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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane is a pop/rock song written in the key of A Major, although the chord progression given seems to be transposed to the key of C Major. It is characterized by its use of repeated motifs and sequenced chord progressions to create a sense of familiarity and typical of the pop genre.

“Somewhere Only We Know” composed by Keane, is a pop-ballad that is based in the key of A Minor. It makes use of both diatonic and borrowed chords in a modern pop style progression that creates an oscillating feel, with repetition for familiarity and simple melody drawn from the underlying chords.

Patterns in music are fundamental for creating musical identity. This repetition ensures the music is coherent and familiar for the listener. In the case of “Perfect” by Smashing Pumpkins, the song makes use of a common popular music chord progression known as the I – vi progression.

“Yesterday” by The Beatles is a classic Pop song in F Major maintaining a 2/2 time signature. The song changes the chords frequently to create a rich harmonic texture, and is known for its iconic descending guitar melody.

“Welcome to the Machine” by Pink Floyd is a progressive rock piece that features a rather minimalistic chord progression, with only one chord during the outro. The piece is characterized by its lush soundscape, synthesizer layering, and the use of sound effects to create an atmosphere of a mechanized world.

Keane – Somewhere Only We Know – Outro

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Chord Progression

[‘Dm’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Dm’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘Dm’, ‘Em’, ‘Dm’, ‘Em’, ‘Dm’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

`Dm – C – G – Dm – Em – C – Dm – Em – Dm – Em – Dm – C`

`D minor (ii) – C Major (I) – G Major (V) – D minor (ii) – E minor (iii) – C Major (I) – D minor (ii) – E minor (iii) – D minor (ii) – E minor (iii) – D minor (ii) – C Major (I)`

As far as borrowed chords are concerned, there are none in this progression; all chords belong to the key of C Major.

Similar Chord Progressions

1. Beatles – “Let It Be”:
`C Major (I) – G Major (V) – A minor (vi) – F Major (IV) – C Major (I) – G Major (V) – F Major (IV) – C Major (I)`
2. Elton John – “Your Song”:
`E flat Major (I) – B flat Major (V) – A flat Major (IV) – E flat Major (I) – F minor (ii) – G minor (iii) – A flat Major (IV) – E flat Major (I)`
3. Oasis – “Wonderwall”:
`C Major (I) – E minor (vi) – G Major (V) – D Major (II) – C Major (I) – E minor (vi) – G Major (V) – D Major (II)`

These songs share a similar style of focusing the melody and structure around simple chord progressions, giving room for the lyrics and melody to breathe and take the spotlight. They also have slightly unconventional sequences, giving each song its own unique character.

Musical Analysis

The chord progression is cyclic in nature and provides an interesting harmonic bedrock. The repetitive alternation between ii-I/V chords lends an emotional tinge to the song. The song also uses the iii chord (Em), adding a different color to the otherwise familiar pattern and giving the song a bit of tension that is released when the chord progression moves back to the I chord (C Major).

Overall Analysis

“Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane is a softly and tenderly written song that rests primarily on the key of C Major. However, it uses a fair amount of borrowed chords from the parallel minor key, giving it a warm, melancholic tone, which is typical of many pop ballads.

Style Analysis

The band Keane is known for their piano-driven pop/rock sound, and “Somewhere Only We Know” is a clear exemplification of that. In its chord progression, the song employs a brand of simplicity, repetitive cycling, and a sprinkle of unconventional chord usage (iii = Em) that make up their distinctive style of modern rock/pop music.

Chords in the Outro section of Somewhere Only We Know by Keane are:

[‘Dm’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Dm’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘Dm’, ‘Em’, ‘Dm’, ‘Em’, ‘Dm’, ‘C’]