Any keen sports spectator will be thoroughly familiar with the melody of “We Are The Champions”, the single released by Queen in October 1977. One of the most instantly recognisable songs in popular music history, the hit spearheaded by Freddie Mercury speaks to overcoming adversity and emerging victorious, which naturally explains its ubiquitous use as a celebration at sporting events. Yet one must ask whether Mercury was truly thinking of sports when he composed the lyrics. Mercury himself provided the answer: “I was thinking about football when I wrote it. I wanted a participation song, something that the fans could latch on to. Of course, I’ve given it more theatrical subtlety than an ordinary football chant. I suppose it could also be construed as my version of ‘My Way’. We have made it, and it certainly wasn’t easy. No bed of roses as the song says. And it’s still not easy.”
Although Mercury confirmed the track’s origins during his lifetime, alternative interpretations have emerged over the years. Some have proposed that “We Are The Champions” functions as a gay anthem, one that documents the struggles and negative reactions Mercury encountered when publicly acknowledging his homosexuality. Mercury himself never validated this hypothesis. What is telling is that the album News of the World, which featured “We Are The Champions”, also included “We Will Rock You”, another anthemic chant that would become embedded in popular culture. Both songs have “We” front and centre, which isn’t accidental. It gives the crowd something to grab onto. At concerts, audiences would sing back at Mercury just as hard, drowning him out with the choruses, and that’s what makes them work.
The Song’s Origins
The composition history of the song is also worth noting. Although Mercury wrote the song as early as 1975, he deemed it unsuitable for the album being recorded at that time and shelved it. The track was only revisited and recorded for News of the World in 1977. When the album was released on 28 October 1977, Mercury’s decision to include the song would prove prescient. “We Are The Champions” became a phenomenon, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart and number four on the American Billboard Hot 100.
Brian May, the band’s guitarist, offered his own interpretation: “I think we were all just mildly shocked, because it sounded so arrogant. But of course, it only takes a moment’s thought to realise that ‘We Are The Champions’ doesn’t just mean me and my pals, it means all of us. There was a kind of delicious arrogance to Freddie and the very first meaning of it probably was that we were, damn right, victorious. We were dragged through all kinds of hell by people, but we emerged victorious.”
Regardless of which version of the song’s origin story one chooses to believe – and why not both? – “We Are The Champions” stands as a rock anthem capable of uniting us in both victory and defeat. It remains a celebration of life and an affirmation of our resilience, reminding us that even in the most difficult moments, we possess the capacity to emerge triumphant.
