Dolly Parton has released her version of "We Are the Champions" / "We Will Rock You" off her forthcoming album, Rockstar. Though they are two separate songs, the way they are presented on Queen's 1977 album, News of the World, has "We Will Rock You" followed by "We Are the Champions." In Dolly's version, she adds a little bit of "We Will Rock You" at the end.
Rockstar contains 30 tracks and also includes contributions from Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sting, Peter Frampton, Mick Fleetwood, Chris Stapleton, Pink, Richie Sambora, John Fogerty, Steven Tyler, Steve Perry, Stevie Nicks and others. It will be out on November 17th.
In Queen-related news, America is not the only country going through a political upheaval. Queen guitarist Brian May says things are no better in his native England.
He tells Classic Rock magazine, “I get very depressed by it, and I get very depressed by the power that some of these [right wing media] have, just full of propaganda...
“These people could rig the next election as well. And we could be stuck with the same people that we’ve had for the last 10 years who have wrecked Britain. I’m not a political animal. But I do find it very frustrating that it’s so hard to find the truth these days.
"God, truth has gone out the window in this century. Nobody knows what the truth is anymore. It seems like nobody cares. I find the world a very strange and screwed up place. I don’t feel comfortable in the world as it is now.”
He says he way of coping is making music. "It saved my life a lot of times, because I’m a depressive person who has that on his back the whole time...
"And music is the best therapy. I think [depression] is built into my psyche. I think it’s a hereditary thing, something I’ve been aware of for a very long time. And you evolve strategies to deal with it and stay functional.”
May just reissued his 1983 EP, Star Fleet Project, featuring the late Eddie Van Halen and then-REO Speedwagon drummer Alan Gratzer.