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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Can’t Buy Me Love,” a song by The Beatles, exhibits a style that’s emblematic of their earlier work, with a clear, upbeat tonality and an elegant yet straightforward chord progression. The tune is predominantly centred in the key of C major, but it utilizes both major and dominant 7th chords to create tension and resolution, modulating away from the home key. The particular progression you’ve given, ‘C7’, ‘F7’, ‘C’, isn’t rare and demonstrates the Beatles’ precision and understanding of pop and rock music’s creative possibilities.

“Let It Be” by The Beatles utilizes a very accessible and effective chord progression throughout the song. This progression is designed to create tension and release as it progresses, as well as establish the root key of the song, which is C Major.

The chords used throughout the song show a strong use of borrowed chords, inversions, and extensions, adding to the depth and complexity of the song despite the relatively uncomplicated chord progression.

The balance between the root key, dissonance, resolution, and overall harmony creates an emotive and engaging song that maintains listener interest and displays the songwriting abilities of The Beatles.

“In My Life” is a song written by The Beatles which stands as a hallmarks of their inventive songwriting and command of complex musical structures. The song is primarily in the key of A Major, but it employs a number of borrowed chords and modal interchange to create a more interesting and richer harmonic landscape. The melody, rhythm, and lyrics of this song are poignant and memorable, making “In My Life” an enduring classic in the Beatles’ catalog.

“Every Day Is Exactly The Same” by Nine Inch Nails is primarily composed in the key of E minor. The song consists of four sections: Verse 1, Chorus, Verse 2, and Bridge. The chord progressions in the song are relatively simple, with a distinct alternation between E and C chords in the verses, while the chorus and bridge sections feature a broader range of chords such as A, C, and G.

Chord Progression Analysis (Verse 2):
E minor (i), C major (VI), E minor (i), C major (VI), E minor (i), C major (VI), G major (III), F major (♭VII; borrowed chord from E Phrygian), E minor (i)

*G major (III) and F major (♭VII) are both non-diatonic chords in E minor, with the F major chord being borrowed from the E Phrygian mode.

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.

The Beatles – Cant Buy Me Love – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

[‘C7’, ‘F7’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

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Here’s the expansion of the chords in Verse 2 of the song:

1. C7 -> C Dominant 7th (‘I7’)
2. F7 -> F Dominant 7th (‘IV7’)
3. C -> C Major (‘I’)

“`text
C7 (‘I7’) -> F7 (‘IV7’) -> C (‘I’)
“`

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Similar Chord Progressions

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A similar chord progression is also used in the song “You Never Can Tell” by Chuck Berry. The progression is not an exact match but follows a similar idea of using the I-IV chord movement along with dominant 7 chords to drive the progression.

This is the chord progression for the first verse of “You Never Can Tell”:

1. C -> C Major (‘I’)
2. F -> F Major (‘IV’)
3. C -> C Major (‘I’)

“`text
C (‘I’) -> F (‘IV’) -> C (‘I’)
“`

While the exact chords might be different, the use of dominant 7th chords and the I-IV movement is a common feature seen in many early rock and roll and blues songs.

Musical Analysis

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The chord progression in Verse 2 begins with a C7 (I7) chord, which is essentially a C major triad with a minor 7th (Bb) added. The addition of the minor 7th gives the chord a strong pull towards the IV chord (F or F7 in this case). It is a perfect example of a dominant 7th chord functioning as a “dominant” chord – the tension created by the Bb in the C7 chord is resolved by moving to the IV chord (F or F7). The F7 moves back to the C Major using the resolution of the dominant 7 to the root note.

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Overall Analysis

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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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Style Analysis

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This is characteristic of the early rock-and-roll and blues influenced styles of The Beatles – the use of dominant 7th chords to create tension and release, and the use of common chord progressions like the I-IV-V. The dominant 7th chords used in this song have a “bluesy” feel to them due to their origins in blues music.

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Chords in the Verse 2 section of Cant Buy Me Love by The Beatles are:

[‘C7’, ‘F7’, ‘C’]