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Related Music Theory Alchemy

The key of the song “Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy” by Queen is primarily in C Major. The song employs both diatonic chords (chords that naturally occur within the major scale key) and borrowed chords (chords from a parallel mode). There is a bit of modal mixture where the song borrows from an outside key, specifically the minor key, which is often used in pop music to add color and tension. You can see this in the use of some of the chords here like Fm and Eb7. The piece also utilizes secondary dominant chords and diminished chords. In the bridge, there is modulation to different keys, namely to Fm, which is a parallel minor of F, includes Eb7 (secondary dominant) and Ab (borrowed chord), and goes through sequence of V-I pattern (G7-C).

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“Somebody To Love” by Queen is a classic rock ballad in the key of G major, drawing heavily from influences of gospel music and blues progressions. Its bridge, aside from the characteristic gospel and rock elements, includes a modulating progression that is particularly interesting due to its use of borrowed chords, which adds contrast and emphasizes the emotive quality of the song.

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“Today” by The Smashing Pumpkins is composed in the key of E minor. The song has quite a simple structure and harmony with a strong emphasis on the I-IV-V (D-G-A in E minor key) chord progression which is one of the most common patterns in popular music. This I-IV-V progression vests the song with its harmonic backbone and creates a strong, wide-open sonic canvas.

The chord progression of the chorus of California Kids by Weezer displays a mixture of diatonic and borrowed chords in the key of F Major. The progression has a common pop-rock feel with some chromatic harmonic elements, bringing a more interesting and engaging effect to the listener.

“Here Comes The Sun” is written by George Harrison from The Beatles and it is a key example of the band’s flirtation with what is commonly referred to as Mixolydian mode. The piece showcases their skillful blending of folk idioms with contemporary pop sensibilities.

Queen – Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy – Chorus 3

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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’, ‘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’]