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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Sour Times” by Portishead is characterized by dark, brooding sounds and melancholic melodies that gives the song its distinct feel, largely due to the specific chord progression that is used throughout the song. Written in the key of E major, the song makes use of a diverse selection of chords that offers a wider blend of harmonic options to navigate through different moods and tonal landscapes.

“Glory Box” by Portishead from the album Dummy (1994) presents a haunting and somewhat melancholy ambience commonly found in their trademark trip-hop style. This song, in particular, draws from a palette of jazz-influenced harmony. The chords used, their extensions, and inversions, conjure complexity beyond basic triadic harmony. The chord progression listed appears to be in the key of D minor and employs common jazz techniques like ii-V-I progressions and usage of the half-diminished chord.

“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.

“Yesterday” is predominantly composed in the key of F Major. The song is a classic in pop songwriting and showcases the effective use of borrowed chords to capture a unique, nostalgic sound that has made it one of the most covered songs in pop music. Specifically, in this verse, the use of secondary dominants and borrowed chords from the parallel minor key provides the song’s distinctive tonal color.

Prince’s “Purple Rain” is a classic power ballad, rooted deeply in pop and rock genres. The chord progressions, with particular emphasis on the one given in Verse 3, underlines Prince’s lyricism and craft, showcasing his unique ability to blend seemingly simple chord progressions to evoke emotional and profound moods. The key of the song is G major.

Portishead – Sour Times – Verse 3

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Chord Progression

[‘C#m’, ‘C’, ‘E/B’, ‘E/G#’, ‘C#m’, ‘C’, ‘E/B’, ‘E/G#’, ‘C#m’, ‘C’, ‘E/B’, ‘E/G#’]

Chord Progression Analysis

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Together, the chords form the following progression:

`C#m – C – E/B – E/G#`

In relation to the C# minor key, they are:

`C#m (‘i’) – C Major (‘♭VII’) – E Major/B (‘III/V’) – E Major/G# (‘III’)`

This repeats and forms the harmonic foundation for the verse of the song.

The `C Major` is a borrowed chord from the parallel key, C# Major. The `E Major/B` and `E Major/G#` are slash chords that implies a melodic movement in the bass.

“`markdown
Borrowed Chord:
C Major (‘♭VII’)
“`

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Similar Chord Progressions

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The use of borrowed chords from the parallel major/minor key is quite common in popular music. Similar chord progressions can be found in the works of Radiohead and The Beatles among others.

For instance, Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android” contains a notable borrowed chord progression: `G – B – C – Cm` in the key of G.

`G Major (‘I’) – B Major (‘III’) – C Major (‘IV’) – C Minor (‘iv’)`

The `B Major` is borrowed from the parallel key, G minor, and the `C Minor` is similarly borrowed from G minor.

The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” also showcases a borrowed chord: `A – Amaj7 – A7 – D`.

`A Major (‘I’) – A Major 7th (‘I7’) – A Dominant 7th (‘I7’) – D Major (‘IV’)`

Here, the `A Dominant 7th` is borrowed from the parallel minor key, A minor.

Musical Analysis

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The chord progression stands out for its brooding and suspenseful atmosphere, which is heightened by the minor key tonality and the use of a borrowed chord. By borrowing the `C Major` chord from the parallel major key, an interesting contrast is created. This along with the atmospheric textures of the song lends a sense of unease and tension to the music.

The `E Major/B` and `E Major/G#` are slash chords, which indicate a specified bass note other than the root of the chord. In this case, the bass note moves from B to G# while the chord remains the same – E Major. This creates a smooth and intricate bass line within the chord progression.

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Overall Analysis

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“Sour Times” by Portishead is a song with a complex and intriguing chord progression. It blends minor key tonality with modulations and chromaticism to give it a mysterious and brooding atmosphere. The song is primarily in the key of C# minor and features some borrowed chords and inversions that color the overall progression.

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Style Analysis

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“Sour Times” is characteristic of Portishead’s distinctive style, which combines elements of trip hop, downtempo, and electronic music with jazz and film score aesthetics. This chord progression is emblematic of these influences as it uses complex harmonic devices such as borrowed chords and slash chords to create an atmospheric and cinematic musical backdrop.

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Chords in the Verse 3 section of Sour Times by Portishead are:

[‘C#m’, ‘C’, ‘E/B’, ‘E/G#’, ‘C#m’, ‘C’, ‘E/B’, ‘E/G#’, ‘C#m’, ‘C’, ‘E/B’, ‘E/G#’]