Somebody to Love Piano Tutorial

My 100th YouTube video is now online. It is a video on How to Play Somebody to Love on Piano. The Somebody to Love Piano Tutorial took a bit of work to get done – a busy few weeks and getting time to record was difficult, but I’m glad it is done as it is a song that I love to play and which is also one which I am sure many people will want to learn. I have many more Queen songs already covered and these are on this site under the ‘How to Play Queen‘ songs section.

Keys to Learning Somebody to Love

If you plan on learning Somebody to Love then you have to remember a few things.

1. The song is written in 6/8 time, so the beat is at the start on the ONE … thus; ONE 2 3 4 5 6   ONE 2 3 4 5 6  etc
2. The song is in Ab – this can be a tricky key to play in so you may need to practice your Db, Eb, Fm, Fm7, Bb7, Ab, Gb chords in order to play this song smoothly
3. Your timing will be important when playing this live, you are very much at the whim of the person on vocals for the intro and after the acappella section (unless of course, you are using a click track)
4. Take a look at the album version and also the live version and see which version you prefer – always good to challenge the norm
5. Learn the chords by heart – it’s a tricky song so if you know the chords in your head you can enjoy the song better when playing it on piano.
   The chords are displayed on the video – check out the section of the video where the cover version is played.

Watch the Somebody to Love Piano Tutorial

If you want to watch the video you can visit the Shane’s Queen Site YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa8a_5Hhzqg or you can scroll to the end of this page where the video is embedded.

About Somebody to Love

“Somebody to Love” is a popular song by Queen, released in 1976. It was written by lead vocalist Freddie Mercury, and the song conveys a universal longing for companionship and love. It begins with a soulful piano intro, leading into a powerful vocal performance by Mercury.

The lyrics express a deep yearning for someone to share life’s joys and sorrows with, someone to understand and support the singer. The song’s gospel-inspired harmonies and dynamic instrumentation add to its emotional impact, creating a sense of longing and desperation. The iconic chorus captures the essence of the song, with Mercury’s impassioned vocals pleading for the key lyric “Somebody to Love”.

Somebody to Love is a testament to Queen’s ability to blend rock with elements of gospel and soul, showcasing their versatility as a band. Freddie really liked Aretha Franklyn and I believe the song is both a tribute to her and also Freddie’s wish to create something along the gospel lines/style. The song’s universal theme and heartfelt delivery continue to resonate with listeners, making it an enduring anthem for those in search of love and connection.

Freddie actually said that he thought it was a better-written song than Bohemian Rhapsody.

Somebody to Love Piano Tutorial Video on YouTube