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Related Music Theory Alchemy

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“Cant Buy Me Love” by The Beatles is a pure example of their early rock-and-roll style influenced by blues. It uses common chord progressions in rock and blues, such as the I-IV-V progression and the use of dominant 7th chords. The song is set in C major, and makes repeated use of the I-IV (C-F) progression. A significant feature in the song is the use of the dominant 7th chords (C7 and F7), which adds some bluesy quality to the song and also serves as a transition chord to the next chord in the progression.

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“A Hard Day’s Night” by The Beatles is a song that was unusually complex and beautifully experimental. It uses rarely seen chord structures that emphasize both traditional tonality and borrowed tones from outside the key signature. This song is an excellent example of Beatles-style blending of rock & roll and pop music with elements of classical chord progressions and harmonies. It is also a great example of how The Beatles stretched the boundaries of diatonic harmony.

The song “Ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine is in the key of G Major, employing a mixture of major, minor, and additive chords to create a progression that lends itself to a pop/folk atmosphere. The song is largely composed of diatonic chords in the key of G Major, with an occasional use of a B7, which can be seen as a secondary dominant to Em.

“Get You” by Daniel Caesar is a soulful R&B ballad featuring a smooth and emotive chord progression that is both melancholic and uplifting. The progression is derived from the key of D major, but features a borrowed chord from its parallel minor key, D minor, which adds a unique flair to the song. Daniel Caesar’s vocal performance, accompanied by soulful instrumentation, creates a sense of nostalgia and emotional evocation that is characteristic of the R&B genre.

“It’s A Fire” by Portishead is a song characterized by its frequent modulations and use of borrowed chords, making it a considerable complexity in terms of harmony. It features transition from key centers and borrowed chords from other keys, which creates tension and resolution creating the signature moody and intense atmosphere Portishead is known for.

The Beatles – Cant Buy Me Love – Chorus

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Chord Progression

[‘Em’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘Am’, ‘Dm11’, ‘G13’, ‘C’, ‘C(7)’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Here’s the chord progression for the chorus:

– Em (“iii”);
– Am (“vi”);
– Em (“iii”);
– Am (“vi”);
– Dm11 (“ii11”);
– G13 (“V13”);
– C (“I”);
– C(7) (“I7”).

And here are the borrowed chords used in this progression:
Em, Am, and Dm11 are borrowed chords from the parallel minor key.

“`Markdown
– Em: Borrowed from C minor (“bIII”);
– Am: Borrowed from C minor (“vi”);
– Dm11: Borrowed from C minor (“ii11”).
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

A similar chord progression can be seen in Stevie Wonder’s “I Was Made To Love Her” in the key of F#:
F#m (“iii”), Bm (“vi”), F#m (“iii”), Bm (“vi”), G#m9 (“ii9”), C#9 (“V9”), F# (“I”), F#7 (“I7”).
This follows a similar pattern of descending minor thirds and the ii-V-I progression at the end, though the ii chord is a ninth as opposed to an eleventh as seen in “Can’t Buy Me Love”.

Musical Analysis

The chorus starts on the iii chord, which is the mediant of C Major, creating a sense of modulation. Then it shifts to the vi chord, providing an instance of borrowed chord from the C minor, which adds tension and emotional weight to the section. The progression then returns to the iii and again to vi. Finally, the song shifts to the ii11-V13-I progression – Dm11 to G13 to C. This is a classic jazz progression and it provides a smooth resolution back to the tonic. Lastly the phrase concludes with a C7, a dominant 7th chord, which indicates a return to the F major in the verse.

Overall Analysis

“Cant Buy Me Love” by The Beatles, is a song in the key of C Major, but it has an interesting harmonic structure, especially in the chorus. The song features a number of borrowed and secondary dominant chords to create tension that resolves into the tonic chord. The chorus’s progression can be seen as a series of descending minor thirds, with an unexpected shift to a ii-V-I progression which is quite popular in jazz music.

Style Analysis

This song is a great example of The Beatles’ indelible mark on popular music and their creative use of harmonic structure. Despite being rooted in pop/rock music, their incorporation of complex and jazz-like progressions such as the ii-V-I show their wide musical influences and innovation.

Chords in the Chorus section of Cant Buy Me Love by The Beatles are:

[‘Em’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘Am’, ‘Dm11’, ‘G13’, ‘C’, ‘C(7)’]