He did do it on purpose according to the documentary The Making of Queen Freddie knew about the virus and his history and hadn’t been feeling well often. He told his friend I think it’s too late. Brian suspected this could happen and knew he wasn’t well and you can see the pain, just a glimpse on Brian’s face behind a tight smile. That was Freddie. He sang and recorded as much as he was able until the day he died.
Freddie was feeling a tad poorly and was formally diagnosed with HIV in 1987 and died the end of 1991. It's so tragic that the treatments we have now would have knocked that damn virus down. He did satisfy a few things on his bucket list such as doing opera. People at the time criticized him for not announcing he had HIV until the day before his death. The public didn't own him and it was entirely one.of those intensely personal things no stranger has the right to know. There was also a stigma around the illness. Rest in peace Freddie. Sing with the angels
A song written by Brian May and sung amazingly by Freddie. At this concert in 86 they were not aware Freddie was HIV positive, also he wasn't officially diagnosed till 87. However of course with the benefit of hindsight the song takes on a different meaning, but it was written for the Highlander movie. Freddie's performance gives me goosebumps everytime, just wonderful.
The hardest song to listen to for me is MOTHER LOVE....knowing it was the last song Freddie recorded but Brian had to finish because Freddie felt too ill and passed away before he could complete the song
@carol winstanley 💔This was one of Freddie's more popular singles. It is famous for the lyrics, "I'm just a singer with a song," which became one of the lines Brian May 🎸🌟 used when speaking of ᕕ(˵•̀෴•́˵)ᕗ, calling him the "Lover 💛of Life, Singer 🎤 of Songs ♪(●o●)." Freddie originally recorded this for the soundtrack of the 1986 musical Time. The song was written the show's writers Dave Clark, David Soames and Jeff Daniels.
This song was written by Brian for the movie Highlander, which was about a few Immortals (they live forever). The main character falls in love, then has to watch his wife/girlfriend age, suffer, and die in his arms. The move “Bohemian Rhapsody” took liberties with timelines and often made things more dramatic to not only condense the story, but to make $$$$. Freddie was NOT diagnosed yet (not until 1987), and he didn’t tell the band until some time afterwards. The band rallied around him and didn’t even tell their wives Freddie was ill. Also, Roger had 2 solo albums and Brian had 1 before Freddie ever released his own solo album. This is a truly beautiful song. Watch the Official vide too - there’s an Orchestra, and it’s done very well. 😊
@Ker Yes, it sure can make you crazy with it’s “artistic license”! I did enjoy the movie though, and have the DVD. Everyone just needs to remember it is NOT a Documentary.
@@barbaramendoza2202 The movie was still so emotional and amazing. Most movies are out of the realm of timelines and truth. But I loved it anyway. sigh.... just like The Doors.
There can be only one. Highlander soundtrack best ever sorry gotta add this to truly understand this song you have to watch the movie that's where the true meaning of the song will be made clear. Watch the movie
Mate you apologize about being so chill in your reaction but it seems so much more honest than some of the OMG ones I've seen. First time subscriber and I've been watching your clips for three hours.
'Not bad for 4 aging queens.' Freddie was actually amazingly open, from the beginning, about his sexual orientation. He spoke in very thinly disguised code in interviews and in his songwriting, wore clothing styles, facial hair styles, and even fashion additions like bandanas, sashes around his waist-- even t-shirts emblazoned across the front with the names of very, very well-known gay bars in the U.S. and U.K.-- that were all very recognizable to the gay male community. That gave him power, and self-esteem-- knowing that he really was telling the world his big 'secret' in every way possible, only withholding actually 'coming out' in fear of losing fans, destroying the band's immense popularity, and costing countless crew and other support staff their jobs. He was willing to do that to keep the Queen machine running smoothly, w/ $ pouring into all of their pockets. He really did sacrifice part of himself, though, to make sure nothing he did would hurt others-- fans, friends, family, lovers. That, in my opinion, is a highly evolved human trait. More should follow his lead-- love yourself, of course, but he extended that love to others, even people he knew he'd most likely never meet, and very rarely, if ever, know personally, like all of us fans. Just a stellar human being, he was. We are all, back in the day and now, lucky to have him here for 45 years.
Yes, there were subtle signs, but he never (as far as I know) publicly announced he was gay. It was very very discriminated against at that time, possibly career ending, and most of all - he didn’t want to hurt his parents. Freddie had an excellant sense of fashion through his College courses, and he also loved theatrical presentation for Queen. They all felt that they should entertain their fans, who paid money to see them in concert. They critiqued their performance after every show - they were always striving for the Best!!
Freddie carried on making music he wasn’t diagnosed until 1987 the year after this concert ❤️ he just couldn’t carry on with touring he wanted to make music until he couldn’t any more & that is what Brian, Roger & John helped him do x
Freddie was and is a unique phenomenon in the world of music. He sang all the songs with all his heart and soul. He always loved his fans. Thank you very much for this video. Excellent reaction!
Queen's Wembley Concert was in July 1986 and Freddie was diagnosed HIV positive in April 1987 Who wants to live forever was written for Highlander An immortal man who was in love until the love of his life grew old and died. This is a beautiful song.
Yes true... The song was written by brian may for the soundtrack. In the context of this concert recording from 1986. ..brian may did not know about his illness until 1989. But according to mary austin, freddie already knew that this tour would be the last one he could possibly do because of several uncertain HIV diagnoses. She says he knew about the diagnosis earlier. Barbara Valentin, his best friend from Munich, said she had heard from him personally in 1985 that his first test was positive, but that it could be 50% false positive. Freddie took a series of tests in 1985 and 1986, which at the time were not 100% certain of a diagnosis. But all the tests were always positive. He knew he was not well and many friends from his ny days had died. Based on this knowledge today, Freddie's words before the performance in 1986 make more sense.
Love Queen Sunday! Freddy the Great. Brian the Great. John the Great. Roger the Great. This footage perfectly highlights the essential contributions of each Queen member. And thank for your deeply sensitive reaction. Who Wants to Live Forever is such a sad hauntingly beautiful song, especially knowing what will happen to Freddie.
This song was written for the movie "Highlander". Queen did all the music(99%) in it! It was about a man who was immortal....and watched his lady-love age and die.
This was ‘86 & although he wouldn’t know for sure until sometime in ‘87, he must have had an idea he might be sick. That line always gets me….and they did stay together. If you listen to Roger or Brian speak about that time….they closed ranks & protected him with everything they had. Truly an amazing performance & once again, Brian knocks it out of the park as a songwriter.
The studio version is really good too. Brian actually sings at the beginning and Freddie gets backed up with choir. It’s amazing to think that Brian and Roger could’ve been lead singers because they are that talented
This is one of the most iconic for the fans, and also one of the hardest to sing. There´s a story the singer Seal tell in the behind the scenes of the Freedie Tribute: he choose this song because the firts time he heard it it made him cry, but when he try to sing it he says "man i can´t sing this, it´s going to be the end of my career". He tell it like a joke, but he did have problems ´cuz he has a lower tone in his voice. Great song and has you say, it has some history behing.
The last complete song Freddie recorded is a beautiful simple song, 'A Winter's Tale', I hope I can face my own demise with the grace that Freddie showed.
The video uses Freddie's handwriting for the lyrics - which stamps the song as very personal. I agree - what a way to mark this moment in time for him. Here we are in 2021 and it's now etched in our memory.
Freddie the Great! He was true to his words - recorded in 1986 - Roger Taylor says that he feels Freddie knew this was the last tour...The song was written for the film The Highlander by Brian May and was taken from a quote in the film. Check out the information for the 'A kind of Magic album and the film soundtrack songs. He did not know he was dying in 1986, he was officially diagnosed with Aids in April 1987. Queen released two more albums in 1989 The Miracle and 1991 Innuendo album. The song now has a different meaning although completely unrelated.
He did know, that he was positive & most likely would not survive it by 1986. Not 'officially' because there was no reliable test until '87; but Freddie had already, by '86, gone through months of AZT treatments, chemo for & removal of Kaposi's lesions. I wish everyone would understand that, by '84/'85/'86'/'87 many of us, including Freddie, had seen friends and loved ones sicken and die of this so-called (at first) 'gay cancer.' We all know Freddie was brilliant-- he saw what was happening around him, and he knew. The other 3 band members didn't though, not directly from him. But, just like all of us regular people, they heard and saw the news, they knew Freddie was gay and, as Freddie himself said, "had a voracious sexual appetite." They knew, Freddie knew, I knew, we all knew, in our own communities here and there all over the world as early as 1982 that something horrible was happening. And, of course, it took a long time for 'authorities' to figure out and widely announce how this deadly disease was transmitted. The actual history of AIDS, including random cases of it here and there in the U.S. as early as the 1960's, is deep, dark, convoluted, and very misunderstood. But, there are plenty of good books & TH-cam videos that spell it all out, presented by the people who were there, in the thick of it. Sorry, I'm not criticizing your comment. It just concerns me, with Covid out there still, mutating into one variant after another, that we are playing out the old expression, those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it. I never want to live through the nightmare that was HIV/AIDS in the 80's and into the 90's. I lost a lot of people I loved to it, all in the prime of their lives.
Although not diagnosed for another year, Freddie was aware of the possibility of being or becoming HIV positive due to his lifestyle and the fact that several of his friends had contracted the disease. At that time it was pretty much a death sentence. He had several infections (throat and sores) a couple of years earlier which in retrospect could have been precursors to AIDS and he did know those could be warning signs. Regardless, Freddie crammed more into his 40+ years than most of us would if we live to be 100..
Here's the thing. Like other people said, he was officially diagnosed in spring 1987. And he only told the band in around 1989, during recording the Miracle album. But. I don't think all your assumptions are wrong; he had to have been thinking about it earlier. There was an article in 1986 autumn which said he had a test and it was negative - if it's true, it was a false negative (which is just tragic, I mean, make him think he's fine and then snatch it away later, that's just cruel of fate). It was a tabloid article, so I'm not sure if that part of it is true - but some other parts of it were true. But he definitely had to wonder earlier than 1987; he would have known he was at risk, the press was certainly awful enough about it that it couldn't be avoided, and by then, some friends of his would have died of it. So it is definitely a possibility that he was putting those thoughts into the performance, even though this was written by Brian, for the Highlander movie. But even if he wasn't - the tragic irony of so many of their songs written before Freddie's diagnosis is fascinating to me, and in a way, beautiful. And everything he made after he knew (likely most of the Barcelona album, all of The Miracle and Innuendo, and some of the songs on Made in Heaven - because there are a few on there that were recorded way earlier and were unreleased until then)... there's so much beauty there, both in his strength and just in general.
This is one of my favorites of all time. It's possible Freddie knew something was wrong, but this was before he is reported to have been officially diagnosed. But yes, knowing what we know now, it does give chills. This was written for the Highlander movie soundtrack. Another great power ballad is The Show Must Go On (yeah, I keep pestering you about that one -- remember, not the official video. Look at the fan-made "live" one.)
It never fails to make me cry- causes me pain but I love it so- you are so respectful and you really listen- I enjoy you so much- thank you for your reaction-💛
Thanks Rad. They didn't know at the Wembley, that they won't be touring anymore and Freddie (the Great) shared the fact of his illness with the guys in 89 only.
Well, they started recording "The Miracle" album in '88, and they knew then. And iirc, Roger Taylor said that they felt Freddie knew he wasn't well during the course of this tour (the Magic tour).
@@bluebell3720 No, Brian May said Freddie told them and they decided that going forward, all songs would be credited as Queen songs instead of whoever wrote the song. That was on The Miracle album.
@@bbbfst Queen credit was Freddies condition to carry on with recording Money may have been an aspect but probably to reduce the stress Bruan has said they only knew about the last year and a half That he had claimed it was other things Their producer Richard said Roger came up to him when they started innuendo saying they didnt know what was wrong with him did he know
@@bluebell3720 Well, there's an interview with May where he specifically says Freddie told them and after he did, that going forward -- from The Miracle -- they decided that all songs would be credited as Queen songs. And Taylor says that as the Magic Tour ('86) was winding down, there was the feeling that Freddie knew he wasn't doing well. And I'd love some sourcing on the claim that the credit idea was a condition he set.
Oh goodness, I love this song, but it is especially difficult at the moment. I think you are absolutely right, Brian’s smile was muted as he agreed, but they saw him through to the very end, working all the way. But you wonder what Freddie is thinking with each of these songs, because I never doubt he is thinking something that matches the song, he is so believable. Love John’s baseline too, it is perfect for the mood of this song! And Brian is so precise when he plays, it is thoughtful and it is deliberate. When Queen does a slow song they manage to get it just right. Tears on this one! I wonder how I would approach death if I knew, especially that much ahead of time. Freddie delivered under what must have been very hard circumstances and I love him for it. 😢 ❤️
I love this song. Freddie Mercury was an amazing talent lived by so many of us. He's handsome, sexy, & could give you chills when he sang. Dynamite front man. Love him, miss him as well.
Been anxiously awaiting Queen Sunday……my fun day. Chilling with a glass of red wine in remembrance and celebration of my favorite artist and band. Rad the great, once again u didn’t let Freddie’s subtle messaging and Brian’s gut emotion pass u by. I know I’m a like broken record each week, but I again compliment u and say “well done”, my friend. 🙋🏽♀️✌🏾👑
Same film, "One Year of Love" written by John, features just the two of them. Freddie remarked in interviews that it's all about emotion for him, love specifically. In this song (no live performance) he goes yet another step to a different level. I would love to know if he recorded the vocals alone - just feels like he bares his soul.
From the soundtrack of the movie Highlander. This was at Wembley in the summer of 1986. I was an exchange student that summer and in London but I wasn't able to go as it as sold out.
Brian wrote this song for the movie Highlander for which Queen wrote the soundtrack. It is a beautiful and sad song about a man who will never die so falling in love means that his loves will all die while he continues to live. Freddie didn't know yet that he was going to die.
Hi Jarrett. Like so many others here, I very much like your style of reaction, but even more so, I appreciate you for something you did that very few others have done. Almost right at the beginning you understood that it took four incredibly talented young men to create the Queen sound. They would not have endured all these years if all four hadn't have had that special touch. As Brian once said, ( and I paraphrase )" each of us separately is an accomplished musician and ( in the case of Brian and Roger ) singer, able to carry a group of our own and do well. But when we come together as Queen, magic happens." You recognized that early on, and I'm so very pleased that you saw this. You're very perceptive, for sure. Just wanted you to know. 😉 This is not a request for a reaction video, but something you might like to do on your own seeing as you're getting immersed in the Queen culture. You might already have found this, but if not, its very much worth watching. Its on Queen's official channel, and once a week or so, a video is being added celebrating a special moment in Queen's history. Here's the page. th-cam.com/video/avI0iq-fRHQ/w-d-xo.html
Yes, the 4 together were absolute alchemy-- no other combination would have created Queen. Much like The Beatles, who you might say were even more of a miracle considering all of them were small boys as they survived the German blitzkrieg of WWII. I mean, God forbid, but if just one of them had been killed music history from the early 60's on would be very different. Like one of those Twilight Zone episodes where people from the present go back in time and change something only to find that changing one little thing has made the present as they knew it disappear. Not to take anything from Freddie/Queen-- it's just that I 'met' the Beatles when I was 7 in '64 and didn't hear Queen for the first time until the summer of '73 when I was 16. Of course, Freddie, his parents and his sister fled Zanzibar with only the clothes on their backs when brutal civil war broke out so... Pluck Freddie out of the mix? Unimaginable!
@@3ScotsInk re: the Beatles. I know what you mean. What might have happened even as they survived the war, but insisted on keeping Pete Best. Surely that would have made a difference as well. Me, I was 16 when they exploded on the world stage. The perfect age to be quite hysterical about it all. 😁 They'll always hold a special place in my heart, and I'm ever grateful to have been at that certain age at that time to experience it all as only a young person can. However, Queen goes a bit further for me - they have my heart as well, but somehow they feel more like my family than any other entertainer ever did, the Beatles ( god bless them) included. Perhaps its because Queen went out of their way to include the fans, or perhaps its something else. Who knows. Thanks for your input Kerry. Lovely to meet a fellow fan - of both bands.
@@nageea Yep, Pete Best. And Queen went through 2 bassists before they found John. Neither would have been who they were/are without those double sets of exactly the right 4 people. The Beatles were my first concert-- I was 9. Just 7 when they were on Ed Sullivan the first time. I was 16 the first time I heard Queen, and I totally agree with you. I love both bands, but Freddie/Queen definitely have a special place in my heart. Even though I did see The Beatles live, and once saw Paul and Linda in the French Quarter in New Orleans when I lived there (no security or anything, but nobody was bothering them so I didn't either), The Beatles just seemed, to me, unapproachable. And, yeah, I think it was because, just like you said, somehow Queen seemed like fundamentally normal, accessible human beings any of us might have comfortably had over for dinner or something. Even Freddie, amazingly, as exotic and so much bigger than life that he seemed to be onstage. Very interesting. Nice to meet you, too-- and there are more of us here watching Rad and other reactors who believe Freddie, in live and afterwards, transcended our often rather mundane plane of existence. I believe that, too. He was uniquely special in ways I doubt I'll know until I'm on another plane of existence myself.
@4:52 Me amd my ex are at the front. She is the small girl, white T-shirt squashed at the front and I'm to her right. Fantastic day. We were stuck there for over 8 hours as 3 other bands were on the before Queen.
Wow this is a masterpiece makes me chills all over just insane performance 👏 and Brian he's killing the guitar his unic in his playing and freddie out of this world full of emotions 😢 he always sings from his soul like no other in this world loving this man so much he is immortal
Always a meaning with Freddie. The band was playing with an intense pathos or sadness knowing time was short. Freddie conveys his limited time and telling all of us in his own way. The most passion ever heard.
The Wembley gig was in 1986 in front of an audience of around 100,000. God rest Freddie's dear soul, we still miss him. 30 years have now passed since his death.
As I’ve said before the choice of words followed by this song is heartbreaking. Such an emotional song written by the philosopher of the group Brian May for the movie Highlander. You are running into the breath of their catalog. Their versatility is one of the many reasons they have so many fans. Will be awhile before you to get to my choices I’m sure!😊.
It's more than your being versed, Rad. You are simply one of the most thoughtful and intelligent reactors on TH-cam. I enjoy every minute, watching you really listen, focus, think, feel, and then share that with us. You might have felt more comfortable with shy Deaky, but Freddie would have loved to sit down and talk with you, and not like a 'rock star' with a 'fan.' You'll learn more and more about them as you go along, but just knowing the basics, particularly that Freddie would die of AIDS in 1991, is enough for someone like you who obviously pays close attention to the nuances of all 4 Queen members. Just fucking great job, spot on reactions, always. And as Freddie said, "My apologies but I say what I want." 😁
None of the band members knew of Freddie's HIV / AIDS problem at that point, so Brian's reaction to Freddie's comment about staying together until we f*cking will die" was probably one of surprise but nothing more. Of course, Freddie for years was worried about whether he was infected with HIV probably in the early 80s after the 1982 Hot Space album. You can tell because Freddie normally didn't write meaningful songs but all of a sudden, starting in 1984, he began to write heavy songs that were contextually meaningful to his life situation such as "it's a hard life", "keep passing open windows" which is a song about suicide. This is just my take as a long time Queen fan.
Freddie had a way to pull your emotional strings. The way he sang this song anybody watching this and knowing what was happening to freddie brought tears to my eyes. Freddie will always live on live on forever God bless you freddie R.I.P FREDDIE WE MISS YOU WE HEAR YOU SINGING FROM HEAVEN
Even though I know the backdrop to this song, because of his horrible death, it STILL makes me emotional because when he sang it, he had no clue..... but also I am a Highlander fan and when this song was played on one of the shows, I cried. It is a tragic love song.
Queen is one of my favorite bands of all time, and, of course, I loved Freddie. AND, I love your comments -- rather than being silly -- your comments are very insightful and thought provoking.
Very sensitive reaction. I always get these feelings about this song, too, but maybe the poignancy and intensity are what make it such a magnificent and powerful performance. Freddie was always a very passionate singer, but in this song he goes deeper, and I can’t listen to it without crying. Thanks for your thoughtful and very intuitive reaction! I’ll be hoping for more! New sub.
This is written by Brian - and was in the movie "Highlander" - - they made the whole soundtrack - about being immortal - I can recommend it. - so don't read a lot into their songs - - they never talked about what was the meaning - . So it is actually not about Freddie. - - You should see the movie.
Although he wasn't DX with AIDS till 87, I think Freddie knew in his heart he was sick with it, the band knew something was wrong, because Freddie acted different, and wasn't well. Roger said he kinda knew it was the last tour, that wouldn't be able to do it again.
More than in his heart. He already, at least as early as 1985, had symptoms due to immunosuppression caused by HIV/AIDS, including thrush in his throat which led to infections which obviously caused problems for his voice, and Kaposi's sarcoma lesions. He knew what he had and what the outcome was going to be, sooner or later. We owe him for working his ass off despite being unwell as long as possible and leaving this treasure trove of gifts behind for us and for every generation to come. I think the best way to pay him back, besides keeping his legend alive forever, is to let go of the belief that Freddie didn't know he'd contracted an almost certainly fatal disease much, much earlier than 1987 or '88 or '89. And, it's still killing people-- people without the financial means to afford the 'cocktail,' people who don't have access to good, timely healthcare or any healthcare at all, etc. That's why the Freddie Mercury Phoenix Trust still exists, and still distributes money to help those who otherwise would be left to die. In agony and, often, alone.
@Ker And I love your reply. I lost dozens of friends & acquaintances to AIDS in the 80's and first half of the 90's. One close friend of mine was among the first to die of it in the U.S. His name was Bryan, and he died in 1981. I include Freddie in my list, though he wasn't a personal friend. Though I'd seen the last pix of him and knew he had it, and was dying of it, still when the news was announced, I broke down. The only time the death of a 'rock star' made me cry, like he was family. Also, Rock Hudson, Liberace, Anthony Perkins, Arthur Ashe, Ryan White-- so many lost. Yet even I couldn't get my head around the magnitude until I saw the AIDS quilt laid out on the ground in front of the Washington monument in D.C. in 1992. It seemed to go on as far as the eye could see. It DID go on as far as the eye could see. You're absolutely right of course-- the homophobia was immense. A horrifying and shameful time in our country's history. Thank you, Ker.
Looking back on the lyrics and Freddie's comments, it's easy to think that everyone knew Freddie's fate but that was not the case. This concert was in 1986. While it was the last tour they did, he still had many performances to go in the tour and he had not yet been diagnosed. According to all the interviews and documentaries, he may have had suspicions but about his fate but it would not be until the following year that he was diagnosed with AIDs and he kept the news to just his closest inner circle. It was years later when he finally told the band, thus no one knew of Freddie's fate at this concert. I personally believe Brian's smirk was one of comedy and relief since Freddie had made comments about not being able to tour forever due to the physical demands. He said in his comments that he kept wanting to leave but they won't let him. He had made comments about not being able to tour forever while on the tour. As someone with chronic illness that comes on gradually, I can tell you that you realize as you start to deteriorate in strength and stamina that you may have to make changes long before you actually realize you are sick. The natural response outside of acute illness is adaptation. You may not know you are ill but you know that you aren't quite the same as you use to be and you can't recover as quickly. I think he suspected it might be his last tour for quite some time because he recognized how much strength it took to tour and he didn't like the routine they were in, recording then touring, repeat. I think Live Aid made them all realize that Queen was much bigger than any one of them individually and it would be stupid to split. At the same time, Freddie knew he would not be able to tour forever due to physical demands, I think he realized at Live Aid and on that tour that they didn't have to tour to keep their popularity and success...just my opinion.
Hi, this song is so beautiful. This live version is great but there are things I like even better about the official version with orchestra and everything. This song was written for the movie Highlander which has a theme of a guy who doesn't die but lives for generations and he leaves loved ones behind because they don't live forever. That is the real context of the words. I don't know if this was their last live performance but it may have been. Others will know. But if it is 1986 Freddie may have been suspecting that he was sick but he didn't know for sure yet and I don't know if he had talked to the other band members about his suspicions yet. There are several songs that were written when everyone in the band knew Freddie was dying that have very moving words. One Freddie wrote himself, the story goes, while looking out a hospital window that I love is "A Winter's Tale". It is about beauty in the world not death. Freddie had such an amazing attitude!
Hello Rad - The song was written by Brian May for the Highlander movie! I think it’s a good movie & worth a watch! My mom loved it cuz she adored Sean Connery & Queen. Anyway, I’m with you about the way Brian nervously smiles when Freddie is speaking to the audience! As tho Brian felt something strange in that very moment when Freddie spoke! Of course, we now know that Freddie was diagnosed with AIDS in 1987 tho I’m sure Freddie kinda suspected.☹️ Another song from the movie is ONE YEAR OF LOVE.💟💜💟🎶🎶💟💜💟
It's not clear if Freddie knew at that time. He was diagnosed in spring 1987, so a year earlier he must have suspected something but wasn't sure. The band members were told in 1989. But of course they saw the signs much earlier. As for the song, Brian wrote it for the movie "Highlander" where the immortal character loses the love of his life, and the song is about that.
Please next Queen Sunday please please react to one of Freddie's last recorded songs ever! The Shoe Must Go On here's the story behind it so you know just how sick he wad so when you hear his vocals on it "The song chronicles the effort of frontman Freddie Mercury continuing to perform despite approaching the end of his life, although his diagnosis with HIV/AIDS had not yet been made public in spite of ongoing media speculation claiming that he was seriously ill.[4] When the band recorded the song in 1990 Mercury's condition had deteriorated to the point that May had concerns as to whether he was physically capable of singing it. May recalls; "I said, 'Fred, I don't know if this is going to be possible to sing.' And he went, 'I'll fucking do it, darling'-vodka down-and went in and killed it, completely lacerated that vocal!!! I still cry 😢 every time I hear this song 🎵
Freddie knew about aids. I think there were former partners that had died. So this song was written by Brian for the movie, but😢😢 I'm sure Freddie was thinking about his fate.
According to Thor it was only Tony who was an ex from 1980? He said Prenter lied about John he was just a friend in their group But its still people he knows must have been difficult and made him worry But there was very little information so he probably thought he was lucky and hadnt got it During this tour he realised something serious was wrong found out in April 87
Sir, I love your thoughts on this... in 80’s a lot of people who were sick with the disease were slowly passing.. no drugs haven’t been discovered at that time.and some people showed great prejudice on who had it like they judge them on their lifestyle., even though babies in poor countries were effect and Blood transfusion. So he sang the song on the benefit of others you don’t have a voice. Great smooth voice you have I like your humanity. Great job 👏 🌿🕊🌿🕊
Actually it wasn’t until 1987 that Freddie was diagnosed with HIV so the subliminal message wasn’t intentional and the song was for the movie Highlander which is about immortals hence why it is called who wants to live forever so the song doesn’t have to do with them personally it was really just about expressing the theme of the movie they were making it for.
Songs people are suggesting is for the end of tour Queen journey...How about happier songs: NOW I'M HERE, live at Wembley as wellas IT;S A KIND OF MAGIC , same concert or their first #1 hit KILLER QUEEN, written by Freddie, react to the video
I agree 💯. Celebrate Freddie/Queen fully as it began, as they hit the top then went into the stratosphere, when Freddie was healthy and strong and not saying goodbye to us forever.
Enjoyed your reaction! Such a beautiful song performed brilliantly by the entire band. The studio version of this song is done a bit differently and also very beautiful and worth a listen. Please react to Stone Cold Crazy live at the Rainbow 1974, I Want It All official video, and The Prophet’s Song, official video or lyric video
This was during the Magic Tour (which ended up being their final tour). Freddie was not yet diagnosed. None of them realize they'll never be able to tour again(with Fred). Freddie found out his HIV/AIDS status the following year, 1987 so this song is not about that, it's about the film they wrote it for, Highlander. Go back to the seventies, then early 80's then mid and late 80's. OK, I'll try not to mention it again but it's much more fun watching them grow and experience more and more success. Experience the joy, untainted. Because once you see the sadness, it's difficult to ever let it go.
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Queen: Easily recognized, impossible to imitate.
Their genius stands the test of time.
He did do it on purpose according to the documentary The Making of Queen Freddie knew about the virus and his history and hadn’t been feeling well often. He told his friend I think it’s too late. Brian suspected this could happen and knew he wasn’t well and you can see the pain, just a glimpse on Brian’s face behind a tight smile. That was Freddie. He sang and recorded as much as he was able until the day he died.
Freddie will live in forever. He touches your sole
God bless you freddie
Freddie was feeling a tad poorly and was formally diagnosed with HIV in 1987 and died the end of 1991. It's so tragic that the treatments we have now would have knocked that damn virus down. He did satisfy a few things on his bucket list such as doing opera. People at the time criticized him for not announcing he had HIV until the day before his death. The public didn't own him and it was entirely one.of those intensely personal things no stranger has the right to know. There was also a stigma around the illness. Rest in peace Freddie. Sing with the angels
A song written by Brian May and sung amazingly by Freddie. At this concert in 86 they were not aware Freddie was HIV positive, also he wasn't officially diagnosed till 87. However of course with the benefit of hindsight the song takes on a different meaning, but it was written for the Highlander movie. Freddie's performance gives me goosebumps everytime, just wonderful.
All this.
Freddie is one of the few who will live forever.❤❤❤
It wasnt beer. It was honey drink to save his voice on stage. And yes it was very emotional. We miss you Freddie. Legend. Xx
The hardest song to listen to for me is MOTHER LOVE....knowing it was the last song Freddie recorded but Brian had to finish because Freddie felt too ill and passed away before he could complete the song
I agree but this should be the last song RJ listens/reacts to. Also - These are the Days of our Lives, second last.
@@JanS1 the very last song....NO ONE BUT YOU (ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG)....I cried like a baby
@carol winstanley I love that song too
@carol winstanley 💔This was one of Freddie's more popular singles. It is famous for the lyrics, "I'm just a singer with a song," which became one of the lines Brian May 🎸🌟 used when speaking of ᕕ(˵•̀෴•́˵)ᕗ, calling him the "Lover 💛of Life, Singer 🎤 of Songs ♪(●o●)." Freddie originally recorded this for the soundtrack of the 1986 musical Time. The song was written the show's writers Dave Clark, David Soames and Jeff Daniels.
@carol winstanley Yes!!!
This song was written by Brian for the movie Highlander, which was about a few Immortals (they live forever). The main character falls in love, then has to watch his wife/girlfriend age, suffer, and die in his arms. The move “Bohemian Rhapsody” took liberties with timelines and often made things more dramatic to not only condense the story, but to make $$$$. Freddie was NOT diagnosed yet (not until 1987), and he didn’t tell the band until some time afterwards. The band rallied around him and didn’t even tell their wives Freddie was ill. Also, Roger had 2 solo albums and Brian had 1 before Freddie ever released his own solo album. This is a truly beautiful song. Watch the Official vide too - there’s an Orchestra, and it’s done very well. 😊
Exactamundo.... saved me the post. lol
@Ker Yes, it sure can make you crazy with it’s “artistic license”! I did enjoy the movie though, and have the DVD. Everyone just needs to remember it is NOT a Documentary.
@@cristyrawks6325 Wish you had posted first! Would’ve saved me all that typing!! Lol 😂
@@barbaramendoza2202 😂 Oh my gracious girl, I belong to so many channels, I get hand lock after awhile, besides you put it perfectly! Rawk on!
@@barbaramendoza2202 The movie was still so emotional and amazing. Most movies are out of the realm of timelines and truth. But I loved it anyway. sigh.... just like The Doors.
This was from the movie Highlander for which they wrote the film score. An amazing performance
I love that movie. And the soundtrack is one of my favorites!
I loved that movie too. If you haven't seen it, you will really like it!
There can be only one. Highlander soundtrack best ever sorry gotta add this to truly understand this song you have to watch the movie that's where the true meaning of the song will be made clear. Watch the movie
Mate you apologize about being so chill in your reaction but it seems so much more honest than some of the OMG ones I've seen. First time subscriber and I've been watching your clips for three hours.
One of my favorite movies and videos. th-cam.com/video/6c75cOL0G8I/w-d-xo.html
'Not bad for 4 aging queens.' Freddie was actually amazingly open, from the beginning, about his sexual orientation. He spoke in very thinly disguised code in interviews and in his songwriting, wore clothing styles, facial hair styles, and even fashion additions like bandanas, sashes around his waist-- even t-shirts emblazoned across the front with the names of very, very well-known gay bars in the U.S. and U.K.-- that were all very recognizable to the gay male community. That gave him power, and self-esteem-- knowing that he really was telling the world his big 'secret' in every way possible, only withholding actually 'coming out' in fear of losing fans, destroying the band's immense popularity, and costing countless crew and other support staff their jobs. He was willing to do that to keep the Queen machine running smoothly, w/ $ pouring into all of their pockets. He really did sacrifice part of himself, though, to make sure nothing he did would hurt others-- fans, friends, family, lovers. That, in my opinion, is a highly evolved human trait. More should follow his lead-- love yourself, of course, but he extended that love to others, even people he knew he'd most likely never meet, and very rarely, if ever, know personally, like all of us fans. Just a stellar human being, he was. We are all, back in the day and now, lucky to have him here for 45 years.
Yes, there were subtle signs, but he never (as far as I know) publicly announced he was gay. It was very very discriminated against at that time, possibly career ending, and most of all - he didn’t want to hurt his parents. Freddie had an excellant sense of fashion through his College courses, and he also loved theatrical presentation for Queen. They all felt that they should entertain their fans, who paid money to see them in concert. They critiqued their performance after every show - they were always striving for the Best!!
Freddie carried on making music he wasn’t diagnosed until 1987 the year after this concert ❤️ he just couldn’t carry on with touring he wanted to make music until he couldn’t any more & that is what Brian, Roger & John helped him do x
Freddie was and is a unique phenomenon in the world of music. He sang all the songs with all his heart and soul.
He always loved his fans. Thank you very much for this video. Excellent reaction!
"I'll just wait"
Aka I can't believe I paused the singing of angels. 💙
Love the reaction. Thank you.
Queen's Wembley Concert was in July 1986 and Freddie was diagnosed HIV positive in April 1987
Who wants to live forever was written for Highlander
An immortal man who was in love until the love of his life grew old and died.
This is a beautiful song.
Yes true... The song was written by brian may for the soundtrack. In the context of this concert recording from 1986. ..brian may did not know about his illness until 1989. But according to mary austin, freddie already knew that this tour would be the last one he could possibly do because of several uncertain HIV diagnoses. She says he knew about the diagnosis earlier. Barbara Valentin, his best friend from Munich, said she had heard from him personally in 1985 that his first test was positive, but that it could be 50% false positive. Freddie took a series of tests in 1985 and 1986, which at the time were not 100% certain of a diagnosis. But all the tests were always positive. He knew he was not well and many friends from his ny days had died.
Based on this knowledge today, Freddie's words before the performance in 1986 make more sense.
Love Queen Sunday! Freddy the Great. Brian the Great. John the Great. Roger the Great. This footage perfectly highlights the essential contributions of each Queen member. And thank for your deeply sensitive reaction. Who Wants to Live Forever is such a sad hauntingly beautiful song, especially knowing what will happen to Freddie.
This song was written for the movie "Highlander". Queen did all the music(99%) in it! It was about a man who was immortal....and watched
his lady-love age and die.
The studio version of this is also very beautiful.
There's a song that Queen recorded a couple of weeks before he died..and it's called These are the days of our life..this song will break your heart
This was ‘86 & although he wouldn’t know for sure until sometime in ‘87, he must have had an idea he might be sick.
That line always gets me….and they did stay together. If you listen to Roger or Brian speak about that time….they closed ranks & protected him with everything they had.
Truly an amazing performance & once again, Brian knocks it out of the park as a songwriter.
The studio version is really good too. Brian actually sings at the beginning and Freddie gets backed up with choir. It’s amazing to think that Brian and Roger could’ve been lead singers because they are that talented
This is one of the most iconic for the fans, and also one of the hardest to sing. There´s a story the singer Seal tell in the behind the scenes of the Freedie Tribute: he choose this song because the firts time he heard it it made him cry, but when he try to sing it he says "man i can´t sing this, it´s going to be the end of my career". He tell it like a joke, but he did have problems ´cuz he has a lower tone in his voice. Great song and has you say, it has some history behing.
Music only with the heart
The last complete song Freddie recorded is a beautiful simple song, 'A Winter's Tale', I hope I can face my own demise with the grace that Freddie showed.
I love "A Winter's Tale". Such beautiful words, and how I hope that Freddie was at peace with himself at this time.
The video uses Freddie's handwriting for the lyrics - which stamps the song as very personal. I agree - what a way to mark this moment in time for him. Here we are in 2021 and it's now etched in our memory.
It is such a beautiful song. I weep every time I hear it. Love our Freddie forever!!!
Freddie the Great! He was true to his words - recorded in 1986 - Roger Taylor says that he feels Freddie knew this was the last tour...The song was written for the film The Highlander by Brian May and was taken from a quote in the film. Check out the information for the 'A kind of Magic album and the film soundtrack songs. He did not know he was dying in 1986, he was officially diagnosed with Aids in April 1987. Queen released two more albums in 1989 The Miracle and 1991 Innuendo album. The song now has a different meaning although completely unrelated.
He did know, that he was positive & most likely would not survive it by 1986. Not 'officially' because there was no reliable test until '87; but Freddie had already, by '86, gone through months of AZT treatments, chemo for & removal of Kaposi's lesions. I wish everyone would understand that, by '84/'85/'86'/'87 many of us, including Freddie, had seen friends and loved ones sicken and die of this so-called (at first) 'gay cancer.' We all know Freddie was brilliant-- he saw what was happening around him, and he knew. The other 3 band members didn't though, not directly from him. But, just like all of us regular people, they heard and saw the news, they knew Freddie was gay and, as Freddie himself said, "had a voracious sexual appetite." They knew, Freddie knew, I knew, we all knew, in our own communities here and there all over the world as early as 1982 that something horrible was happening. And, of course, it took a long time for 'authorities' to figure out and widely announce how this deadly disease was transmitted. The actual history of AIDS, including random cases of it here and there in the U.S. as early as the 1960's, is deep, dark, convoluted, and very misunderstood. But, there are plenty of good books & TH-cam videos that spell it all out, presented by the people who were there, in the thick of it. Sorry, I'm not criticizing your comment. It just concerns me, with Covid out there still, mutating into one variant after another, that we are playing out the old expression, those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it. I never want to live through the nightmare that was HIV/AIDS in the 80's and into the 90's. I lost a lot of people I loved to it, all in the prime of their lives.
Such a sad song. His voice is just unbelievable.
Ah our immortal Freddie! He truly will live forever through Queen’s amazing catalogue of songs! What a voice!
Like a jewel in the sun.....from his Barcelona song. He was a jewel in the sun. Love Freddie!!
Notice with the use of the synthesizer and their skillful use of bass and guitar, they fill the stage like there is an full orchestra behind them.
Yes… awesome !!!
This
Although not diagnosed for another year, Freddie was aware of the possibility of being or becoming HIV positive due to his lifestyle and the fact that several of his friends had contracted the disease. At that time it was pretty much a death sentence. He had several infections (throat and sores) a couple of years earlier which in retrospect could have been precursors to AIDS and he did know those could be warning signs. Regardless, Freddie crammed more into his 40+ years than most of us would if we live to be 100..
True. Thank you.
Here's the thing. Like other people said, he was officially diagnosed in spring 1987. And he only told the band in around 1989, during recording the Miracle album. But. I don't think all your assumptions are wrong; he had to have been thinking about it earlier. There was an article in 1986 autumn which said he had a test and it was negative - if it's true, it was a false negative (which is just tragic, I mean, make him think he's fine and then snatch it away later, that's just cruel of fate). It was a tabloid article, so I'm not sure if that part of it is true - but some other parts of it were true. But he definitely had to wonder earlier than 1987; he would have known he was at risk, the press was certainly awful enough about it that it couldn't be avoided, and by then, some friends of his would have died of it. So it is definitely a possibility that he was putting those thoughts into the performance, even though this was written by Brian, for the Highlander movie. But even if he wasn't - the tragic irony of so many of their songs written before Freddie's diagnosis is fascinating to me, and in a way, beautiful. And everything he made after he knew (likely most of the Barcelona album, all of The Miracle and Innuendo, and some of the songs on Made in Heaven - because there are a few on there that were recorded way earlier and were unreleased until then)... there's so much beauty there, both in his strength and just in general.
This is one of my favorites of all time. It's possible Freddie knew something was wrong, but this was before he is reported to have been officially diagnosed. But yes, knowing what we know now, it does give chills. This was written for the Highlander movie soundtrack.
Another great power ballad is The Show Must Go On (yeah, I keep pestering you about that one -- remember, not the official video. Look at the fan-made "live" one.)
Great Jon !👏
It never fails to make me cry- causes me pain but I love it so- you are so respectful and you really listen- I enjoy you so much- thank you for your reaction-💛
This concert was a year before he was diagnosed.
Freddy had such a powerful voice. I love how you appreciate all different genres of music.
Thanks Rad. They didn't know at the Wembley, that they won't be touring anymore and Freddie (the Great) shared the fact of his illness with the guys in 89 only.
Well, they started recording "The Miracle" album in '88, and they knew then. And iirc, Roger Taylor said that they felt Freddie knew he wasn't well during the course of this tour (the Magic tour).
@@bbbfst
I think it was innuendo they found out
@@bluebell3720 No, Brian May said Freddie told them and they decided that going forward, all songs would be credited as Queen songs instead of whoever wrote the song. That was on The Miracle album.
@@bbbfst
Queen credit was Freddies condition to carry on with recording
Money may have been an aspect but probably to reduce the stress
Bruan has said they only knew about the last year and a half
That he had claimed it was other things
Their producer Richard said Roger came up to him when they started innuendo saying they didnt know what was wrong with him did he know
@@bluebell3720 Well, there's an interview with May where he specifically says Freddie told them and after he did, that going forward -- from The Miracle -- they decided that all songs would be credited as Queen songs. And Taylor says that as the Magic Tour ('86) was winding down, there was the feeling that Freddie knew he wasn't doing well. And I'd love some sourcing on the claim that the credit idea was a condition he set.
One of my all time favorites ❤
Oh goodness, I love this song, but it is especially difficult at the moment. I think you are absolutely right, Brian’s smile was muted as he agreed, but they saw him through to the very end, working all the way. But you wonder what Freddie is thinking with each of these songs, because I never doubt he is thinking something that matches the song, he is so believable. Love John’s baseline too, it is perfect for the mood of this song! And Brian is so precise when he plays, it is thoughtful and it is deliberate. When Queen does a slow song they manage to get it just right. Tears on this one! I wonder how I would approach death if I knew, especially that much ahead of time. Freddie delivered under what must have been very hard circumstances and I love him for it. 😢 ❤️
This song was written to the movie Highlander, not to Freddie. But here he was HIV+. He had one concert august 9 -86..that was his last 😭😭😭😭😭
How can you not love Freddie. Been loving him for 50 years, my angel 😘😇
This is a beautiful but sad song. Love Queen.
I was at the concert with my family and John’s Mum. It was a fantastic day - the sun was shining, which was greasy the day before it had rained hard.
Please share some details. Fascinating!
I’m John’s brother-in-law - I married his sister, Julie Deacon
Wow! Thank you for sharing. I can only imagine the experience.
@@joycelynnrobinson2145 Yes, we were very lucky. I wish I hadn’t given away all the stage passes and collectible things!
@@RichardLaurence happy 4 th of July to you and yours!
I love this song. Freddie Mercury was an amazing talent lived by so many of us. He's handsome, sexy, & could give you chills when he sang. Dynamite front man. Love him, miss him as well.
I think so too I think he knew he was going to die and he had put them in songs and comments you're right and you're adorable
Lovely reaction to a great song
Been anxiously awaiting Queen Sunday……my fun day. Chilling with a glass of red wine in remembrance and celebration of my favorite artist and band. Rad the great, once again u didn’t let Freddie’s subtle messaging and Brian’s gut emotion pass u by. I know I’m a like broken record each week, but I again compliment u and say “well done”, my friend. 🙋🏽♀️✌🏾👑
A beautiful song by Brian May. Check out the official video where he sings the first verse. So moving.
Same film, "One Year of Love" written by John, features just the two of them. Freddie remarked in interviews that it's all about emotion for him, love specifically. In this song (no live performance) he goes yet another step to a different level. I would love to know if he recorded the vocals alone - just feels like he bares his soul.
@Ker Grabs your heart - that captures it exactly!
From the soundtrack of the movie Highlander. This was at Wembley in the summer of 1986. I was an exchange student that summer and in London but I wasn't able to go as it as sold out.
Brian May wrote this for the film.
Brian wrote this song for the movie Highlander for which Queen wrote the soundtrack. It is a beautiful and sad song about a man who will never die so falling in love means that his loves will all die while he continues to live. Freddie didn't know yet that he was going to die.
Hi Jarrett. Like so many others here, I very much like your style of reaction, but even more so, I appreciate you for something you did that very few others have done. Almost right at the beginning you understood that it took four incredibly talented young men to create the Queen sound. They would not have endured all these years if all four hadn't have had that special touch. As Brian once said, ( and I paraphrase )" each of us separately is an accomplished musician and ( in the case of Brian and Roger ) singer, able to carry a group of our own and do well. But when we come together as Queen, magic happens." You recognized that early on, and I'm so very pleased that you saw this. You're very perceptive, for sure. Just wanted you to know. 😉
This is not a request for a reaction video, but something you might like to do on your own seeing as you're getting immersed in the Queen culture. You might already have found this, but if not, its very much worth watching. Its on Queen's official channel, and once a week or so, a video is being added celebrating a special moment in Queen's history. Here's the page. th-cam.com/video/avI0iq-fRHQ/w-d-xo.html
Yes, the 4 together were absolute alchemy-- no other combination would have created Queen. Much like The Beatles, who you might say were even more of a miracle considering all of them were small boys as they survived the German blitzkrieg of WWII. I mean, God forbid, but if just one of them had been killed music history from the early 60's on would be very different. Like one of those Twilight Zone episodes where people from the present go back in time and change something only to find that changing one little thing has made the present as they knew it disappear. Not to take anything from Freddie/Queen-- it's just that I 'met' the Beatles when I was 7 in '64 and didn't hear Queen for the first time until the summer of '73 when I was 16. Of course, Freddie, his parents and his sister fled Zanzibar with only the clothes on their backs when brutal civil war broke out so... Pluck Freddie out of the mix? Unimaginable!
@@3ScotsInk re: the Beatles. I know what you mean. What might have happened even as they survived the war, but insisted on keeping Pete Best. Surely that would have made a difference as well. Me, I was 16 when they exploded on the world stage. The perfect age to be quite hysterical about it all. 😁 They'll always hold a special place in my heart, and I'm ever grateful to have been at that certain age at that time to experience it all as only a young person can. However, Queen goes a bit further for me - they have my heart as well, but somehow they feel more like my family than any other entertainer ever did, the Beatles ( god bless them) included. Perhaps its because Queen went out of their way to include the fans, or perhaps its something else. Who knows. Thanks for your input Kerry. Lovely to meet a fellow fan - of both bands.
@@nageea Yep, Pete Best. And Queen went through 2 bassists before they found John. Neither would have been who they were/are without those double sets of exactly the right 4 people. The Beatles were my first concert-- I was 9. Just 7 when they were on Ed Sullivan the first time. I was 16 the first time I heard Queen, and I totally agree with you. I love both bands, but Freddie/Queen definitely have a special place in my heart. Even though I did see The Beatles live, and once saw Paul and Linda in the French Quarter in New Orleans when I lived there (no security or anything, but nobody was bothering them so I didn't either), The Beatles just seemed, to me, unapproachable. And, yeah, I think it was because, just like you said, somehow Queen seemed like fundamentally normal, accessible human beings any of us might have comfortably had over for dinner or something. Even Freddie, amazingly, as exotic and so much bigger than life that he seemed to be onstage. Very interesting. Nice to meet you, too-- and there are more of us here watching Rad and other reactors who believe Freddie, in live and afterwards, transcended our often rather mundane plane of existence. I believe that, too. He was uniquely special in ways I doubt I'll know until I'm on another plane of existence myself.
@4:52 Me amd my ex are at the front. She is the small girl, white T-shirt squashed at the front and I'm to her right. Fantastic day. We were stuck there for over 8 hours as 3 other bands were on the before Queen.
Wow this is a masterpiece makes me chills all over just insane performance 👏 and Brian he's killing the guitar his unic in his playing and freddie out of this world full of emotions 😢 he always sings from his soul like no other in this world loving this man so much he is immortal
Magnificent Mercury- Freddie can do anything- make us drop to our knees-💛. I like your reaction very much- you felt it-
Always a meaning with Freddie. The band was playing with an intense pathos or sadness knowing time was short. Freddie conveys his limited time and telling all of us in his own way. The most passion ever heard.
The Wembley gig was in 1986 in front of an audience of around 100,000. God rest Freddie's dear soul, we still miss him. 30 years have now passed since his death.
As I’ve said before the choice of words followed by this song is heartbreaking. Such an emotional song written by the philosopher of the group Brian May for the movie Highlander. You are running into the breath of their catalog. Their versatility is one of the many reasons they have so many fans. Will be awhile before you to get to my choices I’m sure!😊.
It's more than your being versed, Rad. You are simply one of the most thoughtful and intelligent reactors on TH-cam. I enjoy every minute, watching you really listen, focus, think, feel, and then share that with us. You might have felt more comfortable with shy Deaky, but Freddie would have loved to sit down and talk with you, and not like a 'rock star' with a 'fan.' You'll learn more and more about them as you go along, but just knowing the basics, particularly that Freddie would die of AIDS in 1991, is enough for someone like you who obviously pays close attention to the nuances of all 4 Queen members. Just fucking great job, spot on reactions, always. And as Freddie said, "My apologies but I say what I want." 😁
You hit the nail on the head hombre. Great review. So says Austin Tx!!!!!✌️👍
None of the band members knew of Freddie's HIV / AIDS problem at that point, so Brian's reaction to Freddie's comment about staying together until we f*cking will die" was probably one of surprise but nothing more. Of course, Freddie for years was worried about whether he was infected with HIV probably in the early 80s after the 1982 Hot Space album. You can tell because Freddie normally didn't write meaningful songs but all of a sudden, starting in 1984, he began to write heavy songs that were contextually meaningful to his life situation such as "it's a hard life", "keep passing open windows" which is a song about suicide. This is just my take as a long time Queen fan.
Absolutely beautiful and emotional song!
I cry everytime I see his last preformance. It chills me to the bone.
Freddie had a way to pull your emotional strings. The way he sang this song anybody watching this and knowing what was happening to freddie brought tears to my eyes.
Freddie will always live on live on forever
God bless you freddie
R.I.P FREDDIE WE MISS YOU
WE HEAR YOU SINGING FROM HEAVEN
Still gives me shivers ❤❤❤❤ that voice 😍😍😍
This was written by Brian May for the movie Highlander. Freddie was not diagnosed until a year later, but I'm sure he suspected.
Even though I know the backdrop to this song, because of his horrible death, it STILL makes me emotional because when he sang it, he had no clue..... but also I am a Highlander fan and when this song was played on one of the shows, I cried. It is a tragic love song.
❤
Queen is one of my favorite bands of all time, and, of course, I loved Freddie. AND, I love your comments -- rather than being silly -- your comments are very insightful and thought provoking.
Very sensitive reaction. I always get these feelings about this song, too, but maybe the poignancy and intensity are what make it such a magnificent and powerful performance. Freddie was always a very passionate singer, but in this song he goes deeper, and I can’t listen to it without crying. Thanks for your thoughtful and very intuitive reaction! I’ll be hoping for more! New sub.
This is written by Brian - and was in the movie "Highlander" - - they made the whole soundtrack - about being immortal - I can recommend it. - so don't read a lot into their songs - - they never talked about what was the meaning - . So it is actually not about Freddie. - - You should see the movie.
Although he wasn't DX with AIDS till 87, I think Freddie knew in his heart he was sick with it, the band knew something was wrong, because Freddie acted different, and wasn't well. Roger said he kinda knew it was the last tour, that wouldn't be able to do it again.
More than in his heart. He already, at least as early as 1985, had symptoms due to immunosuppression caused by HIV/AIDS, including thrush in his throat which led to infections which obviously caused problems for his voice, and Kaposi's sarcoma lesions. He knew what he had and what the outcome was going to be, sooner or later. We owe him for working his ass off despite being unwell as long as possible and leaving this treasure trove of gifts behind for us and for every generation to come. I think the best way to pay him back, besides keeping his legend alive forever, is to let go of the belief that Freddie didn't know he'd contracted an almost certainly fatal disease much, much earlier than 1987 or '88 or '89. And, it's still killing people-- people without the financial means to afford the 'cocktail,' people who don't have access to good, timely healthcare or any healthcare at all, etc. That's why the Freddie Mercury Phoenix Trust still exists, and still distributes money to help those who otherwise would be left to die. In agony and, often, alone.
@Ker And I love your reply. I lost dozens of friends & acquaintances to AIDS in the 80's and first half of the 90's. One close friend of mine was among the first to die of it in the U.S. His name was Bryan, and he died in 1981. I include Freddie in my list, though he wasn't a personal friend. Though I'd seen the last pix of him and knew he had it, and was dying of it, still when the news was announced, I broke down. The only time the death of a 'rock star' made me cry, like he was family. Also, Rock Hudson, Liberace, Anthony Perkins, Arthur Ashe, Ryan White-- so many lost. Yet even I couldn't get my head around the magnitude until I saw the AIDS quilt laid out on the ground in front of the Washington monument in D.C. in 1992. It seemed to go on as far as the eye could see. It DID go on as far as the eye could see. You're absolutely right of course-- the homophobia was immense. A horrifying and shameful time in our country's history. Thank you, Ker.
Looking back on the lyrics and Freddie's comments, it's easy to think that everyone knew Freddie's fate but that was not the case. This concert was in 1986. While it was the last tour they did, he still had many performances to go in the tour and he had not yet been diagnosed. According to all the interviews and documentaries, he may have had suspicions but about his fate but it would not be until the following year that he was diagnosed with AIDs and he kept the news to just his closest inner circle. It was years later when he finally told the band, thus no one knew of Freddie's fate at this concert. I personally believe Brian's smirk was one of comedy and relief since Freddie had made comments about not being able to tour forever due to the physical demands. He said in his comments that he kept wanting to leave but they won't let him. He had made comments about not being able to tour forever while on the tour. As someone with chronic illness that comes on gradually, I can tell you that you realize as you start to deteriorate in strength and stamina that you may have to make changes long before you actually realize you are sick. The natural response outside of acute illness is adaptation. You may not know you are ill but you know that you aren't quite the same as you use to be and you can't recover as quickly. I think he suspected it might be his last tour for quite some time because he recognized how much strength it took to tour and he didn't like the routine they were in, recording then touring, repeat. I think Live Aid made them all realize that Queen was much bigger than any one of them individually and it would be stupid to split. At the same time, Freddie knew he would not be able to tour forever due to physical demands, I think he realized at Live Aid and on that tour that they didn't have to tour to keep their popularity and success...just my opinion.
Wonderful reaction, ty. Hugs from Sweden.
Freddie was always dropping hints about the way he swung and not many people noticed cos they was lost in his music.
Hi, this song is so beautiful. This live version is great but there are things I like even better about the official version with orchestra and everything. This song was written for the movie Highlander which has a theme of a guy who doesn't die but lives for generations and he leaves loved ones behind because they don't live forever. That is the real context of the words. I don't know if this was their last live performance but it may have been. Others will know. But if it is 1986 Freddie may have been suspecting that he was sick but he didn't know for sure yet and I don't know if he had talked to the other band members about his suspicions yet.
There are several songs that were written when everyone in the band knew Freddie was dying that have very moving words. One Freddie wrote himself, the story goes, while looking out a hospital window that I love is "A Winter's Tale". It is about beauty in the world not death. Freddie had such an amazing attitude!
A WINTER’S TALE… My favorite Freddie song ! So beautiful.
This is probably my favorite Queen song. Poignant, too.
Hello Rad - The song was written by Brian May for the Highlander movie! I think it’s a good movie & worth a watch! My mom loved it cuz she adored Sean Connery & Queen. Anyway, I’m with you about the way Brian nervously smiles when Freddie is speaking to the audience! As tho Brian felt something strange in that very moment when Freddie spoke! Of course, we now know that Freddie was diagnosed with AIDS in 1987 tho I’m sure Freddie kinda suspected.☹️ Another song from the movie is ONE YEAR OF LOVE.💟💜💟🎶🎶💟💜💟
It's not clear if Freddie knew at that time. He was diagnosed in spring 1987, so a year earlier he must have suspected something but wasn't sure.
The band members were told in 1989. But of course they saw the signs much earlier. As for the song, Brian wrote it for the movie "Highlander" where the immortal character loses the love of his life, and the song is about that.
All this too.
A huge favourite of mine on many levels . ❣️👑❣️👑❣️👑 nice reaction 👍.
This song was part of the soundtrack for one of my favorite movies.
This whole Wembley concert in 86 is amazing…if you ever get the chance watch the whole thing! I promise you won’t be disappointed
Just a beautiful man 💛💛
Please next Queen Sunday please please react to one of Freddie's last recorded songs ever! The Shoe Must Go On here's the story behind it so you know just how sick he wad so when you hear his vocals on it "The song chronicles the effort of frontman Freddie Mercury continuing to perform despite approaching the end of his life, although his diagnosis with HIV/AIDS had not yet been made public in spite of ongoing media speculation claiming that he was seriously ill.[4] When the band recorded the song in 1990 Mercury's condition had deteriorated to the point that May had concerns as to whether he was physically capable of singing it. May recalls; "I said, 'Fred, I don't know if this is going to be possible to sing.' And he went, 'I'll fucking do it, darling'-vodka down-and went in and killed it, completely lacerated that vocal!!! I still cry 😢 every time I hear this song 🎵
Freddie knew about aids. I think there were former partners that had died. So this song was written by Brian for the movie, but😢😢 I'm sure Freddie was thinking about his fate.
Yes, exactly! Thank you for saying since mine's starting to feel like a voice in the wilderness.
According to Thor it was only Tony who was an ex from 1980?
He said Prenter lied about John he was just a friend in their group
But its still people he knows must have been difficult and made him worry
But there was very little information so he probably thought he was lucky and hadnt got it
During this tour he realised something serious was wrong found out in April 87
The official video for this is even more (sadly) powerful
Very interesting analysis of Brian's reaction to Freddie's remarks.
Sir, I love your thoughts on this... in 80’s a lot of people who were sick with the disease were slowly passing.. no drugs haven’t been discovered at that time.and some people showed great prejudice on who had it like they judge them on their lifestyle., even though babies in poor countries were effect and Blood transfusion. So he sang the song on the benefit of others you don’t have a voice. Great smooth voice you have I like your humanity. Great job 👏 🌿🕊🌿🕊
Fun fact. This song is on my funeral playlist. Hopefully not anytime soon of course.
@Ker Interesting. Would have thought that one a little guitar heavy for funeral use. But not a bad choice either
That and guide me home.
Actually it wasn’t until 1987 that Freddie was diagnosed with HIV so the subliminal message wasn’t intentional and the song was for the movie Highlander which is about immortals hence why it is called who wants to live forever so the song doesn’t have to do with them personally it was really just about expressing the theme of the movie they were making it for.
Very insightful Rad❤
There are 15 albums to choose music from!
If we could listen to the Official Version of Who Wants to Live Forever, they did that so very beautifully...
Songs people are suggesting is for the end of tour Queen journey...How about happier songs: NOW I'M HERE, live at Wembley as wellas IT;S A KIND OF MAGIC , same concert or their first #1 hit KILLER QUEEN, written by Freddie, react to the video
I agree 💯. Celebrate Freddie/Queen fully as it began, as they hit the top then went into the stratosphere, when Freddie was healthy and strong and not saying goodbye to us forever.
One of my faves. 💕
Enjoyed your reaction! Such a beautiful song performed brilliantly by the entire band. The studio version of this song is done a bit differently and also very beautiful and worth a listen. Please react to Stone Cold Crazy live at the Rainbow 1974, I Want It All official video, and The Prophet’s Song, official video or lyric video
This song written for a movie, certainly resonates, doesn't it. But keep planning for tomorrow! Freddie, the great did another great job. Thank You.
If you wish to find songs for Queen Sunday, buy Queen Greatest Hits 1 and 2 and work your way through! :)
Fantastic song, but the studio version/official music video is STUNNING.
This was during the Magic Tour (which ended up being their final tour). Freddie was not yet diagnosed. None of them realize they'll never be able to tour again(with Fred). Freddie found out his HIV/AIDS status the following year, 1987 so this song is not about that, it's about the film they wrote it for, Highlander. Go back to the seventies, then early 80's then mid and late 80's. OK, I'll try not to mention it again but it's much more fun watching them grow and experience more and more success. Experience the joy, untainted. Because once you see the sadness, it's difficult to ever let it go.
There's the live version(s), the Studio version w/Video (great production), and then the movie version (Highlander), that always makes my wife cry.