Did You Know That These Two Queen Songs Were Inspired by Cats?

Pets are more than just animals—they’re beloved members of the family, including for rock band Queen. Frontman Freddie Mercury in particular was known to be fond of cats. He referred to the 10 he took in over the course of his life as his family and would call home while on tour to speak with them. He even thanked them in the liner notes for his 1985 solo album Mr. Bad Guy.

So it’s no surprise that Mercury, as well as guitarist Brian May, wrote about the animals who meant so much to them.

“All Dead, All Dead”

May wrote and sang lead vocals on “All Dead, All Dead,” a ballad on 1977’s News of the World. The song is about the death of his cat Pixie. The lyrics focus on grief, making the song relatable to anyone who’s experienced a loss, not just that of a pet. In the first verse, May sings about the time he spent with her: “So many games we played/Through every fleeted summer/Through every precious day.”

The chorus focuses on May’s struggle to move on after Pixie’s death, and as the song ends, he acknowledges that his own time will come: “But I should not grieve/In time it comes to everyone.”

May called the song “one of my favorites” in a 1983 interview.

“It always gives me a surprise when I listen to it because it was meant to really bring tears to your eyes,” he said. “It almost does it to me.”

An animated video for the song, released in 2017 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of News of the World, also centered around a lost Pixie.

“Delilah”

Mercury’s own ode to a beloved cat came nearly 15 years later, when he wrote “Delilah” for Innuendo, the band’s final album, released in 1991. At first, the song’s lyrics seem to be describing a woman, but by the end, it’s clear Mercury is actually singing about a cat. He calls her “irresistible,” even as he goes on to describe some less-than-desirable behavior, like her ability to “get away with murder so innocent.”

Mercury also describes the joy “Delilah” brings him.

You make me smile
When I’m just about to cry
You bring me hope
You make me laugh and I like it

“Delilah” also features guitar work from May specifically designed to sound like a cat’s meow by using a talkbox.

Not all of Mercury’s bandmates appreciated the song—drummer Roger Taylor said he “hated” it. But for fans who share Mercury and May’s devotion to their pets, it’s a touching and relatable tribute.

Photo by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns