These Are The Days Of Our Lives

by

Queen

Album: Innuendo      Released: 1991

UK Chart: 1

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Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

The video was filmed on May 30, 1991. It was Freddie Mercury's last filmed performance, as he died on November 24th of that year.

This took on new meaning when it was announced that Mercury had AIDS, and knew he was going to die soon when he recorded this. He did not tell the public about his disease until shortly before he died.

Mercury made sure the band worked on this despite his illness. He wanted to make music until he was no longer physically capable.

Queen drummer Roger Taylor wrote this. All 4 members of the band contributed songs individually, but in 1989 they began crediting any song to "Queen" instead of giving individual songwriting credit.

In the UK, this was released as a double A-side single with the re-released "Bohemian Rhapsody." Profits from the single, which went to #1 in the UK, went to AIDS research as a tribute to Mercury.

Although Roger Taylor mimes the Conga Percussion in the video, it was recorded by the producer David Richards. Roger played a regular drum kit (as in Freddie's Tribute concert), and the keyboard part was programmed by all 4 of them in the studio. (thanks, sebas - Tokyo, Japan)

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Comments:

I love this song, its so beautiful and sad Freddie was so brave to do the video for it being as ill as he was and in the black and white version he looks so young but ive seen the colour version and almost wished i hadnt
- Rachel, London, United Kingdom

Freddie and Queen were such a massive part of my life in the seventies when I was a teenager and I have spent all day on this site reliving those days again through their unbelievable music. They were all musical geniouses the like we'll probably never see again. Freddie was the ultimate showman, I remember seeing them at Leeds in 1982 and he had the audience eating out of his hand, an absolute master!! This is such a sad song, I get very emotional hearing it as Freddie died the same week as my dad and I always think I lost my 2 heroes at the same time. Great performance and the world is a sadder place for his absence.
- Darren, London, United Kingdom

Freddie announced that he had AIDS on 23 November, one day before he died. RIP Freddie I still love you xoxo
- Rose, Boston, MA

....i can feel Freddie is saying goodbye thru this wonderful song every time i listen to it ... it breaks my heart...
- ched -, La Union, Philippines

What a marvellous song to go out with. The melody is haunting, the words are true, and Freddy's appearance, and last words on video, are very poignant. You can see love and courage in his face. He was over-the-top and flamboyant as Queen's singer and we loved people like that break the mould of convention.
- kenny, clydebank, Scotland

The magic of ALL of Queen's music is that it (and Freddie) will live forever. He will forever be remembered in my heart as a lover of life and singer of songs.
- Becky, Locust Grove, GA

Freddie is gone but wil never be forgotten and in his wake is a legacy of music that will live forever
- Nicole, Watford, England

When I saw "Freddie Mercury: Magic Remixed" and this song played at the end (during the video of Freddie saying goodbye without using those words) it made my heart ache with sadness. The last "I love you" at the end still leaves me with tears. I love playing piano along with the original recording of this song in my studio. It drives such a powerful message, the emotion in its delivery so appreciable. Long live the MAGIC of Queen and the memory of Freddie Mercury, who will always be one of my heroes.
- Justin, Chesterton, IN

This song was a No.1 hit in December 1191/January 1992 for six weeks - released as a double A-side with "Bohemian Rhapsody", it was the last of Queens four UK No.1 hits
- Dave, Cardiff, Wales

Yes, I did mean 1991 rather than 1991 in my last post
- Dave, Cardiff, Wales

Rather than 1191 I mean.... D'OH!
- Dave, Cardiff, Wales

Our life is like this songs....every lyric is like someone's moment of life...Those were and these are the days of our lives...
- Dino, Larissa, Greece

Brian May mentioned in an interview after Freddie's death that the entire album and its' songs were recorded with the knowledge that Freddie was sick. Looking back at the songs on the album, you can definitely see the knowledge by the entire group that Freddie wasn't going to be around much longer and this song is a perfect example of that.
- Daniel, Columbus, OH

Why do people always assume the worst? Brian May wasn't looking painfully in the video, in fact, when this video was filmed, he wasn't there. His piece is an addition, and thus is why they do a lot of shots of only Roger, Freddie, and John. The bits where it's a distance and shows them all together is a film trick, as the others were filmed before Brian was.
- Jake, Newport, NH

PS - I mean a forced smile (not painfully) but the message was to Bryn, Blackburn, England who seemed to think Brian was actually their during the filming.
- Jake, Newport, NH

OMG, I was just listening to this song aas I came to the songpage for this! I didn't know it was this song until I heard the "I still love you" part. I have the greatest hits 1, 2, and 3, cd set, but it has taken me a long time to listen to the songs. This song iss great, and considering how ladvanced Freddy's disease was, he sounds really good.
- Stefanie, Rock Hill, SC

The music industry has been in steady decline since Freddie Mercury's death in 1991. He was unique, and there will never be another like him
- Dave, Cardiff, Wales

There is one part during the video where the realisation that Freddie is dying really hits home, and you can see Brian May force a pained smile as he plays his guitar. That moment in the video is just as poignant to me as when Freddie says "I still love you" at the end.
- Bryn, Blackburn, England

still looked fab in this vid didnt he. always gives me shivers. i love this song so much, one of my favs 4 sure. love the end of the vid where he looks up and says i still love you. i still love you to freddie!!!
- rosa, Reading, England

This is in my opinion the greatest song ever written and performed. No other singer than Freddie, especially in this song, can "punch" feelings in to your head leaving you completely overwhelmed. And the guitar-solo is genious. I often play it on the guitar and it is so simple but insanely well writen. I don't know what I would do without the music minds of Queen.
- EsbjÃ?rn, Viborg, Denmark

Yeah, hes really skinny in there. His clothing had to be padded to make him look normal :( Freddie we love you! xxx
- Amy, Dallas, TX

No actually, Mary told Freddie he had AIDS. The results came back positive. She was the 1st one to recieve the news, and had to break it to Freddie. :(
- Amy, Dallas, TX

-Because he kept denying that he was positive. He didnt want to believe it (who would?)
- Amy, Dallas, TX

This is a great song, and I agree the video is heartbreaking. I read an article a little while ago that was an interview with Mary Austin talking about her and Freddie's relationship, how they were together in the beggining, but then when Queen got really famous it was kind of hard for them to be together, and then when Freddie told her he thought he might be bisexual they decided to just be friends, but they still were close. Apparently he told her he had AIDS before anyone else, even the band. And she cared for him during his last days. So I heard this song after I read that and it just took on a new meaning for me... now it seems a lot like it's Freddie singing to her about their relationship. BTW you can read that article here: http://www.brianmay.com/freddie/dm220100/dm220100.html
- katie, somewhere, NJ

Oh god, i cry every single time i hear it, Who doesnt? Even worse when i watch the video..I think that it was very brave of Freddie to be in the video. He even flashed a huge grin to the camera, instead of hiding or covering up his teeth. But the band members were looking like 'this might be the end' Oh and when Freddie says 'I still love you' at the end, oh my god, he looks really messed up. :( anyway..good song, id rather listen to something happy though
- Amy, Dallas, TX

its so cool Rogie wrote this-- he usually wrote songs that were about basically nothing... at least in the early days, lol.
- Freddie, Orlando, FL

The other day I was cleaning and listening to one of my Queen cd's. When this song came on, partially into the beginning... I stopped what I was doing and just listened to it. I had no choice... I just stopped and sat down, closed my eyes, just to hear Freddie's voice. I always begin to get teary when I hear it. This song is so true, isn't it? As you get older and look back.... I'm sure there are things you want to do different... but can't.. So you just lay back and go with the flow..... As difficult as it sounds, but have no choice but to. It sounds like it was written for Freddie... This song seems to surround him more than the others...eventhough Roger wrote it. Its just a beautiful song...really.
- Alicia, Tamaqua, PA

It was indeed heartbreaking seeing Freddie in this video. It was odd and seemed so different from the real Freddie. A lot of Freddie's close friends say that he should've never made that video because of his horribly frail condition. In my opinion, he was always beautiful and I admire his courage to do this video considering his frail appearance. One main reason why he couldn't move around was not only because of his illness taking its toll, he also had a lesion on his right foot? It think it was is right foot, well when he would put pressure on it the sharp edges of the scabbing part would dig into his flesh causing him severe pain. This was the same while making the "I'm going slightly mad" video. Freddie had a hard time wearing certain shoes aswell. I admire him soo much, Freddie is and will always be the greatest!!!! He will always gentally play on my heart strings!!!
- Alicia, Tamaqua, PA

I also want to add that Freddie never deprived us of his music. He made sure we had updated music to listen to up until his death.... Now he lives on through his music... it was his life after all..... so if we keep listening to it.....it will be as if he never left us.....to dream all alone.
- Alicia, Tamaqua, PA

well, actually its credited as a "Queen" composition... which means Freddie Brian Roger and John.
- Freddie, Orlando, FL

Yeah this was Freddies last take. Hes covered in makeup. Hes so sick at the time. The most memorable part of the video has got to be when he stops singing and takes that second to look up at the camera and whisper "I still love you." The last words he ever uttered ot a video camera. I also think its sweet how.... do you remember way back when in "A Night at the Opera" we had "Love of my Life"? Freddie sings us... "when I grow older I will be there at your side to remind you... how I still love you.... I still love you!" and.... he did. He kept his promise.
- Freddie, Orlando, FL

This is my very favorite Queen song. Great song and to absolutely no one's surprise a fantastic guitar part.
- don, Dallas, TX

Roger Taylor wrote the song, and he didn't write about Freddie's life.
- Kevin, Danbury, CT

These are the days of our lives is my favourite beacause Freddie comes on as a completely different person, weak and not as flamboyant. I cried the first time I watched it and still get that feeling inside when I hear his final words, "I still love you", he looks back on his life and wishes he could re do it, in a way telling us to live our lives more better and carefullly. He is my god and always will be, thank you Freddie.
- adam, birmingham, England

In the video, Freddie looked very thin, and he didn't move around much. Many fans knew there was something wrong with him and were prepared for the worse. They still remembered Freddie at the end of the song when he looked into the screen and said those memerable three words as he said in nearly every Queen concert "I still love you".
- Kevin, Bridgeport, CT

Freddie died the day after the world learned that he had AIDS. I will never forget those two days for as long as I live.
- William, Streetsboro, OH

The video to this song had to be filmed in black & white due to the fact Freddie had to wear very heavy make-up as he looked so ill, and it took so long to film as Freddie was exhausted and had to keep stopping for a break. This is one of my all time favourite songs and I always get the shivers when I hear it. Roy.
- Roy, Doncaster, England

This song also featured on the "Five Live EP" which went to No.1 in the UK in 1993 - the other artists featured on the EP were George Michael and Lisa Stansfield
- Dave, Cardiff, Wales

Roger Taylor plays bongo drums in this instead of a regular drum kit.
- Tom, Trowbridge, England

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