When the lead vocalist of Queen, regarded as the most legendary rock band in history, collaborated with the King of Pop, an unparalleled partnership emerged. Michael Jackson (25), who was first seen backstage at a Queen concert in Los Angeles, admitted to being a fan of Freddie Mercury (37). He attended multiple performances before finally meeting Mercury, along with his bandmates, Roger Taylor, Brian May, and John Deacon.
Over the next three to four years, the two forged a strong friendship founded on their shared love for music and mutual respect. Despite their contrasting personalities and styles, Mercury appreciated Jackson’s musical talent and affectionately referred to him as ‘Little Brother’ in interviews. In 1983, they commenced recording demos at Jackson’s home studio. One of the three songs they collaborated on was ‘There Must Be More To Life Than This,’ which was initially penned by Queen’s frontman for their 1982 album, Hot Space.
Mercury himself acknowledged that the songs were exceptional. However, in his book, Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury, he noted that the main issue was time. Consequently, the tracks remained unreleased.
While time was likely a contributing factor, it was not the sole reason, according to Queen’s manager, Jim “Miami” Beach. Mercury became increasingly uneasy with Jackson’s work habits and particularly with his pet llama, which frequently visited the studio. He contacted Beach, expressing his desire to leave.
This situation, coupled with reports of Jackson being dissatisfied with Mercury’s cocaine use in his residence, resulted in tensions between the two. Their remarkable relationship became strained, and the recording process came to a halt.
Two years later, in 1985, Mercury revised and launched a solo rendition as the eighth track on his debut album, ‘Mr. Bad Guy’.
Following the passing of both Mercury and Jackson (in 1991 and 2009), the song emerged again as a collaborative version, which was included in Queen’s 2014 album, Queen Forever. This version was produced and mixed by William Orbit. It featured the original backing track that was recorded in 1981, with May on guitar, Taylor on drums, and Deacon on bass. The long-anticipated collaboration was ultimately unveiled in its full splendor.
