Heaven for Everyone
Encyclopedia
"Heaven for Everyone" is a song written by Roger Taylor
. It appeared originally in his band's (The Cross
) album Shove It
, with Freddie Mercury
as a guest vocalist, and it's the album's fourth track. It was reworked with Queen
's music and appeared in the 1995 album Made in Heaven
, where it was the seventh track and released as the first single. The song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart
. The music video contains footage of Georges Méliès
seminal 1902 silent film
A Trip to the Moon.
album sessions, after their work on Highlander
was complete. If he did, the song was not used, or was left incomplete when the album was finished. When Taylor started working on the material for the album Shove It
, he recruited Freddie Mercury to record the backing vocals on the song. Two versions were recorded, one with Mercury doing only backing vocals to Taylor's lead vocals, and another with Mercury singing the lead vocals. The backing track of each was re-recorded as well, instead of the two lead vocals being recorded over the same instrumental backing. The Taylor-vocal version is about twenty seconds longer than the Mercury-vocal version.
The Cross versions also feature a spoken intro by Taylor, as well as a spoken refrain in the middle. The refrain in the Taylor vocal has an extra lyric not sung in the Mercury-vocal version (though it appears in the printed lyrics). Both versions end with Taylor saying "And that. Is the end. Of this section." It's unclear if he means 'section' as that half of the album, or the serious-issues section of the album (this song being the only serious song on the album).
The UK edition of the album Shove It featured Mercury's vocal version, while the UK single featured Taylor's vocal version. In the US, the album featured Taylor's vocal version and neither were released as a single.
UK 7" single
UK 12" single
After Freddie Mercury's death, as Queen prepared to complete their posthumous album, Made in Heaven
, this song was selected to be re-done by the band as a Queen song. The lead vocal Mercury recorded in 1987 was given a new backing track and new backing vocals. A significant difference between The Cross versions and the Queen version is that there's no spoken introduction, refrain or "end" as done by Taylor on the original. Queen has offered no explanation as to why these elements were dropped, but it can be argued that without the spoken parts throughout, the song is more radio/listener friendly.
It was the first UK single (Cat. # QUEEN21) off the new album on October 23, 1995, two weeks before the album's release. A planned two-part single, the same song with different B-side tracks was issued October 30, 1995, one week before the album's release. For the single releases, a single version was prepared, editing some instrumental portions of the song (almost a full minute's worth).
UK CD2
UK Cassette
US CD single
UK Promo CD / 12"
UK 7"
and released in 1995. It shows footage from the films A Trip to the Moon (Le Voyage dans la Lune, 1902), The Impossible Voyage
(Le Voyage à travers l'impossible, 1904) and The Eclipse (L'éclipse du soleil en pleine lune, 1907) by Georges Méliès
.
The music video for The Cross
version involved Taylor singing the song on a beach-like setting, while elderly people walked past the band and climbed up ladders to reach heaven.
Roger Meddows-Taylor
Roger Meddows Taylor , known as Roger Taylor, is a British musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of...
. It appeared originally in his band's (The Cross
The Cross
The Cross were a side project of Queen's Roger Taylor that existed from 1987 to 1993 and released three albums. Although the drummer in Queen, Taylor fronted The Cross as rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist. On its debut release, the classic rock band incorporated dance influences which they...
) album Shove It
Shove it
Shove It is the first album released by The Cross, founded by Queen drummer Roger Taylor. This album contains a mix of rock with dance influences.-History:...
, with Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
as a guest vocalist, and it's the album's fourth track. It was reworked with Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
's music and appeared in the 1995 album Made in Heaven
Made in Heaven
Made in Heaven is the fifteenth studio album by British rock group Queen and the final one to feature lead singer Freddie Mercury and bassist John Deacon, released on 6 November 1995...
, where it was the seventh track and released as the first single. The song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The music video contains footage of Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès , full name Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès, was a French filmmaker famous for leading many technical and narrative developments in the earliest cinema. He was very innovative in the use of special effects...
seminal 1902 silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
A Trip to the Moon.
Background and writing
Some reports have Roger Taylor writing the song in 1986 as part of Queen's A Kind of MagicA Kind of Magic
A Kind of Magic is a 1986 album by British rock band Queen. It was the band's twelfth studio album and their first to be recorded digitally, and is based on the soundtrack to the film Highlander, the first in a series directed by Russell Mulcahy....
album sessions, after their work on Highlander
Highlander (film)
Highlander is a 1986 fantasy action film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne Hart. The film depicts the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors, depicted through interwoven past and...
was complete. If he did, the song was not used, or was left incomplete when the album was finished. When Taylor started working on the material for the album Shove It
Shove it
Shove It is the first album released by The Cross, founded by Queen drummer Roger Taylor. This album contains a mix of rock with dance influences.-History:...
, he recruited Freddie Mercury to record the backing vocals on the song. Two versions were recorded, one with Mercury doing only backing vocals to Taylor's lead vocals, and another with Mercury singing the lead vocals. The backing track of each was re-recorded as well, instead of the two lead vocals being recorded over the same instrumental backing. The Taylor-vocal version is about twenty seconds longer than the Mercury-vocal version.
The Cross versions also feature a spoken intro by Taylor, as well as a spoken refrain in the middle. The refrain in the Taylor vocal has an extra lyric not sung in the Mercury-vocal version (though it appears in the printed lyrics). Both versions end with Taylor saying "And that. Is the end. Of this section." It's unclear if he means 'section' as that half of the album, or the serious-issues section of the album (this song being the only serious song on the album).
The UK edition of the album Shove It featured Mercury's vocal version, while the UK single featured Taylor's vocal version. In the US, the album featured Taylor's vocal version and neither were released as a single.
1988 The Cross single releases
March 20UK 7" single
- "Heaven for Everyone" (Roger Taylor vocals)
- "Love on a Tightrope"
UK 12" single
- "Heaven for Everyone" (Roger Taylor vocals)
- "Love on a Tightrope"
- "Contact"
After Freddie Mercury's death, as Queen prepared to complete their posthumous album, Made in Heaven
Made in Heaven
Made in Heaven is the fifteenth studio album by British rock group Queen and the final one to feature lead singer Freddie Mercury and bassist John Deacon, released on 6 November 1995...
, this song was selected to be re-done by the band as a Queen song. The lead vocal Mercury recorded in 1987 was given a new backing track and new backing vocals. A significant difference between The Cross versions and the Queen version is that there's no spoken introduction, refrain or "end" as done by Taylor on the original. Queen has offered no explanation as to why these elements were dropped, but it can be argued that without the spoken parts throughout, the song is more radio/listener friendly.
It was the first UK single (Cat. # QUEEN21) off the new album on October 23, 1995, two weeks before the album's release. A planned two-part single, the same song with different B-side tracks was issued October 30, 1995, one week before the album's release. For the single releases, a single version was prepared, editing some instrumental portions of the song (almost a full minute's worth).
1995 Queen single releases
UK CD1- "Heaven for Everyone" (Single Version)
- "It's a Beautiful Day" (Single Version)
- "Heaven for Everyone" (Album Version)
UK CD2
- "Heaven for Everyone" (Single Version)
- "Keep Yourself Alive"
- "The Seven Seas of Rhye"
- "Killer Queen"
UK Cassette
- "Heaven for Everyone" (Single Version)
- "It's a Beautiful Day" (Single Version)
US CD single
- "Heaven for Everyone" (Single Version)
- "Soul Brother" (recorded in 1981)
UK Promo CD / 12"
- "Heaven for Everyone" (Single Version)
UK 7"
- A. "Heaven for Everyone" (Single Version)
- B. "Heaven for Everyone" (Album Version)
Music video
A music video to commemorate Freddie Mercury was directed by David MalletDavid Mallet (director)
David Mallet is a British director particularly noted for his work on music videos, including David Bowie's innovative "Ashes to Ashes", Rush's "Distant Early Warning, and Queen's "Radio Ga Ga" and "I Want to Break Free" videos. He has also served as a producer on television programmes including...
and released in 1995. It shows footage from the films A Trip to the Moon (Le Voyage dans la Lune, 1902), The Impossible Voyage
The Impossible Voyage
The Impossible Voyage is a 1904 silent film by pioneer filmmaker Georges Méliès. The film's runtime is about 24 minutes , and was probably inspired by Melies' successful earlier film Le Voyage dans la Lune...
(Le Voyage à travers l'impossible, 1904) and The Eclipse (L'éclipse du soleil en pleine lune, 1907) by Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès , full name Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès, was a French filmmaker famous for leading many technical and narrative developments in the earliest cinema. He was very innovative in the use of special effects...
.
The music video for The Cross
The Cross
The Cross were a side project of Queen's Roger Taylor that existed from 1987 to 1993 and released three albums. Although the drummer in Queen, Taylor fronted The Cross as rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist. On its debut release, the classic rock band incorporated dance influences which they...
version involved Taylor singing the song on a beach-like setting, while elderly people walked past the band and climbed up ladders to reach heaven.
Peak positions
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 15 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 8 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 4 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
3 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 5 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 8 |
| German Singles Chart | 15 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 7 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 25 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 18 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 29 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 9 |
| UK Singles Chart | 2 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1995) | Position |
|---|---|
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 69 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 52 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 73 |
| French Singles Chart | 67 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | Silver | 1996 | 125,000 |
| UK | Silver | November 1, 1995 | 200,000 |