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The verse chord progression in Beck’s “Girl Acoustic” features a bright and uplifting feel, with a mix of major and minor chords. The progression is in the key of A major and showcases a simplicity that is common in pop and folk music.

The outro of Beck’s song “Morning” features a beautiful and interesting chord progression in the key of E major. This progression has a mix of diatonic and borrowed chords that creates an evocative sonority and dreamy atmosphere, fitting seamlessly with the rest of the song.

“For No One” is a song from The Beatles’ album Revolver, released in 1966. The song has a melancholic theme, represented quite well through a sophisticated chord progression that features significant use of the minor scale and infrequent use of chord extensions, such as 7th and suspended chords. It’s written primarily in C Major, but the chorus alternates between D Minor and A7, an interesting modal shift (Using structural chords from different modes).

“Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” is a pop song by Elton John from the album “Caribou,” released in 1974. The song is set in the key of C Major, with some interesting chord changes and borrowed chords that are rich and reflective of Elton John’s unique harmonic style. The chorus especially impresses with unexpected chord shifts, demonstrating a sophisticated songwriting technique.

The song “Yesterday” by The Beatles is in the key of F major and spans chord I to VI. It is characterized by a deeply expressive melody and distinctive harmony. The chord progression seems simple, yet it makes full use of secondary dominants, borrowed chords, and subtly shifting tonal centers for narrative, which is a trademark of The Beatles’s songwriting style.

Beck – Girl Acoustic – Chorus

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Chord Progression

E, D, A, E, D, A, E, D, A, E, D, A, E, D, A, E, D, A, E, D, A, E, D, A

Chord Progression Analysis

E Major (V) – D Major (IV) – A Major (I)

Similar Chord Progressions

There are many songs that share a similar structure of moving between the V, IV, and I chords. Some examples are:

1. “Yellow” by Coldplay: B Major (V) – A Major (IV) – E Major (I)
2. “Let It Be” by The Beatles: G Major (V) – F Major (IV) – C Major (I)
3. “With Or Without You” by U2: D Major (IV) – A Major (I) – E Major (V)

These songs, like “Girl Acoustic,” utilize the strong resolutions and the tension between the V and IV chords to create memorable and engaging progressions.

Musical Analysis

The progression is a repeated pattern of three chords – E, D, and A. This particular sequence creates a strong and stable harmonic structure built around the tonic. The constant return to the tonic provides the sense of resolution and conclusiveness, whereas the movement from V to IV chords creates tension, contributing to the song’s overall emotion.

The movement from E to D (V to IV) is a classic “plagal cadence” that is widely used throughout various music genres, enhancing the song’s catchiness and familiarity.

Overall Analysis

The chord progression of the chorus in Beck’s “Girl Acoustic” is relatively simple and straightforward, yet effective in creating a memorable and catchy tune. The song is in the key of A major, and the progression maintains a predominantly diatonic harmony.

Style Analysis

The progression’s simplicity and constant return to the tonic can be seen as a defining stylistic characteristic of Beck’s songwriting, which often employs straightforward yet effective harmonic structures. “Girl Acoustic” is predominantly a pop-influenced indie-folk song, and the chord progression reflects that in its accessible nature.

Chords in the Chorus section of Girl Acoustic by Beck are:

E, D, A, E, D, A, E, D, A, E, D, A, E, D, A, E, D, A, E, D, A, E, D, A