6 of Queen’s Best Songs Written by Brian May

The late great Freddie Mercury is often credited with being the soul, energy, voice, and face of the legendary rock band Queen. All of that may be true, but Brian May was definitely the foundation that kept the band afloat. May is an incredible songwriter, and he helped develop some of Queen’s biggest hits of all time. Let’s look at a few examples of the best Queen songs ever written by Brian May!

1. “Hammer To Fall”

The Works from 1984 was a bit of a polarizing album. A lot of classic Queen fans weren’t thrilled about the glittering synth elements that Queen had added to their sound. Regardless, it’s a killer album. And “Hammer To Fall” is one of the record’s best tracks.

2. “The Prophet’s Song”

One of many excellent songs on A Night At The Opera from 1975, “The Prophet’s Song” was written while May was recovering from being ill with hepatitis. Sometimes, all you need is a literal fever dream to pen an excellent song with vivid imagery.

3. “Dead On Time”

This is such an underrated song by May, it’s still surprising that it isn’t as popular as other hits from Queen’s discography. “Dead On Time” boasts stunning vocals from Freddie Mercury and excellent writing and recording skills from May.

4. “39”

A Night At The Opera is a fascinating album on its own, and “39” is quite a fascinating song. May’s smart, heartfelt operatic storytelling makes this song quite good. It’s one of the rare times Brian May’s vocals are on full display, and the use of unique instruments gave the song an almost folky vibe.

5. “The Show Must Go On”

One could see this song as Freddie Mercury’s final goodbye. It’s a stunning song, and May delivers one of the best solos of his career on the 1991 track. Allegedly, May was worried that the ill Mercury wouldn’t be able to sing it, to which Mercury threw back a shot of vodka and replied, “I’ll f***ing do it, darling.”

6. “Now I’m Here”

Another stellar piece of work that was written when May was ill with hepatitis in 1974, “Now I’m Here” was Queen’s clear announcement to the world that they were still one of the best rock bands of all time. May is no stranger to writing explosive songs, and this is by far one of the band’s most explosive tracks of all time. Anthemic, even.

Photo by Ilpo Musto/Shutterstock

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