Music Theory Alchemy

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Related Music Theory Alchemy

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The overall use of chords highlights Queen’s blending of rock with more complex harmonic structures, moving beyond simple major & minor chords and incorporating 7th and inversions. Despite its pop/rock surface, “Somebody to Love” includes interesting modulation and chord choices that could be seen as more typical of more ‘classical’ forms of music.

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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.

The outro of “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin features a simple alternating chord progression between G major and A major, which creates tension by avoiding a resolution to the tonic or dominant chords. This makes the progression sound unstable, yet well defined as it repeats. The recurring ascending motion creates a sense of lift throughout the outro, while the lack of a true resolution maintains a feeling of unease. This progression is notable for its simplicity, as well as how it invokes a modal sound that is characteristic of the mixolydian mode often used in rock music.

“1979” by The Smashing Pumpkins is written in the A major key and showcases various examples of modal interchange, also known as borrowed chords. The song switches often between the major and minor modes, providing a dynamic interplay of moods. The outro particularly stands out due to its use of both major and maj7th chords, a somewhat unusual combination. Emaj7 adds color and complexity to the progression, as a borrowed chord from the E major scale.

The outro of ‘Hey Jude’ by The Beatles is a prime example of a repeated chord progression, specifically a repeated loop of D-C-G-D. This progression is repeated throughout the last significant section of the song, often referred to as the “na na na” section, essentially becoming a kind of mantra or chant that brings the song to a sustained and palpable resolution.

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#’]