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Related Music Theory Alchemy

The chord progression in the famous outro of Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ illustrates the eccentricity Queen was known for throughout their discography. This section consists of bold modulations, chromatic chord progressions, and borrowed chords, showing off Freddie Mercury’s compositional sophistication and creativity. It’s evident that Mercury’s influence for this song came from various musical genres, including progressive rock, classical, and operatic music.

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“Killer Queen” is a unique composition with a hybrid style. It manages to combine rock and pop structure with complex harmonic techniques often found in classical and jazz music. Queen’s unique sound can be attributed to Freddie Mercury’s diverse musical influences, hence creating such sophisticated progressions.

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“Viva la Vida” mostly utilizes a four-chord progression thorough the song which is fairly common in popular music. The verse we are focusing on replicating the verse goes like this: C – D – G – Em. The chord progressions are pretty simple, catchy and give the song an uplifting feel.

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Looking at the entire song and isolating the verse, the chord progression provided shows a rock style often seen in Queens of the Stone Age compositions. The harmonic language of this song and its progression style fall within the realm of Pop / Rock music, with frequent use of minor chords suggesting a somber or introspective mood. On first glance, it appears to contain chords primarily from the key of F# minor, with no obvious borrowings from other keys. However, a closer inspection will allow us to delve deeper into their harmonic function.

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The piece “3’s and 7’s” by Queens of The Stone Age illustrates a fascinating blend of minor and major tonality, accented dissonances, and unexpected harmonic turns, which is characteristic of the band’s stoner rock and alternative metal style. The verse 2 chord progression is in A# minor and it sticks to a fairly repetitive three-chord progression of A#m – G# – F.

Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

[‘Bb’, ‘Gm’, ‘Cm’, ‘Cm7’, ‘F7’, ‘Bb’, ‘Gm’, ‘Cm’, ‘Eb/Cb’, ‘Eb/Bb’, ‘Am7b5’, ‘Abmaj7’, ‘Eb/G’]

Chord Progression Analysis

The Chord progression is:

“`
Bb Major (I),
G minor (vi),
C minor (ii),
C minor 7 (ii7),
F7 (V7),
Bb Major (I),
G minor (vi),
C minor (ii),
Eb/Cb (Neapolitan sixth),
Eb/Bb (IV64),
A half-diminished 7 (viiø7),
Ab Major 7 (bVII7)
^ (Borrowed from parallel minor),
Eb/G (IV6)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

Supertramp’s “School” and “Rudy” demonstrate similarly complex, genre-blending characteristics with their respective chord progressions, as do The Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” and “Strawberry Fields Forever.” While these songs may not mirror Queen’s progression note for note, they employ comparable harmonic complexities, modulations, and mixtures, which suggest a comparable stylistic affinity.

Musical Analysis

The progression begins with an oscillating pattern between Bb Major and G minor (I – vi), providing a rather standard progression in pop/rock. Adding Cm and Cm7 (ii and ii7) to this pattern introduces a bit of tension and complexity, before it resolves on F7, the dominant of the key, which segues back to Bb Major (I). The Eb/Cb is a Neapolitan sixth chord, a chord borrowed from the minor key and which is often used to add tension and unpredictability. The Am7b5 is a half-diminished seventh chord leading to the surprising AbMaj7, which is borrowed from the parallel minor. The Eb/G is the IV chord in the first inversion, providing a smooth transition to the next section.

Overall Analysis

“Bohemian Rhapsody” is a multi-genre masterpiece that incorporates elements of ballad, opera, and hard rock, showcasing Queen’s versatility and musical potential. The song is mainly in the key of Bb major, but it aggressively utilizes modulations, chromaticism, borrowed chords, and modally mixed chords. The given chord progression is from the verse that follows the opera section, here Queen offers an unusual, nuanced chord progression that complements the surrounding sections.

Style Analysis

“Bohemian Rhapsody” is known for its eclectic mixture of styles, including progressive rock, a capella, hard rock, and opera. The chord progression you’ve highlighted is no exception and demonstrates a fusion of various stylistic elements. The harmonic twists and turns in the progression, such as the Neapolitan sixth chord and the chromatic shift to AbMaj7, are elements often associated with the progressive rock genre and more specifically, Queen’s unique blend of rock, classical, and opera. The complex voicings also add to the overall sense of flamboyance and grandeur, which reflects Queen’s “larger than life” stage presence.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen are:

[‘Bb’, ‘Gm’, ‘Cm’, ‘Cm7’, ‘F7’, ‘Bb’, ‘Gm’, ‘Cm’, ‘Eb/Cb’, ‘Eb/Bb’, ‘Am7b5’, ‘Abmaj7’, ‘Eb/G’]