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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis, a popular rock ballad, is characterized by its melancholic chord progressions. Its key is major, specifically C Major, but it involves a frequent use of borrowed chords for a touch of bitterness, matching the poignant lyrics.

“Wonderwall” by Oasis is in the key of G major and features an effective and memorable chord progression that repeats throughout the song. The progression falls into the indie rock and Britpop genres, highlighting simple, strong harmonies, and incorporates a repeated sequence of Em–G-D–A7sus4 throughout its composition with occasional deviations.

“3 Libras Acoustic Live” by A Perfect Circle revolves around a rock ballad style with an alternative rock genre. It features distinctive chord progressions and some borrowing from outside of the primary key. The harmonic progression in the chorus is relatively simple but contributes to the melancholic and introspective atmosphere of the song.

“I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues” is a well-known hit by Elton John from the album “Too Low for Zero” released in 1983. The song is a blend of pop, rock and blues styles and showcases Elton John’s proficiency in blending different music genres. The verse uses a straightforward I-V-vi-IV progression which is a common progression in pop music.

The Chorus’s

The chord progression in the chorus of “Kids” by MGMT is a repetitive and catchy sequence that features four chords, showcasing MGMT’s characteristic electronic pop and psychedelic rock sound. The progression is in the key of A Major, and the chords follow a vi-IV-I-V pattern.

Oasis – Dont Look Back In Anger – Chorus

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Chord Progression

[‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘F’, ‘Fm6’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘Fm6’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

The analysis of the chord progressions is as follows:

“`
C (I), G (V), Am (vi), E7 (V/vi – Secondary Dominant), F (IV), G (V), C (I), Am (vi), G (V),
C (I), G (V), Am (vi), E7 (V/vi – Secondary Dominant), F (IV), G (V), C (I), Am (vi), G (V),
C (I), G (V), Am (vi), E7 (V/vi – Secondary Dominant), F (IV), G (V), C (I), Am (vi), G (V),
C (I), G (V), Am (vi), F (IV), Fm6 (iv – Borrowed Chord), C (I), G (V), Am (vi), E7 (V/vi – Secondary Dominant),
F (IV), Fm6 (iv – Borrowed Chord), C (I)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

Similar progressions can be noticed in tracks from artists across eras and genres. The usage of borrowed chords and secondary dominants is a common musical device.

1. “Let it Be” by The Beatles:
The song has a similar chord progression, including the use of iv in the bridge.
“`
C (I), G (V), Am (vi), F (IV), C (I), G (V), F (IV), C (I), C7 (V7/IV),
F (IV), A7 (V7/ii – Secondary Dominant), Dm (ii), G (V)
“`
2. “Hey Jude” by The Beatles:
Here secondary dominants are also a key feature.
“`
F (I), C (V), C7 (V7/IV), F (I), Bb (IV), F (I), C7 (V7/IV), F (I)
“`

Musical Analysis

The verses set up a sequence of VI-V which is quite common in the pop/rock genre. However, the use of the E7 chord as a secondary dominant is refreshing, building up tension towards the Am chord.

The Fm6 chord towards the end is a borrowed chord which gives a nice uplifting quality and adds a surprise element to the chord progression.

Overall Analysis

“Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis is written in the key of C major. Although it largely conforms to the traditional progressions expected within this key, the song does feature some interesting variations in the form of borrowed chords coming from the parallel minor key (C minor) – a common technique used in pop and rock music.

Style Analysis

Oasis, a quintessential Britpop band from the 90s, showcases their classic combination of simple yet effective chord progressions. The style often includes elements of traditional British rock, combined with the usage of borrowed chords – a trait highlighted in this song.

Chords in the Chorus section of Dont Look Back In Anger by Oasis are:

[‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘F’, ‘Fm6’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘Fm6’, ‘C’]