“Love of My Life” by Queen
Freddie Mercury, the lead singer, and mastermind behind the acclaimed British rock band, Queen, wrote the song “Love of My Life” for his ex-fiancée and best friend, Mary Austin. It debuted on the band’s famed studio album, “A Night At The Opera.” Mercury was 24 when he met Austin, who was 19 at the time. They told interviewers how they instantly felt a connection and soon fell deeply in love. After living together as a couple for 7 years, they separated. Mercury confessed that he was attracted to men, and Austin confirmed that she knew that he was, in fact, gay. Nonetheless, the two remained close-knit, and Mercury even bought Austin an apartment right down the street from his, so they could remain in close proximity to each other. Eventually, Austin moved away, got married, and had 2 children – one of which was Mercury’s godson.
Most people found it difficult to understand the nature of their relationship. Mercury once explained, “All my lovers asked me why they couldn’t replace Mary, but it’s simply impossible. The only friend I’ve got is Mary, and I don’t want anybody else. To me, she was my common-law wife. To me, it was a marriage…We believe in each other. That’s enough for me. I couldn’t fall in love with a man the same way as I have with Mary.” You can catch a glimpse of their complex relationship as depicted in the film ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (2018).
“Lady in Red” by Chris de Burgh
Chris de Burgh wrote his massive 1986 hit song as a commentary on the fact that the average man fails to remember what his wife was wearing when they first met. “Lady in Red” chronicles in loving detail the day that de Burgh first met the woman he was destined to marry: Diane Davison. “Lady in Red” was the second single from his 1986 album Into the Light, and instantly propelled him from a hard-working but relatively unknown niche artist to a major international superstar. The video, complete with a lady in red, received massive airplay on all the video channels.
Ever since 1986, Chris de Burgh’s career has been inextricably linked with “Lady in Red.” It’s a song that inflames the passions of many who hear it, but positively and negatively. It is among the most loved and hated songs of the 1980s.
“MacArthur Park” by Richard Harris
“MacArthur Park” was a huge hit for Richard Harris in 1968. Its classic easy listening format was nonetheless embellished with intricate time signatures and an overall complex structure. Few people would have guessed that the song was born of a difficult and painful breakup on the part of songwriter Jimmy Webb. Webb had been dating a lady named Susie Horton. They would often spend their time in Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park since he worked in an office building nearby. The lyrics to the song simply document Webb’s feelings and sights as we walked around pondering the relationship he had had and its demise.
As big a hit as Richard Harris’ original 1968 version of this song was, it was nothing compared to Donna Summer, at the peak of her career, when she released a cover version in 1978. Set to disco music, it was a number-one hit and one of the biggest songs of the year. Later, in 1993, “Weird Al” Yankovic released a parody called “Jurassic Park.”
“Shine On You Crazy Diamond” by Pink Floyd
“Shine On You Crazy Diamond” is a legendary nine-part rock saga written as a tribute to Syd Barrett. Barrett was a founding member of Pink Floyd and was its lead guitarist, singer, and songwriter for the first few years until he was asked to leave in 1968. But Barrett cast a longer shadow than the remaining band members anticipated, and to exorcise their demons; they created this 25-minute-long masterpiece as a homage to him. Eerily, as they were working on the recording, he wandered into the studio and sat down. His appearance had changed so drastically that none of his former bandmates even recognized him for 45 minutes.
After Barrett's departure from Pink Floyd in 1968, it seemed inconceivable that the band could continue without him. It was simply unprecedented for a band to continue successfully in the absence of its original creative visionary. Amazingly, bass player Roger Waters stepped up and took over the songwriting, sharing lead singing duties with replacement lead guitarist David Gilmour.
“Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton experienced heartbreak and tragedy as the 1990s entered. The 1990 helicopter crash that killed his friend and fellow musician Stevie Ray Vaughan also took the lives of Clapton’s manager and two other people. Just a few months later, Clapton lost his four-year-old son Conor when the toddler fell from the window of the 53rd-floor New York apartment where they were living. Clapton felt the need to isolate himself for a time for the sake of his emotional health. When he was ready to rejoin the living world, he began work on the soundtrack to the movie "Rush" for which he co-wrote the song “Tears in Heaven” with songwriter Will Jennings. Clapton has said that music was a tremendous source of healing, joy, and pleasure for him. After the death of his son, Clapton has become an advocate of childproofing household hazards.
Eric Clapton, who has had a storied career as a giant and pioneer of rock since the 1960s, had an unexpected hit with the soft, understated ballad “Tears in Heaven.” It is his best-selling single in North America and among the most successful singles of all time. Shortly after its release, he recorded a live acoustic version as part of the MTV Unplugged series, which was also a big hit.