A cornerstone of Queen's 1986 album A Kind of Magic, "Who Wants to Live Forever" is a sweeping, orchestral ballad penned by Brian May for the Highlander film soundtrack, where it underscores the immortal Connor MacLeod's tragic love story. Freddie Mercury's heartrending vocals, paired with May's delicate guitar and Michael Kamen's lush string arrangements, elevate the song into a timeless meditation on mortality, love, and the fleeting nature of human existence. Written in a reflective mood during a car ride after viewing Highlander rushes, May's lyrics grapple with the futility of eternal life when love and dreams inevitably fade, a theme made poignant by Mercury's own awareness of his declining health. Released as a single and a staple of Queen's final tours, the song's shift from despair to a tender plea for living in the moment—"forever is our today"—resonates as both a cinematic lament and a universal call to cherish love while it lasts, because who waits forever anyway?
A Kind Of MAgic -
Who Wants to Live Forever
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Lyric line
Interpretation & Notes
Verse 1 — Fleeting dreams 0:00–0:30
1
There's no time for us
Conveys the fleeting nature of existence, time slipping away.
2
There's no place for us
Suggests a sense of displacement, no belonging in the world.
3
What is this thing that builds our dreams
Questions the force (life, love, or fate) that inspires hope.
4
Yet tips 'em 'way from us
Laments how dreams are often snatched away by reality.
Chorus — Questioning eternity 0:30–1:00
5
Who wants to live forever?
Challenges the desirability of eternal life, given its burdens.
6
Who wants to live forever?
Repeats for emphasis, deepening the existential query.
Verse 2 — Predetermined fate 1:00–1:30
7
There's no chance for us
Implies a lack of opportunity or control over destiny.
8
It's all decided for us
Suggests life is governed by fate, beyond personal agency.
9
This world has only one sweet moment
Highlights the rarity of perfect, fleeting happiness.
10
Set aside for us
Emphasizes the preciousness of that singular moment.
Chorus — Reprise of eternity 1:30–2:00
11
Who wants to live forever?
Repeats the haunting question, tying to *Highlander* themes.
12
Who wants to live forever?
Intensifies the existential reflection.
13
Who?
Adds a poignant, isolated plea for answers.
Bridge — Love's fleeting nature 2:00–2:30
14
Who dares to love forever? (Oh, whoa!)
Questions the courage to love eternally, given its inevitable end.
15
When love must die
Acknowledges the mortality of love, mirroring human life.
Bridge 2 — Seizing the moment 2:30–3:00
16
But touch my tears with your lips
Seeks intimate comfort in sorrow, a tender plea.
17
Touch my world with your fingertips
Desires a transformative connection through physical touch.
18
And we can have forever
Suggests love can create a sense of eternity in the present.
19
And we can love forever
Envisions eternal love through shared moments.
20
Forever is our today
Redefines forever as the present moment, embracing now.
Outro — Final reflection 3:00–4:20
21
Who wants to live forever?
Reprises the central question with emotional weight.
22
Who wants to live forever?
Reinforces the existential dilemma.
23
Forever is our today
Reaffirms that eternity lies in the present moment.
24
Who waits forever anyway?
Concludes with a dismissal of eternal waiting, urging to live now.
Reading guide: A haunting meditation on mortality and love, Who Wants to Live Forever from Queen's 1986 album A Kind of Magic explores the fleeting nature of life and the desire to seize eternal moments through love. Written by Brian May for the Highlander soundtrack, the song weaves themes of mortality vs. eternity , dreams vs. reality , and love vs. loss. With Freddie Mercury's soaring vocals and lush orchestration, it captures the poignant beauty of living fully in the present, knowing forever is only today.
Who Wants to Live Forever — Tech Specs
Album
A Kind of Magic (1986)
Released
Single: 15 September 1986 (UK)
Recorded
1986, Abbey Road Studios & Musicland Studios
Genre
Symphonic rock / Power ballad
Length
5:15 (album) / 4:00 (single edit)
Producer(s)
Queen & David Richards, Reinhold Mack (sessions)
Composer
Brian May (credited to Queen). Written overnight after watching a cut of Highlander.
Band Line-up
Freddie Mercury – lead vocals
Brian May – lead vocals (first verse), guitar
Roger Taylor – drums, percussion
John Deacon – bass guitar
Brian May – lead vocals (first verse), guitar
Roger Taylor – drums, percussion
John Deacon – bass guitar
Guest Musicians
Michael Kamen – orchestral arrangement, conducting the National Philharmonic Orchestra
Technical Personnel
David Richards – engineer, co-producer
Michael Kamen – orchestral arranger & conductor
Michael Kamen – orchestral arranger & conductor
Notable Features
Written for the film Highlander
— used in the scene about immortality and love lost.
Features a full symphonic orchestral backing by the National Philharmonic Orchestra.
One of the few Queen tracks with Brian May on lead vocals (intro verse) alongside Freddie Mercury.
Became one of Queen’s most iconic ballads, blending classical grandeur with rock.
Music video shot at a deserted warehouse in London with full orchestra, lit by candles.
Features a full symphonic orchestral backing by the National Philharmonic Orchestra.
One of the few Queen tracks with Brian May on lead vocals (intro verse) alongside Freddie Mercury.
Became one of Queen’s most iconic ballads, blending classical grandeur with rock.
Music video shot at a deserted warehouse in London with full orchestra, lit by candles.