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14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?The 100 most repeated chord transitions extracted from thousands of songs. Even the first 10 will transform your guitar practice routine.

Queen - The Show Must Go On Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsBm, G, Em, F#, C#m, A, F#m, G#, F, Am, D
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

  • Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram
  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • Guitar F# | G♭ chord diagram Fingering: 2-4-4-3-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar F# | G♭ chord diagram
  • Guitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram Fingering: x-4-2-1-2-xGuitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram
  • Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
  • Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram Fingering: 2-4-4-2-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram
  • Guitar G# | A♭ chord diagram Fingering: 4-3-1-1-1-x Barre at fret 1.Guitar G# | A♭ chord diagram
  • Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram

[Opening]
Empty [Bm]spaces what are we living for
abandoned [G]places I guess we know the score
[Em]on and on, does [F#]anybody know what we are [Em]looking for?
Another [Bm]hero, another mindless crime
behind the [G]curtain, in the pantomime
[Em]hold the line, does [F#]anybody want to take it [Em]anymore?

[chorus]
The show must go [Bm]on, the show must go [G]on, yeah,
[Em]inside my heart is breaking
my [F#]make up may be flaking
but my [Em]smile still stays on. [Bm]

[verse 2]
Whatever [C#m]happens, I’ll leave it all to chance
another [A]heartache, another failed romance
[F#m]on and on, does [G#]anybody know what we are [F#m]living for?
I guess I’m [C#m]learning, I must be warmer now,
I’ll soon be [A]turning, round the corner now
[F#m]outside the dawn is breaking
but [G#]inside in the dark I’m aching to be [F#m]free. [Em]

[chorus]
The show must go [Bm]on, the show must go [G]on, yeah,
[Em]inside my heart is breaking
my [F#]make up may be flaking
but my [Em]smile still stays on. [Bm]

[verse 3]
My [F]soul is [G]painted like the [Em]wings of [Am]butter[G]flies
[F]fairytales of [G]yesterday will [Em]grow but never [Am]die
[Em]I can fly my [D]friends.

[verse 4]
The show must go [Bm]on, the show must go [G]on, yeah,
I’ll [Em]face it with a grin
I’m [F#]never giving in
on with the [Em]show. [Bm]

[Closing]
[Bm] [G] [Em] [F#] [Em]
I’ll [Em]top the bill, I’ll [F#]overkill,
I [Em]have to find the will to carry [F#]on.
The [Em]show must go on. [Bm]

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SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistQueen
AlbumInnuendo
GenresHard Rock, Rock
Year1991
KeyBm

How to play The Show Must Go On on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Queen - The Show Must Go On on guitar requires 11 chords and 16 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

The Show Must Go On uses these transitions most often: Em → F# (8), F# → Em (8), and G → Em (8). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with Bm - G chord transition.

1. Bm → G chord transition

Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

To move from Bm to G;

  1. While playing Bm, lift your pinky from G string fret 4.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from B string fret 3 to E string fret 3.
  4. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 3.
Bm to G

2. G → Em chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

To move from G to Em;

  1. While playing G, lift your index finger from A string fret 2.
  2. Lift your middle finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
G to Em

3. Em → F# chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar F# | G♭ chord diagram Fingering: 2-4-4-3-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar F# | G♭ chord diagram

To move from Em to F#;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 3.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 4.
  3. Place index finger on E string fret 2.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 4.
Em to F#

4. Em → Bm chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram

To move from Em to Bm;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 3.
  2. Slide your ring finger on D string from fret 2 to fret 4.
  3. Place index finger on E string fret 2.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 4.
Em to Bm

5. Bm → C#m chord transition

To move from Bm to C#m;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from B string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 4 and place it on B string fret 2.
  4. Slide your pinky from G string fret 4 to A string fret 4.

6. C#m → A chord transition

To move from C#m to A;

  1. While playing C#m, lift your pinky from A string fret 4.
  2. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  4. Keep ring finger on B string fret 2.

7. A → F#m chord transition

To move from A to F#m;

  1. While playing A, lift your middle finger from G string fret 2.
  2. Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from B string fret 2 to A string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 4.

8. F#m → G# chord transition

To move from F#m to G#;

  1. While playing F#m, lift your pinky from D string fret 4.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 1.
  3. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 4 to E string fret 4.
  4. Place middle finger on A string fret 3.

9. F#m → C#m chord transition

To move from F#m to C#m;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 1.
  2. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 4 to B string fret 2.
  3. Lift your pinky from D string fret 4 and place it on A string fret 4.
  4. Place middle finger on D string fret 2.

10. F#m → Em chord transition

To move from F#m to Em;

  1. While playing F#m, first lift your index finger and pinky.
  2. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 4 and place it on D string fret 2.
  3. Place middle finger on A string fret 2.

11. Bm → F chord transition

To move from Bm to F;

  1. Slide your index finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from B string fret 3 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 4 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Slide your pinky from G string fret 4 to D string fret 3.

12. F → G chord transition

To move from F to G;

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  4. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

13. Em → Am chord transition

To move from Em to Am;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.

14. Am → G chord transition

To move from Am to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.

15. Em → D chord transition

To move from Em to D;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to B string fret 3.
  3. Place index finger on G string fret 2.

16. D → Bm chord transition

To move from D to Bm;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to B string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 4.

The Show Must Go On chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in The Show Must Go On.

  • The Show Must Go On includes 58 chord transitions, 16 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • The Show Must Go On contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how The Show Must Go On connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Em, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (26%), G (18%), and D (17%).
    • Em → D: 17%
    • Em → Am: 12%
    After Bm, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (25%), A (19%), and Em (13%).
    • Bm → G: 25%
    • Bm → C#m: 1%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.