"Who Wants to Live Forever" is the sixth track on Queens album A Kind of Magic, released in June 1986, and was written by lead guitarist Brian May for the soundtrack to the film Highlander. The song peaked at No. 24 in the UK charts. The song is used to frame the scenes in the film where Connor MacLeod must endure his beloved wife Heather MacLeod growing old and dying while he, as an Immortal, remains forever young. (It was later used in the episodes "The Gathering", "Revenge is Sweet", "The Hunters", "Line of Fire", and "Leader of the Pack" of the Highlander television series). The song's title is taken from a line in another movie scored by Brian May and Queen, Flash Gordon (the line can be heard on "Battle Theme" from the Flash Gordon soundtrack album) and is based on May's personal troubles (the death of May's father and failing first marriage).
There's no time for us
There's no place for us
What is this thing that builds our dreams
Yet slips away from us
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Ooooooo
There's no chance for us
It's all decided for us
This world has only one sweet moment
Set aside for us
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Ooooooo
Who dares to love forever? (Oh, whoa!)
When love must die
But touch my tears with your lips
Touch my world with your fingertips
And we can have forever
And we can love forever
Forever is our today
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Forever is our today
Who waits forever anyway?
This song was allegadly written by Brian May in the back of a taxi. What ever the reason for the inspiration (the list is endless on that one) May could not have done better. This is a haunting song with words that seem to fit the film highlander but also fit with the theme of not being immortal and the quest for eternal life. A song that unsettles you and is full of melancholy. It's a real queen anthem. The mid 1980's were a time for queen anthems.
The Quest for eternal life is a quest that has lasted the years. From the Indiana Jones films which were about the Holy Grail (Incidentally this is a true passion of some) hunting for the elixir of eternal life/youth. Eternal life is a theme that is in many songs that have been written over the decades.
Eternal life is a theme that Jesus touches on and in this rock devotional what will be said will be the tip of the tip of the tip of the iceberg. In John chapter the three a Jewish Teacher called Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night in the the course of their conversations Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about his destiny.
Everlasting life Jesus says is found when you have faith in me. If you have faith in me you will not perish. This seems to good to be true and too easy. Just believe in Jesus. That's it! Nothing else. Well, it the kind of belief or faith that matters. the word in the passage that is translated from the greek into the english - "Believes" This word means - "put you full weight behind it" or "Do not be distracted by anything else" or it could be paraphrased "Don't live you life for any other reason other than a relationship with Jesus"
On another occasion Jesus is stopped by a rich young ruler who was a religious man. who paid his taxes and did good. Who was upright and moral. He had followed the commandments from being a child. But he lacked one thing Jesus told him. The thing that he lacked was that he put his full weight behind his moral standing, his religious identity, his position in the community as a man of means. In other words all his thoughts were not on eternity but on temporal things, things that simply will not last. Jesus calls the young man to put all his weight behind him and become a disciple. "Then Come and Follow me"
Jesus talked about the danger of putting your full weight behind things that simply will not last. Jesus is more interested in where we will all spend eternity. Having all the riches, having all the status, having a pot of money for the future. This may be a stumbling block. It is possible to have riches and not put your weight behind them. It is difficult but not impossible.
Mark 8: 35-37
…35"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. 36"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37"For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?…
"We all want to live forever" these are true sentiments. In these lyrics of Brian May and sung by Freddie Mercury the truth is nailed. "Eternity" Jesus says comes when you put your full weight behind him. when you are not distracted by the things of this life. Eternity is a gift to give and not something that you earn. Eternity is not a commodity to be bought......you get in when you put your full weight behind the one who will fill eternity.
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