THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

208-Queen-We Are the Champions.

1977-Number 2 single.

Best Bit-At 0.29. This song is also note worthy for being able to boast having the ‘best ‘B’ side in the world ever.
In 1977 Punk Rock was beginning to peak, and most notably the Sex Pistols (see also best songs 576-92 and 27) were very outspoken against ‘Progressive Rock’ acts such as Queen, to which the band responded by changing their style to a more simplistic ‘Hard Rock’ style, although Freddie Mercury has claimed that the old Queen sound had run it’s course, and they were going to make that change anyway.

‘We Are the Champions’ was released as the first single from Queen’s sixth studio Album ‘News of the World’ in October 1977, with the equally anthemic ‘We Will Rock You’ (see also best songs 126) as the ‘B’ side. The opening two tracks on ‘News of the World’ are ‘We Will Rock You,’ (track 1) then ‘We Are the Champions,’ (track 2) and were segued together, with many radio stations playing both songs consecutively as one track. The two songs were also often played by Queen live in concert as the final two songs of their set.

‘We Are the Champions’ was written by Freddy Mercury,(1946-1991) with unaccredited guitar parts written by Brian May, with the other band members of Queen being (see also best songs 918-615-126-47 and 3) Roger Taylor on drums, and John Deacon playing bass. This track and it’s parent Album ‘News of the World,’ was co-produced by Queen, and Mike ‘Clay’ Stone, (1951-2002) who had also worked with the band on all of their five previous studio Albums.

Queen began recording ‘News of the World in July 1977, at which point Freddy Mercury said,’I feel the Queen style of well-produced, or production sort of albums is over. We’ve done to death multi-tracked harmonies and, for our own sakes, and for the public’s, we want to go on to a different sort of project, and the next album will be that.’ Freddie Mercury had written the majority of ‘We Are the Champions’ as far back as 1975 after Queen had seen the audiences response following a concert at Bingley Hall, Stafford, England, where they had ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ (see also best songs 60) sang to them by the crowd. Freddy Mercury has said,’I was thinking about football when I wrote it. I wanted a participation song, something the fans could latch on to. Of course I’ve given it more theatrical subtlety than a ordinary football chant. You know me, I suppose it could also be constructed as my version of I did it ‘My Way.” (see also best songs 120.) Freddy Mercury wrote the song as personal celebration for anyone who sings it, but mainly as a way of telling the world that despite all the obstacles Queen had faced as a band, and were still to face, they had come this far successfully.

I would imagine that not even Freddie Mercury could have envisaged the impact that ‘We Are the Champions’ has had, particularly on sporting occasions, where it is often played all over the world for fans to sing along to in celebration, after an individual or team have just won a match or a trophy.

‘But it’s been no bed of roses, no pleasure cruise. I consider it a challenge before the whole human race, and I ain’t gonna lose.’