Back in the 1970s and 1980s, Freddie and Brian May performed this track together during their tours, and now Queen has shared rare live footage from that time.
Over two nights, the band played in front of more than 400,000 fans, and the much-loved ballad was a highlight of their epic set.
The caption for the clip reads: “Originally from their 1975 album A Night at the Opera, Love of My Life was carefully orchestrated with Queen’s signature vocal harmonies. But as the Rock in Rio performance shows, the song became something entirely different live, with Brian rearranging it for twelve-string acoustic guitar and performing it as a duet with Freddie.”
Brian explained in an interview that the song had become a crowd favorite during their South American tours. “It was the first time we realized that the audience not only knew Love of My Life, but they sang it with such passion that it brought tears to our eyes,” he said.
The caption continued: “At Rock in Rio, when Brian asks, ‘You want to sing with us?’ the crowd’s response is deafening. Freddie then takes on the role of choir conductor, leading the audience with their energy, bowing, and blowing kisses. When he sings, the lyrics take on even more meaning, especially in hindsight—‘When I grow older, I will be there at your side,’ knowing that the Freddie-fronted band was nearing the end of its time as a live group.”
But that night at Rock in Rio, Queen was unstoppable, captivating the massive South American crowd. After the performance, Brian exclaimed, “You did great! You sing very nicely…”
