In 2017, Queen, to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the album “News of the world“, released in 1977, released a Box Set containing the album plus an alternative version of all the songs on the album, recordings never heard before.
Among these is a 3-minute gem: “All Dead, All Dead” originally sung in 1977 by Brian May.
All Dead, All Dead was written by Brian May for his kitten Pixie, who died when he was still a boy before Queen.
The rocker, an only child, paid tribute to his feline friend, describing him as a “confidante” in his time of need.
He said: “I never had any brothers or sisters, so the closest thing to me was the cat“.
This version of All Dead, All Dead, unlike the original is sung by Freddie Mercury and not by Brian May.
The new version of All Dead, All Dead is accompanied by a really beautiful and moving video directed by directors Jason Jameson and Robert Milne and producer Paul Laikin.
The version with Freddie on vocals takes on different connotations than Brian’s.
This version of the song sounds more baroque but also incredibly romantic, modern and powerful.
Here is the lyrics of the song:
She came without a farthing
A babe without a name
So much ado ‘bout nothing
Is what she’s try to say
So much ado my lover
So many games we played
Through ev’ry fleeted summer
Through ev’ry precious day
All dead all dead
All the dreams we had
And I wonder why I still live on
All dead all dead
And alone I’m spared
My sweeter half instead
All dead and gone all dead
All dead all dead
At the rainbow’s end
And still I hear her own sweet song
All dead all dead
Take me back again
You know my little friend’s
All dead and gone
Her ways are always with me
I wander all the while
But please you must forgive me
I am old but still a child
All dead all dead
But I should not grieve
In time it comes to ev’ryone
All dead all dead
But in hope I breathe
Of course I don’t believe
You’re dead and gone
All dead and gone
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