Now we know why the Freddie Mercury duet with Michael Jackson, “There Must Be More To Life Than This,” was left unfinished in 1985. Freddie was creeped out by Jackson's relationship with his pet chimp, Bubbles.
Queen legend Freddie Mercury is said to have stormed out of the recording studio nearly 30 years ago, after Jackson kept doting over the chimp and even asking the animal what he thought about the recordings.
According to The Daily Mail on Sunday, Mercury exploded and phoned his manager saying, "I’m not performing with a f–king chimp sitting next to me each night.”
The story is told in a new book by show business writer David Wigg, who knew Mercury well. He says: ‘Freddie got very angry because Michael made Bubbles sit between them and would turn to the chimp between takes and ask, “Don’t you think that was lovely?” or, “Do you think we should do that again?” After a few days of this, Freddie went ape and flew back to London, leaving the song unfinished.
The song is one of three previously unreleased songs featuring Freddie Mercury that were completed by Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor for the just released album, Queen Forever.
-Spencer