Too Much Love Will Kill You by Queen

Album: Made In Heaven (1995)

Charted: 15 118

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Originally intended for Queen's 1989 album,The Miracle, this song never made the final cut. Brian May included it instead on his 1991 solo album Back To The Light. When released as a single, it reached #5 on the UK Singles Chart, and topped the charts in the Netherlands.

It was finally released by Queen, with Freddie Mercury on the vocals, on their 1995 album Made In Heaven, released four years after Mercury's death. Queen dropped their version as a single the next year, this time peaking at #15 in the UK. It also charted in North America for the first time.
In 1988 Brian May separated from his first wife, Christine Mullen, the mother of his three children. The Queen guitarist had started an affair with actress Anita Dobson two years earlier (they married in 2000). The song is about May's feelings during his divorce, and the choice one must make between two women that one loves equally.
May wrote the song during a dark time in his life, composing it with his songwriting pal Frank Musker and Musker's lady friend at the time. "It was like a therapy session for me," the guitar legend said. "I was just pouring out all these words because I felt like I was trapped. I was in a place that I could never, ever get out of. All I could do is write about it. This is the only song I wrote in that probably nine months or a year period."
Anita Dobson also inspired May to write Queen's 1989 hit "I Want It All."
Brian May suffered from severe depression in the late 1980s, in part because of his divorce and perceived failure as a husband and father. He told The Radio Times in 2004 this song saved his life a few times. "You get a glimmer of hope from a song when you realize someone else felt the same despair," May explained. "My own music doesn't necessarily speak to me. When I wrote Too Much Love Will Kill You I thought I was going to die being utterly depressed. I'm proud it's helped others who realize 'He made it out.'"
May performed this song publicly for the first time at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992. Because he debuted it live at the concert, a common misconception is that it was written as a tribute to Freddie Mercury.
Queen's version won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically & Lyrically in 1996.
Brian May included a new reworked version of "Too Much Love Will Kill You" on the 2021 reissue of Back To The Light.

Comments: 18

Branznav from Stoke-ontrenti like gary v's comment. its true
Christina Davies Ph.d from Nyc & Moldova Larry A. is right. Had "Gary V." (to whom Larry A. is rightly and rationally reacting) read the New Testament (as I have, in my third language), you would realize that God, truly, is love. God doesn't hate members of the LGBTQ community, he doesn't adulate the NRA & he wouldn't support the picketing of abortion clinics. Concurrently I wish to say I am deeply proud of my son's sexuality (he is gay), I am deeply proud of Larry A. for speaking for my son (just as my son is thankful to him) & I can only sympathize with//commiserate with, this retrograde, peculiar and completely delusional view of God (from Gary V.), which only shows America's division (but shows nothing of the Bible). Thanks to all the Larry As, you make this country the Land of the Free I migrated too and love so much. Chrissie.
Larry A from North CarolinaGary V..You and your beliefs are why this Nation is so divisive, why don't you just sit in a dark corner and wait for Jesus to come and save you? Ignorance is bliss I guess..keep on reading that bible man, maybe you will learn what the word compassion means!!
Loeeaineebc from OregonThis song was never about Freddie or written for Freddie, it was written by Brian and two other people in 1988 regarding the breakup of Brian's marriage and falling in love with someone else. It was never about all of the men that Freddie loved or his lifestyle. How could anybody hate the fact that it wasn't about Freddie. Everything is not about Freddie.
Nyonge from TernateI feel more emotion in Brian May version
Lynn from OregonI don't think this song had anything to do with Freddie's life. Brian May wrote the song when he was unhappy in his marriage. Brian had issues with depression and at one point after Freddie death actually thought about committing suicide. The song was first recorded, sung by Freddie, in 1988, that was the year Brian got his divorce. He was breaking up his family, with children ages 10, 7 and 1 year old. He had already met his second wife in 1986 and married her in 2000. Brian was going through a lot emotionally when he wrote To Much Love Will Kill You.
Nancy from Ludlow, MassachusettsTo Gary V from Arizona. Your comment is pure ignorance and HATE.
Redo from Derby EnglandI feel gutted when I hear Freddie sing this song. I think it’s about having lots of lovers and being gay. I loved him so much.
Gary V from ArizonaTo me, the meaning of this song is the tragedy many people face when making the decision to "love God, or love man". This is the trap that Freddie was in all his life and both he and Brian May knew it. Brian's perception and interpretation of Freddie's predicament was pure genius and really, a message from God to people consumed by love for man to turn from their idolatry and sinful relationships to HIM, before it's too late and spend eternity away from GOD. Yes, "love" did kill Freddie in the end. Aids did, because he was torn between two choices; love of man and Love of God. In the end, we ALL have to make a choice.
Eliseu Carvalho from Canoas, Rs, BrazilThis song is capable of making even the most hard-bitten person cry... I watched the video for Brian's solo version and I think he was very close to burst into tears near the end of it.
Margaret from Terre Haute IndianaI have Forever Queen on constantly in the car and even though this is technically Brian's song (whom I adore) I can see Freddie's life in it as well. If you interchanged love with fun. Great song great lyrics.
Jonas from Zürich, SwitzerlandFrom Brian's Soapbox:
"I'm very touched that Too Much Love Will Kill You [has been] a catalyst for onward journeys in emotional lives. I always worried that the song didn't give any answers. I was going to write the sequel ... But I guess that the song, in combination with where my life actually went, does give enough clues. The biggest truth in the song is, I now believe, that staying in the same place, in these situations, and not making a decision, is the recipe for a long slow mental death. Moving yourself on, even if it's in a wrong direction viewed in the long-term in retrospect, seems to be the only way forward, and out. And telling the truth seems to be a necessity. That's a hard place to get to, sometimes..... "
Jared from Sikeston, MoBrian May sings this better, in my opinion
Wish from Rijeka, CroatiaFREDDIE I AM kneeling in front of u............ I LOVE YOU.
Ched - from La Union, Philippinesthe song moves me....
Norrie from Paisley, ScotlandThis song rocks, when you listen to the version Brian May sings, you realise how good a singer he is, LEGEND. Freddie is the king/queen :)
Dino from Larissa, GreeceSuch pure diamond this song is!Definately one of the greatest freddie's interpretations!You know sometimes i can not believe how talented composer Brian is!...THAKS FOR THE MEMORY FREDDIE....totally missed
(Dino,Greece)
Dino from Larissa, GreeceWhat a great song it is!One of the most powerful freddie's interpretations!You know sometimes i can not believe how great composer Brian was...
Thanks for the memories Freddie....Definately missed!
(Dino,Greece)

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