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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles is a significant example of their high level of technical composition skills. This track, which is played in the key of A Major, incorporates variations in the conventional chord progressions by using borrowed chords and shifting harmonic and melodic structures, showcasing their profound understanding of music theory and ability to use those ideas creatively.

“Weekend Wars” by MGMT features a distinctive and slightly unconventional chord progression. The verse is in D minor and consists of 22 chords, providing a unique and somewhat complex harmonic landscape. The majority of the chords used are diatonic, but there are also borrowed chords and other non-diatonic chords which contribute to the song’s unique character.

Chord Progression:
Dm (i), C (VII), G (IV), C (VII), G (IV), F (III), Dm (i), C (VII), F (III), Am (v), F (III), Dm (i), C (VII), G (IV), C (VII), G (IV), F (III), Dm (i), C (VII), F (III), Am (v), F (III)

Dm – D minor
C – C major
G – G major (borrowed chord)
F – F major
Am – A minor

“After You’ve Gone” is a jazz standard composed by Django Reinhardt. The verse progression of the song uses a combination of major, minor and dominant chords with some borrowed chords and secondary dominants, which is a hallmark of early jazz and swing music. The harmonic rhythm is mainly at a pace of one or two chords per bar, with occasional faster changes. The piece has a strong sense of tonal center around the key of G major.

“Two Weeks” by Grizzly Bear exhibits a common pop chord progression and harmonic rhythm. The chords are primarily in root position, which contributes to the song’s straightforward and accessible sound. Stylistically, the track shows the band’s indie-rock influences and features a prominent piano part that drives the harmony.

The Beatles – Blackbird – Verse

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Chord Progression

[‘G’, ‘Am7’, ‘G/B’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘C#dim’, ‘D’, ‘D#(b5)’, ‘Em’, ‘Ebaug’, ‘D’, ‘Dbdim’, ‘C’, ‘Cm’, ‘G/B’, ‘A7’, ‘C/D’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘A7’, ‘C/D’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘A7’, ‘C/D’, ‘G’]

Chord Progression Analysis

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Verse:

Here’s the chord progression for the verse with full chord names.

“`
G (I) – Am7 (ii7) – G/B (I/III) – G (I))
C (IV) – C#dim (iv♯°) – D (V) – D#(b5) (♭V(b5)) – Em (vi) – Ebaug (vi♭(#5)) – D (V) – Dbdim (♭V°) – C (IV) – Cm (iv(minor) – borrowed chord from G minor)
G/B (I/III) – A7 (V7/ii) – C/D (IV/V) – G (I)
C (IV) – G/B (I/III) – A7 (V7/ii) – C/D (IV/V) – G (I) –
C (IV) – G/B (I/III) – A7 (V7/ii) – C/D (IV/V) – G (I)
“`

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Similar Chord Progressions

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One song with similar harmonic complexity is “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin, which combines a variety of chords, similar to “Blackbird,” though this progression is not as chromatically active.

Verse Chord Progression:

“`
Am (i) – G#°/B# (vii°/VI) – C/D (VI/VII) – D/F# (VII/IX) – Fmaj7 (VI maj7) – Am (i) – G (VII) – Am (i)
“`
Also, “Daydream Believer” by The Monkees has a similar feel:

Verse Chord Progression:

“`
G (I) – D (V) – G (I) – Bm (iii) – Em (vi) – Am (ii) – D7 (V7) – G (I)
“`

Musical Analysis

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There are two main aspects of this chord progression that make it unique: its use of secondary dominants (A7), which function to temporarily tonicize a non-tonic chord (in this case the ii chord, Am), and its use of a borrowed chord from the parallel minor key (Cm). These elements contribute to the progression’s distinct sound.

The progression also does not follow a standard 4-chord loop commonly seen in pop/rock music of the time, but rather goes on a journey with several unique changes. Non-diatonic chords such as the D#(b5), Dbdim, and the Ebaug chords further disrupt the expected feel of the key.

Furthermore, the inversion of the primary G chord (G/B) gives a distinctive color to the progression.

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Overall Analysis

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“Blackbird” by The Beatles is a song mostly in the key of G Major. It’s known for its interesting guitar work and unconventional chord progression. The song employs a mix of functional and non-functional harmony, striking a balance between traditional diatonic harmony and more experimental harmonic ideas. The chord progression also includes several chromatic or borrowed chords (Cm, Dbdim, D# (b5), C#dim, and Ebaug).

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Style Analysis

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“Blackbird” is one of the Beatles’ more harmonic adventurous songs, showcasing their ability as innovators within the pop music realm. The combination of standard folk acoustic picking with rare and borrowed chords, as well as its irregular structure defying the typical verse-chorus form, sonically painting a landscape that is famously Beatles.

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Chords in the Verse section of Blackbird by The Beatles are:

[‘G’, ‘Am7’, ‘G/B’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘C#dim’, ‘D’, ‘D#(b5)’, ‘Em’, ‘Ebaug’, ‘D’, ‘Dbdim’, ‘C’, ‘Cm’, ‘G/B’, ‘A7’, ‘C/D’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘A7’, ‘C/D’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘A7’, ‘C/D’, ‘G’]