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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.

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.

“Beast of Burden,” by The Rolling Stones, a song characterized by a typical rock-pop structure, primarily uses a IV-chord loop in the key of E major. The chord progression in the outro follows a specific sequence: E, to B, to C#m, to A. The return to the E at the end of the progression gives it a circular feel that encourages cohesion.

The chord progression in the outro of Tyler, The Creator’s “See You Again” displays a mix of diatonic and borrowed chords within the key of F# major. This progression creates a smooth and somewhat jazzy feel in the music, with the inclusion of a few unexpected chords that add tension and propel the music forward.

“Dazed and Confused” by Led Zeppelin is an iconic rock song that features a descending bass line and bluesy chord progressions. The outro takes on a more aggressive tone and the chords are power chords, which give the song a heavy sound. These power chords, mixed with the syncopated rhythm and the blues-rock influences, contribute to the song’s unique character.

Queen – Dont Stop Me Now – Outro

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Chord Progression

[‘F’, ‘F7’, ‘Bb’, ‘Gm7’]

Chord Progression Analysis

– F Major (I)
– F Dominant 7 (V7)
– Bb Major (IV)
– G Minor 7 (vi7)

Similar Chord Progressions

The Beach Boys’ ‘God Only Knows’ certain sections of the song follow a similar progression:

– A Major (I)
– A Dominant 7 (V7)
– D Major (IV)
– F# Minor 7 (vi7)

Radiohead’s ‘Paranoid Android’ also uses a similar progression:

– G Major (I)
– G Dominant 7 (V7)
– C Major (IV)
– E Minor 7 (vi7)

Musical Analysis

The chord progression for the outro combines a traditional I-V7-IV sequence – a common progression in many popular music genres, particularly rock. The usage of Gm7 brings a slight melodic melancholy to the end of the sequence. The movement from F7 to Bb works as a perfect 4th interval progression, resulting in the feeling of resolution; this is a key characteristic of blues and jazz progressions.

Overall Analysis

Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ contains a rich mixture of chord progressions, which is typical of the band’s complex songwriting. The outro of the song makes use of the F, F7, Bb, and Gm7 chords. This progression is in the key of F Major, with F being the tonic (I), F7 being the dominant 7th (V7), Bb being the subdominant (IV) and Gm7 being the submediant 7th (vi7). The Bb chord is a borrowed chord from the parallel minor key (F Minor) and the usage of F7 serves to add a level of tension before resolving to the Bb.

Style Analysis

This progression is indicative of Queen’s songwriting style, showcasing their traditional rock roots infused with elements of jazz and blues. This is evident in the F7 resolution to Bb, a common blues/jazz technique. Meanwhile, the usage of Gm7 is indicative of Brian May’s fondness for complex harmonies and unconventional chord choices.

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

[‘F’, ‘F7’, ‘Bb’, ‘Gm7’]