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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Lost Cause” by Beck from the album “Sea Change” showcases a melancholic and heartfelt mood with a slow tempo, exuding a sense of introspection and vulnerability. The song can be described as a folk-rock ballad with subtle touches of country and indie rock.

The bridge of Beck’s “Heart Is A Drum” features a mixture of diatonic chords and borrowed chords. This creates a sense of continuous flow, which is commonly found in many popular music songs. The progression contains primary chords (G, C, and F) and a secondary chord (Dm7).

The chord progression for the verse of “Electric Feel” by MGMT is based in the key of C major. The progression mainly revolves around the use of i, v, VI, and VII chords. The song has a hypnotic, cyclic feel that is characteristic of the neo-psychedelic genre, with touches of funk and dance music elements.

Dead Flowers by The Rolling Stones is a classic track that exhibits some very traditional aspects of popular music and blues-based rock. The song is in D major and follows a fairly standard chord progression, using only three chords (D, A, and G), which make up four-measure phrases that are repeated throughout this part of the song.

“Time To Pretend” features a simple and repetitive chord progression in the key of D major. The chord progression in the verse is characterized by a repeated pattern of D – G – D – Dsus2. The style of the song can be described as psychedelic synth-pop, with its electronic synth sounds and dream-like atmosphere. MGMT’s music often features catchy melodies and harmonies, which can also be heard in this song.

Beck – Lost Cause – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

F, C, C/B, F, C, C/B, F, C, C/B, Am, E7, F, C, C/B, F, C, C/B, F, C, C/B, Am, E7

Chord Progression Analysis

`F Major (I) – C Major (V) – C Major/B (V6) – F Major (I) – C Major (V) – C Major/B (V6) – F Major (I) – C Major (V) – C Major/B (V6) – A minor (vi) – E7 (V7/iv) – F Major (I) – C Major (V) – C Major/B (V6) – F Major (I) – C Major (V) – C Major/B (V6) – F Major (I) – C Major (V) – C Major/B (V6) – A minor (vi) – E7 (V7/iv)`

Borrowed Chord(s):
`E7 (V7/iv)`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. Bob Dylan – “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right”: `C Major (I) – G Major (V) – Am (vi) – Am/G-Am/F# (vi6-vi/#4) – F Major (IV) – C Major (I) – C Major/E (I6) – F Major (IV) – G7 (V7) – C Major (I)`
2. Radiohead – “Exit Music (For a Film)”: `C Major (I) – Bm7-5 (viiø7) – Am (vi) – E7 (V7/iv) – F Major (IV) – Fm6 (iv) – C Major (I)`
3. The Beatles – “Blackbird”: `G Major (I) – G Major/B (I6) – Am7 (ii7) – Am7/G (ii7/7) – D7 (V7) – G Major (I)`

Musical Analysis

Throughout the verse, Beck alternates between the tonic (or I) chord, F Major, and the dominant (or V) chord, C Major. These alternations serve as a solid foundation, grounding the progression. As the bass note transitions from C to B in the C Major/B chord (also known as the V6 chord), it adds a stepwise motion to the movement, creating a sense of forward momentum in the progression.

The inclusion of the borrowed chord E7 (V7/iv) introduces a more dramatic tension and some ambiguity as it leans towards the parallel key of F minor, which would typically have an A-flat rather than an A natural. This tension is released as the progression resolves back to F Major (I).

Overall Analysis

The chord progression throughout this verse of Beck’s “Lost Cause” is predominantly in the key of F Major with some chords from its relative minor (D minor). The use of borrowed chords adds variety and color to the progression, and the alternation between F major and C major chords creates a strong sense of tonality and grounding in the key of F Major. The use of Am and E7 chords provides a brief tension and leaning toward the parallel key of F minor before resolving back to the original key. This adds interest and complexity to the otherwise straightforward progression.

Style Analysis

Beck’s style in “Lost Cause” is a blend of folk rock with alternative elements. The chord progression accentuates the melancholic mood of the song, enhanced by the use of A minor (vi) and the tension-building E7 (V7/iv) chords. The harmonic structure embraces a sense of simplicity with the repetition of the I – V – V6 chords, which serves as a nod to the roots of folk music.

Chords in the Verse 1 section of Lost Cause by Beck are:

F, C, C/B, F, C, C/B, F, C, C/B, Am, E7, F, C, C/B, F, C, C/B, F, C, C/B, Am, E7