Two late, great performers come back to life on a new album compilation from Queen.
Queen and Michael Jackson sing together on the song “There Must Be More to Life Than This,” just one of three previously unreleased songs from Queen frontman Mercury on “Forever Queen,” due on Nov. 11.
Mercury's first solo hit “Love Kills” with Giorgio Moroder also gets an unheard ballad version on the set, as does unreleased “Let Me In Your Heart Again” from Queen's “The Works” sessions.
The rest of the single and double-disc releases are “a definitive collection of Queen”s timeless love songs,” cobbled together by surviving members Brian May and Roger Taylor. The tracklist is made up of “things that we have collected together that are representative of our growth rather than the big hits,” said May in a release.
On the Jackson and Mercury song, streaming above:
The Queen and Michael Jackson duet, “There Must Be More to Life Than This,” began as a song written by Mercury during sessions for Queen”s 1981 album, Hot Space. The band recorded a backing track, but the song was never completed. Mercury visited Michael Jackson at his home studio in Los Angeles where he recorded Jackson singing the song for an unfinished version. Queen revived the track during sessions for 1984″s The Works, but again it was not finished. A year later, Freddie”s own version of the song surfaced on his debut solo album, 1985″s Mr. Bad Guy. This new production of the powerful ballad fuses Queen”s original backing track and Mercury and Jackson”s distinctive vocals, and has been produced and remixed by celebrated Madonna/Robbie Williams producer William Orbit.
Here are the tracklists for the one and two-disc version releases of “Queen Forever”:
Single CD:
Let Me In Your Heart Again
Love Kills – The Ballad
There Must Be More To Life Than This (William Orbit Mix)
It”s A Hard Life
You”re My Best Friend
Love Of My Life
Drowse
Long Away
Lily Of The Valley
Don”t Try So Hard
Bijou
These Are The Days Of Our Lives
Las Palabras De Amor
Who Wants To Live Forever
A Winter”s Tale
Play The Game
Save Me
Somebody To Love
Too Much Love Will Kill You
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
2-CD SET
CD1
Let Me In Your Heart Again
Love Kills – The Ballad
There Must Be More To Life Than This (William Orbit Mix)
Play The Game
Dear Friends
You”re My Best Friend
Love Of My Life
Drowse
You Take My Breath Away
Spread Your Wings
Long Away
Lily Of The Valley
Don”t Try So Hard
Bijou
These Are The Days Of Our Lives
Nevermore
Las Palabras De Amor
Who Wants To Live Forever
CD2
I Was Born To Love You
Somebody To Love
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Friends Will Be Friends
Jealousy
One Year of Love
A Winters Tale
’39
Mother Love
It”s A Hard Life
Save Me
Made in Heaven
Too Much Love Will Kill You
Sail Away Sweet Sister
The Miracle
Is This The World We Created
In The Lap Of The Gods…Revisited
Forever