Breakthru

Album: The Miracle (1989)
Charted: 7
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Songfacts®:

  • "Breakthru" is two songs joined together. The slow vocal harmony during the first half minute was originally "A New Life Is Born," an unreleased song written by Freddie Mercury. The remainder of the song is "Breakthru," written by Roger Taylor with some contributions from the rest of the band. Freddie Mercury said, "Breakthru stemmed from Roger, really; it's basically his track."
  • In the music video the boys are riding a train while performing. Brian May said on Queen's Greatest Video Hits 2 that he'd been feeling sick and depressed that week and making the video had lifted his spirits. The band agreed that it was a nice interlude from studio work. Roger Taylor's girlfriend Debbie appears in the clip.

    The loco used is a preserved ex-Great Western Railway, number 3822, from the Nene Valley Railway, which also was the setting for the video - except for segments on the platform, which were filmed at Didcot Railway Centre. The train traveled anywhere between 30 and 60 MPH during filming, which meant the band had to be insured (to the tune of £2 million!) against bodily damage in event of an accident, especially considering they were filming on an open-top carriage.

Comments: 5

  • Lisa Mary from Milton Keynes U.kBeing a huge fan 45 years now breaktrou is also my youngest fav. When watching video on 55 inch tv it breaks my heart as Freddie shirt sleeves fall down while waving arms in air I can see the sores the reality hits me straight in the heart of him suffering in silence from hiv/aids but doing what he loved the most he's music.
  • Jack from Niobrara, WyomingWhile you prefer to ride a train on the inside,
    Queen prefers to do it outside.
  • Joe from Wasington, D.c.I made a parody of breakthru called drivethru and instead of them crashing through a sign that says now, they're crashing through a sign that says closed LOL
  • Ronald from Park Forest, Il. UsaIt appears, in the video, the train and track was also used in the 1983 James Bond, Octopussy. Incl. the tunnel used in the music video may have been used in the shooting scene in Octopussy.
  • Michael from Santa Cruz, CaI love this song,but cry whenever I watch the video because of the state Freddy was in.You can tell he's giving it his all.A SHOWMAN & ENTERTAINER to the end.God bless you,Freddy.
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