"Somebody To Love" is Aretha Franklin-influenced. 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.
The song possesses a great variety of notes, ranging from F2 in the harmonies on the line "Can anybody find me?", and A ♭2 to a C5 in full voice up to an A ♭5 in falsetto in the lead vocals, all sung by Mercury. Staying true to Queen's guitar-driven style, it was also filled with intricate harmonies and a notable guitar solo by May, and it went to #2 in the UK Singles Chart and #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. This is reinforced by frequent use of word painting. 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. 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. But while "Bohemian Rhapsody" was based on English choir styles, "Somebody To Love" was based on a gospel choir arrangement. Like "Bohemian Rhapsody", the major hit from Queen's previous album A Night at the Opera (1975), "Somebody to Love" has a complex melody and deep layering of vocal tracks. It has also been covered by many artists. Since its release in 1976, the song has appeared in several television shows, such as the Idol franchise, The X Factor, and Glee, as well as films, including Happy Feet and Ella Enchanted. The song was played live on 20 April 1992 during The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, with George Michael on lead vocals. In addition to these live performances, there were collaboration tributes to "Somebody to Love" after Mercury's death in 1991. Queen played "Somebody to Love" live from 1977–85, and a live performance of the song is recorded on the album Queen Rock Montreal. Mercury's fascination and admiration for Aretha Franklin was a major influence for the creation of this song. John Deacon did not sing backing vocals on the recorded album. 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.
Written by Mercury at the piano, "Somebody to Love" is a soul-searching piece that questions God's role in a life without love.
The song demonstrated that "Queen could swing as hard as it could rock, by channeling the spirit of gospel music". It reached No. 2 in the UK and No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. 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 debuted on the band's 1976 album A Day at the Races and also appears on their 1981 compilation album Greatest Hits. " Somebody to Love" is a song by the British rock band Queen, written by the lead singer/ pianist Freddie Mercury.