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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Someone to Love” by Queen is a rock song infused with gospel and blues influences. It’s written in the key of Ab major but the second verse you have provided seems to be in G major.

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.

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.

The chord progression in the outro of “Earfquake” by Tyler, The Creator is relatively simple and repetitive, featuring a constant alternation between Bbmaj7 and Am7 chords. This back-and-forth between the two chords creates a sense of tension and release that contributes to the dreamy and emotional atmosphere characteristic of the song.

“Rocket Man” by Elton John is primarily in the key of Bb minor (the verses and chorus), but its outro transposes to the key of C Major, which gives a sensation of resolution. The chord progression in the Outro is a simple two-chord progression (I – V), which is extremely common in all styles of music and impacts the listener with its familiarity and stability.

Queen – Somebody To Love – Outro

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Chord Progression

[‘G’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘D/F#’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘D7’, ‘G’, ‘D/F#’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D/F#’]

Chord Progression Analysis

In the key of G major, the progression is as follows:

`G Major (I)`
`G Major (I)`
`G Major (I)`
`D Major/F# (V6)`
`E minor (vi)`
`C Major (IV)`
`D7 (V7)`
`G Major (I)`
`D Major/F# (V6)`
`E minor (vi)`
`C Major (IV)`
`D Major (V)`
`G Major (I)`
`D Major/F# (V6)`

Similar Chord Progressions

The chord progression in “Let It Be” by The Beatles is a popular one that shares similarities with “Somebody To Love.” The progression in the verse of “Let It Be” follows:

`C Major (I)`
`G Major (V)`
`A minor (vi)`
`F Major (IV)`

It’s the I-V-vi-IV progression, which is often used in pop music over the decades. Though this progression is simpler, the use of vi-IV in “Let It Be” shares some similarity with “Somebody to Love” in its use of vi and IV chords to add tension and melancholy.

Musical Analysis

The D/F# chord is a first inversion of the D major, adding tension while still maintaining the tonal center of the progression. The E minor chord is the relative minor in G major, adding a touch of melancholy. The D7 chord here prepares the ear for the resolution back to the tonic G major.

Overall Analysis

“Someone to Love” by Queen exhibits a blend of rock and gospel music, showcasing their musical brilliance and theatrical elements. The chord progression forms a classic example of a departure from the typical I-IV-V root progression seen in much of popular western music, demonstrating Queen’s ingenious writing style.

Style Analysis

Queen often uses modulation, chromaticism, and borrowed chords to heighten the theatricality and emotional intensity of their music. This song in particular portrays a sense of yearning and pleading through its gospel-influenced progression, making use of a regularly shifting tonal center and keeping the attention of the listener.

Chords in the Outro section of Somebody To Love by Queen are:

[‘G’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘D/F#’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘D7’, ‘G’, ‘D/F#’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D/F#’]