Who Wants to Live Forever

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"Who Wants to Live Forever"
Song

"Who Wants to Live Forever" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It is the sixth track on the album A Kind of Magic, released in June 1986, and was written by lead guitarist Brian May for the soundtrack to the film Highlander.[1] The song peaked at No. 24 in the UK charts.[2]

Recording

The song is used to frame the scenes in the film where Connor MacLeod must endure his beloved wife Heather MacLeod growing old and dying while he, as an Immortal, remains forever young. (It was later used in the episodes "The Gathering", "Revenge is Sweet", "The Hunters", "Line of Fire", and "Leader of the Pack" of the Highlander television series).

Brian May wrote the song in the backseat of his car after seeing a 20-minute first cut of the scene of Heather's death.[3]

In the film, Freddie Mercury provides all the main vocals, while May sings lead vocals on the first verse on the album version, before Mercury finally takes over for most of the rest of the song, with May singing "But touch my tears with your lips" during Mercury's verse and then the final line of the song, "Who waits forever anyway?". An instrumental version of the song, titled "Forever", was included as a bonus track on the CD version of the album. This instrumental featured only a piano, with keyboard accompaniment during the chorus sections. The piano track was recorded solely by May. Queen was backed up by an orchestra, with orchestrations by the co-composer of the film's score, Michael Kamen.[1] Since its release, the song has been covered by a number of artists.

Music video

The video was directed by David Mallet and filmed in a (now demolished) warehouse at Tobacco Wharf at London's East End in September 1986.[4] It featured the National Philharmonic Orchestra with forty choirboys and hundreds and hundreds of candles which remain lit throughout filming as well as Mercury wearing a tuxedo suit.[4] The video also features bass guitarist John Deacon playing a white double bass, despite not performing on the original recording.

An alternate version with clips from the film Highlander (which the song appears in) appears on the video single with "A Kind of Magic" in October 1986 and later as a hidden music video on the Queen Greatest Video Hits II DVD in November 2003.[4]

Personnel

Cover versions

Tributes

Funeral music

In a 2005 poll conducted by digital television station Music Choice on what song Britons would most like played at their funeral, the song was voted the fifth most popular.[10]

Dune version

"Who Wants to Live Forever"
Song

German band Dune released their cover of "Who Wants to Live Forever", from their album Forever, as a single in October 1996.

Dune's version of "Who Wants to Live Forever" sold more than 500,000 copies in Germany. The single peaked at No. 3 in the Austrian singles charts, No. 9 in the Swiss Charts, No. 12 in the Dutch Charts and No. 59 in the Swedish charts. It was nominated to the 1997 Echo Awards for the most successful national dance single.

Track listing

  1. Who Wants to Live Forever (Sixtysix Radio Mix) (3:54)
  2. Who Wants to Live Forever (South Bound Mix) (3:58)
  3. Highland Trilogy: One Day in Glencoe (4:49)
  4. Highland Trilogy: Valley of Tears (4:58)
  5. Highland Trilogy: In the Air, Part 2 (10:29)

Remixes

Released: 4 December 1996

  1. Who Wants to Live Forever (Komakino Remix) (5:32)
  2. Who Wants to Live Forever (Future Breeze Remix) (7:03)
  3. In the Air, Part 1 (5:13)

Music video

The music video of "Who Wants to Live Forever" was directed by Matt Broadley.[11] It was shot in the Scottish Highlands.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1996-1997) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[12] 3
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[13] 13
Invalid chart entered Germany2 2
Hungary (Mahasz)[14] 8
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] 9
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 12
Scotland (Official Charts Company) 65
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[17] 59
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] 9
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 77

Year-end charts

Chart (1996) Position
Germany (Official German Charts)[19] 44
Chart (1997) Position
Germany (Official German Charts)[20] 49

Sarah Brightman version

"Who Wants to Live Forever"
Song

Soprano Sarah Brightman released her cover of "Who Wants to Live Forever", from her album Timeless/Time to Say Goodbye, as a single in 1997 (See 1997 in music). The single peaked at No. 45 in the UK singles chart.

Track listing

CD single

  1. "Who Wants to Live Forever" (Album version)
  2. "Who Wants to Live Forever" (Xenomania club mix)

Maxi CD single

  1. "Who Wants to Live Forever"
  2. "A Question of Honour"
  3. "Heaven Is Here"
  4. "I Loved You"

12" vinyl

  1. "Who Wants to Live Forever (Trouser Enthusiasts 'Cybernetic Odalisque' Mix)"
  2. "Who Wants to Live Forever (Xenomania Club Mix)"
  3. "Who Wants to Live Forever (Xenomania Dub Mix)"
  4. "Who Wants to Live Forever (X-Citing Mix)

Edyta Górniak version

"Who Wants to Live Forever"
Song

Polish singer Edyta Górniak released a cover of the song in 2003 called "Nieśmiertelni" (Immortals). She recorded the cover with Polish lyrics for the cover compilation album RMF FM – Moja i Twoja muzyka by Polish radio station RMF FM. It was released as a promo radio single by Pomaton EMI. The image on the cover was shot by photographer Robert Wolański.

Track listing

  1. Nieśmiertelni (3:26)

References

  1. ^ a b Who Wants To Live Forever UltimateQueen.co.uk
  2. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums. London: Guinness World Records Limited
  3. ^ Georg Purvis (28 August 2012). Queen: The Complete Works. Titan. p. 935. ISBN 978-1-78116-287-3. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Queen Promo Videos: Who Wants To Live Forever Ultimate Queen. Retrieved 11 November 2011
  5. ^ "Giorgia in concerto ad Ancona con Dietro le Apparenze Tour 2012". La Prima Web - Eventi Marche. 11 March 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  6. ^ Sarah Brightman: Time to Say Goodbye Allmusic. Retrieved 30 August 2011
  7. ^ The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert: Who Wants To Live Forever Ultimate Queen. Retrieved 20 August 2011
  8. ^ Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen Allmusic. Retrieved 30 August 2011
  9. ^ "Isle of Wight Festival: Queen pay tribute to Orlando shooting victims". BBC. 14 June 2016.
  10. ^ "Angels 'favourite funeral song'". BBC News. 10 March 2005. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  11. ^ "Credits - Matt Broadley". mattbroadley.com. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  12. ^ "Dune – Who Wants To Live Forever" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Music & Media: Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  14. ^ "Top 10 Hungary" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  15. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Dune" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  16. ^ "Dune – Who Wants To Live Forever" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  17. ^ "Dune – Who Wants To Live Forever". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  18. ^ "Dune – Who Wants To Live Forever". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  19. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  20. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 17 April 2018.

External links

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