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The progression for the chorus of “Sometimes It Snows In April” by Prince exhibits a rich mixture of non- diatonic chords and borrowed chords. The tonal center of the song is A, but it doesn’t strictly follow a specific major or minor scale, creating an interesting blend of light and dark tonalities. This characteristic is a common feature in Prince’s works, showing his notable talent for blending the traditional with the unconventional.

“Sometimes It Snows In April” is commonly recognised as a hauntingly beautiful ballad that features gentle, intricate piano work and tender vocals. Musically, it explores a slightly complex harmonic structure that creates a profound emotive sound spectrum.

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.

“Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles is a significant example of their high level of technical composition skills. This track, which is played in the key of A Major, incorporates variations in the conventional chord progressions by using borrowed chords and shifting harmonic and melodic structures, showcasing their profound understanding of music theory and ability to use those ideas creatively.

“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.

Prince – Sometimes It Snows In April – Verse 3

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Chord Progression

[‘Eadd9’, ‘F#7add11’, ‘Amaj9’, ‘Eadd9’, ‘F#7add11’, ‘Eadd9’, ‘F#7add11’, ‘Eadd9’, ‘F#7add11’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Eadd9 (Iadd9)
F#7add11 (II7add11)
Amaj9 (IVmaj9)
Eadd9 (Iadd9)
F#7add11 (II7add11)
Eadd9 (Iadd9)
F#7add11 (II7add11)
Eadd9 (Iadd9)
F#7add11 (II7add11)

Note: In regards to borrowed chords as per your request, none of these chords are borrowed from a parallel mode. All of these chords fit functionally within E major.

“`No borrowed chords in this progression“`

Similar Chord Progressions

– “Purple Rain” by Prince
Chord Progression: Bbsus2 (Isus2), F (V), Gmadd9 (viiadd9), F (V), Ebadd9 (IVadd9), Bb (I)

– “Michelle” by The Beatles
Chord Progression: Fm7 (iim7), Bb9 (V9), Ebmaj7 (Imaj7), Ab6 (IV6), Dbmaj7 (bVII), Fm7 (iim7), Db (bV), Bb (V)

– “Peg” by Steely Dan
Chord Progression: A13 (I13), G13 (bVII13), Cmaj9 (IIImaj9), E7#9 (V7#9), Amaj7 (Imaj7), C#m7 (iiim7).

Note: The Roman numerals for the songs by other artists might be different in their respective keys. These examples are transposed to E major for comparison. The function might not exactly match due to the change in the tonal center.

Musical Analysis

The use of the Eadd9 and F#7add11 as the primary chords gives a tonal ambiguity to this progression. Eadd9 is a major chord with an added 2nd/9th, and F#7add11 is a dominant chord with an added 4th/11th. The Amaj9 chord serves as a temporary resolution, but its placement as the IV chord maintains a suspended feeling before returning back to the tension with Eadd9 and F#7add11.

Overall Analysis

“Sometimes It Snows In April” is a song by Prince in the pop style. It’s characterized by its use of extended and added note chords, as seen in the chord progression for Verse 3. This advanced harmonic content gives the song a distinct, rich, and complex musical texture, typical of Prince’s style.

Style Analysis

Prince is known for his distinctive musical style, characterized by sophisticated chord progressions and a unique fusion of different types of music including funk, rock, and pop. This progression is classic Prince, featuring extended chords which give a rich, atmospheric sound, and an interesting mixture of tension and release that draws the listener in.

Chords in the Verse 3 section of Sometimes It Snows In April by Prince are:

[‘Eadd9’, ‘F#7add11’, ‘Amaj9’, ‘Eadd9’, ‘F#7add11’, ‘Eadd9’, ‘F#7add11’, ‘Eadd9’, ‘F#7add11’]