"Who Wants to Live Forever"
Wwtlfq.jpg
Single by Queen
from the album A Kind of Magic
B-side "Killer Queen"
"Forever" (12" single only)
Released September 15, 1986 (1986-09-15)
Format Vinyl record (7"/12")
Recorded 1985 – 1986
Genre Rock
Length
  • 5:15 (Album version)
  • 4:00 (Single version)
Label EMI
Songwriter(s) Brian May
Producer(s) Queen and David Richards
Queen singles chronology
"Pain Is So Close to Pleasure"
(1986)
"Who Wants to Live Forever"
(1986)
"One Year of Love"
(1986)
"Pain Is So Close to Pleasure"
(1986)
"Who Wants to Live Forever"
(1986)
"One Year of Love"
(1986)

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

The song is used to frame the scenes in the film where Connor MacLeod must endure his beloved wife Heather 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.) The song's title is taken from a line in another movie scored by Brian May and Queen, Flash Gordon (the line can be heard on Battle Theme from Queen Flash Gordon soundtrack album).

May sings lead vocals on the first verse, before Freddie Mercury 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?". The version which can be heard in the film is unique, in that it features Mercury singing lead vocals on the first verse. Mercury also sang the lead in live performances. When live, however, the song was lowered by a whole tone, and Mercury would frequently alter the song's highly demanding vocal line due to the strain placed on his voice by vocal nodules: this often involved Roger Taylor handling lead vocals on the choruses, while Mercury harmonised with a counter-melody. 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 Brian May. Queen was backed up by an orchestra, with orchestrations by the co-composer of the film's score, Michael Kamen.[1]

Contents

Music video[edit]

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. 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. It is the only Queen video to feature bassist John Deacon playing an upright bass.

An alternative 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 Queen Greatest Video Hits II DVD in November 2003.

Cover versions[edit]

Dune version[edit]

"Who Wants to Live Forever"
Dune - Who wants to live forever - Cover.jpg
Single by Dune
from the album Forever
Released 23 October 1996
Format CD
Dune singles chronology
"Million Miles From Home"
(1996)
"Who Wants to Live Forever"
(1996)
"Nothing Compares 2 U"
(1997)
"Million Miles From Home"
(1996)
"Who Wants to Live Forever"
(1996)
"Nothing Compares 2 U"
(1997)

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 #3 in the Austrian singles charts, at #9 in the Swiss Charts, at #12 in the Dutch Charts and at #59 in the Swedish charts.

Track listing[edit]

  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[edit]

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[edit]

The music video was shot in the Scottish Highlands.

Sarah Brightman version[edit]

"Who Wants to Live Forever"
Brightman Who Wants to Live Forever.jpg
Single by Sarah Brightman
from the album Time to Say Goodbye
Released 1997
Format CD
Producer(s) Frank Peterson
Sarah Brightman singles chronology
"Just Show Me How to Love You"
(String Module Error: Match not found)
"Who Wants to Live Forever"
(1997)
"Tu Quieres Volver"
(1997)
"Just Show Me How to Love You"
1997
"Who Wants to Live Forever"
(1997)
"Tu Quieres Volver"
(1997)

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 #45 in the UK singles chart.

Track listing[edit]

CD single[edit]
  1. "Who Wants to Live Forever" (Album version)
  2. "Who Wants to Live Forever" (Xenomania club mix)
Maxi CD single[edit]
  1. "Who Wants to Live Forever"
  2. "A Question of Honour"
  3. "Heaven Is Here"
  4. "I Loved You"
12" vinyl[edit]
  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[edit]

"Nieśmiertelni"
Edyta Górniak - Nieśmiertelni.jpg
Single by Edyta Górniak
Released 2003
Format CD
Label Pomaton EMI
Songwriter(s) Ryszard Kunce
Producer(s) Edyta Górniak
Edyta Górniak singles chronology
"Impossible"
(2003)
"Nieśmiertelni"
(2003)
"The Story So Far"
(2003)
"Impossible"
(2003)
"Nieśmiertelni"
(2003)
"The Story So Far"
(2003)

Polish singer Edyta Górniak released a cover of "Who Wants to Live Forever" 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[edit]

  1. Nieśmiertelni (3:26)

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Who Wants To Live Forever UltimateQueen.co.uk