Queen fans received a rare holiday treat this week with the unexpected premiere of a previously unreleased track featuring Freddie Mercury‘s vocals. Guitarist Brian May shared the 51-year-old recording, titled “Not for Sale (Polar Bear),” during his annual Christmas broadcast on Planet Rock, offering a first listen ahead of its inclusion in the upcoming reissue of Queen’s 1974 album Queen II. The song, which reportedly has roots in May’s earlier band Smile, highlights the band’s continued efforts to unearth and share archival material with their devoted fanbase, notably following a surge in popularity fueled by the 2018 film Bohemian Rhapsody.
Queen fans received an unexpected holiday gift this week: a previously unheard song featuring Freddie Mercury’s vocals. Brian May premiered “Not for Sale (Polar Bear)” during a special Christmas broadcast on Planet Rock on December 22.
The track, which has a history stretching back decades, will officially be released next year as part of a reissue of Queen’s 1974 album, *Queen II*. May, 76, explained the song’s long journey to the airwaves. “It’s a song which has a long history,” he said. “Some people may have heard a version recorded by my earlier band, Smile. But as far as I know, nobody has ever heard this version before. It’s still a work in progress.”
May decided to share the song with listeners early, adding, “It will appear next year on the reissue of *Queen II*, but I decided to sneak it into my show on Planet Rock because I was very curious to see how people would react.”
“Not for Sale (Polar Bear)” has been archived by Queen for 51 years, with references to the song appearing on fan websites and in online discussions. The release is sure to excite fans eager for any new material from the iconic band, decades after Freddie Mercury’s passing.
The song’s emergence comes as Queen continues to enjoy renewed popularity thanks to the success of the biopic *Bohemian Rhapsody* and ongoing touring with Adam Lambert.
