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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.

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.

“Let It Be” by The Beatles uses some of the most common chords in the key of C Major, which is the tonic of the song. It also contains few instances of chord extensions, inversions, and secondary dominants, which are widely used in pop music composition.

“Eight Days A Week” by The Beatles, released in 1965, is renowned for its catchy melodic phrases, tight harmonies, and distinctive use of chords. The song is firmly rooted in the key of D major, but there is an interesting use of borrowed chords.

Verse 2

The chord progression in Verse 2 of Radiohead’s “All I Need” is a relatively simple and straightforward progression featuring chords from the key of C major. The progression revolves around the I, iii, and V chords (C, Em, and G), providing a tonal base that’s consistent and easy to follow. Radiohead’s use of repetition and minimalism in this progression contributes to an emotional atmosphere and allows listeners to focus on the lyrics and other musical elements.

Queen – Dont Stop Me Now – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

[‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Dm’, ‘Gm’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Dm’, ‘Gm’, ‘F/G’, ‘Gm7’, ‘C’, ‘Dm7/C’, ‘C7’, ‘F’, ‘F7’, ‘Bb’, ‘Gm7’, ‘D7’, ‘Gm’, ‘D7’, ‘Gm’, ‘Gm7’, ‘F/A’, ‘Bb’, ‘Bdim’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

`F (I), Am (vi), Dm (ii), Gm (ii
in key of F, iv in key of D), C (V, secondary dominant), F (I), Am (vi), Dm (ii), Gm (iv in key of D), F/G (I with third in bass/V in key of C), Gm7 (ii7 in key of F), C (V), Dm7/C (ii7/5 of V), C7 (V7), F (I), F7 (I7), Bb (IV), Gm7 (ii7 in IV), D7 (V7 of ii in IV), Gm (ii in IV), D7 (V7 of ii in IV), Gm (ii in IV), Gm7 (ii7 in IV), F/A (I in first inversion), Bb (IV), Bdim (viio), C (V)`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan
`C (I), Dm (ii), Em (iii), F (IV), G (V), Am (vi)`

2.”Let it Be” by The Beatles
`C (I), G (V), Am (vi), F (IV), C (I), G (V), F (IV), C (I)`

These songs also use common pop progressions like I-V-vi-IV (like “Don’t Stop Me Now”) within their verses, albeit in a different key in the case of “Like a Rolling Stone”.

Musical Analysis

The progression starts with a classic I-vi-ii progression in F major. The Gm is a relative minor chord and could be viewed as the iv of D minor. The F/G is a first inversion of an F major triad, resulting in a smoother voice leading into the following Gm7 chord. Dm7/C creates tension for our ear as a secondary dominant (ii7/V), leading into the V7 (C7) chord, and resolving to the tonic (F major).

Overall Analysis

“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.

Style Analysis

Queen was known to experiment with the conventional “pop” music theory and often stepped out of the genre boundaries, blending rock with elements from classical music. “Don’t Stop Me Now” is considered a pop/rock song.

The pop aspect comes from the prominent use of common pop chord progressions like I-V-vi-IV. The rock feature is noticeable in the energetic, driving rhythms, pronounced guitar lines, and Freddie Mercury’s dynamic vocal performance. This mix of simple chords with a few unexpected twists represents Queen’s unique style.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of Dont Stop Me Now by Queen are:

[‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Dm’, ‘Gm’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Dm’, ‘Gm’, ‘F/G’, ‘Gm7’, ‘C’, ‘Dm7/C’, ‘C7’, ‘F’, ‘F7’, ‘Bb’, ‘Gm7’, ‘D7’, ‘Gm’, ‘D7’, ‘Gm’, ‘Gm7’, ‘F/A’, ‘Bb’, ‘Bdim’, ‘C’]