangement Turns “Somebody to Love” Into a Cinematic Spectacle

Seb Skelly arranged “Somebody to Love” for brass ensemble and recorded all ten parts himself. For all you brass players out there, we even get to see him playing each part.

The top row features a trumpet, solo horn, Eb trumpet, flugelhorn, and another trumpet, while the bottom row has three soprano trombones and two flugelhorns. Altogether, it creates a rich texture with a lot of dynamic range.

Algal the Bard Transports “Somebody to Love” to the Middle Ages

I don’t want to say we saved the best for last, but this is truly something special. YouTuber Algal the Bard arranged the song in a Medieval style that he calls Bardcore. He ditches the guitar for lutes. An insistent tambourine and tom drum replace the drum set, and instead of singing, he plays the melody on a penny whistle. The 12/8 time signature is a perfect fit for the style.