"Not only the chords are crazy, but the way it is harmonized: the individual harmony-lines have a rather different shape. Harmonies often fail to impress me complexity-wise, but this one took my breath away" - Denes, Queen Scholar (January 31st 2004, Queen Song-Analysis Forum)
Crazy Little Thing Called Love The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke
Fender Telecaster Electric Guitar
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Seven No's, Seven Perspectives
This short segment is probably the craziest harmony found in the entire Queen catalog. It involves eleven off of the twelve pitches found in Western music (i.e. all except 'C'), a first-species counterpoint and a unique chord progression. Unfortunately, very little has been documented about this marvelous bit, and Freddie was hardly-ever asked about it. After "Magnifico", the key had been established as Bb, further strengthened by the bVII > IV > V progression. Past the piano motif and a chromatic bit ("easy come easy go will you let me go"), a mini-section with antiphonal harmonies starts: - There's "Bismilah", done by Freddie in parallel octaves. - "No", appearing only once, done as a six-part harmony (triad and octaves). - "We will not let you go", three-part harmony. - "Let me go...", done as a four-part. DTS mixes gives us a clear image of who-sang-what there: Roger is on top (and holds the note a little longer), the second part is Roger again, then there's Freddie, and Brian sings the bottom part. - "Will not let you go" is a multi-tracked three-part choir. - "Let me go" (without the sustained note) is in octaves: Roger (high) and Freddie (low). Better to hear in the surround version. - "Never never never never let me go": Done by Freddie (single-tracked). Its down-up formula foreshadows what he will do in the seven "no". - "Let me go..." is a vocal build-up similar to "Magnifico", but over a different chord, both physically and functionally: Gb7/Db (bVI of Bb, V of Bm, which could be the next key).
The original version is scored for counter-tenor, tenor and bass. Roger, Brian and Freddie (all tenors but with broad range) took care of one part each. Roger's bit is escalating (foreshadowing Mustapha in a way), adding 1, 2, 2, 5, 1 and 2 semitones respectively; Brian's is mostly a step-scale (usual in some forms of jazz): 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 2; Freddie's part (doubled by bass and left-hand piano) is the only oscillating one: -2, +5, -1, +5, -8, +5. There are only three chromatic leaps, which is very few for what Freddie's used to do in these arrangements (e.g. the one in We Are the Champions is chiefly chromatic, although that one has reversed lyrics - "on" instead of "no"). Chords implied are, in order of appearance: - Bm: Tight triadic harmony. - A5-7: It can be major or minor, since there's no third done by vocals (or bass or piano for that matter). In any case, it works as either "v" or "V" for the next chord. - D: Again, tight triadic harmony. - Db5-7 (or C#5-7...): Again, it's not defined if the chord's major or minor. It's, in any case, "v" or "V" for the next chord. - Gb7 (or F#7): The chain of chords with minor seventh is reminiscent of the song intro, and some other arrangements Freddie did (e.g. Leroy Brown). Fifth degree is omitted, yet the vocal trio makes the listener assume it due to psychoacoustic reasons. - Bbm: "v" of the new tonic, Eb, which will last (more or less) almost until the end of the song. - Eb: Again, the fifth degree is missing, but the chord's assumed to be Eb because piano, bass-guitar and bass-voice make it sound like harmony's finally been resolved.
As you can clearly see in the pic, Roger's and Brian's parts are mostly parallel with occasional divergences. But they're both constantly ascending. Freddie's bit, on the other hand, goes down, then up, then down, then up, then down, then up (and every time it goes up by a perfect fourth). Judging by the patterns formed, had there been a next "no", it'd have been F/C, then G5/F, then some kind of Adim/G, then F5/C, then Ebmaj7 and finally what appears to be F#halfdim. From that point onward, they wouldn't have been able to reach the notes. Of course it's mere speculation, but in case you're wondering:
A way to read the harmony of this section is as a modulation from A to Eb. That way the chords would be like this, functionally:
Reasons to support this theory: - 'A' had been the tonic for a short while (from the beginning of the operatic section until "Galileo") - A to Eb is the reverse of the Eb > A modulation at the end of the solo, thus giving continuity to the song - All chords, except the last two, make perfect sense in that key (even I-7, which can be found at the beginning of Bo Rhap too, as well as in other songs like Lover Boy and Rendezvous).
Another choice is to read the harmony as a chromatic modulation from D to Eb:
Reasons to support this theory: - Continuity: A chromatic modulation from D to Eb would make sense considering the tonal center had recently switched from A to Bb (at "Galileo Figaro") - A 'vi' beginning would reflect the outset of the song itself (the first chord is usually interpreted as Gm in the key of Bb) - The I > VII > III chord-change would foreshadow the I > VII > iii found in the fanfare (Eb > D > Gm)
Finally, a third one for the moment (although there's no right or wrong in these situations) would be to consider this a parallel modulation from Bm to B (or Eb Phrygian):
Reasons to support this theory: - The preceding chord (F#7/C#) strongly works as 'V' of Bm. - Bm is the first chord in the phrase - Eb Phrygian (or Phrygian Dominant) would be a connection with Freddie's "Galileo", with other songs of his (e.g. Black Queen, Flick of the Wrist) and with Mozart's 'Don Giovanni' Note: Of course there are many other ways you can interpret this harmony: for instance, as a modal switch from Phrygian to Ionian in the key of B, or as a I > III modulation (G to B, especially if you consider the A5-7 chord to be minor instead of major), or whatever. These are just some examples, try making your own interpretation and arguments for it, it's a nice way to study musical theory!
Yet another option is to read this part as a bi-tonality between the high bit and the other two. For the first four "no" words, Roger would be singing in Bm (or D, or Gb Phrygian, or A Mixolydian...), the other two in A (or C# Phrygian, or B Dorian, etc), and for the other three "no"'s, Roger would be in Am (or C, or G Mixolydian, etc) while Brian and Freddie would be in Cb (or B, or Eb Phrygian, or C# Dorian...). In any case, note that Roger's pitch-set would diminish two degrees, while the others' would raise two. Music is math anyway...
A possible inspiration for that section is this bit in Mozart's 'Don Giovanni' (Second Act), which has simpler harmony (Eb > Bb > Eb > D) but a much more advanced counterpoint (of course, Freddie was a genius, but only an idiot would think he's at the same level as Mozart). In that part, the key's well-established: D Phrygian Dominant, a harmonic-minor mode. Intervals are -2, -2, -1 for the top voice (roots of a flamenco cadence, which is used in lots of other genres), +3, -7, +2 for the middle and -5, +2, +6 for the low voice. Freddie's "no" score is quite different, but he may have been (even if subconsciously) influenced by this one. A linear graphic of Mozart's "no" would be like this:
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