A NIGHT AT THE OPERA - Queen - 1975 LP Elektra 7E-1053 1st Embossed Gatefold EX

$

25

A Night at the Opera is the fourth studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 28 November 1975, by EMI Records in the United Kingdom and Elektra Records in the United States. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker and Queen, it was reportedly the most expensive album ever recorded at the time of its release. It was named after the Marx Brothers' film of the same name.

Upon release, A Night at the Opera became Queen's first number-one album in the UK, topping the UK Albums Chart for four non-consecutive weeks. It peaked at number four on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart and became the band's first Platinum-certified album in the US. It also produced the band's most successful single in the UK, "Bohemian Rhapsody", which became their first number-one song in the country. Despite being twice as long as the average length of singles during the 1970s, the song became immensely popular worldwide.

Contemporary reviews for A Night at the Opera were positive, with praise for its production and the diverse musical themes, and recognition as the album that established Queen as worldwide superstars. At the 19th Grammy Awards, "Bohemian Rhapsody" received Grammy Award nominations for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus and Best Arrangement for Voices. It has since been hailed as Queen's best album, and one of the greatest albums of all time. In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked it number 128 on its list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2018.

THIS COPY is a 1st Specialty Pressing from 1975 on the Electra (butterfly) label (see Notes, below).

The vinyl is in Excellent condition.

The original cover has an embossed image on the front and is a gatefold with lyrics on the inside. I has light ring wear, but otherwise show little sign of handling and is sturdy and bright.  The cover is in Very Good Plus [VG+] or better condition.

The original inner sleeve is plain white with square corners and a center label hole.  There is one tear of about 1/2 inch off of the center hole on one side, but no splitting or other issues.  The inner sleeve is in Very Good Plus [VG+] condition.

Notes

Released in an embossed gatefold sleeve and with an Elektra butterfly label.

"SP" in label matrix denotes a Specialty Records Corporation pressing.

Recorded at Sarm, Roundhouse, Olympic, Rockfield, Scorpio and Lansdowne.
Mixed at Sarm Studios.
Track A3 Dedicated to Johnathan Harris, boy racer to the end. 

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Matrix / Runout (Side A etched, 'SRC' stamped): 7E1053 A-SP [SRC logo] ESRTD 11-19-75

Matrix / Runout (Side B etched, 'SRC' stamped): 7E1053 B-SP [SRC logo] ESRTD 111975

ENJOY!