Queen have once again opened the vaults, with Brian May confirming that an unreleased track titled Not For Sale (Polar Bear) will finally receive an official release as part of a major 2026 reissue of Queen II. The song, shared publicly for the first time in a rough, work-in-progress form late last year, predates the formation of Queen itself and reaches back to the band’s earliest creative roots.
The track originated in 1969 when May and vocalist and bassist Tim Staffell were members of Smile, the power trio that also featured drummer Roger Taylor. Recorded during sessions at De Lane Lea Studios in London, Not For Sale (Polar Bear) existed long before Freddie Mercury joined May and Taylor to form Queen in 1970. While Smile’s recordings have circulated among collectors for decades, Queen’s own version of the song has remained unheard until now.
After Smile disbanded, May carried the song forward into Queen’s early rehearsals. The band reworked it significantly, with May taking lead vocals on the verses and Mercury delivering the chorus. Despite being developed during the same fertile period that produced much of Queen’s early catalogue, the song was never completed for release and was ultimately left off the band’s debut album and its follow-up.
Brian May surprised listeners by debuting the unfinished Queen recording during a Christmas edition of his Planet Rock radio show on 22 December. Introducing the track, May described it as a fascinating artefact from the band’s formative years, noting that while Smile’s version may be familiar to devoted fans, this Queen incarnation had never been officially heard. He confirmed that the song will appear in fully restored form on the forthcoming expanded edition of Queen II, due for release in 2026.
The inclusion of Not For Sale (Polar Bear) adds further weight to what is shaping up to be a definitive reappraisal of Queen II, the band’s second studio album and one of the most important records of their early career. Originally released in March 1974, Queen II marked the point where Queen fully embraced the elaborate production techniques, layered guitars and complex vocal harmonies that would define their signature sound.
Recorded at Trident Studios and Langham 1 Studios in London, with Roy Thomas Baker and Robin Geoffrey Cable overseeing production, Queen II pushed the band far beyond the relatively raw approach of their debut. The album was famously divided into “Side White” and “Side Black”, reflecting contrasting emotional and thematic moods rather than a strict narrative concept. Brian May largely dominated the White side, while Freddie Mercury’s increasingly ambitious writing shaped the Black side.
Although Queen II was initially met with mixed reactions, it has since gained a strong cult following and is widely regarded as a crucial step towards later masterpieces such as Sheer Heart Attack and A Night At The Opera. Tracks like Ogre Battle, Father To Son, White Queen (As It Began) and The March Of The Black Queen showcased a band determined to stretch the boundaries of hard rock through studio experimentation and dramatic songwriting.
The decision to include Not For Sale (Polar Bear) on the 2026 reissue underscores the continuing reassessment of Queen’s early years. In recent times, the band have revisited this period through releases such as the De Lane Lea demos, first issued as part of the Queen I Collector’s Edition and later pressed on vinyl for Record Store Day.
May has spoken openly about how those early recordings more closely captured the sound Queen had imagined for themselves, with open drum ambience and expansive guitar textures that were not always possible later.
By placing Not For Sale (Polar Bear) alongside the restored Queen II material, the upcoming reissue promises to illuminate the evolutionary path from Smile to Queen, and from ambitious young band to one of the most influential acts in rock history. For long-time followers, it represents the closing of a long-standing chapter, and for newer listeners, a rare opportunity to hear Queen in the process of becoming Queen.
Details of the full contents of the Queen II Collector’s Edition are expected closer to release, but the confirmation of this long-lost song has already positioned the 2026 set as one of the most significant archival releases in the band’s catalogue.
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