Listen to Queen and Michael Jackson’s ‘There Must Be More to Life Than This’
(video removed by request)
With the release of a new Queen compilation, 'Queen Forever,' coming in November, the news that has fans most excited is the three previously unreleased tracks sprinkled among the old familiar cuts. The most intriguing: 'There Must Be More to Life Than This,' a discarded collaboration with Michael Jackson.
The song has been remastered by producer and electronic artist William Orbit for the project. You can listen to it above.
'There Must Be More to Life Than This' was originally recorded in 1983, back when Jackson was king of the world, and Queen were still a super-huge concert draw. For various reasons, the song, as well as others singer Freddie Mercury and Jackson demoed, were scrapped.
One of those songs, ‘State of Shock,’ ended up on the Jacksons' 1984 album ‘Victory’ as a duet with Mick Jagger. 'There Must Be More to Life Than This' was released on Mercury's 1985 debut solo LP 'Mr. Bad Guy.' This is the first time the music the two late legends recorded together has been officially available.
The song is quite reflective of the big sweeping pop ballads both Queen and Jackson made were making during the era, with lots of swelling instruments and vocal punches throughout. There's even a smoking Brian May guitar solo to remind you Queen are on the track too.
'Queen Forever,' which comes out on Nov. 10, skips some of the band's bigger hits -- no 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' no 'We Will Rock You' -- in favor of deeper album cuts like 'Lily of the Valley' and 'Friends Will Be Friends.'
The other new songs, in addition to 'There Must Be More to Life Than This,' include the 1984 outtake ‘Let Me in Your Heart Again’ and a band take on ‘Love Kills,’ Mercury's debut solo cut from 1984.