6 tunes you may not have known are actually Queen songs

The iconic rock band produced so many great hits, some more known than others. And perhaps there are some recognizable ones you didn't even know were theirs!

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Michael Putland/Getty Images | Michael Putland/GettyImages
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"Under Pressure" ft. David Bowie (1981)

I think there's really few people who haven't heard "IceIce Baby" by Vanilla Ice. It's become an iconic song and one that's very recognizable by a majority of people. For a big chunk of the tune, including the chorus where he sings "ice, ice baby," that section is very catchy and probably what contributed to the success of the artist's debut single. Well, if you listen to Queen's "Under Pressure," you'll definitely recognize the beat. And it's not a coincidence that they both sound the same.

Vanilla Ice never got permission to use a part of "Under Pressure" for his now infamous song. Queen and David Bowie, who is featured on the original, raised a copyright infringement claim since the "IceIce Baby" singer sampled the bassline. And though Vanilla Ice denied this, it didn't work in his favor. The case was eventually settled when Queen and Bowie were paid, and their songwriting credits were added to Vanilla Ice's song. He also purchased "Under Pressure," which was cheaper than continuing to pay royalties.

So yeah, when you think of that catchy beat it's actually thanks to Queen that we even have it! The rock band released it as a single first in October 1981 before it was later included in their tenth studio album, Hot Space, in 1982.

"The Show Must Go On" (1991)

Though it started out as a tribute to Mercury, Celine Dion's version of "The Show Must Go On" has been closely associated with the singer. To be honest, I personally thought it was an original by her before finding out later it's a cover. Queen released it as part of their fourteenth album, Innuendo, in 1991. Dion first performed the musical number in 2007 as a tribute to Mercury.

Later though during her Las Vegas Residency, she performed the song as part of her show. Then in 2016, Dion sang it at the Billboard Music Awards and it became widely popular. That's the performance most people remember. And that's probably where the misconception came from that it's her tune. Dion went on to include it in her set list on her 2016 and 2017 tours. The "My Heart Will Go On" singer officially recorded it as a digital single on May 20, 2016 with Lindsey Stirling on violin.