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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album Abbey Road. It was written by Paul McCartney. The song is primarily in the key of D Major and exhibits a mix of major, minor, and dominant seventh chords. This verse progression manifests the distinctive Beatles’ sound which often includes chromaticism and prevalence of secondary dominants that link the chords together, giving a smooth flow and color to the harmonic progression.

“I Am The Walrus” is a composition by The Beatles that showcases a variety of chord progressions, rhythmic sensibilities, and melodic explorations that are representative of their signature sound. The song’s structure presents a complex and unorthodox harmonic design that is characteristic of The Beatles’ later experimental phase.

The pre-chorus 1 [‘A’, ‘A/G’, ‘Dadd9/F#’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘A/G’, ‘F’, ‘B7’] presents a series of descending bass notes provided by the root movement of these chords- from A to G (in ‘A/G’) to F# (in ‘Dadd9/F#’) and then repeated. This technique significantly enhances the melodic content of this progression. From a stylistic perspective, the song’s chord progression is enriched by the functional interplay of diatonic and non-diatonic elements over a changing tonal landscape.

The given chord progression is from the song “Every Day Is Exactly The Same” by Nine Inch Nails. The overall structure of the song consists of verses, choruses, and a bridge, each with distinct chord progressions that contribute to the song’s moody, melancholic atmosphere. The song is mostly in the key of E minor, with some borrowed chords from the parallel major key.

The bridge of George Benson’s “Give Me The Night” features a blend of jazz, R&B, and pop elements. The harmonic progression showcases a series of descending chords, interspersed with borrowed chords that provide an interesting twist to the overall tonality of the piece.

“Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys is highly complex and represents an exceptional use of harmonic structuring. The richness of the piece lies in Brian Wilson’s innovative and unpredictable songwriting, who was making significant use of modulation at the time, constantly shifting keys, in this case especially during the transition bridge.

The Beatles – Maxwells Silver Hammer – Bridge

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Chord Progression

[‘E7’, ‘A7’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Let’s focus on the bridge, since you have specifically indicated it.

The chords are E7 and A7.

Full Chord Names and Their Roman Numerals:

“`
E7 (‘V7/V’)
A7 (‘V7’)
“`

These are secondary dominants. E7 acts as the dominant of the A7 (V7/V), and A7 as the dominant in the key of D (V7).

Similar Chord Progressions

The technique of using secondary dominants (V7 of V) can be found in other songs across a handful of genres.

1. “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” by The Righteous Brothers. The key is C Major and in its chorus, we find an interesting progression:

Chord progression: [‘D7’, ‘G7’, ‘C’],

Full Chord Names and Their Roman Numerals:

“`
D7 (‘V7/V’)
G7 (‘V7’)
C (‘I’)
“`

2. “Georgia On My Mind” is another song that uses secondary dominants, specifically the version by Ray Charles in the key of F Major. Following the second line of the verse, we find the progression:

Chord progression: [‘G7’, ‘C7’, ‘F’],

Full Chord Names and Their Roman Numerals:

“`
G7 (‘V7/V’)
C7 (‘V7’)
F (‘I’)
“`

Musical Analysis

Using secondary dominants like E7 and A7 in the key of D Major is a common move in pop and jazz harmony. It adds tension and an unexpected color to the harmony since these chords temporarily move away from the home key.

Overall Analysis

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is a Beatles song composed in the key of D Major. It’s a classic example of Paul McCartney’s knack for catchy pop songwriting. This song showcases McCartney’s affinity for borrowing chords to make his progressions more interesting.

Style Analysis

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is a pop song with a strong melodic focus. McCartney’s use of secondary dominants in the bridge adds complexity and variety to the harmony. This reveals his proficiency in expanding traditional pop harmony with techniques borrowed from jazz and classical music.

Chords in the Bridge section of Maxwells Silver Hammer by The Beatles are:

[‘E7’, ‘A7’]