QueenMore than 30 years since Queen released their final album, and 34 years since the passing of Freddie Mercury, one would expect the band’s archives to have run dry. But there’s an unheard Christmas song on the way, the band confirm.
As NME reports, the track – titled Not For Sale (Polar Bear) – received its debut airing on digital radio station Planet Rock on Monday, where guitarist Brian May hosted a special Christmas broadcast.
While the special will receive another airing on Christmas day, May also confirmed that the song – which had been recorded in 1974 during the recording of the band’s Queen II album – will also be included on a special reissue of the record next year.
“People might possibly have heard a bootleg version of Not For Sale (Polar Bear) by Smile, it’s a song that goes back a very long way, but to my knowledge no one has ever heard this version,” May explained.
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“It’s a work in progress and will appear on the forthcoming rebuild of the Queen II album – coming next year – but I’m sneaking this into my Planet Rock special because I’m fascinated to know what people think about it,” he added. “I hope people have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year!”
As May noted, Smile – the pre-Queen band featuring Tim Staffell and future Queen drummer Roger Taylor – had recorded a version of the song back in 1969. It was later released on a compilation album of the group’s material.
According to the Queenpedia site, the song was later recorded by Queen in 1972 for their self-titled debut album, though it’s unclear if this is the same version that May is referring to, or if another recording was made during the production of their second LP.
Earlier this month, it was announced that the modern version of the group – Queen + Adam Lambert – might no longer embark on full-blown tours, with May’s wife Anita Dobson hinting that those days are coming to an end.
Speaking with the British publication The Mirror, Dobson said their touring plans will consist of “little bits of bobs,” but not “those big tours.”
“They will do little bits and bobs, but they won’t do those big tours. We are all getting old,” she said. Dobson’s comments arrived a week after Taylor said the group are “resting at the moment.”
