Search

Related Music Theory Alchemy

This chord progression from Radiohead’s “You And Whose Army” is in the key of C# minor, and the chords are predominantly composed of diatonic chords from the C# natural minor scale with some borrowed chords from the parallel major scale. The progression follows a looped pattern, creating a hypnotic and catchy quality which is characteristic of Radiohead’s music.

“Exit Music (For a Film)” by Radiohead is a song characterized by a strong sense of melancholy and dark ambiance. The harmonic movement creates tension through the use of chromaticism, borrowed chords, and non-diatonic notes. In the verse progression, there is a mixture of minor and major chords, along with added tones that enhance the complexity and mood of the music.

Paranoid Android is a progressive rock song by Radiohead from their album “OK Computer.” The song features various time signature changes, complex harmonic structures, and a blend of distorted guitar tones and strings. The given chords belong to the first verse of the song. The overall tonality of the song is predominantly centered around the C minor key. However, there are some instances of borrowed chords and chromaticism in the chord progression, which adds tension and an unstable quality to the music.

The chord progression from Muse’s “Hate This And I’ll Love You” displays a mix of diatonic and borrowed chords from the parallel minor. The progression is in the key of A major and shows an unconventional use of chords that gives the song its unique sound. It also showcases certain characteristics of Muse’s music style that includes complex chord progressions and frequent changes between major and minor harmonies.

Chord Progression Analysis and Roman Numerals:

A ('I'), Gm ('bVII'), D/F# ('IV/V'), A ('I'),
Gm ('bVII'), D ('IV'), A ('I'), Gm ('bVII'),
D/F# ('IV/V'), A ('I'), Gm ('bVII'), D/F# ('IV/V')

The borrowed chord in this progression is Gm, taken from the parallel minor, A minor:
`Gm (‘bVII’)`

**

“You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by The Rolling Stones is built around major tonality and uses direct and simple progressions. It also features what are known as additive chords (Gadd9) – chords to which notes are added beyond the common triad. The song commences in the key of G Major, indicated by the G, Gadd9, and C chords. These chords progress in an almost continual cyclical pattern across the verses. Here, the dominant chord (D) in the key of G Major is absent, which grants a tonal ambiguity to the song. Interestingly, the song takes a departure into a different key later on which will not be included in this analysis as it pertains to the Verse only.

**

Radiohead – You And Whose Army – Verse

Add To Favorites Remove From Favorites

< All Analyses

Chord Progression

D#m, G#, C#m, F#, Bm, E, A, C#m, D#m, G#, C#m, F#, Bm, E, A, C#m, E, A, C#m, D#m, G#, C#m, F#, Bm, E, A, C#m, D#m, G#, C#m, F#, Bm, E, A, C#m, E, A, C#m

Chord Progression Analysis

D#m (bII), G# (V), C#m (i), F# (IV), Bm (v), E (III), A (VI), C#m (i), D#m (bII), G# (V), C#m (i), F# (IV), Bm (v), E (III), A (VI), C#m (i), E (III), A (VI), C#m (i), D#m (bII), G# (V), C#m (i), F# (IV), Bm (v), E (III), A (VI), C#m (i), D#m (bII), G# (V), C#m (i), F# (IV), Bm (v), E (III), A (VI), C#m (i), E (III), A (VI), C#m (i)

Borrowed Chord:

“`
D#m (bII)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Exit Music (For a Film)” by Radiohead
Bm (i), G (VI), Em (iv), C#dim (iio), F# (V), Bm (i), G (VI), Em (iv), C#dim (iio), F# (V), Bm (i)

2. “Something” by The Beatles
C (I), Cmaj7 (IM7), C7 (I7), F (IV), D (V), G (V), Am (vi), Am7/G (vi7/VI), Cmaj7 (IM7), G (V)

Both of these examples, while not identical to “You And Whose Army,” exhibit some elements present in the song, such as unusual chord relationships and borrowed chords.

Musical Analysis

The recurring use of the borrowed chord D#m (bII) creates an element of surprise and tension while still providing a sense of resolution as it progresses to the G# (V) chord. This tension-release relationship is further emphasized by the movement between the F# (IV) and Bm (v) chords. The progression also includes a common chord progression, the VI-III-i progression (A-C#m-E), which adds an emotional and somewhat nostalgic quality to the piece.

Overall Analysis

The chord progression in Radiohead’s “You And Whose Army” showcases the band’s unique style of blending chord progressions from different key centers, as well as their tendency to use borrowed chords. The progression consists largely of diatonic chords from the key of C# minor, but also features a few borrowed chords from D# minor and the parallel major key, C# Major.

Style Analysis

Radiohead is known for their innovative and experimental approach to songwriting, often blending elements from various genres and styles. The chord progression in “You And Whose Army” embodies this approach by using borrowed chords, uncommon chord relationships, and multiple key centers. This technique can be found in various songs throughout their discography, as they consistently push the boundaries of conventional music theory to create a unique and evocative sound.

Chords in the Verse section of You And Whose Army by Radiohead are:

D#m, G#, C#m, F#, Bm, E, A, C#m, D#m, G#, C#m, F#, Bm, E, A, C#m, E, A, C#m, D#m, G#, C#m, F#, Bm, E, A, C#m, D#m, G#, C#m, F#, Bm, E, A, C#m, E, A, C#m