Show Must Go On chords by Queen

Chords with lyrics

Difficulty: Novice

"The Show Must Go On"
By: Queen
Album: Innuendo
Submitted by: henk

Notes:
While this tune is definitely a piece for electric guitars, I usually prefer to play it
an acoustic guitar. There's plenty of opportunity to add frills and I've tried to give
names to the chords I use (which can be found at the bottom of the page. Some of the
are trickier to hit than I usually try for but they do give a fuller sound. Feel free
skip or add bits if you think it'll help.

Intro (7 bars):
|B minorBm Bsus2Bsus2 |Bsus4Bsus4 B minorBm |G+G G11# |Em/GEm/G
|E minor 7Em7 Em6Em6 |F#sus4F#sus4 F#F# |E minorEm
|

Verse 1 (14 bars):
(A#dim/E) B minorBm   Bsus2Bsus2    Bsus4Bsus4    B minorBm
  Empty spaces, what are we living for?
     G+G   G11#    Em/GEm/G       G+G
Abandoned places. I guess we know the score.
E minor 7Em7    Em6Em6  F#sus4F#sus4 F#F#        E minorEm
     A#dim/E
On and on. Does anybody know what we are looking for?
    B minorBm  Bsus2Bsus2  Bsus4Bsus4      B minorBm
Another hero. Another mindless crime.
      G+G    G11#  Em/GEm/G    G+G
Behind the curtain. In the pantomime.
E minor 7Em7   Em6Em6    F#sus4F#sus4 F#F#
  G+G
Hold the line. Does anybody want to take it anymore?

Chorus (8 bars):
(G+G)       B minorBm  Bsus2Bsus2  Bsus4Bsus4  B minorBm
The show must go on...
         G+G  G11#  Em/GEm/G  G+G
The show must go on...
 E minor 7Em7        Em6Em6
Inside, my heart is breaking.
  F#sus4F#sus4    F#F#       E minorEm
B minorBm     (N.C.)
My makeup may be flaking but my smile still stays on.

Verse 2 (16 bars):
     C# minorC#m   C#sus2C#sus2     C#sus4C#sus4    C# minorC#m
Whatever happens, I leave it all to chance.
    A augmentedA     A11#   F#m/A      A augmentedA
Another heartache. Another failed romance.
F#m7F#m7  F#m6F#m6   G#sus4G#sus4 G#G#
     Cdim/F#
On and on. Does anybody know what we are living for?
      C# minorC#m   C#sus2C#sus2   C#sus4C#sus4    C# minorC#m
I guess I'm learning. I must be warmer now.
       A augmentedA   A11#    F#m/A    A augmentedA
I'll soon be turning round the corner now.
  F#m7F#m7       F#m6F#m6
Outside the dawn is breaking,
  G#sus4G#sus4    G#G#       F# minorF#m
 E minorEm
but inside in the dark I'm aching to be free.

Chorus (8 bars)

Guitar break (6 bars):
(B minorBm) (Bsus2Bsus2) |Bsus4Bsus4 B minorBm |G+G G11#
G+G |E minor 7Em7 Em6Em6 |F#sus4F#sus4 F#F# |E minorEm
|
Ad lib "Yeah", "Ooh", etc.

Verse 3 (6 bars):
FF      G/F       E minorEm       A minorAm   Cmaj7/G
 My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies.
FF       G/F      E minor 7Em7         A minorAm
Fairytales of yesterday will grow but never die.
 C#m7b5C#m7b5 A7/C# Dsus4Dsus4    D MajorD
I can fly,   my friends.

Final Chorus (7 bars):
(D MajorD) B minorBm       Bsus2Bsus2   Bsus4Bsus4  B minorBm
The show must go on. Yeah...
         G+G  G11#  Em/GEm/G  G+G
The show must go on.
   E minor 7Em7         Em6Em6 F#sus4F#sus4      F#F#
I'll face it with a grin. I'm never giving in.
 E minorEm        A#dim/E
On with the show.

Outro (16 bars):
|B minorBm Bsus2Bsus2 |Bsus4Bsus4 B minorBm |G+G G11# |Em/GEm/G
|
(G+G)    E minor 7Em7        Em6Em6
Ooh, I'll top the bill. I'll overkill.
 F#sus4F#sus4       F#F#      E minorEm  E minor 7Em7
 A#dim/E
I have the find the will to carry on... (with the, on with the)
E minor 7Em7  B minorBm  Bsus2...
show.

(fade out)

N.B.: The original track fades out on a Bsus4Bsus4 but when playing live, I usually resolve
Bsus2Bsus2 into a Bm.

Suggested chord shapes:

     EADGBE
B minorBm    224432
Bsus2Bsus2  224422
Bsus4Bsus4  224400
G+G    320003
G11#   320023
Em/GEm/G   322000
E minor 7Em7   022030
Em6Em6   022020
F#sus4F#sus4  244422
F#F#    244322
E minorEm    022000
A#dim/E 012020
C# minorC#m   446654
C#sus2C#sus2  446644
C#sus4C#sus4  446674
A augmentedA    X02220
A11#   X01220
F#m/A  X04222
F#m7F#m7   244252
F#m6F#m6   244242
G#sus4G#sus4  466644
G#G#    466544
F# minorF#m   244222
Cdim/F# 234242
C#dim/F# 212020
EdimEdim   XX2323
FF    133211
G/F   120003
A minorAm    X02210
Cmaj7/G 432000
C#m7b5C#m7b5  X42000
A7/C#  X42020
Dsus4Dsus4  XX0233

Other versions of Show Must Go On

Alternative guitar chords and tabs for Show Must Go On by Queen