Search

Related Music Theory Alchemy

“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.

The Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever” is composed in the key of A Major, but utilizes a number of chord extensions and non-diatonic chords to create a dreamy, nostalgic soundscape fitting the song’s theme of reminiscing about childhood.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” is a multi-genre masterpiece that incorporates elements of ballad, opera, and hard rock, showcasing Queen’s versatility and musical potential. The song is mainly in the key of Bb major, but it aggressively utilizes modulations, chromaticism, borrowed chords, and modally mixed chords. The given chord progression is from the verse that follows the opera section, here Queen offers an unusual, nuanced chord progression that complements the surrounding sections.

The chord progression in Muse’s “Endlessly” from Verse 2 is a mix of diatonic chords and a borrowed chord from the parallel major key. The progression has a melancholic feel, utilizing suspended chords to create tension and release. The use of both minor and major chords provides a balanced sound, giving the piece its unique character.

“Save Me” by Queen is in the key of G Major and it features a number of modulations to closely related keys. It resonates a distinct rock ballad style incorporating unique variations of common chord progressions from rock and pop genres. The progression’s utilization of inverted chords also brings depth and character to the melody.

2.

The Beatles – Let It Be – Verse 2

Add To Favorites Remove From Favorites

< All Analyses

Chord Progression

[‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘Am/G’, ‘Fmaj7’, ‘F6’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C/E’, ‘Dm7’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘Am/G’, ‘Fmaj7’, ‘F6’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C/E’, ‘Dm7’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Here’s a breakdown of the named chord progressions in roman numerals for the Verse 2 you provided:

– C (‘I’), G (‘V’), Am (‘vi’), Am/G (‘vi/IV’), Fmaj7 (‘IVmaj7’), F6 (‘IV6’), C (‘I’), G (‘V’), F (‘IV), C/E (‘I/iii’), Dm7 (‘ii7’), C (‘I’)

“`csharp
Borrowed Chord: None in this progression
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

-1. “No Woman No Cry” by Bob Marley: C (‘I’), G (‘V’), Am (‘vi’), F (‘IV’)
-2. “With Or Without You” by U2: D (‘I’), A (‘V’), Bm (‘vi’), G (‘IV’)
-3. “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga: G (‘I’), D (‘V’), Em (‘vi’), C (‘IV’)
-4. “Someone Like You” by Adele: A (‘I’)- G# ‘dim’/C-F#m/C#m-D-E(not in roman numeral format)

Note: While the chord progressions of the above mentioned songs are not exactly the same, they still share some common features with that of “Let It Be”. They all feature transitions between the tonic (‘I’), the dominant (‘V), and the relative minor chord (‘vi’) which are typical characteristics of pop music chord progressions. It’s interesting to see how different artists use these common sequences and expressions to create their unique sound.

Musical Analysis

The progression starts on the tonic (‘I’) chord and moves to the dominant (‘V’) before moving to the relative minor (‘vi’). The Am/G chord is an example of a slash chord or an inversion, which essentially means an Am chord with G in the bass. The use of Fmaj7 and F6 are examples of chord extensions, which add color and complexity to the harmonies. The Dm7 (‘ii7’) is a diatonic seventh chord in the key of C and it’s often used as a pre-dominant chord leading back to the tonic.

Overall Analysis

“Let It Be” by The Beatles uses some of the most common chords in the key of C Major, which is the tonic of the song. It also contains few instances of chord extensions, inversions, and secondary dominants, which are widely used in pop music composition.

Style Analysis

The Beatles are known for their blend of pop, rock and psychedelic music. “Let It Be” is one of their more straightforward songs, combining the folk and gospel genres with their pop sound. The chord progression follows a pretty standard pop music formula but what stands out is the effective use of inversions and extensions in the chords.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of Let It Be by The Beatles are:

[‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘Am/G’, ‘Fmaj7’, ‘F6’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C/E’, ‘Dm7’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘Am/G’, ‘Fmaj7’, ‘F6’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C/E’, ‘Dm7’, ‘C’]