Queen may never have broken up prior to Freddie Mercury’s death, but boy, did those boys fight in the studio. Sir Brian May recently shared a clash he had with the singer in a recent interview.
Speaking with Matt Chorley on Newnight about the solar eclipse, the host played a bit of Don’t Stop Me Now when Freddie sings, “travelling at the speed of light”, referring to the sun’s rays. At which point, the Queen guitarist shared the memory.
Sir Brian said: “I had a go at Freddie about that because I said, ‘Freddie, nobody can travel at the speed of light’, and he went, ‘I know darling, I really don’t care’. So that’s that.” The guitar legend has previously shared he wasn’t a fan of Don’t Stop Me Now back when Freddie wrote it in the late 1970s. The reason being that he didn’t like how the song celebrated the singer’s hedonistic lifestyle, which he found threatening.
May previously shared how he struggled with Don’t Stop Me Now’s lyrics as it was around the time when Freddie was “taking lots of drugs and having sex with lots of men.” Nevertheless, over the years, hearing how the song has been played at weddings, funerals and parties generally, the guitarist has come to appreciate the “great joy” it represents.
