Queen: Killer Queen

Context

Pop song

draws on several of Queen's trademark musical signatures

Released 1974

Mercury wrote the lyrics before the music

Vaudeville-inspired music

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Queens sound

adventurous structures

use of unusual keys (for rock music)

complex, multi-tracked guitar and vocal parts

music technology: an important role

Structure

Introduction

Verse 2

Chorus 1

Instrumental

Chorus 2

Guitar solo part 1

Guitar solo part 2

Verse 3

Chorus 3

Outro

Verse 1

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Melody

Does not have a vocal line as memorable as their other songs, but it is still quite catchy.

Almost entirely syllabic throughout the song

Verse

First phrase starts lower in pitch, rising over 4 bars

Second phrase moves in the same direction, falling bass-line with little decorations such as in bar 8 on 'Kennedy' and 'anytime'

3rd is a development, with the melodic line falling through the bar.

Chorus

Harder to isolate due to vocal harmonies

Bars 20 and 21 use the same idea as 3rd phrase based on rhythmic modify

Guitar solo

develops the falling melodic phrase from 3rd phrase

Bar 55 the top part introduces the same as the 2nd phrase, but soon introduces new melodic material