Queen guitarist Brian May is debuting the previously unreleased Christmas track Not For Sale (Polar Bear) from the band during a special festive broadcast.
The song, written by May and recorded during sessions for Queen’s 1974 album Queen II, never appeared on the final release and has remained unheard in the band’s archive for more than five decades. It has now been remastered ahead of the 2026 reissue of Queen II and will receive its first public airing during May’s festive programme on Planet Rock.
May noted that while some fans may know an old Smile bootleg of the track, this Queen recording has never been released in any form. He described it as a “work in progress” that will feature on next year’s rebuilt edition of the album, adding that he is keen to hear how listeners respond to its long‑delayed debut.
He said: “People might possibly have heard a bootleg version of Not For Sale (Polar Bear) by Smile, it’s a song that goes back a very long way, but to my knowledge no one has ever heard this version. It’s a work in progress and will appear on the forthcoming rebuild of the Queen II album – coming next year – but I’m sneaking this into my Planet Rock special because I’m fascinated to know what people think about it. I hope people have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year!”
Alongside the exclusive premiere, May’s Christmas special features a selection of seasonal songs he has chosen personally, reflecting on the music that has shaped his own festive periods. The programme includes tracks from Slade, Chuck Berry, Bad News, The Crystals, and a Christmas hit from his wife, Anita Dobson.
The broadcast was aired on Monday (Dec 22), with a repeat scheduled for Christmas Day.
Source: CNA
