Show Must Go On chords by Queen

Tuning: Standard EBGDAE

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):
|Bm Bsus2 |Bsus4 Bm |G G11# |Em/G
|Em7 Em6 |F#sus4 F# |Em
|

Verse 1 (14 bars):
(A#dim/E) Bm   Bsus2    Bsus4    Bm
  Empty spaces, what are we living for?
     G   G11#    Em/G       G
Abandoned places. I guess we know the score.
Em7    Em6  F#sus4 F#        Em
     A#dim/E
On and on. Does anybody know what we are looking for?
    Bm  Bsus2  Bsus4      Bm
Another hero. Another mindless crime.
      G    G11#  Em/G    G
Behind the curtain. In the pantomime.
Em7   Em6    F#sus4 F#
  G
Hold the line. Does anybody want to take it anymore?

Chorus (8 bars):
(G)       Bm  Bsus2  Bsus4  Bm
The show must go on...
         G  G11#  Em/G  G
The show must go on...
 Em7        Em6
Inside, my heart is breaking.
  F#sus4    F#       Em
Bm     (N.C.)
My makeup may be flaking but my smile still stays on.

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

Chorus (8 bars)

Guitar break (6 bars):
(Bm) (Bsus2) |Bsus4 Bm |G G11#
G |Em7 Em6 |F#sus4 F# |Em
|
Ad lib "Yeah", "Ooh", etc.

Verse 3 (6 bars):
F      G/F       Em       Am   Cmaj7/G
 My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies.
F       G/F      Em7         Am
Fairytales of yesterday will grow but never die.
 C#m7b5 A7/C# Dsus4    D
I can fly,   my friends.

Final Chorus (7 bars):
(D) Bm       Bsus2   Bsus4  Bm
The show must go on. Yeah...
         G  G11#  Em/G  G
The show must go on.
   Em7         Em6 F#sus4      F#
I'll face it with a grin. I'm never giving in.
 Em        A#dim/E
On with the show.

Outro (16 bars):
|Bm Bsus2 |Bsus4 Bm |G G11# |Em/G
|
(G)    Em7        Em6
Ooh, I'll top the bill. I'll overkill.
 F#sus4       F#      Em  Em7
 A#dim/E
I have the find the will to carry on... (with the, on with the)
Em7  Bm  Bsus2...
show.

(fade out)

N.B.: The original track fades out on a Bsus4 but when playing live, I usually resolve
Bsus2 into a Bm.

Suggested chord shapes:

     EADGBE
Bm    224432
Bsus2  224422
Bsus4  224400
G    320003
G11#   320023
Em/G   322000
Em7   022030
Em6   022020
F#sus4  244422
F#    244322
Em    022000
A#dim/E 012020
C#m   446654
C#sus2  446644
C#sus4  446674
A    X02220
A11#   X01220
F#m/A  X04222
F#m7   244252
F#m6   244242
G#sus4  466644
G#    466544
F#m   244222
Cdim/F# 234242
C#dim/F# 212020
Edim   XX2323
F    133211
G/F   120003
Am    X02210
Cmaj7/G 432000
C#m7b5  X42000
A7/C#  X42020
Dsus4  XX0233