There is no stopping Queen. 28 years after Freddie Mercury passed away, the band seems as big as ever. Not only is there a major global tour underway with Queen + Adam Lambert, the band has also reentered the global pop-culture consciousness with a bang. Bohemian Rhapsody was the biggest film musical, biopic AND drama of all time. The music is also doing phenomenally well and fans have been celebrating another huge achievement this week.
It came as a great surprise to the members of the band themselves that a lesser hit gradually became one of their most iconic songs.
Don’t Stop Me Now peaked at a respectable but not extraordinary Number 9 in the UK in 1979, but was one of the band’s lowest US charting singles of that era. Roger Tayor did not have high hopes for it, while Brian May has always associated it with his fears about Freddie.
The official video has just passed 500million on Youtube and fans are hailing yet another triumph for their heroes. As ambitious at the band they love, many of the fans are now rallying the troops to try and get the video to 1 billion views. Bohemian Rhapsody remains the band’s biggest video with over a billion views so far.
Yet, Don’t Stop Me Now was initially dismissed by May and Taylor.
Looking back at the time it came out, though, Roger Taylor said: “It is the one that has surprised us all. It wasn’t a big hit at the time. Freddie wrote it on the piano and Brian had to find a way to insert himself in there. I don’t necessarily think it is one of our best songs, but I love the sentiment.”
Brian May said; “It was a minor hit but the life of that song is ever increasing. I think it is going to end up as the biggest song Queen ever did.”
But why did Brian have such a problem with it at the time?
He explained; “There was a definite feeling we were losing Freddie or afraid of losing Freddie, which affected the way I perceived it…
“I probably thought it was a bit frivolous as well, but I’ve gotten over that now.”
WATCH THE ORIGINAL VIDEO FOR DON’T STOP ME NOW HERE