Delilah

When Freddie Mercury decided to compose Delilah, he wasn't thinking of a stadium anthem or an epic ballad. The inspiration came from his cat, a tabby female named Delilah, to whom he dedicated this piece. In the song, that tenderness is perceived in Mercury's voice, which contrasts with the usual power of Queen. Even Brian May's guitar solo, recorded with a *talk box*, evokes sounds reminiscent of a meow, something May himself humorously commented on at the time. Roger Taylor's participation in the backing vocals, alongside May, adds that characteristic vocal layer of the band, although, as it is told, Taylor was not convinced by the song at first, but Mercury's insistence prevailed to include it on the album.

This composition is part of Innuendo, the album that Queen released in 1991. The recording of this album spanned between March 1989 and November 1990, and it was produced by David Richards along with the band. Innuendo marked a milestone by being the last album released during Freddie Mercury's lifetime. The album had an excellent reception, reaching the top spot on the UK sales charts for two weeks, and also topped the charts in Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland for significant periods. In the United States, it was Queen's first album to achieve Gold certification since The Works in 1984. The sound engineering for these recordings was handled by Noel Harris, David Richards, and Justin Shirley-Smith.