Queen – Who Wants to Live Forever: From Highlander to Rock Immortality

“Who Wants to Live Forever” is one of Queen’s most moving ballads, a song written for the 1986 fantasy film Highlander. Combining Freddie Mercury’s soaring vocals with orchestral grandeur, the track explores themes of love, mortality, and the bittersweet nature of immortality.

Brian May was commissioned to write the piece after Queen was approached to contribute to the Highlander soundtrack. After watching an early cut of the film, May was deeply struck by the scene where the immortal Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) holds his dying wife Heather (Beatie Edney) in his arms. On his way home from the screening, in the back of a cab, May jotted down the line “Who wants to live forever.” This became the song’s central refrain, capturing the tragic beauty of the moment.

The recording features orchestral arrangements by Michael Kamen and the National Philharmonic Orchestra, with Freddie Mercury and Brian May sharing lead vocals on the album version. In the film version, Mercury sings the entire lead. Roger Taylor later recalled how moving it was to perform and film the song, despite joking about the long and solemn video shoot.

Music Video

Directed by David Mallet, the video was filmed on 16 September 1986 at Tobacco Wharf in London’s East End. The visual concept matches the song’s solemnity: the band performs alongside a 40-piece choir and orchestra, surrounded by hundreds of candles in a dimly lit warehouse. Mercury, dressed in a tuxedo, delivers a dramatic and heartfelt performance. An alternate version of the video intercuts scenes from Highlander, reinforcing the song’s cinematic origins.

Release and Reception

Released as a single on 15 September 1986, the song reached #24 on the UK Singles Chart. While not one of Queen’s highest-charting singles, it has become one of their most enduring ballads, celebrated for its emotional depth and cinematic scope. Critics have praised it as one of Queen’s most powerful and poignant recordings, with Mercury’s climactic delivery and the lush orchestration noted as standout elements.

Legacy

Beyond its role in Highlander, the song has remained a fan favorite and a staple in Queen’s legacy. Seal memorably covered it at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992, and many other artists have since performed their own versions. In Queen’s own live shows during the Magic Tour (1986), Mercury sang the entire song himself, further cementing its association with his unique vocal power.

“Who Wants to Live Forever” stands as a meditation on love and mortality, reminding listeners that even in the face of endless life, it is the fleeting nature of human moments that gives them meaning.

Quick Facts

• Artist: Queen
• Songwriter: Brian May
• Producers: Queen, David Richards
• Album: A Kind of Magic (1986)
• Film tie-in: Highlander (1986)
• Recorded: Late 1985, The Townhouse & Abbey Road Studios, London
• Length: 5:15 (album version), 4:01 (single version)
• Label: EMI (UK)
• Video director: David Mallet
• Video filmed: 16 September 1986, Tobacco Wharf, London
• Chart peak: #24 (UK Singles Chart)

Timeline

• Late 1985 — Song recorded at The Townhouse and Abbey Road Studios, London
• Early 1986 — Brian May writes the song after watching an early cut of Highlander
• June 1986 — Film Highlander released featuring the song in the Heather/Connor scene
• 16 September 1986 — Music video filmed at Tobacco Wharf, London
• 15 September 1986 — Single released in the UK
• 1986 (Autumn) — Alternate video version released with clips from Highlander
• 1986 Magic Tour — Live performances with Freddie Mercury on lead vocals
• 20 April 1992 — Seal performs it at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
• 2003 — Highlander video version included as hidden track on Queen’s Greatest Video Hits II DVD

References

1. “Who Wants to Live Forever.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Wants_to_Live_Forever (accessed Sept 14, 2025).
2. “Queen Songs – Studio Info: Who Wants to Live Forever.” QueenSongs.info. https://www.queensongs.info/studio-info-page/who-wants-to-live-forever (accessed Sept 14, 2025).
3. “The Story Behind ‘Who Wants to Live Forever.’” American Songwriter. https://americansongwriter.com/the-story-and-meaning-behind-who-wants-to-live-forever-a-queen-power-ballad-from-an-80s-cult-flick (accessed Sept 14, 2025).
4. “Queen – Who Wants to Live Forever.” Ultimate Classic Rock. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/queen-who-wants-to-live-forever (accessed Sept 14, 2025).