There can’t be an all-time Top list without this song, which even people with only a passing interest in contemporary music know and recognize. It was written by Queen’s legendary lead singer, Freddie Mercury.
– I was thinking about soccer when I wrote it. I wanted a song that would engage the fans, something that would grab their attention. Of course, I gave it a more theatrical subtlety than a simple soccer chant. I suppose you could also interpret it as my version of “I Did It My Way.” We made it, and it certainly wasn’t easy. There is no road paved with roses, as the song goes. And it still isn’t easy — Freddie Mercury
“We Are The Champions” was released as a single in October 1977, with “We Will Rock You” on the B-side, which made this little record absolutely explosive. Both songs clearly work well together, and the “We Will Rock You”/“We Are The Champions” duo opened the band’s sixth studio album, “News of the World,” which was released on October 28.
These two songs also closed the 1981 album “Greatest Hits” and have been virtually inseparable ever since, with the band often transitioning from one to the other during their live performances, including at the famous Live Aid concert in 1985.