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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Save Me” by Queen is a rock ballad that uses a complex mix of traditional popular song structures and common rock chord progressions. The song structure is largely verse-chorus, but then there’s a bridge serving as the solo section, and finally ends with repeating choruses. The chord progression for the chorus utilizes a variety of chord inversions, diatonic chords, and non-diatonic or borrowed chords, which are typical of Queen’s music style.

“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.

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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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The song “Yesterday” by The Beatles is in the key of F major and spans chord I to VI. It is characterized by a deeply expressive melody and distinctive harmony. The chord progression seems simple, yet it makes full use of secondary dominants, borrowed chords, and subtly shifting tonal centers for narrative, which is a trademark of The Beatles’s songwriting style.

The song “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles is cheerful and upbeat, with accessible melodies that catch the audience’s attention immediately. The rhythm is contagious and gives a happy atmosphere to the whole song. It is a perfect example of the early influences of rock ‘n’ roll on The Beatles, with a chord progression that is quite common in pop/rock music but showcases The Beatles’ ability to create fresh and unique melodic ideas.

Save Me

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All Analyses by Song

“Save Me” by Queen is a rock ballad that uses a complex mix of traditional popular song structures and common rock chord progressions. The song structure is largely verse-chorus, but then there’s a bridge serving as the solo section, and finally ends with repeating choruses. The chord progression for the chorus utilizes a variety of chord inversions, diatonic chords, and non-diatonic or borrowed chords, which are typical of Queen’s music style.

“Save Me” by Queen is in the key of G Major and it features a number of modulations to closely related keys. It resonates a distinct rock ballad style incorporating unique variations of common chord progressions from rock and pop genres. The progression’s utilization of inverted chords also brings depth and character to the melody.

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