Apparently, I’m not the only one who didn’t know that Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury recorded a song together in the ’80s. I stumbled upon a video of “There Must Be More to Life Than This” on YouTube, and my first reaction was, “Oh, this must be some AI garbage, fakery,” but I scrolled through the comments to see if anyone had clarified things.
It is, in fact, a real song, sung by the two legends together and not some computer-mimicked versions of their voices. I decided to give the song a listen and was taken aback by its odd beauty.
Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury need no introduction. They are two of the most influential voices in pop music history. Each reshaped music, not quite as often as Michael reshaped his own image, but enough to leave a lasting legacy for generations.
Michael had been a fan of Queen since their breakout in the US and attended many of the twelve shows they played at the Forum between 1977 and 1982, up until the band decided to take a lengthy break from touring after 1982. During this hiatus, Freddie Mercury focused on his solo music career, releasing two albums, several singles, and collaborations.
One of those collaborations between Mercury and Jackson went largely unnoticed until long after Mercury’s death in 1991. Around 1981, Michael Jackson suggested that they record some songs together. From 1981 to 1983, they ended up recording three songs in total.
None of those duets would be released while Mercury and Jackson were still alive. A solo version of “There Must Be More To Life Than This,” without Michael, came out on Freddie’s 1985 debut solo album, “Mr. Bad Guy,” and “State of Shock” was re-recorded by the Jacksons with Mick Jagger in Freddie’s place and released in 1984. The duet itself wouldn’t see the light of day until 2014, when Queen put it out on the compilation “Queen Forever.” The song was originally recorded in 1981 for the Queen album “Hot Space,” but didn’t make the cut for the final track listing.
The story of their brief creative partnership adds intrigue, as the pair reportedly weren’t the match made in heaven we might hope for. This was Michael’s notorious era with Bubbles the chimp, who he insisted sit between him and Mercury during recording (though some accounts, including one from Queen manager Jim Beach, say it was actually Michael’s pet llama). Between takes, Jackson would turn to Bubbles and ask things like, “Don’t you think that was lovely?” and “Do you think we should do that again?”
What an absolutely bananas situation to be in—cheap pun fully and unabashedly intended. After a few days of this, Freddie had an outburst, screaming, “I’m not performing with a fucking chimp sitting next to me each night!” Jackson had his own frustrations with Mercury, who was big into blow during this era. Michael was not a huge fan, as he was a Jehovah’s Witness and firmly against drug use at the time.
The collaboration was short-lived. Freddie flew back to London shortly after his outburst about Bubbles and after Jackson caught him railing lines in the studio. The songs would remain mostly unfinished for years, until Mercury was able to procure the rights for “There Must Be More to Life Than This.” The other two remain under the control of Jackson’s estate.
So here I am, with this new information rattling around in my brain and this new song playing in my headphones. It’s almost jarring to hear the two voices together on one song because they’re such powerhouses in their own right.
The song opens with a brief plucked-string intro, fading into an airy synth pad as Freddie delivers the first line, “there must be more to life than this,” trading lines with Michael. Most lines are exchanged between the two, but when they sing together, the song truly shines. Hearing their voices layered is striking.
The song’s lyrics are existential, exploring what it means to be human—from hardship to hope. With lines like, “Why is this world so full of hate? People dying everywhere, and we destroy what we create. People fighting for their human rights, while we just go on singing ‘C’est la vie’,” we’re prompted to reflect, before the chorus, “there must be more to life than this,” shakes us from despair and hopelessness.
It’s a song of thoughtful sadness and hope, and the instrumentation reflects that nicely. Most of the time, subtle synths lay a foundation as percussive strings pluck at chords, the way the two singers pluck thoughts out of the air and plop them down in our minds.
The last minute of the song is what grabbed me most emotionally. A classic Queen, Brian May insane “guitarmony”—a massive harmonized guitar line—kicks in, seemingly, out of nowhere, but really amps up that “hopeful” vibe that I am desperate for at this point. The song is kind of a downer without the shining guitar and what comes next.
We get another reprise of the traded lines from the beginning, this time mirrored, with Michael taking the first line and Mercury responding. The song rounds out with the two harmonizing in a building climax, which drops into a minor chord before the relief of a major chord ending as May’s guitar kicks back in for the final notes. Ending on a high note, both literally and figuratively, is the song’s saving grace.
It was really nice to come across this song. I really hope the third, “Victory,” is released one day—because honestly, why not? “State of Shock” is on YouTube, too. It’s more of a groovin’ rocker, but feels heavily unfinished. Still, it’s worth a listen if you are a fan of either singer. We get more of the fun flourishes and improvisations from each, and it’s a good time for sure.