Search

Related Music Theory Alchemy

“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.

The song, “Somebody to Love” by Queen, utilizes the classic pop/rock harmonic structure while incorporating aspects of blues and gospel music. The harmonic progression is structured around common chords found in the key of G major. However, the way these chords are ordered and arranged is unconventional and adds depth to the song. It reflects the band’s interest in pushing the boundaries of the traditional harmonic structure common in pop music of that time. Queen is known for their innovative use of harmony, which they certainly showcase in this song.

Killer Queen’ is one of Queen’s signature songs, abounding with Freddie Mercury’s flamboyant melodic invention, clever harmonies, and theatrical presentation. Its chorus in particular uses an array of chords to create a sophisticated and fluid progression. Before embarking on a note-by-note analysis, we can note that it principally operates in the key of G Major and involves a number of borrowed and secondary chords that bring intrigue and depth to the progression.

“Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin is a classic rock song with a strong blues influence. It features a heavy riff-based progression and a powerful vocal performance by Robert Plant. The song is in the key of E Mixolydian, a mode based on the fifth degree of the A Major scale, and exhibits a heavy use of syncopation, pentatonic scales, and chromaticism throughout its structure. The rich harmonic language and distorted guitar tone makes the song an excellent example of the emerging Hard Rock and Heavy Metal styles of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

**

“1979” by The Smashing Pumpkins is a classic alternative rock song that cleverly uses uncommon, sophisticated chords to evoke an emotional, melancholic atmosphere.

**

Queen – Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy – Chorus 3

Add To Favorites Remove From Favorites

Chord Progression

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

Chord Progression Analysis

“`
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- Borrowed from C minor),
G7 (V7),
C (I),
G (V),
C (I)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

While this exact chord progression might not appear in many songs due to its complexity, certain movements such as IV – I, I – vi, and V7 – I are very common in popular music. The use of chromatic mediants, secondary dominants and borrowed chords are also seen in many compositions by The Beatles, particularly in songs like “Penny Lane” and “Strawberry Fields Forever.”
Chord progression for “Penny Lane”:
“`
B (I),
E/F# (V/I),
G#m (iii),
F# (V),
B (I),
F#7/A# (V7/IV),
B/D# (I),
F# (V),
B (I)
“`

Musical Analysis

The progression starts brightly with the tonic C major chord (I), then moves to G7/B (V7/iii), functioning as a secondary dominant to set up the following Am chord (vi). Em is the mediant (iii), followed by a plagal cadence from F (IV) back to C (I). The Fm that appears is a borrowed chord from the C minor key, adding a touch of melancholy into the progression.

Overall Analysis

This chord progression is from the song, “Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy” by Queen, which is known for its complex and intricate progressions. The song is set in the key of C major, and it features a mixture of triadic major and minor chords, dominant sevenths and the common use of borrowed and secondary dominant chords to create tension. This creates a lot of harmonic interest.

Style Analysis

Queen is noted for their unique blend of rock, pop and classical influences, and “Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy” exemplifies this with its mix of tonally stable and less predictable harmonic movements. It uses both diatonic and non-diatonic chords regularly, which is a characteristic trait of Queen’s harmonic language especially in their ballads and slower songs.

Chords in the Chorus 3 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’, ‘G’, ‘C’]