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Related Music Theory Alchemy

The song, “Somebody to Love” by Queen, utilizes the classic pop/rock harmonic structure while incorporating aspects of blues and gospel music. The harmonic progression is structured around common chords found in the key of G major. However, the way these chords are ordered and arranged is unconventional and adds depth to the song. It reflects the band’s interest in pushing the boundaries of the traditional harmonic structure common in pop music of that time. Queen is known for their innovative use of harmony, which they certainly showcase in this song.

“Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy” by Queen exhibits rich harmonic complexity that falls within the signature rock style of the band. This is evident in the fluctuation between major and minor chord quality, frequent use of 7th chords as well as borrowed chords from the parallel minor. The progression moves fluidly between the tonics, subdominants, and dominants, with a strong cadential movement towards the end that resolves the tension built upon earlier in the piece.

“Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones is a rock song in the key of C major. The chord progression is simple and effective, reflecting the band’s blues and rock ‘n’ roll influences. The overall structure includes three verses with the same chord progression.

“California Kids” by Weezer is a pop rock song with influences from alternative and power pop. The chord progression in Verse 2 shows a blend of diatonic and borrowed chords, which contributes to a slight sense of tension and resolution throughout the progression. The chords in the verse also exhibit movement by step (C to C/B) and a mixture of major and minor tonalities.

The song “Every Day Is Exactly The Same” by Nine Inch Nails has a dark and moody atmosphere, characterized by the repetitive chord progression that sets the gloomy tone. This prolific use of chords throughout snippets of the song creates a musical portrait of monotony and disillusion which is reflective of the song’s title and lyrics. Looking at the chords provided from the second verse, this mood is accomplished through the consistent use of minor tonalities and alternation between two power chords – E and C.

Queen – Somebody To Love – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

[‘G’, ‘D/F#’, ‘Em’, ‘G’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D/F#’, ‘Em’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

G (I), D/F# (V/V), Em (vi), G (I), A7 (V/V/V), D (V), G (I), D/F# (V/V), Em (vi), A7 (V/V/V), D (V), G (I), A7 (V/V/V), D (V), A7 (V/V/V), D (V), C (IV)

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Imagine” by John Lennon – C (I), CMaj7 (I), F (IV), C (I), E7 (III7), F (IV)
2. “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles – G (I), D/F# (V6), Em (vi)
3. “Let It Be” by The Beatles – C (I), G (V), Am (vi), F (IV), C (I), G (V), F (IV)

These songs don’t have the exact same chord progression but the presence of secondary dominant chords and vi chords in major keys makes them similar in style to Somebody to Love by Queen.

Musical Analysis

The chord progression for “Somebody To Love” is relatively simple, but effective. Freddie Mercury uses both diatonic and secondary dominant chords throughout the verse, adding variation and sparking interest while providing a strong, recognizable harmonic structure. The D/F# is a first inversion of a D chord, showing further sophistication in Mercury’s composition abilities.

Overall Analysis

“Someone to Love” by Queen is a rock song infused with gospel and blues influences. It’s written in the key of Ab major but the second verse you have provided seems to be in G major.

Style Analysis

Freddie Mercury often drew from his classical piano training to create complex harmonies and chord progressions, and “Somebody to Love” is no exception. With its use of secondary dominants, the piece particularly shares a similarity with much of classical and jazz music. The piece also rides a line between tension and release, setting up expectations with its diatonic chords and then subverting them using non-diatonic chords, reminiscent of the blues.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of Somebody To Love by Queen are:

[‘G’, ‘D/F#’, ‘Em’, ‘G’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D/F#’, ‘Em’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘C’]