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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Wild Horses” by the Rolling Stones is a song in the key of G Major with a chord progression marked by the use of common chords and a few borrowed chords from other keys. The usage of minor and major chords conjures a variety of emotions synonymous with the mood of the song. The repetitive nature of the sequence creates a cyclical feeling that gives a strong sense of the song’s emotional journey.

“Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones, off their 1971 album Sticky Fingers, is in the key of C major, and primarily uses the chords C, F, G and Bb. This song showcases the band’s blues rock influences, built on a repetitive, riff-driven chord progression. The use of I, IV, V, and a borrowed bVII (Bb), which is common in the blues, creates an appealing and familiar sound, helping the song resonate with listeners.

The song “With A Little Help From My Friends” by The Beatles is written in the key of E major. The third verse is mostly consistent with the key, with the only chords used are E, F#m, and B.

“Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix is a classic and influential rock song released in 1967. The chord progression featured in Verse 3 of this song has a bluesy, psychedelic sound that typifies Hendrix’s style. The use of the E7#9 chord, also known as the “Hendrix chord,” adds a sense of tension and dissonance, which contributes to the edgy and innovative nature of the song.

“Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” by Elton John employs interesting chord progressions and borrows chords from other modes and keys, contributing to its melancholy, yet dynamically expressive mood. The song is set in E minor and uses basic chord progressions, some more sophisticated ones, and many borrowed chords.

The Rolling Stones – Wild Horses – Verse 3

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Chord Progression

[‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Note the following chord names correspond to the Verse 3 progression.

B minor (iii), G Major (I), B minor (iii), G Major (I), A minor (ii), C Major (IV), D Major (V), G Major (I), D Major (V), B minor (iii), G major (I), B minor (iii), G major (I), A minor (ii), C Major (IV), D Major (V), G Major (I), D Major (V)

This shows a frequently alternating I-iii progression, which then passes to a fairly standard ii-IV-V-I cycle (A minor, C Major, D Major, G Major), with the addition of a V-I at the end that reaffirms the tonality.

In explaining borrowed chords, they are none in this particular progression. A borrowed chord, typically seen in popular music, comes from the parallel minor key. Here, all chords belong to the key of G Major.

Similar Chord Progressions

A number of other artists have used similar chord progressions, including:

– John Lennon’s “Imagine”, which uses a progression that includes the ii-IV-V-I cycle (in the key of C major, this corresponds to Dm, F, G, C)

D minor (ii), F Major (IV), G Major (V), C Major (I)

– The Beatles’ “Let It Be”, which also features a ii-IV-V-I progression (in the key of C major, this corresponds to Dm, F, G, C)

D minor (ii), F Major (IV), G Major (V), C Major (I)

Both of these songs, like “Wild Horses”, combine elements of rock, folk, and blues in their musical style.

Musical Analysis

From a musical perspective, it’s worth noting that the iii chord (Bm) lends an unexpected color to the tonality of the song, giving it a unique character. The ii-IV-V-I cycle creates a sense of forward motion and resolution, with the V-I at the end providing a satisfying sense of returning home.

Overall Analysis

“Wild Horses” is a song by the rock band Rolling Stones from their 1971 album “Sticky Fingers”. It is a great example of the band’s adeptness not only at writing catchy rock songs but also at creating complex and interesting chord progressions. The song is in the key of G major. The verse progression is interesting with the use of the B minor chord (Bm), which is the iii chord in the key of G major – a chord that isn’t commonly used in popular music.

Style Analysis

In terms of style, “Wild Horses” exhibits a clear influence from country and folk music, both in its chord progression and in its instrumentation (acoustic guitars, gentle percussion, and characteristic slide guitar). The use of the iii chord (Bm) also adds a touch of blues influence, which is a cornerstone of the Rolling Stones’ style.

Chords in the Verse 3 section of Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones are:

[‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D’]