Made in Heaven (1995)
1. It's a Beautiful Day
2. Made in Heaven
3. Let Me Live
4. Mother Love
5. My Life Has Been Saved
6. I Was Born to Love You
7. Heaven for Everyone
8. Too Much Love Will Kill you
9. You Don't Fool Me
10.A Winter's Tale
11.It's a Beautiful Day (Reprise)
12.Yeah
It’s hard — really hard — to honestly review an album like this one. For those who may not know the backstory, Freddie Mercury passed away three years before this record came out. What makes the whole thing even more incredible is the fact that he knew he was dying. He had known for years. And yet, even with that knowledge, he kept working. Right up to the very end. He was recording vocals from what was essentially his deathbed, knowing full well he would never live to hear the final product. That’s not only dedication — that’s something bordering on the heroic.
And so it feels almost wrong to critique this album like any other. It’s not just a record — it’s a farewell letter, a closing chapter, a deeply personal message from a man who chose to create until the very end. There’s nothing morbid about it. In fact, the recurring themes of peace, gratitude, and reflection give this album a kind of grace that very few “final” records ever achieve.
Now, if we were to evaluate this strictly on the music alone — as if this were just another Queen release — it would probably fall somewhere in the “pleasant but unremarkable” category. There’s a lot of lush, dreamy production. The heavy presence of electronic keyboards and glossy synth textures gives the whole thing a somewhat New Age feel. It’s not particularly adventurous, nor is it a showcase of Queen’s more grandiose rock theatrics. But none of that really matters.
This isn’t an album meant to blow the doors off — it’s an album meant to say goodbye. And that’s exactly what it does. Even in its softest moments, it still manages to move you. Songs like Mother Love and A Winter's Tale are absolutely filled with emotional weight. Mercury’s voice, even weakened, sounds angelic. There’s a quiet courage in these songs — like someone who’s come to terms with everything and is simply letting go.
There are a few moments where the classic Queen fire resurfaces. Tracks like I Was Born to Love You and Too Much Love Will Kill You have some echoes of the old days. Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon all do a wonderful job filling in the blanks and tying everything together. And that’s what this album ultimately feels like — an epilogue. A graceful one.
To be honest, parts of this album wouldn’t feel out of place at a memorial — and I don’t mean that as a slight. It’s a celebration of life. Not a somber affair, but a gentle wave goodbye. A final bow from a group that knew how to go out with dignity.
Freddie would’ve been proud of this one. I’m sure he was smiling somewhere when he heard it — or at least when he knew what it was going to become. A quiet, fitting way to say farewell.
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