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“Nothings Gonna Change My Love For You” by George Benson is a romantic ballad in the key of Db major. The piece features a soothing and harmonically rich chord progression that is characteristic of the pop/jazz fusion style popular in the late 70s and 80s. The chorus features a mix of diatonic, borrowed, and secondary-dominant chords, creating an expressive palette of colors and tensions. This progression shares similarities with other ballads and pop songs from the era.

“Give Me The Night” by George Benson features a smooth jazz and funk-influenced style. The chord progression in Verse 3 demonstrates a strong use of extended and altered chords, which create a richer texture and interesting harmonic movement. This particular chord progression is reminiscent of other popular songs from the same period and genre, displaying the influence of jazz harmony on contemporary R&B and pop music.

“Two Weeks” by Grizzly Bear exhibits a common pop chord progression and harmonic rhythm. The chords are primarily in root position, which contributes to the song’s straightforward and accessible sound. Stylistically, the track shows the band’s indie-rock influences and features a prominent piano part that drives the harmony.

The chord progression from Muse’s “Hate This And I’ll Love You” displays a mix of diatonic and borrowed chords from the parallel minor. The progression is in the key of A major and shows an unconventional use of chords that gives the song its unique sound. It also showcases certain characteristics of Muse’s music style that includes complex chord progressions and frequent changes between major and minor harmonies.

Chord Progression Analysis and Roman Numerals:

A ('I'), Gm ('bVII'), D/F# ('IV/V'), A ('I'),
Gm ('bVII'), D ('IV'), A ('I'), Gm ('bVII'),
D/F# ('IV/V'), A ('I'), Gm ('bVII'), D/F# ('IV/V')

The borrowed chord in this progression is Gm, taken from the parallel minor, A minor:
`Gm (‘bVII’)`

The Verse of “Us and Them” by Pink Floyd showcases a unique and non-diatonic chord progression that focuses on D mixolydian mode with added sus2 chords and an augmented chord. It deviates from traditional harmony patterns and creates a spacious, floating feel. The chords occur in a consistent pattern and are mostly slash chords with the constant presence of the D note in the bass, which further strengthens the D tonality.

George Benson – Nothings Gonna Change My Love For You – Verse

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Chord Progression

C, G/B, Am, Em/G, Fmaj7, C/E, Dm, G, C, G/B, Am, Em/G, Fmaj7, C/E, Dm, F/G, E, Fmaj7, C/E, Bb, Fmaj7, Dm7, C, F, F/G, G

Chord Progression Analysis

“`
C (I)
G/B (V6)
Am (vi)
Em/G (iii6)
Fmaj7 (IVmaj7)
C/E (I6)
Dm (ii)
G (V)
C (I)
G/B (V6)
Am (vi)
Em/G (iii6)
Fmaj7 (IVmaj7)
C/E (I6)
Dm (ii)
F/G (IV6/5)
E (V/vi)
Fmaj7 (IVmaj7)
C/E (I6)
Bb (♭VII)
Fmaj7 (IVmaj7)
Dm7 (ii7)
C (I)
F (IV)
F/G (IV6/5)
G (V)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Just the Way You Are” by Billy Joel:
“`
C (I)
Em (iii)
Am (vi)
F (IV)
C (I)
E (V/vi)
Am (vi)
“`

2. “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston/Dolly Parton:
“`
A (I)
E/G# (V6)
F#m (vi)
C#m7 (iii7)
Dmaj7 (IVmaj7)
A/C# (I6)
Bm7 (ii7)
E (V)
“`

3. “Careless Whisper” by George Michael:
“`
Dm (i)
Gm7♭5 (iv7♭5)
Am7 (v7)
A♭maj7 (♭VIIM7)
Gm (iv)
A (V)
“`

Musical Analysis

The Verse of the song begins with a I-V-vi movement, creating a strong sense of resolution. The iii6 chord adds some emotional depth and tension before resolving to the IVmaj7 chord, which further contributes to the romantic atmosphere of the song. The I6 chord emphasizes the tonic chord and leads to the ii-V-I progression, giving a temporary sense of closure.

The second half of the verse follows a similar pattern, with some deviations. The IV6/5 chord provides a unique twist, leading to the V/vi chord which functions as a secondary dominant chord, hinting at a temporary shift in tonality. The ♭VII chord is a borrowed chord from the parallel minor, emphasizing the heartfelt emotion of the lyrics. The ii7 and I chords re-establish the tonality, and the IV-IV6/5-V movement at the end of the Verse provides a strong cadential resolution, preparing for the next section of the song.

Overall Analysis

“Nothings Gonna Change My Love For You” is a romantic ballad featuring a smooth and melodic chord progression characteristic of the pop and jazz fusion genres. The Verse’s chord progression contains some elements of a standard jazz progression while also making use of several borrowed chords. The chords contribute to the warm and sentimental atmosphere that captures the essence of the song’s theme.

Style Analysis

The style of “Nothings Gonna Change My Love For You” draws from a mixture of pop and jazz genres. The smooth chord progression, melodies, and romantic nature of the song are characteristic of pop ballads from the 1980s. At the same time, George Benson’s background in jazz is evident in the more sophisticated harmonies, secondary dominant chords, and the IVmaj7 and ii7 chords, commonly used in jazz progressions.

Chords in the Verse section of Nothings Gonna Change My Love For You by George Benson are:

C, G/B, Am, Em/G, Fmaj7, C/E, Dm, G, C, G/B, Am, Em/G, Fmaj7, C/E, Dm, F/G, E, Fmaj7, C/E, Bb, Fmaj7, Dm7, C, F, F/G, G