2 May, 1989.

Yes, all of it, right now if you really wouldn’t mind. Oh, and how about gift wrapping it with a lovely bow on top? Yes, I know. Dream on.

Whilst the whole band are credited as writers of the song this was really Brian May’s work, inspired by conflict in his life following the break up of his marriage with his first wife Christine Mullen and the start of his new relationship with Anita Dobson. According to John Deacon, this was the only song that was already written when the band went into the studio to record their thirteenth album The Miracle.

Whilst the song was released in 1989 it wasn’t performed live until 1992, at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, meaning that Freddie never got to perform this song live. In fact, the last time he performed on stage with the band was at Knebworth in 1986 before he died in 1991.

On its release the song became a global hit, reaching the top ten in eleven countries. Whilst it never reached number one, it did make it as far as number two on the charts in the Netherlands and number three in the US as well as here in the UK, where it spent a total of seven weeks on the chart.