The One Show: Brian May compares Lambert to Freddie Mercury
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It was 40 years ago that Queen headed off down to South America to tour Argentina with their new album The Game. And now Brian May has shared how Freddie Mercury’s Love of My Life had a profound effect on the audience in those iconic 1981 concerts. The song is believed to have been written for Freddie’s girlfriend, Mary Austin, who celebrates her 70th birthday this weekend. May shared in a new interview how the response brought tears to the eyes of the band.
Speaking with La 100, May said: “I think it’s the moment when we first realised that they knew Love of My Life.
“Not only knew it but would sing it. And not only would they sing it but would sing it with a passion that brought tears to our eyes.
“It was a monumental thing because that song wasn’t the biggest thing in the rest of the world.”
The Queen guitarist went on to share how much he appreciated the Argentinian fans’ enthusiasm.
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May added: “But Argentina had somehow taken it to its heart and gave it back to us in an incredible way.
“Thank God it’s on video. And it was an immense moment for us to realise that we had this connection with people that we’d never met before.”
Fans can check out the footage below, which includes May speaking to the audience in Spanish.
Last year, Express.co.uk caught up with the rock legend, who admitted that Love of My Life is the song that makes him feel closest to Freddie’s spirit when performing today some 30 years after his death.
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Speaking exclusively with Express.co.uk, May said: “Well it has to be Love of My Life.”
The ballad, written by Freddie, originally featured on Queen’s 1975 album A Night at the Opera.
On performing it today, the 73-year-old explained: “I have my solo spot, which is a moment where I really climb off my pedestal and get close to the audience; which I love to do.
“It’s nice to be a rock star zooming around on stage, but it’s lovely to do the opposite and go down and be very intimate.”
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May continued: “So I can do anything I want there; loads of my own songs I could play, but the one I always want to play is Freddie’s Love of My Life.
“The way we’ve arranged it recently…it’s very strange, it’s very emotional doing it I have to say.
“I’m sitting there on a stool and in the old days it would have been Freddie right beside me, while I play acoustics.”
The Queen guitarist said how he plays the track on an acoustic guitar while singing, before saying something spontaneous about Freddie.
During the concert performance, which is included in the new Queen and Adam Lambert live album, a virtual Freddie appears on a screen behind Brian to sing the last verse.
May added: “It’s just a beautiful moment, I love it so much.
“By that time the audience have lit up all their phones and we have a moment.
“The crowning glory is Freddie coming on and tying the whole thing up with a great sense of humour as he always did have, which I think is the icing on the cake. And then he’s gone and that’s it.”
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