Talk:Love of My Life (Queen song)

Other songs by the same name

It's interesting that when I look at playlist.com and type in "love of my life" I get about 5 or 6 other songs by this title that are different, by different artists...yet Wikipedia starts with the Queen version. I'm a life-long Queen fan, so I am by no means dissing the Queen version...just wondered why the Wikipedia listing comes here first. 24.121.199.17 (talk) 09:06, 13 September 2010 (UTC)

Regarding Rock You and Champions

> "Love of My Life" was such a concert favourite that Mercury frequently stopped singing and allowed the audience take over, a phenomenon that encouraged the band to write such songs as "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" specifically with audience participation in mind

That's a very false observation: the first time they ever played LOML live was during News Of The World North American Tour in November 1977, and guess what: both Rock You and Champions had already been written, recorded and released! As a matter of fact, they were playing both songs on stage too.

I'm not sure how that proves that it was a false observation. If you listen to bootlegs of Queen, at times the crowd got louder than the band so Freddie simply allowed the crowd to sing all/most of it.

Fair use rationale for Image:Luvlifej.jpg

Image:Luvlifej.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.BetacommandBot 04:30, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

Quality of article

Looking at the grading scale, it looks like the information is here in this article to upgrade it, but it is poorly structured. I will look at improving it. --Nyeguy 04:21, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

I made a couple of moves, rewrote a couple of sentences, and with a little restructuring, the article seems easier to follow. --Nyeguy 04:29, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:Queen A Night At The Opera.png

Image:Queen A Night At The Opera.png is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot (talk) 10:44, 21 January 2008 (UTC)

Title

Is the "(Queen Song)" really necessary is the title? There seems to be no other article entitled 'Love of my Life'. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 62.30.230.79 (talk) 14:54, 14 June 2010 (UTC)

Bohemian Rhapsody?

I'm no Queen expert, but isn't the "what it means to me" refrain in Love Of My Life very similar to the same thing in Bohemian Rhapsody? Obviously, as it's a bit of a concept record, songs are going to share themes, but it might be worth mentioning in this article...? --taras (talk) 03:37, 20 April 2011 (UTC)

That line is not shared by the two songs. The words "to me" are shared, sung in a similar, but not identical, fashion. Not sure this is a substantial link. Just another guy in a suit (talk) 05:05, 4 August 2012 (UTC)

The fourth paragraph needs work.

The paragraph starting with "During the voyage..." needs some work as well as being cited. It's a pity that the last 20 or so edits have been concerning the style of the song going back and forth. Hopefully someone will make some modifications. I for one don't have a clue what "and the ferry" means. --168.215.131.150 (talk) 20:17, 13 November 2014 (UTC)

Removal of statement about Mary Austin

Misty 2242 started out by removing the content that Mercury's inspiration for the song was Mary Austin and replaced it with a boyfriend's name. The new statement wasn't sourced at all. After a couple of rounds I warned them about adding content without a source. Their response was to just remove the statement with no explanation. I added it back with a source. They responded by removing the statement without removing the new source. That is the current state of the article. I believe the statement belongs because it is an important fact about the song and it is sourced. ~ GB fan•

Now a new editor, SunT K., comes in and adds unsourced commentary about this same subject with the comment they are correcting false information. ~ GB fan 14:42, 22 November 2018 (UTC)

There is NO reliable source to say that Mercury wrote that song for Austin he never admitted it to anyone nor did he dedicated it to her at any concerts. Also look up the original linger notes for the album with that song A Night At The Opera there is NO dedicated statement there either., therefore I really think that statement needs removing from Wikipedia Misty 2242 (talk) 17:46, 22 November 2018 (UTC)

There are sources, I added one the last time I added the content back in. ~ GB fan 17:51, 22 November 2018 (UTC)

Please show me where to find these reliable sources. Nothing was said about that song being written for her in the 70s or 80s when Freddie was Alive nothing mentioning her on the album either . I believe it to be incorrect or I removed it Misty 2242 (talk) 21:32, 22 November 2018 (UTC)

You removed the source I added. There are many sources that talk about Mary Austin being the inspiration. Whether you believe what the sources say means nothing. ~ GB fan 21:58, 22 November 2018 (UTC)

Wikipedia should be about FACTS not hearsay provide a True source or leave it out please Misty 2242 (talk) 22:09, 22 November 2018 (UTC)

What do you think would be a reliable source? There are many sources that say he wrote it about her. Where are the reliable sources that say he didn't write it about her? ~ GB fan 22:48, 22 November 2018 (UTC)

I think hearsay is definitely not a reliable source and since you can't show me a reliable proof that he did write the song for her I don't think it should be written on Wikipedia. Freddie Mercury was a gay icon to say that the love of his life was a woman ( when in fact he never even said it himself) is an insult to the gay community Misty 2242 (talk) 00:33, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

My sources that make me believe he didn't write it for her are the lyrics themselves for one she never hurt him or left him . There is no statement about it been written for her on the linger notes for the album ANATO which contains the song. Even at concerts he never dedicated it to her . No talk of it being written for her in the 70s or 80s when Freddie was alive. The band members never confirmed it either Misty 2242 (talk) 00:39, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

How do you know he never said it? Were you with him from the time he wrote it until he died? Where do you think all these sources came up with the idea that he wrote it for her? Wikipedia uses the published sources that are available for the information and the sources say it was written about her. We would need reliable sources that contradict that and then we would add the differing points both being reliably sourced. ~ GB fan 00:48, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

So it is your opinion of the lyrics that it isn't about Mary. You actually don't have any source that says it isn't about Mary, it is all your opinion. Wikipedia does not work on what individual editors believe it works on what reliable sources say. In this case the sources say it is written about Mary and that is what the article should say. Unless you can come up with a reliable source that contradicts the reliable source the sentence should be added back in. ~ GB fan 02:02, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

Are you also going to remove the statement from Freddie Mercury? It says the that the song was about Mary there. There is more information there with statements he made about his relationship with Mary. ~ GB fan 02:11, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

I don't know if you were trying to be funny when you said "were you with him when he wrote the song until he died " the only thing any of us have to go on is what Freddie said in interviews and I never heard him say it. I have told you my reasons for not wanting the statement there but you seemed to have ignored it. We do not know for a fact it was written for her I think we should go on facts alone. You removed my statement about it being written for a former boyfriend because of no reliable sources yet you have no reliable source (not hearsay) to say that he did . These rumours came about after Freddie died and Jim Beach suggested it would sell better if people thought it was about a woman rather than a man. Misty 2242 (talk) 03:02, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

I have listened to your arguments as to why you do not believe it belongs. You do not believe it belongs because when you look at the lyrics you do not think it is about Mary. You have provided no sources other than your personal opinion. As I have said we use what the published reliable sources say and they say it is about Mary. I wasn't trying to be funny but it wasn't a serious question either, I was trying to get a point across, you seem to know he never said anything about it and that is the only way someone could know he never said anything about it. Where is the source that Beach said it to sell records or is that your opinion also? You seem to have one source and that is your own opinion. Here is a completely serious question, addre you going to remove the statement that the song was written about Mary from Freddie's article? ~ GB fan 11:34, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

People have told me that Wikipedia is not a reliable source looks like they are right. You Said I had no reliable sources to mention David Minns as the inspiration so i removed it yet you have no reliable source to back up the claim that Austin is the inspiration yet you sill use it . So write wherever you want it don't matter anymore Misty 2242 (talk) 12:03, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

There are many reliable sources that say it was written about Mary. You removed one from the article that was in the article the last time you removed the sentence. Again, are you going to remove the statement about Mary being the inspiration for the song from Freddie's article? If you are not, why not? ~ GB fan 14:09, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

I did not see any source to back up that the song was written for her . Like i said people have told me how unreliable wikipedia is i did NOT remove any sources only what you wrote . Like i said add whatever you want im done Misty 2242 (talk) 17:04, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

You removed the source in this edit. Why won't you answer the question about removing the information from Freddie's article? ~ GB fan 19:14, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

I DID NOT remove any source only what YOU wrote nothing eles . You did NOT provied a source at all Misty 2242 (talk) 20:38, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

Did you look at the link I provided. You removed the source that I had added. I will take it that your no answer to the question about removing the same comment from Freddie's article means that you wouldn't remove that content. ~ GB fan 22:37, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

I DID NOT REMOVE A LINK THERE WAS NO LINK TO BACK UP YOUR CLAIM AND THERE SILL ISNT Misty 2242 (talk) 23:15, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

I got it you don't understand what you did and refuse to listen to others. Good luck. ~ GB fan 23:54, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

And Good Luck to you spreading BS on Wikipedia . You have no proof mercury wrote that song for Austin . Just last month Peter Freestone said in a podcast Freddie never wrote songs for anyone only his cats . And he lived with freddie for 12 yearsMisty 2242 (talk) 00:37, 24 November 2018 (UTC)

I am not spreading BS. I am writing what the reliable sources report. If they are reporting incorrect information then that is a problem that those sources need to address themselves, that is not something that Wikipedia can fix. That podcast might be a reliable source to contradict what all the other sources say. Do you have a link to the podcast? That it's the kind of thing I have been asking for all along and you kept indicating didn't exist. ~ GB fan 00:50, 24 November 2018 (UTC)

Based on your last comment, I tried some different searches to try to find what you addre talking about. What I am finding is more to support what the article says. I found an article from Rolling Stone It says:

“ In interviews he consistently referred to her as his one true friend, and once told journalist David Wigg that when it came to his will, “I’m leaving it all to Mary and the cats.” The delicate Queen classic “Love of My Life” is written in her honor. ”

This supports the statement it was written about Mary. ~ GB fan 11:50, 24 November 2018 (UTC)

I found an article in the Irish Times. It is very critical of the movie Bohemian Rhapsody. It doesn't say that the song was written about Mary but if does say "the woman he always described as being the love of his life," That isn't proof but it does add credence to the statement. ~ GB fan 12:56, 24 November 2018 (UTC)

There is a certain deceptiveness in neglecting to mention four important facts surrounding the writing of the song. These are generally accepted and widely available such that I don't believe an attribution is even necessary. These four facts are that Mercury was engaged to and living with Mary Austin at the time of the songs writing, and that it was at a point in their seven year relationship here they were growing apart. To state flatly that the evidence supports that it is about someone else is to say Mercury was the kind of person who would publicly profess his love for one person while engaged to and living with another. knowing full well his fiancee will hear his proclamation of love and potentially be deeply hurt by it. For my part, I never got he impression Mercury was that cruel of a person. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.100.6.19 (talk) 20:15, 17 March 2020 (UTC)

To say anything in this article, about "Love of My Life", about Mary, we need independent reliable sources discussing "Love of My Life" in regards to Mary. Adding material otherwise would be synthesis. - SummerPhD^v2.0 04:38, 18 March 2020 (UTC)

Providing the context of the song as well as the timeline it was written does provide understanding of the genesis is of the song.

I understand that there is a serious issue with gay erasure that surrounds Freddie Mercury.

However the relationship between Mary and Freddie was real and profound. And that does not deserve erasure either.

The timeline reveals that the break-up song was written in the midst of Freddie and Mary drifting apart. He wrote a break-up song in the process, anticipation and fear of breaking up his 7 year relationship with Mary.

The John Reid claim that Freddie too him the song was about David Minns is provably false It could not have been about David Minns because the song was already written when Freddie and David Minns met. (Queen wrote their songs in June/July 1985, David Minns says Queen was well into recording ”A Night at the Opera”, that Freddie was upset by the fact that the RECORDING of the album had taken so long.

While there is one quote where Freddie claims the song isn't about anything, understand the context, changes the meaning. He has also started he doesn't want or believe in stating what his muses were.

However anyone that has studied Freddie’s songwriting knows that Freddie DID use his love live as inspiration for his songs.

I have quotes and can cite sources for ALL of this, BomiRustomji (talk) 18:24, 1 February 2021 (UTC)

The key to understanding the meaning of the song is the timeline and the fact that Freddie’s pattern of behavior was to wrote songs about what was going on in his love life at the time.

Not allowing THE CONTEXT under which the song was written is deceptive.

The song is a break-up song written in the process of Freddie and Mary’s break up. I provided rotation for this.

There are TONS of examples of Freddie saying that his love songs WERE inspired by his love life. A few which I provided along with sourcing . BomiRustomji (talk) 18:55, 1 February 2021 (UTC)

Is this information pure speculation?

I'm beginning to question this information. I'm sure there are debates about whether or not "Love of My Life" is written for Mary Austin or David Minns. If you agreed, edit it. If not, then, I'll leave it be.

User:Emotioness Expression (talk) 2:47 pm, 14 April 2020 (UTC)

I just cleaned up the section a bit.

We started off with a source for calling it a "sentimental ballad" that -- without qualification -- stated it was about Mary. I see no indication that source was reliable I removed it.

We gave an unsourced opinion is was "most likely" about David. I took it out.

We said Freddie "never" publicly said who/what it was about. That's an unqualified absolute. Maybe he did and we missed it.

This leaves us with his direct quote that it was entirely fictional and a secondary source saying he had said it was about David. If anyone has any more reliable sources on the question, I'm all ears. - SummerPhD^v2.0 16:05, 14 April 2020 (UTC)

Thank you for listening. I will or will not be here to edit the source to prove the claims.

User:Emotioness Expression (talk) 12:32 pm, 15 April 2020 (UTC)

The timeline negates any possibility the song was about David Minns.

Queen wrote the music for A Night at the Opera during June/July during a writing session in Kingston, Herefordshire. Queen didn’t start recording “A Night At The Opera” until August.

David Minns states twice in his book that when he and Freddie met the band was so long into recording ANATO, that Freddie felt it was taking forever and would never be completed. “I remember him telling me when we said goodbye that he often despaired of it being finished as the recordings had been going on so long.”

Love of My Life was written before David Minns and Freddie ever met. BomiRustomji (talk) 13:48, 28 January 2021 (UTC)

The removal of accurate, cited information regarding the genesis of the song

I have added accurate information to provide a fuller context as to the origin and meaning of the song. People with an agenda keep deleting it.

Can anyone tell me why the content I added should not be included? BomiRustomji (talk) 18:06, 1 February 2021 (UTC)

The Breakup song was written by Freddie Mercury. Mercury never publicly disclosed the song's muse. He stated in an interview: "There isn’t really any connection between the music and my life. 'Love of My Life,' for instance, I simply made up.” However, Freddie wrote the break-up song while in the midst of he and Mary Austin's relationship changing and in the beginnings of their break up.  

But, Mercury often claimed he was against stating and didn't like reporters asking about, the meanings of his songs. So he would flippantly dismiss the question by saying they weren‘t about anything. " You should never ask me about my lyrics. People ask, "Why did you write such and such a lyric and what does it mean? I don’t like to explain what I was thinking when I wrote a song. I think that’s awful. That’s not what it’s all about. I don’t like to analyse it. I prefer people to put their own interpretation upon it — to read into it whatever they like.”

Freddie has stated many times that his love songs were based off of his love life. He stated in interviews:. "I feel I’ve gone through all those things myself too, so basically I’m encompassing and actually gathering that research and putting them into songs. I like writing romantic songs about love because there’s much to do with me. I have always written those. I mean, since the early days... There are many things that influence you to make music, almost all that surrounds you.”

John Reid said the song had been written about Mercury’s boyfriend at the time, David Minns: "Freddie actually wrote 'Love of My Life,' for David Minns. Freddie told me that. 'Love of My Life,' was for Minns."

However, ”Love of My Life" had already been written before Freddie and Minns first met. It could not have been inspired by David Minns. The timeline precludes David Minns as the inspiration for "Love of My Life'.’ David Minns, in his book, twice says when he met Freddie, Freddie complained about how long the recording of "A Night At the Opera" (ANATO) was taking. “Oh, i’m just a bit pissed off with the way things are going with the new album, it’s taking forever.” and "l remember him telling me before we said goodbye that night that he often despaired of ever seeing it finished as the recordings had been going on for so long, " BomiRustomji (talk) 18:47, 1 February 2021 (UTC)

@GB fan, Misty 2242, SummerPhDv2.0, and Emotioness Expression: Pinging past participants in this discussion for visibility. I have protected the page because of an edit war over content between Bomi and a handful of sockpuppets (now blocked), but I see this has been an ongoing discussion on this page for quite some time. It would be nice to get an actual consensus on which content should be included. Here is a diff to Bomi's original edit if that is helpful. GorillaWarfare (talk) 19:03, 2 February 2021 (UTC)

References

Citation Needed

In this article, there is a quote with no valid citation::

"There isn’t really any connection between the music and my life. 'Love of My Life,' for instance, I simply made up. There’s nothing personal about it."

There are photos online of a supposed article that contains this Quote, but there is no way to know if this is real or one of many fake photoshopped articles that pop up online. BomiRustomji (talk) 00:21, 3 February 2021 (UTC)

False quote in lede

This page is locked with a false quote in it. The statement that John Reid said the song was written "for his only love Mary" is cited to a book, Somebody to Love: The Life, Death and Legacy of Freddie Mercury p. 115. That page of that book is available to read online at Google Books ([2]), and quite clearly says:

Written originally on the piano but adapted for guitar by Brian May, it has often been considered a love song for Mary Austin but, during the writing of this book, Queen's manager of the time, John Reid, revealed who the song was really about: 'Freddie actually wrote "Love Of My Life" for David Minns. Freddie told me that. "Love Of My Life" was for Minns.'

Now, you may or may not agree that this is true, and you may or may not think it belongs in the lede. But you can't falsify a quote from a published source. That's dishonest. As per WP:RS/QUOTE, "The accuracy of quoted material is paramount and the accuracy of quotations from living persons is especially sensitive." John Reid is a living person, and by locking the article while it attributes to him something he did not say, we are misrepresenting him. This should be fixed immediately. I have brought it to the attention of @GorillaWarfare:, the admin who locked the page and who presumably has the ability to fix it, but she doesn't seem to want to do anything about it, preferring to make me jump through unnecessary hoops. Any other admins reading, please deal with it. --Nicknack009 (talk) 13:17, 3 February 2021 (UTC)

• Information to be added or removed: in 2d paragraph, remove John Reid said the song had been written about Mary: "Freddie actually wrote 'Love of My Life,' for his only love Mary. Freddie told me that. 'Love of My Life,' was for Mary." <ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=7Nt_DQAAQBAJ&lpg=PT62&ots=jOlHCiPRMO&dq=%22for%20minns%22%20john%20reid%20love%20of%20my%20life&pg=PT61#v=onepage&q&f=true Somebody to Love: The Life, Death and Legacy of Freddie Mercury] p. 115. Simon & Schuster. Retrieved 29 February 2020.</ref>
• Explanation of issue: Direct quote not supported by the source and contradicting the source.
• References supporting change:same source used in article

Schazjmd (talk) 23:46, 3 February 2021 (UTC)

Thank you for making this request, Nicknack009, and Schazjmd for your clarifying edit. Nicknack, I was not trying to make you jump through unnecessary hoops; I was simply asking you to make this request on the article talk page where other editors can see it. As the admin who protected the page I should not be introducing my own content edits to the page, as Anachronist has kindly explained to you on the talk page, and so the edit request functionality avoids that. I also could not previously verify what you were saying about the source, as the link you provided me on my talk page was not allowing me to view any of the book. I see Schazmjd has provided one that does work, though.

I will make this edit, but does anyone know where the sentence preceding it comes from? I don't want to leave the citation in place if it is not sourced to that same book, but I also don't want to leave it uncited. If not, perhaps both need to be removed? GorillaWarfare (talk) 23:54, 3 February 2021 (UTC)

GorillaWarfare, my error - the ref in the "remove" part should be moved to support the previous sentence, as it does support that quote. Sorry about that. Schazjmd (talk) 00:04, 4 February 2021 (UTC)

 Done GorillaWarfare (talk) 01:05, 4 February 2021 (UTC)

another false quote lede

GorillaWarfare false quote:“ 'Love of My Life,' for instance, I simply made up. There’s nothing personal about it."

is NOT within the book that is cited. (Somebody to Love: The Life, Death and Legacy of Freddie Mercury p. 115. Simon & Schuster. Retrieved 29 February 2020.)

BomiRustomji (talk) 19:03, 5 February 2021 (UTC)

I thought I saw it in the book preview when I was looking at the other quote but am not finding it now. It was added a year ago by Xxzyn, pinging them to come up with a reliable source for it. Schazjmd (talk) 19:39, 5 February 2021 (UTC)

Hello — quite late to reply but I'm only seeing this now. The quote is, somewhat unfortunately, from an undated press clipping that only exists in photograph form. The citation wasn't intended as false; Somebody to Love was the source for the other part of my edit. The full visible quote reads:

"He purses his lips, 'I suppose I do write a lot of sad songs, but that doesn't mean I feel that way myself. I really enjoy writing those songs but, again, there isn't necessarily any connection between the music and my life. 'Love of My Life,' for instance, I simply made up. There's nothing personal about it. Am I making sense? What I mean is, writing those sad songs makes me happy. To me, they're fun, so it all fits in. I just happen to like that kind of music."

The only evidence I've found to corroborate this clipping's existence in the book Queen on Track by Andrew Wild (2022), which includes the same quote from, "an undated press cutting from around the time of the release of A Night At The Opera". Xxzyn (talk) 20:37, 11 May 2024 (UTC)

I've removed the quote for now. It can be re-added if a source is produced. GorillaWarfare (talk) 16:51, 7 February 2021 (UTC)

Use as wakeup call during space shuttle Columbia's final mission

It might be worth a mention somewhere in the article that during space shuttle Columbia's final flight, mission control dedicated "Love of my Life" to payload specialist Ilan Ramon as a wakeup call, which he in turn dedicated to his wife and children at home. He tragically lost his life, along with the rest of the crew, five days later when the shuttle disintegrated during re-entry.

Wakeup calls are a long-standing tradition at NASA in which mission control selects songs they feel may be relevant to a particular astronaut or to the mission in general and plays them for the entire crew.

Thoughts?

2600:6C46:6300:14EF:5DFA:71C4:D43B:1831 (talk) 11:42, 9 February 2023 (UTC)