The Beatles – For No One – Verse 2
For No One < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘C’, ‘C/B’, ‘Am’, ‘C/G’, ‘F’, ‘Bb’, ‘C’]
Chord Progression Analysis
Here is the analysis with borrowed chords:
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C Major (I)
C/B (I with leading tone Bass)
A minor (vi)
C/G (I with dominant Bass)
F Major (IV)
Bb Major (♭VII – Borrowed from C Minor)
C Major (I)
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Similar Chord Progressions
The progression I – vi – IV – V is common in many other pop songs. A borrowed ♭VII chord and slash chords are less common, but you can see a use of borrowed chords in the work of artists as diverse as Nirvana and Stevie Wonder. For example:
– Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” borrows uses a similar technique in a couple passages. Here is one such progression: [‘F5’, ‘Bb5’, ‘Ab5’, ‘Db5’] (I – ♭III – ♭II – IV assumed to be in the F Major Key. Nirvana used power chords which technically aren’t major or minor but assuming major fits the aesthetic of their music perfectly).
– Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” also uses a similar trick. The progression: [‘Eb min7’, ‘Bb7’] (i – V expressed in Eb minor, the V chord is borrowed from the parallel major).
Of course, these examples don’t match The Beatles chord progression exactly but they do show the use of borrowed chords, which are one unique aspect of the given Beatles progression.
Musical Analysis
This progression consists of the I, vi, IV, and V, a very common progression in pop music known as the doo-wop progression. What is unique here is the use of a borrowed chord, which is less common. This introduces a note (Bb) into the progression that is not in the diatonic key of C Major, creating an unexpected and interesting sound.
Overall Analysis
The progression is in the key of C major. The use of the Bb major is known as modal interchange, where a chord that is not in the key is borrowed from a parallel key, which in this case is C minor. This contributes an interesting tone color to the overall sound. The chord progression does consist a use of slash chords (C/B, C/G) which adds a more complex bassline creating a more harmonically active feeling, and yielding more tension and release.
Style Analysis
The use of borrowed chords was a commonly used technique of The Beatles, allowing them to create more complex and less predictable harmonic structures. The Beatles are known for their innovative chord progressions and this is a classic example. The use of a continuous descending bassline in this progression adds an element of tension and release, typical of their style.
What are the chords in: The Beatles – For No One – Verse 2?
[‘C’, ‘C/B’, ‘Am’, ‘C/G’, ‘F’, ‘Bb’, ‘C’]
