Search

Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Lord Only Knows” by Beck is a blend of folk and country with a touch of alternative rock. The song features an interesting chord progression, especially in Verse 3, which includes a mixture of major and minor chords as well as a few borrowed chords.

“Paper Tiger” by Beck is a song from his album “Sea Change,” released in 2002. The style of this song is primarily alternative rock, with elements of psychedelia and baroque pop. The outro of “Paper Tiger” features a simple chord progression of E, E7, and Bm, with interesting harmonic techniques, such as secondary dominants and borrowed chords.

The progression for the chorus of “Sometimes It Snows In April” by Prince exhibits a rich mixture of non- diatonic chords and borrowed chords. The tonal center of the song is A, but it doesn’t strictly follow a specific major or minor scale, creating an interesting blend of light and dark tonalities. This characteristic is a common feature in Prince’s works, showing his notable talent for blending the traditional with the unconventional.

“Get You” by Daniel Caesar is a soulful R&B ballad featuring a smooth and emotive chord progression that is both melancholic and uplifting. The progression is derived from the key of D major, but features a borrowed chord from its parallel minor key, D minor, which adds a unique flair to the song. Daniel Caesar’s vocal performance, accompanied by soulful instrumentation, creates a sense of nostalgia and emotional evocation that is characteristic of the R&B genre.

Vance Joy’s “Riptide” is a remarkably simple yet highly effective song written in the key of C Major. The song follows a repetitive I-vi-IV chord progression, which is only varied in the bridge where a minor seventh chord introduces tension before leading back to the song’s major tonality.

Beck – Lord Only Knows – Chorus

Add To Favorites Remove From Favorites

< All Analyses

Chord Progression

F#, B, F#, B, E, G#, B, G#, G, F#, B

Chord Progression Analysis

F# Major (V), B Major (I), F# Major (V), B Major (I), E Major (IV), G# Major (VI+), B Major (I), G# Major (VI+), G Major (bVI), F# Major (V), B Major (I)

Borrowed Chord:
`G Major (bVI)`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Creep” by Radiohead: [‘G Major (I)’, ‘B Major (III)’, ‘C Major (IV)’, ‘C minor (iv)’]
2. “Blackbird” by The Beatles: [‘G Major (I)’, ‘A minor (ii)’, ‘B flat Major (bIII)’, ‘C Major (IV)’, ‘D Major (V)’]
3. “Champagne Supernova” by Oasis: [‘A Major (I)’, ‘E Major (V)’, ‘F# minor (vi)’, ‘G Major (bVII)’]

Note that the chord progressions listed are not identical to the one in “Lord Only Knows” but share some elements of chromaticism and the use of borrowed chords or feature unexpected harmonic shifts.

Musical Analysis

The chorus begins with a strong V-I cadence (F# Major to B Major), which establishes the tonality of the piece. This cadence reoccurs throughout the progression. The E Major chord (IV) functions as a subdominant chord, preparing the listener for the arrival of the G# Major (VI+) chord, which is borrowed from the B Harmonic minor scale, creating tension.

This tension is resolved with the return to the tonic B Major (I) chord. The progression then moves to G# Major again. The G Major (bVI) chord is a borrowed chord from B minor and adds some chromaticism and surprise factor to the progression. The progression ends with a V-I (F# Major to B Major) cadence, providing a sense of closure.

Overall Analysis

The chord progression in the chorus of Beck’s “Lord Only Knows” is in the key of B Major and features some chromaticism and borrowed chords that give it a unique and somewhat unexpected sound. The chords move predominantly in fourths and fifths. The nature of the progression is reminiscent of rock and folk music, but Beck’s quirky and stylistic approach also evokes an alternative feel.

Style Analysis

Beck’s choice of chords and the way he employs borrowed chords and chromaticism reflects his penchant for alternative rock and indie music, infusing traditional rock/folk harmony with his unique and individualistic style. The harmonic choices make the progression memorable and instantly recognizable as a Beck composition.

Chords in the Chorus section of Lord Only Knows by Beck are:

F#, B, F#, B, E, G#, B, G#, G, F#, B