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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Bohemian Rhapsody”, composed by Queen, is a powerful anthem that merges elements of rock, opera, and progressive music. The chord progression demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of voice leading and functional harmony, contributing to its distinctive sound. Famous for its key changes and thematic progressions, the composition is often cited as an example of Freddie Mercury’s musical genius.

“Love of My Life” by Queen exhibits a very romantic and classical style, resonant of popular ballads primarily from the classical and romantic periods. The song beautifully plays with complex harmonies, frequent key changes and borrowings from parallel keys (modal mixture), which together yield a dramatic and emotional expression. Many of the chords used, including diminished chords, fully diminished seventh, major-minor seventh chords, and usage of secondary dominants are reminiscent of 19th-century Romantic music.

The piece “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars showcases a common pop ballad structure that follows a typical 4-chord progression with common tone substitution as well as some chords borrowed from the relative minor. Its simplicity is one of its strengths as it allows the focus to fall on Bruno’s vocals and the lyrics, which matches the direct, emotional content of the song effectively.

The verse 2 chord progression of Radiohead’s “Everything In Its Right Place” demonstrates a combination of diatonic and non-diatonic chords with tonal ambiguity, frequent use of borrowed chords from parallel modes, and modulation. The progression has a cyclic, hypnotic quality with occasional surprises due to large leaps in pitch and unexpected, non-diatonic chords.

The verse 2 chord progression from Muse’s “New Born” reflects their signature harmonic daring and interesting relationships, which provides this piece with a fresh and captivating sound. The progression features a blend of diatonic and non-diatonic chords, as well as key shifts and chromaticism. It utilizes major-minor modal interchange and emphasizes the Em – B relationship throughout.

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’]