23 Queen Songs For A Funeral

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Queen is one of the most iconic rock bands in music history. They have recorded everything from heavy metal to funk, disco to R&B and much in between.

Even at times when we are grieving a loved one, Queen is there to provide music to uplift the soul. So without further ado, here are the best Queen songs for a funeral.

“Procession” by Queen

Song Year: 1974

It is appropriate to start this list with an instrumental from Queen II. The record begins with a funeral march. It is an ominous start to what Queen fans consider one of the band's hardest rocking releases.

Getting unlimited access to a recording studio allowed the members of Queen to experiment on their second album. Brian May multi-tracked his homemade guitar Red Special to create the music of a funeral procession. 

“Who Wants To Live Forever” by Queen 

Song Year: 1986

“Who Wants To Live Forever” is a song composed by Queen for the soundtrack to the film Highlander. It explores the pain of having immortality when it forces you to watch your mortal loved ones grow old and die.

Guitarist Brian May is not featured on vocals very often, but his soulful voice begins the song before Freddie Mercury’s powerful tenor takes over. Seal performed the song at The Freddie Mercury Tribute concert in 1992.

“Made in Heaven” by Queen

Song Year: 1995

“Made in Heaven” was a song written by Freddie Mercury for his debut solo album Mr. Bad Guy in 1985. After Mercury’s death, Queen released a posthumous album featuring the song as the title track.

Mercury’s lyrics for the song suggested that he may have already known he was unwell when he wrote it, although he was not diagnosed with AIDS until 1987. His “ride with destiny” and “learning to pay the price” support the suspicions that Mercury had become reflective of some of the choices he made in his personal life.

“Somebody To Love” by Queen

Song Year: 1976

Queen is known for its intricate harmonies, and no song exemplifies this more than “Somebody To Love” from A Day at the Races. The band multi-tracked their voices in order to create the sound of a large gospel choir.

Mercury sings to the Lord, wondering why, despite his faith in him and how hard he works that he has nobody to love. The feeling of the singer being trapped in a “prison cell” alludes to Mercury’s pain of having to hide his true sexuality from the public eye.

“Love of My Life” by Queen

Song Year: 1975

A beautiful ballad from A Night at the Opera, “Love of My Life” was often performed in concert with Freddie Mercury singing and Brian May accompanying him on acoustic guitar. During Queen’s tour of South America, the crowd would sing the song back to the band in perfect English.

The song is about having a broken heart after somebody you love deeply leaves. This could be interpreted as the end of a relationship or the death of a loved one.   

“Nevermore” by Queen

Song Year: 1974

“Nevermore” is a beautiful ballad of vocal harmonies accompanied by Freddie Mercury on piano. The short song is an interlude featured on what is considered to be Queen’s most heavy metal album, Queen II

Mercury’s voice captures the pain of having lost someone close. It seems like the world has stopped, the seas have dried up, and the sunshine no longer provides warmth. As much as love inspires artists to write music, so does the pain of love lost.

“All Dead, All Dead” by Queen

Song Year: 1977

From News of the World, “All Dead, All Dead” is a ballad written and sung by Brian May while he plays the piano. May wrote the song about the passing of his childhood cat.

The song is a beautiful tribute to the death of a loved one and the pain that the person who is spared must suffer. Despite the fact that death is inevitable for everyone, it is still difficult to process at the time when somebody you love is dead and gone.

“Las Palabras de Amor (The Words of Love)” by Queen

Song Year: 1982

Queen were masters of blending rock with different styles of music. “Las Palabras de Amor (The Words of Love)” has an orchestral feel backing the powerful vocals of Freddie Mercury. The track was on the album Hot Space.

The Spanish-infused love song is from a man expressing his emotions with words of love. Even though they may be far apart, words of love will connect lovers forever. The song was a favorite of Queen fans in South America which inspired the band to sing several verses in the local language.

“Heaven for Everyone” by Queen

Song Year: 1995

Queen drummer Roger Taylor originally wrote and recorded “Heaven For Everyone” for his band, The Cross. Guest vocalist for the recording: Freddie Mercury.

The fact that Mercury’s haunting vocals about the afterlife appeared on Queen’s album Made in Heaven four years after his death makes the song that much more emotional. It is a beautiful ballad about living in a better place.

“Lily of the Valley” by Queen

Song Year: 1974

“Lily of the Valley” is a short lilting melody from the otherwise hard-rocking album Sheer Heart Attack. It also features the vocal harmonies that became a signature of Queen.

The song is a fantastical tale from the mind of Freddie Mercury. Queen often delved into magical worlds with their lyrics. The song is very heartfelt, with Mercury’s beautiful piano playing the only instrument on the track. 

“It’s a Beautiful Day” by Queen

“It’s a Beautiful Day” by Queen-1

Song Year: 1995

The sound of birds chirping leads to Freddie Mercury announcing that “It’s a Beautiful Day.” The song was included on the album Made in Heaven, released four years after Mercury’s passing.

This would be Mercury’s final song recorded for a Queen album. There is a sense of triumph that not even in death was anything going to stop Freddie Mercury.

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