Barcelona (Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé song)
"Barcelona" is a single released by Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury and operatic soprano Montserrat Caballé. A part of their collaborative album Barcelona, it also appeared on Queen's Greatest Hits III.
"Barcelona"
"Exercises in Free Love"
26 October 1987
1987
- 4:28 (single version)
- 5:39 (album version, 1988)
- 7:04 (extended version)
- Freddie Mercury
- Mike Moran
- Freddie Mercury
- Mike Moran
- David Richards
The song reflects Mercury's love of opera with his high notes and Caballé's operatic vocals, backed by a full orchestra. Originally released in 1987, it was one of the biggest hits of Mercury's solo career, reaching number eight in the UK Singles Chart. After Mercury's death in 1991, it was featured at the 1992 Summer Olympics, after which the track climbed even higher, peaking at number two in the UK, the Netherlands and New Zealand.
In 2004, BBC Radio 2 listed Barcelona at number 41 in its Sold On Song Top 100.[1]
History[edit]
Mercury had been a long-time fan of opera, and especially Montserrat Caballé. In 1986, he mentioned on Spanish television that he would like to meet her, and they met for the first time in Barcelona in February 1987. Later, when the city had been chosen for the 1992 Summer Olympics, Caballé, a native of the city, was asked to help produce a song for the games. She asked Mercury to collaborate.[1] Caballé became enthusiastic about the project and instead of recording a single, she proposed to make an album, on which Mercury agreed.[2] "Barcelona", their proposed opening song, had to be completed by 1988 in time to be entered as a candidate for the 1992 Olympic theme. The selection was scheduled for 1988, four years before the Games.[3] The recording was complicated by Caballé's tight schedule; to save time, Mercury recorded the song, singing Caballé's part in falsetto. He would then send a tape to Caballé to prepare her for the joint studio sessions.[4]
Distribution[edit]
The single was distributed on 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl records and 5" CDs, all with Polydor labels. The 5" CD and 7" record, but not the 12" record, were reissued in 1992; a 3" CD was issued as a promotional-only to record company executives in Japan in 1992. The B-side of nearly all records contained "Exercises in Free Love" from The Freddie Mercury Album. The 1992 version of the 7" Spanish record had another version of "Barcelona" on the B-side, and the rare 1987 12" Hong Kong record was one-sided and had a unique sleeve. Most 5" CDs contained two or three versions of "Barcelona" and "Exercises in Free Love". Most 7" record and 5" CD covers featured Mercury and Caballé singing on a stage with an orchestra on the background, though the Portuguese version pictured them in a static studio photo. The 1992 reissue 7" records contained another version of the singing artists, with no orchestra.[33]