Brian May and Freddie Mercury were two of Queen’s most formidable creative forces, and their songwriting partnership was not without friction. The guitarist and singer frequently clashed over ideas, each determined to defend his vision. But that competitive streak helped drive the band to some of its greatest achievements.
One of their most famous disagreements involved a guitar solo that May had to fight to include in a song, despite Mercury’s insistence that it was a piano piece. The resulting solo became one of Queen’s most celebrated instrumental moments. It was hardly the only time the two musicians dug in their heels.
Speaking to Classic Rock in 2023, May acknowledged that there was “huge songwriting competition in Queen.” Far from damaging the band, he says, that rivalry pushed its members to greater heights.
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“It was a major factor in pushing us onwards,” May said. “We were very conscious that we had to reach inside ourselves to keep up.”
Mercury sometimes seemed to conjure songs almost effortlessly, while May tended to let ideas develop over time. One particularly striking exception to Mercury’s usual piano-led songwriting process came late in his life, when he wrote “A Winter’s Tale” while taking in the scenery around Lake Geneva.
“Freddie mainly used the piano for songwriting, but there were times when he’d get inspiration when he wasn’t around his instrument,” May explained. “It could be any experience; a skate on the pond. One of the last songs he wrote, ‘A Winter’s Tale’, was written purely sitting looking out on the mountains from the other side of Lake Geneva [where Queen’s Mountain Studios were based].
“He could obviously hear it all in his head, although he didn’t have any musical instruments with him.”
Mercury didn’t need an instrument to bring the idea to life. May remembers him arriving at the studio with the song already taking shape.
“I remember him coming into the studio and saying, ‘I’ve got this idea, just give me a few minutes,’” May recalled. “Then he brought it to life. It’s a beautiful track.”
May also singled out “The Miracle,” the title track from Queen’s 1989 album, as another example of Mercury’s songwriting gifts. “It has an incredible lightness to it,” he said. May has previously called the song Mercury’s most beautiful composition, ranking it above even the monumental “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
But when it comes to his favorite Mercury song to play live, May has another choice: “We Are the Champions,” one of Queen’s most enduring hits and an anthem that has become a fixture at sporting events.
“I’d say my favourite Freddie song to play is ‘We Are the Champions’ – still,” he said. “I don’t know how many times I’ve played it, but it always pulls something out of you. It’s one of those songs where even if the winds are blowing in the wrong direction it still sounds good.”
That might seem an unlikely choice given that “We Are the Champions” was itself a source of tension between the two musicians. May initially disliked what he perceived as the song’s egotistical outlook. But, as he explained in a previous interview with Guitar Player, Mercury helped him understand the idea behind it — and changed his perspective.
Their disagreements were part of what made Queen work. May fought for the guitar parts he believed a song needed, while Mercury stood by his own musical and lyrical instincts. Neither was inclined to back down, and the results speak for themselves.
