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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Dont Stop Me Now” by Queen has a key of F major. The song takes you on a journey of a unique blend of chords and progression. Freddie Mercury and the entire band are known for their diverse songwriting abilities, apparent in ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’. The chord progression in Verse 2 hints a story-telling stalwart of pop music production – the major-to-relative-minor movement (I to vi), with some interesting additions of minor seven, major seven and diminished seventh chords, giving it a more sophisticated feel.

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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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“Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys is highly complex and represents an exceptional use of harmonic structuring. The richness of the piece lies in Brian Wilson’s innovative and unpredictable songwriting, who was making significant use of modulation at the time, constantly shifting keys, in this case especially during the transition bridge.

The bridge of George Benson’s “Give Me The Night” features a blend of jazz, R&B, and pop elements. The harmonic progression showcases a series of descending chords, interspersed with borrowed chords that provide an interesting twist to the overall tonality of the piece.

Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” is a unique blend of industrial rock, electronica, and alternative styles that has propelled the song to prominence as one of the band’s most famous and frequently played tracks. The song is in the key of E major and features a recurring chord progression throughout its various sections.

Queen – Dont Stop Me Now – Bridge

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Chord Progression

[‘F’, ‘F7’, ‘Bb’, ‘Gm7’, ‘D7’, ‘Gm’, ‘D7’, ‘Gm’, ‘Gm7’, ‘F/A’, ‘Bb’, ‘Bdim’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

“`
F (‘I’)
F7 (‘V7/IV’)
Bb (‘IV’)
Gm7 (‘ii7’)
D7 (‘V7/V’)
Gm (‘ii’)
D7 (‘V7/V’)
Gm (‘ii’)
Gm7 (‘ii7’)
F/A (‘I6’)
Bb (‘IV’)
Bdim (‘vii°/V’)
C (‘V’)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

You’ll find similar chord structures in Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind”. The usage of I-ii-V progressions, secondary dominants, and borrowed chords to create a jazzy and rich texture align with the mood of Queen’s bridge in “Don’t Stop Me Now”.
“`
Cmaj7 (‘I’)
Bm7 (‘ii7’)
E7 (‘V7/VI’)
Am (‘VI’)
D7 (‘V7/V’)
Gm7 (‘ii’)
C7 (‘V7/IV’)
Fmaj7 (‘IV’)
Am/E (‘VI6’)
Dm7 (‘ii7’)
G7 (‘V7’)
Cmaj7 (‘I’)
“`

Musical Analysis

Queen creates a jazzy, upbeat atmosphere by incorporating harmony that’s common in jazz and popular music, such as II-V-I progressions (D7-Gm-C) and the use of dominant sevenths (F7, D7) and minor sevenths (Gm7). The use of borrowed chords, specifically the secondary dominants (like the V7/IV=F7, and the V7/V=D7), adds a tension and resolution that helps to propel the progression forward. Furthermore, the Bdim, a diminished vii from the key of G minor (V of C), is used as a leading tone into C, creating a smooth modulation.

Overall Analysis

This particular section is mostly based in the key of F major and highlights Freddie Mercury’s love for moving from the classical I-ii-V progression to the jazz-inspired I-IV-ii-V, often followed by a jazzy II-V-I. In this part of the song, you will find some interesting use of borrowed chords and leading tones, contributing to the chromaticism that enriches the progression.

Style Analysis

This progression showcases the typical Queen sound: a blending of rock, pop, and classical styles with a touch of jazz thrown in, often revolving around major keys with an occasional surprise from borrowed chords. This creates a catchy and memorable hook, characteristic of Queen’s style.

Chords in the Bridge section of Dont Stop Me Now by Queen are:

[‘F’, ‘F7’, ‘Bb’, ‘Gm7’, ‘D7’, ‘Gm’, ‘D7’, ‘Gm’, ‘Gm7’, ‘F/A’, ‘Bb’, ‘Bdim’, ‘C’]