Brian May surprised Queen fans by sharing the band's long-unreleased Christmas track 'Not for Sale (Polar Bear)' on his radio show. The song, dating back to the late 1960s, features a version from the Queen II sessions that has never been heard before. It will appear on a forthcoming reissue of the 1974 album.
Brian May, Queen's guitarist, gifted fans an early Christmas present by unveiling the unreleased song “Not for Sale (Polar Bear)” during the year-end episode of his Planet Rock radio show. The track originates from the late 1960s, when the band was known as Smile and fronted by vocalist Tim Staffell. Queen later revisited it with Freddie Mercury during recording sessions for their 1974 album Queen II, though it was ultimately cut from the final release.
May introduced the premiere version cautiously, saying, “You might possibly have heard a kinda bootleg version of this by Smile, it’s a song that goes back a very long way.” He added, “To my knowledge no one has ever heard this version, which is kinda a work in progress and it will appear on the forthcoming rebuild of the Queen II album next year, but I’m sneaking this in because I’m just fascinated to know what people think about it. It’s a very, very ancient song called Polar Bear.”
The Queen II reissue has been anticipated for some time. Earlier this year, May mentioned in an interview that “Polar Bear” was among the tracks excluded from the original 1974 album but slated for inclusion in the rerelease. No exact release date for 2026 has been confirmed.
Beyond the premiere, May's Planet Rock episode included a selection of his favorite Christmas and seasonal songs. He closed with holiday wishes: “I hope people have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year.” This reveal highlights Queen's enduring legacy and May's efforts to share archival material with fans.