Princes of the Universe
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| "Princes of the Universe" | ||
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| Single by Queen | ||
| from the album A Kind of Magic | ||
| Released | March 1986 (US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand; Japan) | |
| Format | vinyl record (7") | |
| Recorded | 1985/1986 | |
| Genre | Power Metal | |
| Length | 3:32 | |
| Label | Capitol, EMI | |
| Writer(s) | Freddie Mercury | |
| Producer(s) | Queen and Mack | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Queen singles chronology | ||
| "A Kind of Magic" (1986) |
"Princes of the Universe" (1986) |
"Friends Will Be Friends" (1986) |
Princes of the Universe is a song written by Freddie Mercury and performed by Queen. The song was written for the soundtrack of the movie Highlander and released on the A Kind of Magic album in 1986. Later it was also used for the Highlander: The Series as its theme song. The song was never released as a single in the UK, and while not a charting hit, it is considered a cult favorite due to its relation to the film.
The music video was directed by Russel Mulcahy and was shot on one of the sets used for the film, featuring a sword fight between Christopher Lambert and Freddie Mercury intercut with scenes from the movie. The video was actually played quite a bit on music video stations (in the US) when this single came out, despite not charting. Up until its eventual release on Greatest Flix III (VHS, 1999) and Greatest Video Hits 2 (DVD, 2003), it was rarely seen by fans outside North America, elevating its possession to that of a collector's item.
Musically, it is complex, with many different sections in different tempos and with different instrument ensembles. The overall sound is mostly hard, driving electric guitars, with sections of chorale singing. The song has some characteristics of a speed metalor a power metal song.
The lyrics are from the perspective of the immortals, about the state of being immortal, the superiority it gives them to normal humans, and the test that they must face because of this. The lyrics can also be interpreted as regarding Queen themselves, who were at this point regarded as past their peak, having already written most of their more well-known songs. "People talk about you, people say you've had your day / I'm a man that will go far, find the moon and reach for the stars."
| Queen |
| John Deacon | Brian May | Freddie Mercury | Roger Taylor History | Live performances | Songs |
| Discography |
|---|
| Studio albums: Queen | Queen II | Sheer Heart Attack | A Night at the Opera | A Day at the Races | News of the World | Jazz | The Game | Flash Gordon | Hot Space | The Works | A Kind of Magic | The Miracle | Innuendo | Made in Heaven |
| Live albums: Live Killers | Live Magic | Live at Wembley '86 | Queen on Fire - Live at the Bowl | Return of the Champions |
| Compilation albums: Greatest Hits | At the Beeb | Greatest Hits II | Classic Queen | Queen Rocks | Greatest Hits III | Stone Cold Classics |
| DVDs: We Will Rock You | The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert | Greatest Video Hits 1 | Live at Wembley Stadium | Greatest Video Hits 2 | We Are the Champions: Final Live in Japan | Queen on Fire - Live at the Bowl | Return of the Champions | Super Live in Japan |
| Related Articles |
| Ibex | Larry Lurex | Smile | The Cross | Queen + Paul Rodgers | We Will Rock You Musical |
