Bubbles the chimp delayed Jacko and Freddie's duet by nearly 30 years... as he drove the Queen frontman ape
- Only song recorded by Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury to go on sale
- There Must Be More To Life Than This was never completed in the 1980s
- Mercury complained that Bubbles in the studio was a bizarre distraction
It has been billed as a rare moment in music history – the release of the only song ever recorded by Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson together.
The unfinished track, which is going on sale tomorrow, was discovered only by chance after languishing for nearly 30 years at the bottom of a vault – and has been reworked by the surviving members of Mercury’s band Queen.
Now, The Mail on Sunday can reveal the reason why the song, There Must Be More To Life Than This, was never completed back in the 1980s – the increasingly erratic behaviour of Jackson and the antics of his pet chimp Bubbles.
Scroll down for video
Soul mate: Michael Jackson insisted on bringing Bubbles into the studio and asking for its views on singing
![Unfinished: The song was never completed by Jackson and Mercury, pictured together, back in the 1980s](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/11/08/1415479895516_wps_93_1980_Michael_Jackson_visi.jpg)
Unfinished: The song was never completed by Jackson and Mercury, pictured together, back in the 1980s
Mercury, then at the height of his powers as a performing artist, complained that Bubbles was a bizarre distraction because Jackson insisted on bringing the animal into the studio and asking for its views on their singing.
The Queen frontman, who was famed for his tempestuous nature, finally stormed out of the recording after telling friends: ‘I’m not performing with a f****** chimp sitting next to me each night.’
The story is told in a new book by respected showbusiness writer David Wigg, who knew Mercury well. He says: ‘Freddie got very angry because Michael made Bubbles sit between them and would turn to the chimp between takes and ask, “Don’t you think that was lovely?” or, “Do you think we should do that again?” After a few days of this, Freddie just exploded.
‘He phoned his manager and told him to “get me out of this zoo”. Freddie then flew back to London, leaving the track musically unfinished.’
![First release: The track has been reworked by the surviving members of Queen, including Brian May (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/11/08/1415480087584_wps_98_Freddie_Mercury_and_Brian.jpg)
First release: The track has been reworked by the surviving members of Queen, including Brian May (pictured)
Most watched News videos
- 'Heartbreaking day': Presenter pays tribute to colleague John Hunt
- Private ambulance spotted near house of suitcase murder probe
- Moment a frustrated-looking Giorgia Meloni rolls her eyes at summit
- Lord Mandelson says Barack Obama should step in after Biden gaff
- Friend of Carol Hunt in tears paying tribute to slain mother
- 'If you've done your business!': BBC presenter's hilarious blunder
- Teenager who shook baby to death seen in video from police interview
- Police seen detaining man after major incident in Sikh temple
- Police remove evidence from home of Enfield triple murder suspect
- Boris Johnson dances with his son at Indian billionaire's wedding
- Boris and Carrie arrive at 'world's most lavish wedding' in Mumbai
- Freezing, falling and fumbling names: Biden's history of gaffes