From album
We Will Rock You
Queen · 1992 · Track 13
Details
TonalidadCm
Tempo63 BPM
Duración3:00
CompositorFreddie Mercury
ÁlbumWe Will Rock You
Año1992
Credits
Music Freddie Mercury
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The story behind
When one encounters We Are the Champions, the first thing that stands out is that anthem-like feeling, a massive choir waiting to explode. And it makes sense, because Freddie Mercury conceived it with the people who would sing it in mind. He himself explained that the "We" in the title refers to everyone who chants it. Brian May described it as something that "unites and is positive," and that energy is felt from the very first piano chord. It's no coincidence that it has become one of those songs that resonate at any sporting celebration, as happened at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The original recording, released in 1977 as part of the album News of the World, was longer, with two additional verses that were edited out for the single. A later version, released in 2017 to celebrate the album's 40th anniversary, brought back those previously unreleased parts from the original tapes.
The genesis of We Are the Champions dates back to 1975, when Freddie Mercury already had the idea, but considered it not suitable for the album they were recording at the time. It wasn't until 1977 that the band focused on recording it. Musically, the foundation is Mercury's piano, accompanied by Roger Taylor's drums and John Deacon's bass. Brian May added layers of guitar, which build up to culminate in a solo that plays simultaneously with the final chorus. The harmonic complexity Mercury employed, with chords like major and minor sixths, minor sevenths, and diminished chords, along with the four-part vocal harmonies in the choruses, give it that characteristic sonic richness. The lead vocal is demanding, and one of its most memorable performances was at the Live Aid concert in 1985, at Wembley Stadium, London. The single was released alongside We Will Rock You, another song from the same album, and both were usually played together at the end of Queen's concerts, something that continued even at the tribute concert to Freddie Mercury in 1992, where Liza Minnelli sang with all the guest artists.
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