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Related Music Theory Alchemy

Across the Universe by The Beatles is a melancholic, introspective piece set in the key of D major, imbuing an overall sound spectrum that’s somber with a hint of hopeful resolution. The chord progression utilizes both diatonic and borrowed chords, making it both unusual and interesting.

“All My Loving” by The Beatles is a mid-tempo pop song written in the key of E minor for the verse and D Major for the bridge and outro, featuring a distinct, upbeat walking bassline. The grey, almost mournful verses, along with the brighter, major-toned bridges and chorus, create a juxtaposition of feelings within the piece. The bridge also highlights The Beatles’ use of secondary dominants and chromaticism. Concluding in the tonic key of D Major, the song has an interesting interplay between Em and D Major throughout, which could be perceived as a Em: i, VI, III, II and D: vi, V7, I, vi, IV, ii, I progression.

The verse of “Megalomania” by Muse is characterized by distinctive harmonic progressions, dynamic contrasts, and notable melodic lines that are typical of the band’s alternative rock style. Throughout this verse, Muse uses common harmonic devices such as secondary dominants, diatonic and chromatic mediants, borrowed chords from parallel keys, and deceptive cadences to create a sense of tension and forward momentum.

“Here Comes The Sun” by The Beatles uses a D Major scale. The song primarily comprises chords built on the tonic or root note (D), which lends a consistent, grounded feel. This reflects the lyrics’ mood—contentment, renewed optimism, and a sense of homecoming with the arrival of the sun.

“The Rip” by Portishead is a classic example of the Trip-hop genre. It features simple, yet effective harmonic progressions that offer a melancholic tone which is widely utilized in this genre. The distinctiveness of this particular chord progression lies on its subtle shifting between minor and major tonalities, as well as its use of borrowed chords.

Verse 1

The Beatles – Across The Universe – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

[‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘F#m’, ‘Em7’, ‘A’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘F#m’, ‘Em7’, ‘Gm’]

Chord Progression Analysis

The chords from the first verse can be set out in the key of D major as follows:

“`
D Major (I), B minor (vi), F# minor (iii), E minor 7 (ii7), A Major (V), A7 (V7), D Major (I), B minor (vi), F# minor (iii), E minor 7 (ii7), G minor (iv – Borrowed from D minor)`
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

Here is a song by another artist that employs a similar usage of borrowed chords:

Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” contains the following progression in its chorus:

“`
G (I), Bm (iii), Em (vi), C (IV – borrowed from G minor), G (I), D (V), C (IV – borrowed from G minor), G (I)`
“`

Like “Across The Universe”, this song ends on borrowed chord from the parallel minor key. This again reiterates the mysterious and soul-stirring effect that such chord transitions can evoke.

Musical Analysis

The progression begins ordinarily enough with a tonic chord (I – D Major) before moving to a submediant (vi – B minor). Then it continues through mediants (iii – F# minor) and supertonics (ii – E minor 7), hinting at a circle-of-fifths progression, but instead moves to the dominant (V – A Major), which further extends to a dominant seventh chord (V7 – A7). The progression then returns to the tonic, and almost starts to repeat itself, but resolves instead to the G minor. This G minor chord is a borrowed iv chord from the parallel minor key (D minor), adding an unexpected twist to the progression and infusing it with a haunting quality.

Overall Analysis

“Across The Universe” by The Beatles, written mostly by John Lennon, is known for its rich and complex harmonic structures that added new dimensions to pop music. The song is predominately in the key of D major, with occasional borrowings from the parallel minor (D minor) and the closely-related key of B minor. The verse 1 progression – D, Bm, F#m, Em7, A, A7, D, Bm, F#m, Em7, Gm – creates an affectingly melancholic mood through its mix of major, minor and borrowed chords, producing a unique ambience that evokes a sense of cosmic contemplation, matching with the philosophical lyrics of the song.

Style Analysis

The Beatles were known for their eclectic style touches, and “Across The Universe” is no exception. This song can be seen as an example of their penchant for blending Eastern philosophical concepts with Western musical traditions, extending to the use of unusual, borrowed chords and modal melodies.

The progression displays characteristics typical of the Beatles’ mature style: elaborate harmonies, experimentation with chord extensions (like Em7 and A7), and key modulation. Their songwriting technique often borrowed elements from classical music such as the use of non-diatonic (borrowed) chords – in this case, the G minor borrowed from parallel minor.

Chords in the Verse 1 section of Across The Universe by The Beatles are:

[‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘F#m’, ‘Em7’, ‘A’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘F#m’, ‘Em7’, ‘Gm’]