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{{Short description|1991 single by Queen}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox song
| name = These Are the Days of Our Lives
| cover = Queen - "These Are the Days of Our Lives" (US single).jpg
| alt =
| border = yes
| caption = Artwork for US release
|
| artist = [[Queen (band)|Queen]]
| album = [[Innuendo (album)|Innuendo]]
| B-side = "[[Innuendo (album)#"Bijou"|Bijou]]" (US)
| A-side = "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]"
| released = 5 September 1991
| recorded = March 1989{{snd}}November 1990
| studio =
* [[Metropolis Studios|Metropolis]] ([[London]], England)
* [[Mountain Studios|Mountain]] ([[Montreux]], Switzerland)
|
| genre =
| length = 4:13
| label =
* [[Parlophone]] (Europe)
* [[Hollywood Records|Hollywood]] (North America)
| writer = [[Roger Taylor (Queen drummer)|Roger Taylor]]
| producer =
* Queen
* [[David Richards (record producer)|David Richards]]
| prev_title = [[I Can't Live with You]]
| prev_year = 1991
| next_title = [[The Show Must Go On (Queen song)|The Show Must Go On]]
| next_year = 1991
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| type = single
| prev_title = [[Stone Cold Crazy]]
| prev_year = 1991
| title = [[Bohemian Rhapsody]]
| title2 = These Are the Days of Our Lives
| year = 1991
| next_title = [[Ride the Wild Wind]]
| next_year = 1992
}}
{{Extra album cover
| header = Second Issue
| type = single
| cover = These Are the Days of Our Lives.jpg
| border =
| alt =
| caption = Artwork for 1991 UK release
}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|oB4K0scMysc|"These Are the Days of Our Lives"}}}}
}}
"'''These Are the Days of Our Lives'''" is a song by the British rock band [[
The song was released as a single in the United States on [[Freddie Mercury]]'s 45th birthday, 5 September 1991, and as [[A-side and B-side|double A-side]] single in Ireland and the United Kingdom on 9 December, in the wake of [[Death of Freddie Mercury|Mercury's death]], with the Queen track "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]". The double A-side debuted at number one on the [[UK Singles Chart]] and remained there for five weeks, topped the [[Irish Singles Chart]] for six weeks, and reached number 16 in Germany. The song was awarded a [[Brit Award for British Single of the Year]] in 1992.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/events/brit_awards/freddy.htm "The Highs and Lows of the Brit Awards"]. BBC. Retrieved 24 June 2011</ref> In 1999, it was included on Queen's compilation album ''[[Greatest Hits III (Queen album)|Greatest Hits III]]''.<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r443580|pure_url=yes}} Queen - Greatest Hits III] Allmusic. Retrieved 25 April 2021</ref>
==Background==
Reminiscing on the past, [[Roger Taylor (Queen drummer)|Roger Taylor]] penned the song as [[Freddie Mercury]]'s health was deteriorating. As a teenager, Taylor had known Mercury since the late 1960s when they worked together at [[Kensington Market, London|Kensington Market]] in London before the two (along with [[Brian May]]) founded Queen in 1970.<ref>{{cite news |title=Roger Taylor "I remember" |url=https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/celebrities/roger-taylor-i-remember |access-date=4 March 2020 |work=Reader's Digest}}</ref> The opening chorus in the song reminisces, with "Those were the days of our lives", while the second chorus refers to the present, "Cause these are the days of our lives".
{{blockquote|I was sitting at home in a rather reflective mood and I did know that Freddie was ill, and I think it came out of that slightly melancholic mood. I guess I was trying to put an optimistic slant on it in a way—''those'' were the days then. And ''these'' are the days of our lives—Today is more important than yesterday.|Taylor speaking to [[Absolute Radio]] in 2011.<ref>{{cite news |title=Queen interview: Roger Taylor on These are the Days of our Lives |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VXlXq0tRwrY |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/VXlXq0tRwrY |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|access-date=24 June 2021 |agency=YouTube |publisher=Absolute Radio}}{{cbignore}}</ref>}}
==Music video==
The video was the last Queen video to feature Freddie Mercury in person before [[Death of Freddie Mercury|his death]] on 24 November 1991. [[Rudi Dolezal]] and [[Hannes Rossacher]] of [[DoRo Productions]] filmed the music video at studios in London on 30 May 1991.<ref name="History"/>
{{quote box
| quote = He knew how ill he was, and that this was the last time he'd ever be in front of a camera. He must have had terrible pain, but you don't see that. You just see a man and his destiny. Regardless [of] whether he was in pain or not, he always delivered. He didn't want any special treatment.
| source = —Video director [[Rudi Dolezal]] in a 2019 interview with ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' magazine on Mercury's last video.<ref name="Dolezal">{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury's Final Bow: Director Rudi Dolezal Recalls the Queen Legend's Poignant Last Video |url=https://people.com/music/freddie-mercury-last-music-video-rudi-dolezal-interview/ |access-date=23 June 2021 |magazine=People}}</ref>
| width = 18em
| align = left
| style = padding:10px;
}}
Mercury, Roger Taylor and [[John Deacon]] were present at the shoot; Brian May was filmed later in the year and added in digitally, as he was out of the country on a promotional tour at the time of the shoot. Following rumours about Mercury's health, the video was filmed and released in black-and-white to hide the full extent of his illness.<ref name="Dolezal"/>
In the video, Mercury wears a waistcoat with pictures of cats that was made for him by Queen costume designer Diana Moseley. With his farewell look straight at the camera as the song ends, Mercury whispers "I still love you", directed to his fans, which are his last words on camera.<ref name="History">Queen: The Ultimate Illustrated History of the Crown Kings of Rock. p.224. Voyageur Press, 2009</ref><ref name="Channel4">"Queen's Greatest Videos". [[Channel 4]]. 1999. Episode 1/1. 50 minutes in. (Roger Taylor)</ref><ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/final-freddie-mercury-performance-discovered-2290788.html "Final Freddie Mercury performance discovered"]. ''The Independent''. Retrieved 24 June 2011</ref> Video director Dolezal had been told beforehand to keep things speedy due to Mercury's ailing condition, but before shooting wrapped, Mercury requested one more take for the last lyrics of the song: "Those days are gone now but one thing's still true / When I look and I find I still love you". Jordan Runtagh for ''People'' writes, "On the last line, he summons all his strength for a final heroic pose before collapsing into himself with a soft laugh. Staring through the camera, he whispers a final "I still love you" before snapping his fingers, walking out of frame with a flourish".<ref name="Dolezal"/> Dolezal comments, "In these last few seconds of that song, he gives us a résumé of his whole life: 'I was a big superstar, but don't take it too seriously.' And then, 'I still love you,' which is to the fans. Then he walks out of life. Even in his last moments, he planned his exit artistically. That's how he wanted it to be."<ref name="Dolezal"/>
The US version of the video features animation produced by [[Walt Disney Studios (division)|Walt Disney Studios]], as Queen's North American record label, [[Hollywood Records]], is a subsidiary of [[The Walt Disney Company]].<ref>[http://queencollection.com/meny_hoved.asp?id=46 DVD Docum – These Are The Days Of Our Lives] Queen Collection. Retrieved 16 July 2011</ref> Another video version was released in 1992 to promote the ''[[Classic Queen]]'' compilation album in the US, combining old footage of the band from 1973 to 1991 plus the performances of the band from the US aired video.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071228030646/http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/queen/albums.jhtml?albumId=72769 Queen Album: Classic Queen] MTV. Retrieved 16 July 2011</ref>
==Live performances and covers==
The song was first played live on 20 April 1992 at the [[Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert]], sung by [[George Michael]] and [[Lisa Stansfield]].<ref>[http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/videos/fmtributedvd.htm#these "The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert: These Are the Days of Our Lives"]. Retrieved 24 June 2011</ref> The live version was included on the 1993 EP ''[[Five Live (George Michael and Queen EP)|Five Live]]'', credited to 'George Michael with Queen & Lisa Stansfield'.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ewing|first1=Tom|title=George Michael and Queen – Five Live EP|url=http://freakytrigger.co.uk/popular/2012/03/george-michael-and-queen-five-live-ep/|website=Freaky Trigger|access-date=9 August 2017|date=9 March 2012}}</ref>
The song was played on the 2005/2006 [[Queen + Paul Rodgers]] tours with vocals provided by Roger Taylor. On stage the song was accompanied by a video of the band in their early days in Japan, including many shots focusing on past band members Freddie Mercury and John Deacon.<ref>{{cite news |title=Review: Queen and Paul Rodgers on tour |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandjazzmusic/3562079/Review-Queen-and-Paul-Rodgers-on-tour.html |access-date=24 June 2021 |agency=Daily Telegraph}}</ref>
The song was used on 1 July 2007 at the [[Concert for Diana]] held at the redeveloped [[Wembley Stadium]], London in honour of [[Diana, Princess of Wales]], who had [[Death of Diana, Princess of Wales|died almost 10 years earlier]].<ref name="Diana">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6259822.stm "Old and new stars celebrate Diana"]. BBC. Retrieved 16 July 2011</ref> At the end of the concert, a video montage of Diana as a child was presented while the song was playing in the background.<ref name="Diana"/> A [[cover version]] by [[Petula Clark]] is included on her 2008 [[compilation album]] ''[[Then & Now: The Very Best of Petula Clark|Then & Now]]''.
==Reception==
Ron Hart of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' wrote that "the conga-driven synth [[Sentimental ballad|ballad]] 'These Are the Days of Our Lives' is ''Innuendo''{{'s}} most significant single [...] A ballad in the vein of '[[Love of My Life (Queen song)|Love of My Life]],' it was a song that carried a significant amount of weight given the frailty of Mercury's appearance in the black-and-white video, later compounded when unreleased colour footage from the filming emerged in ''Days of Our Lives''."<ref name="Hart">{{cite magazine |title=Remembering Queen's Last Masterpiece, 'Innuendo' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/queens-innuendo-remembering-freddie-mercurys-last-masterpiece-223856/ |access-date=18 March 2019 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref>
==Track listings==
'''First Issue'''
{{tracklist
| headline = Cassette
| title1 = These Are the Days of Our Lives
| length1 = 4:10
| title2 = Bijou
| length2 = 3:36
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = US Modern rock promotional single
| title1 = These Are the Days of Our Lives
| length1 = 4:18
| title2 = These Are the Days of Our Lives
| note2 = Edit
| length2 = 3:54
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = US Contemporary hit promotional single
| title1 = These Are the Days of Our Lives
| length1 = 4:10
}}
'''Second Issue'''
{{tracklist
| headline = CD, CT, 7"
| title1 = [[Bohemian Rhapsody]]
| length1 = 6:00
| title2 = These Are the Days of Our Lives
| length2 = 4:15
}}
==Personnel==
;Queen
* [[Freddie Mercury]] – lead and backing vocals, keyboards<ref>{{cite news |last1=Elias |first1=Jason |title=These Are the Days of Our Lives |url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/these-are-the-days-of-our-lives-mt0000357408 |access-date=18 March 2019 |publisher=AllMusic}}</ref>
* [[Brian May]] – guitars, backing vocals
* [[Roger Taylor (Queen drummer)|Roger Taylor]] – drums, keyboards, backing vocals
* [[John Deacon]] – bass guitar
with:
* [[David Richards (record producer)|David Richards]] – keyboards, [[programming (music)|programming]]
==Accolades==
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
!Year
!Ceremony
!Award
!Result
|-
|rowspan="1"|1992
!scope=row|[[Brit Awards]]
|British Single of the Year
|{{won}}
|}
==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
===Weekly charts===
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1991–1992)
!Peak<br />position
|-
{{single chart|Flanders|40|artist=Queen|song=These Are the Days of Our Lives|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{single chart|Germany|16|songid=157428|artist=Queen|song=Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are the Days of Our Lives|rowheader=true|access-date=18 March 2019|note=with "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]"}}
|-
{{single chart|Ireland2|1|artist=Queen|song=Bohemian Rhapsody / The Days of Our Lives|date=19911215|rowheader=true|note=with "Bohemian Rhapsody"}}
|-
{{single chart|UK|1|artist=Queen|song=Bohemian Rhapsody/These Are the Days of Our Lives|date=19911215|rowheader=true|note=with "Bohemian Rhapsody"}}
|}
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (2021)
!Peak<br />position
|-
{{single chart|UKdownload|81|artist=Queen|song=These Are the Days of Our Lives|date=20211203|rowheader=true}}
|}
{{col-2}}
===Year-end charts===
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1991)
!Position
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)<ref>{{cite magazine|title=1991 Top 100 Singles|magazine=[[Music Week]]|publisher=Spotlight Publications|___location=London, England|page=20|date=11 January 1992}}</ref>
|2
|}
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1992)
!Position
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Year End Charts: Top Singles|magazine=[[Music Week]]|page=8|date=16 January 1993}}</ref>
|15
|}
{{col-end}}
==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Queen|title=These Are the Days of Our Lives|type=single|award=Silver|relyear=1991|certyear=2019|id=15819-1614-1|access-date=25 September 2020}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Queen|title=Bohemian Rhapsody/ These Are the Days|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=1991|certyear=1991|id=988-1614-1|access-date=25 September 2020|note=with "Bohemian Rhapsody"}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}
==Release history==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col"| Country
! scope="col"| Date
! scope="col"| Format
! scope="col"| Label
! scope="col"| Catalog no.
|-
! colspan="5"| First Issue
|-
| rowspan="3"| United States
| August 1991
| Promo [[Promotional single|CD-R]] <small>([[Modern Rock]] / Alternative radio)</small>
| rowspan="3"| [[Hollywood Records]]
| PRCD-10061-2
|-
| 5 September 1991
| [[Gramophone record|7-inch]], [[Cassette single|CS]]
| 64868 4 (7-inch)<br />HR-64868-4 (CT)
|-
| 1991
| Promo CD-R <small>([[Contemporary hit radio]])</small>
| PRCD-8390-2
|-
! colspan="5"| Second Issue
|-
| Europe
| rowspan="2"| 9 December 1991
| rowspan="2"| 7-inch, [[CD single|CD]], Cassette
| rowspan="4"| [[EMI]], [[Parlophone]]
| 016 2046497, QUEEN 20 (7-inch)<br />2046492, CDQUEEN 20 (CD)<br />300201 4 (CS)
|-
| United Kingdom
| 2046497, QUEEN 20 (7-inch)<br />2046492, CDQUEEN 20 (CD)<br />2046494, TCQUEEN 20 (CT)
|-
| Australia
| 1992
| CT
| TC-2046494
|-
| Japan
| 8 July 1992
| CD
| TOCP-7259
|}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* Official YouTube videos: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPzhVVAnrPs Queen + Paul Rodgers (live)], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6n1h_KO8Gg at Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert] (with [[George Michael]] and [[Lisa Stansfield]])
* [http://www.queenonline.com/en/the-band/discography/innuendo/#lyrics Lyrics at Queen official website]
{{Queen singles}}
{{Brit British Single}}
{{UK Christmas No. 1s in the 1990s|song}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:These Are The Days Of Our Lives}}
[[Category:1990 songs]]
[[Category:1991 singles]]
[[Category:1990s ballads]]
[[Category:Black-and-white music videos]]
[[Category:Brit Award for British Single]]
[[Category:Christmas number-one singles in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Double A-side singles]]
[[Category:Hollywood Records singles]]
[[Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles]]
[[Category:Music videos directed by Hannes Rossacher]]
[[Category:Music videos shot in London]]
[[Category:Parlophone singles]]
[[Category:Queen (band) songs]]
[[Category:Sentimental ballads]]
[[Category:Songs written by Roger Taylor (Queen drummer)]]
[[Category:UK singles chart number-one singles]]
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