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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Bullet With Butterfly Wings” by The Smashing Pumpkins is a rock song that alternates between heavy distortion and calm sections. Interestingly, the song is mostly in E minor, but uses a lot of power chords (5th chords) and sus2 chords which give the song a distinctively undecided, floating feeling, as these chords don’t have a clear major or minor character. The song uses a rather straightforward progression with a few deviations and embellishments which provide tension and release.

“Perfect” by The Smashing Pumpkins is written in the key of D major. The song takes a relatively standard and common approach in chord progression, particularly with the cyclical variations that have the onset within a classic pop/rock realm. The tonality and mid-tempo pacing give the song a melancholic and nostalgic tone.

“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.

“Feeling Good” by Muse is a cover of the song originally written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1964 musical “The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd”. Muse’s version is characterized by its distinct blend of jazz, rock, and pop influences, with strong orchestration and stylistically unique elements that give the song a modern edge while still paying homage to its classic roots.

“Let It Happen” by Tame Impala is characterized by its psychedelic and experimental nuances. It features an overall bright and uplifting tone despite its use of some more complex chords. The song ska common in pop music. The chord progression in question has a strong melodic sensibility demonstrating Kevin Parker’s ability to incorporate complex musical ideas into a pop format.

The Smashing Pumpkins – Bullet With Butterfly Wings – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

[‘B5’, ‘Em’, ‘G5’]

Chord Progression Analysis

The verse progression could be loosely placed in the key of E minor, but the absence of thirds in the power chords leaves this ambiguous. In this key, the B5 could be called a B minor (bVII), Em would be the tonic (i), and G5 the submediant (bVI).

The full chord names and their roman numerals (in the context of E minor) would be:

“`
B minor (bVII)
E minor (i)
G major (bVI)
“`

Note: It is important to observe that the ‘5’ in the chord names indicates that these are ‘5th’ or ‘power’ chords, which only consist of the root and the perfect fifth – they don’t contain the third (which usually determines the major/minor quality of a chord).

Similar Chord Progressions

1. Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”: F5 – Bb5 – Ab5 – Db5 – known for its similar use of power chords.

2. Soundgarden – “Outshined”: G5 – Bb5 – D5 – Eb5 – spanning several different keys on a consistent progression of power chords.

3. Radiohead – “Creep”: G5 – B5 – C5 – Cm5 – although this Radiohead classic isn’t grunge, per se, it does feature ambiguous tonality brought about by power chords.

4. Black Sabbath – “Iron Man”: B5 – D5 – E5 – a classic example of power chord use in early metal and rock.

Remember, the nature of power chords gives them a universal quality, usable in any genre for any mood – they don’t convey a specific mood themselves without a broader musical context. Context and treatment are exactly what bands like Smashing Pumpkins brought to bring new life to this simple harmonic device.

Musical Analysis

The mixture of power chords in a minor key setting, particularly the raised subtonic (VII), is characteristic of the grunge style. They contribute to the overall ambiguous tonal center, which can be seen as characteristic of much of The Smashing Pumpkins’ work, and most notably the grunge and rock genres of the period. Being ‘power’ chords, they contain no third – and therefore give a neither major nor minor tonality.

Overall Analysis

“The Bullet With Butterfly Wings” by The Smashing Pumpkins essentially revolves around the use of power chords, or 5th chords, to project a raw, grungy intensity. The chord progression (B5, Em, G5), extracted from the second verse of the song, is prominent throughout. The use of power chords results in a composition that doesn’t transpose to a traditional major or minor key, but fits within a modal framework.

Style Analysis

The grunge era was known for its heavy uses of power chords, ambiguous tonal center, and dark lyrical themes – all characteristics present in “Bullet With Butterfly Wings”. The Smashing Pumpkins were unique in their extensive use of quartal harmonies (based on intervals of a fourth), tonal ambiguity, and frequent oscillation between chords.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of Bullet With Butterfly Wings by The Smashing Pumpkins are:

[‘B5’, ‘Em’, ‘G5’]