music.wikisort.org - Composition

"Who Wants to Live Forever" is a song by the British rock band Queen. A power ballad,[2] it is the sixth track on the album A Kind of Magic, which was released in June 1986, and was written by lead guitarist Brian May for the soundtrack to the film Highlander.[3] Queen was backed up by an orchestra, with orchestrations by the co-composer of the film's score, Michael Kamen. The song peaked at No. 24 in the UK charts.[4] In 1991, it was included in the band's second compilation album Greatest Hits II.[5]

"Who Wants to Live Forever"
UK single picture sleeve
Single by Queen
from the album A Kind of Magic
B-side	"Killer Queen" (2nd A Side track on the 12" single, with the album version of "Who Wants To Live Forever" as the 1st B Side track for the 12" single, along with "Forever" as the 2nd B Side track)[1]
Released	15 September 1986
Recorded	1986
Genre	power ballad arena rock symphonic rock
Length	5:15 (album version) 4:55 (Greatest Hits II version) 4:01 (single version)
Label	EMI
Songwriter(s)	Brian May
Producer(s)	Queen David Richards
Queen singles chronology
"Pain Is So Close to Pleasure" (1986) "Who Wants to Live Forever" (1986) "I Want It All" (1989)
Music video
"Who Wants to Live Forever" on YouTube

Since its release, the song has been covered by many artists. Seal performed a live version of the song at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992. In 2014, Rolling Stone readers voted it their fifth favourite song by Queen,[6] and in 2018 it was listed at number 15 in "The top 20 Queen songs of all time" by Smooth Radio.[2]

Recording

In the 1986 film Highlander, 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. 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.[7] It was later used in the Highlander television series episodes "The Gathering", "Revenge is Sweet", "The Hunters", "Line of Fire", and "Leader of the Pack".

In the film version, Freddie Mercury provides all the main vocals. On the album version, May sings lead vocals on the first verse before Mercury takes over, with May also singing "But touch my tears with your lips" during Mercury's verse and the closing line "Who waits forever anyway?". An instrumental version of the song, entitled "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 were backed up by an orchestra, with orchestrations by the co-composer of the film's score, Michael Kamen.[3]

Music video

The video was directed by David Mallet and filmed in a (now demolished) warehouse at Tobacco Wharf at London's East End on 16 September 1986.[8] It featured the National Philharmonic Orchestra with forty choirboys and several hundreds of candles which remain lit throughout filming as well as Mercury wearing a tuxedo suit.[8] 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.[8]

Live performances

The song was performed by Queen during the 1986 Magic Tour. Live, May would begin playing synthesizer (a Yamaha DX7) before moving to guitar halfway through the song.[9][10]

Track listing

7" Single

A Side. "Who Wants To Live Forever" (Single Version) - 4:01

B Side. "Killer Queen" - 2:59[11]

12" Single

A1. "Who Wants To Live Forever" (Single Version) - 4:01

A2. "Killer Queen" - 2:59

B1. "Who Wants To Live Forever" (Album Version) - 5:15

B2. "Forever" - 3:20[12]

Personnel

Queen

• Freddie Mercury – lead and backing vocals
• Brian May – lead and backing vocals, synthesiser, electric guitar, orchestral arrangements
• Roger Taylor – drums, drum machine, backing vocals

Additional musicians

• Michael Kamen – orchestral arrangements, conductor
• National Philharmonic Orchestra – strings, brass and percussion

Charts

Sales and certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)[20] sales since 2009	Gold	35,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] sales since 2011	Gold	400,000
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Legacy

Tributes

• Seal performed a live version of this song at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992.[22] He said the song made him cry when he first heard it.[23]
• The song serves as the opening track for Diana, Princess of Wales: Tribute, a double CD released on 2 December 1997 in memory of Princess Diana three months after her death.[24]
• Closing the Isle of Wight Festival in England on 12 June 2016, Queen + Adam Lambert performed the song as a tribute to the victims of the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida earlier that day.[25]
• The song serves as the closing track of Episode 3 of Russell T Davies' AIDS drama It's a Sin (set in 1986).[26]
• The animated television series Rick and Morty uses the song during the post-credits scene for the Season 5 episode "Mortyplicity".[27]

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.[28]

Dune version

"Who Wants to Live Forever"
Single by Dune
from the album Forever
Released	23 October 1996
Genre	Classical
Length	3:54
Label	Orbit Records Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Brian May
Dune singles chronology
"Million Miles from Home" (1996) "Who Wants to Live Forever" (1996) "Nothing Compares 2 U" (1997)
Music video
"Who Wants to Live Forever" on YouTube

German band Dune released their cover of "Who Wants to Live Forever", from their album, Forever, as a single in October 1996. It is sung by German singer Verena von Strenge and sold more than 500,000 copies in Germany alone, after reaching number 2 there. The single also peaked at number 3 in Austria, number 8 in Hungary, number 9 in Switzerland, number 12 in the Netherlands and number 59 in Sweden. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it reached number 13 in January 1997. "Who Wants to Live Forever" was nominated to the 1997 Echo Awards for the most successful national dance single.[29]

Music video

The music video for "Who Wants to Live Forever" was directed by Matt Broadley.[30] It was shot in the Scottish Highlands. The video begins on an old churchyard, where Oliver Froning plays a man who stands by a grave. He sees von Strenge appearing in ghost-like form, dressed in a white dress, singing to him. When Froning leaves the churchyard, he walks into the highlands. By a river, he stops for drinking some water, and again sees von Strenge standing in front of a waterfall, singing to him. In the end, he reaches the top of the mountains, where he is united with von Strenge.

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)

Charts

Sarah Brightman version

"Who Wants to Live Forever"
Single by Sarah Brightman
from the album Timeless
Released	1997
Genre	Operatic pop
Label	East West
Songwriter(s)	Brian May
Producer(s)	Frank Peterson
Sarah Brightman singles chronology
"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 No. 45 in the UK singles chart.[42]

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)

References

External links

• Who Wants to Live Forever (1986). on YouTube A Kind of Magic [2008].
• Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert (1992) on YouTube with Seal [2009].
• "Who Wants to Live Forever". Lyrics. Genius.

На других языках

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[de] Who Wants to Live Forever

Who Wants to Live Forever ist eine Powerballade der englischen Rockband Queen. Das Lied wurde von Gitarrist Brian May für den Soundtrack des Films Highlander – Es kann nur einen geben geschrieben und in einer anderen Fassung am 2. Juni 1986 auf dem Album A Kind of Magic veröffentlicht. Die Single erreichte Platz 24 in den britischen Charts. Seitdem sind eine Vielzahl von Coverversionen entstanden.

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- [en] Who Wants to Live Forever

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[es] Who Wants to Live Forever

«Who Wants to Live Forever» (en español: Quién quiere vivir para siempre) es una canción escrita por Brian May, guitarrista líder principal de Queen, y publicada por la banda de rock inglesa Queen en 1986 como parte de su disco A Kind of Magic. Es la sexta pista del álbum A Kind of Magic, que fue lanzada en junio de 1986. Al igual que la mayoría de las demás otras canciones de este álbum, fue y formó parte para o de la banda sonora original de la película Highlander (Los inmortales). En la versión del álbum, Brian May canta la primera estrofa de la canción, y luego Freddie Mercury toma su lugar; pero la versión que se escucha en la película es única, ya que es Freddie quien hace la voz principal en la primera estrofa. Durante las presentaciones en vivo durante el Magic Tour la voz principal de toda la canción recaía en Mercury. La canción alcanzó el número 24 en las listas del Reino Unido. En 1991 se incluyó en el Greatest Hits II de la banda.

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[ru] Who Wants to Live Forever

«Who Wants to Live Forever» (с англ. — «Кто хочет жить вечно») — песня английской рок-группы Queen с альбома A Kind of Magic. Написана Брайаном Мэем. Песня была выпущена в виде сингла с песней «Killer Queen» на стороне «Б». Сингл сразу приобрёл большую популярность среди поклонников группы, и песня попала в сборник Greatest Hits II.

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