LONDON, Dec 22, 2024 — Queen fans are in for a rare holiday treat: guitarist Brian May is set to debut the previously unreleased Christmas track “Not For Sale (Polar Bear)” during a special broadcast, offering a glimpse into the band’s storied archives. It’s a festive surprise decades in the making, and a chance to hear a piece of Queen history that’s remained largely unheard.
A Lost Queen Christmas Song Emerges
The track, recorded during the sessions for Queen’s 1974 album “Queen II,” will receive its first public airing on Planet Rock.
- “Not For Sale (Polar Bear)” was written by Brian May and recorded in 1974 but never made it onto the “Queen II” album.
- The song has been remastered in preparation for the 2026 reissue of “Queen II.”
- May is eager to gauge public reaction to the long-delayed debut of the track.
- The premiere will be part of May’s Christmas special on Planet Rock, featuring a selection of his personal favorite festive songs.
The song, a “work in progress” as May describes it, will also feature on the forthcoming rebuilt edition of the “Queen II” album, slated for release in 2026. While a bootleg version from the band’s earlier incarnation, Smile, exists, this particular Queen recording has remained locked away for over five decades. May confessed he’s “fascinated to know what people think about it.”
What is the story behind Queen’s newly released Christmas song? “Not For Sale (Polar Bear)” was written by Brian May and recorded during the “Queen II” sessions in 1974, but was ultimately left off the album and remained unreleased until now.
May shared his excitement, stating, “People might possibly have heard a bootleg version of Not For Sale (Polar Bear) by Smile, it’s a song that goes back a very long way, but to my knowledge no one has ever heard this version. It’s a work in progress and will appear on the forthcoming rebuild of the Queen II album – coming next year – but I’m sneaking this into my Planet Rock special because I’m fascinated to know what people think about it. I hope people have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year!”
The Planet Rock Christmas special isn’t solely dedicated to the unearthed track. May has curated a selection of seasonal songs that hold personal significance, including tracks from Slade, Chuck Berry, Bad News, The Crystals, and a Christmas hit performed by his wife, Anita Dobson.
The broadcast initially aired on Monday, December 22, with a repeat scheduled for Christmas Day, offering fans multiple opportunities to experience this unique piece of Queen’s musical history.
