“These Are the Days of Our Lives” by Queen is a poignant and deeply reflective ballad, released as the fifth single their fourteenth studio album Innuendo.
The song was released as a single in the United States on Freddie Mercury’s 45th birthday, 5 September 1991. In the UK and Ireland, it was released as a double A-side single with “Bohemian Rhapsody” shortly after Freddie Mercury’s death in November 1991. That release shot to No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, where it stayed for five weeks, becoming the UK’s Christmas number one that year. It eventually went platinum and was one of Queen’s most successful singles in Britain.
The song is a quiet, nostalgic look back at youth and time gone by, filled with both warmth and sorrow. With lyrics like “Those were the days of our lives / The bad things in life were so few,” it captures a sense of gratitude for the past, even as time keeps moving forward. Freddie sings it not with drama, but with a kind of peaceful acceptance—his voice is tender, clear, and full of feeling.
Musically, it’s understated, built around a gentle rhythm, soft synths, and Brian May’s tasteful guitar work. There’s no bombast here—just a graceful, almost wistful atmosphere that lets the lyrics and emotion take center stage.
The music video, shot in black and white, is especially powerful. Freddie, visibly frail but dignified, delivers his performance with grace and intensity. At the very end, he looks into the camera and whispers, “I still love you,”—a moment that’s become iconic and heartbreaking, a silent goodbye to his fans. The music video was the last Queen’s video that features Freddie Mercury.
“These Are the Days of Our Lives” wasn’t just another Queen ballad—it was a farewell, a reflection, and a reminder of how fleeting and precious life is. It’s one of their most intimate songs, and one of Freddie Mercury’s most moving performances.