The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever – Chorus 4
Strawberry Fields Forever < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘A’, ‘Em7’, ‘Em7’, ‘F#7’, ‘D’, ‘F#7’, ‘Dmaj7’, ‘A’, ‘F#m’, ‘Dmaj7’, ‘A’, ‘Dmaj7’, ‘E’, ‘D’]
Chord Progression Analysis
“`
A (I),
Em7 (ii7),
Em7 (ii7),
F#7 (III7),
D (IV),
F#7 (III7),
Dmaj7 (IVmaj7),
A(I),
F#m (vi),
Dmaj7 (IVmaj7),
A (I),
Dmaj7 (IVmaj7),
E (V),
D (IV)
“`
Note: The F#7 is a secondary dominant chord, specifically V7/iii.
Similar Chord Progressions
1. “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys shares a similar usage of diatonic chords and modal interchange with Strawberry Fields Forever.
Chord progression:
“`
A (I),
C#m7 (iii7),
F#m (vi),
G#7 (V7/vii),
C#m7(iii7),
Bm7 (ii7),
E (V)
“`
2. “Just the Way You Are” by Billy Joel also employs similar harmonic practices as Strawberry Fields Forever, playing with the expectation and resolution of tension. Chord progression:
“`
D (I),
Em7(ii7),
F#m7(iii7),
Bm(vi),
Em7(ii7),
A7(V7),
D(I)
“`
These songs all use harmonic devices such as secondary dominants and modal interchange to create rich, complex progressions that blur the lines between pop and classical music.
Musical Analysis
This progression exemplifies the practice of modal mixture, also known as modal interchange. Modal mixture is when chords are borrowed from the parallel minor (or other modes) of the key the music is in. In this case the song is in the key of A Major, and the Em7 is borrowed from the parallel minor key, A minor.
Overall Analysis
“Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles is a song that displays the remarkable depth of harmonic creativity found in their songwriting. The chord progression in the Chorus 4 section of the song is particularly complex. This progressions illustrate the band’s ability to exploit common harmonic devices such as diatonic pivots, modal mixture, and deceptive resolutions, in order to produce beautifully unique and captivating chord sequences.
Style Analysis
The Beatles were known for their innovative use of chord progressions, often incorporating elements of baroque and classical music into their pop/rock compositions. The use of the major IV chord (D) followed by a maj7 version of the same chord (Dmaj7) is fairly unusual, adding a sophisticated touch to the otherwise simple progression.
What are the chords in: The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever – Chorus 4?
[‘A’, ‘Em7’, ‘Em7’, ‘F#7’, ‘D’, ‘F#7’, ‘Dmaj7’, ‘A’, ‘F#m’, ‘Dmaj7’, ‘A’, ‘Dmaj7’, ‘E’, ‘D’]
