Who wrote the song "Who Wants to Live Forever"?

Brian May wrote the Queen song “Who Wants to Live Forever.” It was created for the 1986 film Highlander, where it accompanies the emotional story of Connor MacLeod watching his mortal wife, Heather, grow old and die while he remains immortal.

May wrote the song after seeing an early 20-minute cut of the film. He reportedly began composing it in the back seat of his car, shaping the dramatic melody and lyrics around the film’s themes of love, mortality, and loss.

Freddie Mercury sings the main vocals in the film version. On the album version, May sings the first verse before Mercury takes over, creating a distinctive contrast between their voices. The track also features an orchestra arranged and conducted by Michael Kamen.

The song appeared on Queen’s 1986 album A Kind of Magic and became one of the band’s best-known power ballads. Listeners sometimes credit Mercury because of his unforgettable vocal performance, but the songwriting credit belongs to May.