KILLER QUEEN- QUEEN
CONTEXT:
Rock group formed in London in 1970 consisting of: - Freddie Mercury singer
and pianist
- Brian May – guitarist
- Roger Taylor – drums
- John Deacon – bassist
From their 3rd studio album ‘sheer heart attack.’
Freddie mercury wrote the lyrics
Song is about an upper class prostitute
VERSE 1 (b2-14):
Finger clicks
Anacrusis
In 12/8
Ambiguous tonality( sounds like starts in C minor) most of song in E flat major.
Could reflect feeling of no clear roots.
Jangle and piano short detached chord accompaniment
4 bar long phrases
anacrusis
5 bar long phrase
Harmonic rhytm – 2 chords per bar
Meter change to 6/8
Multi tracked backing vocals harmonised lead vocals.
Bass and drum enter
Descending chromatic sequence panned to the left. Vibrato
Harmonic sequence V-I (x3) (starts on caviar)
Falsetto range
3 bar long phrase
1 bar long chord sequence moves up by 3rd
CHORUS (b14-22)
B flat major
Anacrusis
Portamento
Vocals produces parallel harmony
D minor ( dynamite)
C major (blow your mind)
Flanger effect (laser beam) bvox vocables (ba,ba)
5 bar long phrase
rising 4th (rēcommended āt )(šatiable āppetite)
falling 5th ( at in)
melody transposed from VI and repeated as sequence
3 bar long phrase
INSTRUMENTAL (b23-26)
piano vamp (accomp)
syncopation in piano part
slide in guitars
guitars play in 3rds
CONTEXT:
Rock group formed in London in 1970 consisting of: - Freddie Mercury singer
and pianist
- Brian May – guitarist
- Roger Taylor – drums
- John Deacon – bassist
From their 3rd studio album ‘sheer heart attack.’
Freddie mercury wrote the lyrics
Song is about an upper class prostitute
VERSE 1 (b2-14):
Finger clicks
Anacrusis
In 12/8
Ambiguous tonality( sounds like starts in C minor) most of song in E flat major.
Could reflect feeling of no clear roots.
Jangle and piano short detached chord accompaniment
4 bar long phrases
anacrusis
5 bar long phrase
Harmonic rhytm – 2 chords per bar
Meter change to 6/8
Multi tracked backing vocals harmonised lead vocals.
Bass and drum enter
Descending chromatic sequence panned to the left. Vibrato
Harmonic sequence V-I (x3) (starts on caviar)
Falsetto range
3 bar long phrase
1 bar long chord sequence moves up by 3rd
CHORUS (b14-22)
B flat major
Anacrusis
Portamento
Vocals produces parallel harmony
D minor ( dynamite)
C major (blow your mind)
Flanger effect (laser beam) bvox vocables (ba,ba)
5 bar long phrase
rising 4th (rēcommended āt )(šatiable āppetite)
falling 5th ( at in)
melody transposed from VI and repeated as sequence
3 bar long phrase
INSTRUMENTAL (b23-26)
piano vamp (accomp)
syncopation in piano part
slide in guitars
guitars play in 3rds