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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Honky Tonk Women” by The Rolling Stones is a classic rock song heavily influenced by country and blues. The song is characterized by both major and minor chords, primarily G, C, A, and D. The song is in the key of G major from the verse 1 progression you provided, and it has elements of both I-IV-V and I-V-vi-IV.

Verse 1

“Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones is a famous Rock song heavily influenced by the Indian classical form of music called Raga rock. The song is written in E minor and it has a very distinctively descending minor key tonality. The chords progression in the verse sequence doesn’t follow the conventional rules of western tonal harmony as it navigates through various key centers, showcasing the bands exploration of exotic and unconventional songwriting.

The song “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay is in the key of G major and follows a fairly simple chord progression in the pop/rock genre. This progression particularly makes use of the I, IV, V, and vi chords in this key, which is a typical pop progression.

The song “Yesterday” by The Beatles is in the key of F major and spans chord I to VI. It is characterized by a deeply expressive melody and distinctive harmony. The chord progression seems simple, yet it makes full use of secondary dominants, borrowed chords, and subtly shifting tonal centers for narrative, which is a trademark of The Beatles’s songwriting style.

Your Song, like many of Elton John’s pieces, is known for its prominent piano accompaniment and strong melodic hooks. The song is in the key of D Major, which is why the frequent return to the D Major chord provides the sense of home and finality in the piece.

The Rolling Stones – Honky Tonk Women – Chorus

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Chord Progression

[‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’]

Chord Progression Analysis

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The chord progression of the chorus is simple, alternating between the tonic (G) and the dominant (D). Here is the full listing of the chord names and their corresponding roman numerals:

– G Major (‘I’)
– D Major (‘V’)
– G Major (‘I’)
– G Major (‘I’)
– D Major (‘V’)
– G Major (‘I’)
– G Major (‘I’)
– D Major (‘V’)
– G Major (‘I’)
– G Major (‘I’)
– D Major (‘V’)
– G Major (‘I’)

There’s no borrowed chord from a parallel key, so no specific chord in this progression counted as a borrowed chord.

“`code block
None borrowed chord
“`

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Similar Chord Progressions

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Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” and Beatles’ “Let it Be” represent similar usage of I-V chord movement.

Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” in the key of D Major often alternates between D (‘I’) and A (‘V’).

The Beatles’ “Let it Be” uses the I-V movement in its verse, alternating between C (‘I’) and G (‘V’) if we consider it in the key of C Major.

Musical Analysis

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“Honky Tonk Women” features a catchy, simple chord progression, which lends itself well to the bluesy, rock ‘n’ roll style of the Rolling Stones. The regular alternation between the tonic (‘I’) and the dominant (‘V’) creates a relaxed and consistent musical landscape, upon which the melody, lyrics and instrumental lines play out. This alternating I-V pattern hearkens back to basic 12-bar blues progressions, a key component of many rock and roll songs.

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Overall Analysis

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“Honky Tonk Women” by the Rolling Stones is a classic rock track steeped in the blues tradition. The song is played in the key of G Major and primarily uses chords G, C, A, and D.

**Chorus

Style Analysis

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The Rolling Stones style can be linked to the blues and earlier rock ‘n’ roll. With a straightforward, cyclic chord progression, “Honky Tonk Women” provides a sturdy structure for the catchy, narrative lyrics and Mick Jagger’s characteristic vocal performance. The song represents the band’s ability to update the blues for the rock era, combining the raw energy of rock with the emotional intensity of the blues.

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Chords in the Chorus section of Honky Tonk Women by The Rolling Stones are:

[‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’]