Search

Related Music Theory Alchemy

“As Tears Go By” by The Rolling Stones is a classic rock ballad featuring a simple, yet effective chord progression and harmonic language. The song is in the key of G major, and the chord progression features a mix of diatonic chords from the G major scale, with the non-diatonic A major chord included as a borrowed chord from the parallel minor (G minor) key.

“Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones is based in the key of C major. The verse has a simple and catchy chord progression that primarily revolves around the I and IV chords in the key, with brief excursions to the dominant and a borrowed chord from the parallel minor key. This structure contributes to the song’s bluesy and rock’n’roll sound.

The outro of “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin features a simple alternating chord progression between G major and A major, which creates tension by avoiding a resolution to the tonic or dominant chords. This makes the progression sound unstable, yet well defined as it repeats. The recurring ascending motion creates a sense of lift throughout the outro, while the lack of a true resolution maintains a feeling of unease. This progression is notable for its simplicity, as well as how it invokes a modal sound that is characteristic of the mixolydian mode often used in rock music.

The outro of ‘Hey Jude’ by The Beatles is a prime example of a repeated chord progression, specifically a repeated loop of D-C-G-D. This progression is repeated throughout the last significant section of the song, often referred to as the “na na na” section, essentially becoming a kind of mantra or chant that brings the song to a sustained and palpable resolution.

“When Doves Cry” by Prince features an unorthodox chord progression compared to many pop or rock songs from the era. The chord progression in the Outro as well as throughout the song remains constant, which underscores the plaintive mood of the song and lyrics. The progression: Em – F – G in the Outro contains borrowed chords from the parallel minor. This introduces a sense of ambiguity to the overall tonality.

The Rolling Stones – As Tears Go By – Outro

Add To Favorites Remove From Favorites

< All Analyses

Chord Progression

G, A, C, D, G

Chord Progression Analysis

The central focus of the song’s harmony is primarily on the tonic (G Major), subdominant (C Major), and dominant (D Major) chords. The inclusion of the A Major chord, which is borrowed from the parallel minor key (E minor), adds some unexpected color and interest to the progression, yet it is still smooth and functional due to its resolution back to the IV chord (C Major). The D/F# (V6/4) chord in the verses also provides a smoother bass line and voice leading.

Similar Chord Progressions

Musical Analysis

“As Tears Go By” adheres to a style typical of the 1960s folk-pop ballad, with simple, repetitive harmonic progressions and a verse-based structure. The inclusion of a borrowed chord (A Major) adds an element of subtle tension and unexpectedness, which is a common element in pop music from this era.

Overall Analysis

The Rolling Stones’ “As Tears Go By” is primarily in the key of G major and follows a Verse-Verse-Verse-Outro structure. The harmony is relatively simple, incorporating primarily diatonic chords from the G major scale as well as a few borrowed chords and inversions.

Chord Progression Analysis (Outro):
G Major (I) – A Major (V/vi, borrowed from E minor) – C Major (IV) – D Major (V) – G Major (I)

Style Analysis

1. The Beatles – “I Will” (1968)
Chord Progression: F Major (I) – A Major (V/vi, borrowed from D minor) – Bb Major (IV) – C Major (V) – F Major (I)

2. The Mamas and the Papas – “California Dreamin’” (1965)
Chord Progression: A Minor (i) – G Major (VII) – F Major (VI) – C Major (III) – G Major (VII) – A Minor (i)

3. Bob Dylan – “Girl from the North Country” (1963)
Chord Progression: C Major (I) – D Major (V/V, borrowed from G major) – F Major (IV) – G Major (V) – C Major (I)

In summary, “As Tears Go By” by The Rolling Stones employs a simple, diatonic chord progression with some borrowed chords to add interest. It follows a popular 1960s folk-pop ballad style and shares similarities with other songs from the same era by artists like The Beatles, The Mamas and the Papas, and Bob Dylan.

Chords in the Outro section of As Tears Go By by The Rolling Stones are:

G, A, C, D, G