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Topic: A Kind Of Magic - Queen - analysis

A                      B7
One dream one soul one prize one goal
    Dmaj7                        A
One golden glance of what should be

(Its a kind of magic)
A                       B7
One shaft of light that shows the way
   Dmaj7                   A
No mortal man can win this day

(Its a kind of magic)
    A                 B7
The bell that rings inside your mind
   Dmaj7                    A
Is challenging the doors of time

(Its a kind of magic)

F#min7            D
The waiting seems eternity
F#min7               E
The day will dawn of sanity

D                 A
Is this a kind of magic

(Its a kind of magic)
D                 A
There can be only one
     E         G                D
This rage that lasts a thousand years
             E
Will soon be done

     A                  B7
This flame that burns inside of me
Dmaj7             A
Im here in secret harmonies

(Its a kind of magic)

    A                 B7
The bell that rings inside your mind
   Dmaj7           A             D
Is challenging the doors of time

D             A
Its a kind of magic
D             A
Its a kind of magic

A    D    A

    E         G       D
The rage that lasts a thousand years
E11           
Will soon be will soon be
             E
Will soon be done

D                 A
This is a kind of magic
D                 A
There can be only one
     E         G       D
This rage that lasts a thousand years
             E11    E7 D
Will soon be done - done

N.c.    A              D
Magic - it's a kind of magic
A             D
Its a kind of magic
A                 D
Magic magic magic magic
A             D
Ha ha ha it's magic
A             D
Its a kind of magic

The song ends on A

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Re: A Kind Of Magic - Queen - analysis

I'm not sure that the chords are completely accurate but they are pretty much there.

So the first chord is A but the next is B7 which is not in the key of A but in the key of E. Dmaj7 fits with it being in the key of A but not in the key of E.

So how to begin analysing this one?

I assume that the B7 is a secondary dominant?

3 (edited by Instructor 27-12-10 19:18:54)

Re: A Kind Of Magic - Queen - analysis

Maybe not...  The song may start on A, but is the A an IV in E.  If so, that leaves the odd man out as a G.  Why?

Where does the song feel resolved, is the first question?

Instructor

http://rnbacademy.com

Online Guitar Academy

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Re: A Kind Of Magic - Queen - analysis

Instructor wrote:

Maybe not...  The song may start on A, but is the A an IV in E.  If so, that leaves the odd man out as a G.  Why?

I had considered it as E but to my ear no, it does not resolve to E. Also, Dmaj7 is not in E though thinking as writing am I right in the fact it could be bVII?

Re: A Kind Of Magic - Queen - analysis

It very well could be.  Thats why the first clue is where does the song feel resolved?  It clearly is changing keys at some point, but when you have the first one, you can then discover where it is changing and why.

Instructor

http://rnbacademy.com

Online Guitar Academy

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Re: A Kind Of Magic - Queen - analysis

hmmm. I am going to ponder on this more. I think the overall song does resolve to E but certainly not the verse which is stumping me a little!

Re: A Kind Of Magic - Queen - analysis

When I listen to that song it all sounds like bass and drums. Brian only seems to be in at the start and the guitar solo.

Imagine if the words of Imagine ever came true.....

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Re: A Kind Of Magic - Queen - analysis

Thanks for sharing this,I will try it my self.

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