These Are the Days of Our Lives

When one stops to listen to These Are the Days of Our Lives, they encounter a piece that invites reflection on the passage of time and memories. Drummer Roger Taylor was the main architect of this composition, capturing a bittersweet feeling about the present and the past. The lyrics, which transition between "Those were the days of our lives" and "Because these are the days of our lives," seek an optimistic approach, suggesting that today holds greater importance than yesterday. This perspective was conceived during a delicate personal moment for the band, as Freddie Mercury's health deteriorated. Taylor, who had known Mercury since the late 1960s, when they both worked together in London before forming Queen in 1970 with Brian May, channeled these emotions into the song.

The recording of These Are the Days of Our Lives took place between March 1989 and November 1990, primarily at Metropolis Studios in London and Mountain Studios in Montreux. The track was released as a single in the United States on September 5, 1991, coinciding with Freddie Mercury's 45th birthday. Later, on December 9, 1991, it was released as a double A-side with Bohemian Rhapsody in Ireland and the United Kingdom, shortly after Mercury's passing. This joint release reached number one on the UK singles chart, staying there for five weeks, and topped the Irish chart for six weeks. The song also received a Brit Award in 1992 for Best British Single. The music video for These Are the Days of Our Lives is particularly moving, being Freddie Mercury's last appearance in a music video before his death on November 24, 1991. It was filmed in London studios on May 30, 1991, by Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rossacher. Aware of his condition, Mercury gave an emotional performance, and the video was shot in black and white to disguise his frailty. In it, Mercury, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon can be seen, while Brian May was added digitally later, as he was out of the country. The video concludes with Mercury looking directly at the camera and whispering "I still love you," his last words captured on screen.