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“Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy” by Queen from the album “A Night at the Opera” is essentially written in the key of C major. The song includes an intricate and quite peculiar chord progression full of chromatic and borrowed chords, highly characteristic of Queen’s eccentric and unique style of songwriting. In particular, Freddie Mercury, the primary songwriter, often incorporated complex harmonic structures from classical music into their rock/pop context.

The complexity and richness of the harmonics is among the aspects that make Queen’s songs stand out and, in this specific track, it contributes to the song’s upbeat yet nostalgic feel.

“Love of My Life” is a stunning ballad written by Freddie Mercury of Queen. The song is written in the key of A major and is primarily played on piano. It features a sophisticated and somewhat unconventional chord progression that serves as the foundation for Mercury’s versatile vocal performance. It’s arguably one of Queen’s more classical-influenced pieces and makes use of borrowed chord techniques frequently, which are commonly associated with the band’s flirtation with different musical styles, including rock, classical, and opera.

The song “1979” by The Smashing Pumpkins has a chord progression that can be considered experimental for Pop and Rock music, which typically tend to use simple and easily predictable progressions. In this song, the progression is notably more complex and unpredictable, shifting between ‘E’ and ‘Emaj7’ gives this track a moody feel, and the Amaj7 gives it another color. This progression is in the key of E major.

The chorus of “Give Me The Night” by George Benson features a smooth chord progression that explores both diatonic and borrowed chords, creating a sophisticated sound that is characteristic of the jazz and R&B styles prevalent in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The progression is comprised of chords that stem from the Fm7 key but also includes a borrowed Dbmaj7 chord.

The progression for the song is tuned to a standard E Standard (E A D G B E) and it is in the key of G.

Queen – Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy – Chorus 1

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Chord Progression

[‘C’, ‘G7/B’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘G7/B’, ‘Am’, ‘E7/G#’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘Dm7’, ‘Fm’, ‘G7’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Here is the analysis of the Chorus 1 progression:

“`
C (‘I’),
G7/B (‘V7/III’),
Am (‘vi’),
Em (‘iii’),
F (‘IV’),
C (‘I’),
G7/B (‘V7/III’),
Am (‘vi’),
E7/G# (‘V7/vi’),
Am (‘vi’),
Em (‘iii’),
Am (‘vi’),
Em (‘iii’),
Dm7 (‘ii7’),
Fm (‘iv in minor mode’),
G7 (‘V7’),
C (‘I’)
“`

The Fm is a borrowed chord from the parallel minor.

Similar Chord Progressions

The Beatles song “Penny Lane” has a similar usage of borrowed chords and secondary dominants. Below is the chord progression of its chorus:

“`
B (‘I’),
F#/A# (‘V/III’),
D#m (‘vi’),
C#m (‘v’),
F# (‘V’),
B (‘I’),
F#/A# (‘V/III’)
D#m (‘vi’),
B/D# (‘I/vi’),
D#m (‘vi’),
C#m (‘v’),
F#7 (‘V7’),
B (‘I’)
“`

The F#7 is a dominant 7th chord guiding back to the tonal center, similar to the G7 in “Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy”. It also contains borrowed chords and uses secondary dominants in the progression.

Musical Analysis

From a melodic and harmonic perspective, the song uses a combination of simple triadic tonal harmony and complex borrowed and extended chords. The use of these borrowed chords, like F minor, adds dramatic tension and release in key parts of the song. The G7/B functions as a secondary dominant, further pushing the song toward the Am (sixth degree) and adding harmonic interest. The E7/G# also is a secondary dominant leading to the Am, adding another level of tension and release.

Overall Analysis

“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.

Style Analysis

The song is characterized by Queen’s signature theatrical style, borrowing elements from a variety of genres including pop, rock and vaudeville music. It features lush harmonies, flamboyant melodies and dramatic mood shifts. The harmonic sophistication, including the use of borrowed chords and secondary dominants, is a key aspect of the Queen sound. The frequent chord changes and unexpected harmonic leaps are typical of the band’s flair for dramatic and unusual arrangements.

Chords in the Chorus 1 section of Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy by Queen are:

[‘C’, ‘G7/B’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘G7/B’, ‘Am’, ‘E7/G#’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘Dm7’, ‘Fm’, ‘G7’, ‘C’]