Queen and Paul Rodgers are to release a brand new single ‘Say It’s Not True’ this Saturday (December 1).
The track, available as a free download, was recorded to mark World Aids Day as the band are ambassadors for Nelson Mandela’s 46664 HIV/AIDS awareness campaign.
The track by Queen’s Roger Taylor was written as a gift to Mandela and performed it live for him for the first time with Brian May and Dave Stewart at the inaugural 46664 concert in Cape Town in 2003.
The song carries the message that HIV AIDS is something that can affect any one of us no matter our sexual or racial status.
During the Queen and Paul Rodger’s tour in 2005, Taylor performed the song at each show, dedicating it to Mandela’s work.
The band who are unable to attend the annual 46664 concert in South Africa this year because of recording commitments, will instead premiere the song’s video at the concert and release the track online.
Taylor said in a statement today: “By making the song available for free, we hope to help Nelson Mandela with his campaign to get across the message that no-one is safe from infection. We have to be aware, we have to protect ourselves and those we love. The song follows the line of Mr. Mandela’s personal message: it’s in our own hands to bring a stop to this.”
Previously, Queen’s last new material to be released was a single ‘No-One But You’ in January 1998, when Brian May, John Deacon and Taylor reunited to record the track dedicated to the late Freddie Mercury
This year’s World Aids Day Concert, the fifth, will take place at the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg.
Artists performing include Peter Gabriel, Annie Lennox, and Razorlight, as well as fifteen acts drawn from the biggest names in South African music including Johnny Clegg, Just Jinjer and the Soweto Gospel Choir.
Visit these sites for more information and to download the single from Saturday:
Pic credit: PA Photos