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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Sexx Laws” by Beck is a unique and interesting piece that combines elements of various musical styles including funk, rock, and pop. The chord progression found in Verse 3 is quite simple yet effective, creating a sense of tension and release.

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).

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‘Set Fire to the Rain’ is written in the key of D minor. The main course of progression uses the chords of Dm, B-flat Major, F Major and C Major. This is a 6-4-1-5 progression, which is very popular and is used in a lot of pop music.

What makes this progression interesting is that Adele uses the 2nd inversion of the A minor chord, Am/B, and G/A, which gives it a unique timbre. `Am/B` is the 2nd inversion of the `Am` chord and `G/A` is the 2nd inversion of the `G` chord.

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“Eight Days A Week” by The Beatles is in the key of D major. The song features a handful of basic major and minor chords with a sprinkling of interesting harmonic developments such as the E7 transition chord and the use of the B minor chord which provide a rich palette of colors for the progression.

The chorus of “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails is built around a progression that oscillates between a single major chord, F, and a single minor seventh chord, Cm7. This is quite minimalistic. Major chords usually have a happy, positive feel, while minor chords induce a somewhat sad, introspective mood. The use of C minor 7th gives a particular color to the progression: it’s a minor chord with an added minor seventh, which means it’s a bit less stable than a regular minor chord.

Beck – Sexx Laws – Chorus

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Chord Progression

E, G#, C#, G, F#, F, E, D, A, A#

Chord Progression Analysis

E Major (I), G# Major (bIII), C# Major (V/vi), G Major (bIII/iv), F# Major (II), F Major (bII), E Major (I), D Major (VII), A Major (IV), A# Diminished (iv°)

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Borrowed chords: G# Major, G Major, F Major, A# Diminished
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Similar Chord Progressions

1. Radiohead – “Paranoid Android” (in a different key): Bb Major (I), Db Major (bIII), F# Major (V/vi), Eb Major (IV), D Major (VII), A Major (IV), Bb Major (I)
2. The Beatles – “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (in a different key): Am (i), A#dim (iidim), C#m7(b5) (ivm7b5), C (bIII), G (VII), F#dim (vidim), E (VI)

Each of these songs uses unexpected chords, borrowed chords, and chromatic elements, making them similar in style to the chord progression in “Sexx Laws” by Beck.

Musical Analysis

The progression begins and ends with the E major chord, which is the tonic chord, establishing a sense of E major as the tonal center. However, the second chord, G# Major, deviates from the diatonic chords in E major and is a borrowed chord. The movement from the E major to the G# Major introduces a chromaticism that is further enhanced by the following chords.

The inclusion of borrowed chords such as G Major, F Major, and the A# Diminished chord adds unexpected harmonic motion and color. The progression moves in chromatic and whole steps, creating a sense of tension and release. The use of parallel major chords, such as E, G#, C#, G, and F#, contributes to a classic rock sound.

Overall Analysis

The chord progression in the chorus of “Sexx Laws” by Beck is a non-diatonic chord progression that features chromatic and unexpected chords. The progression seems to be based in the key of E major, but the chords used are not strictly within the E major scale, providing a distinctive sound and style characteristic of Beck’s music. The progression contains some parallel major chords, giving it a distinct classic rock vibe.

Style Analysis

Beck is known for his diverse and innovative musical style, drawing from various genres such as rock, blues, and folk. This particular chord progression highlights Beck’s ability to combine traditional harmony with non-diatonic, unexpected, and chromatic elements. The classic rock-inspired parallel major chords, inject a vintage flavor, and the overall progression can be considered a unique blend fitting Beck’s eclectic style.

Chords in the Chorus section of Sexx Laws by Beck are:

E, G#, C#, G, F#, F, E, D, A, A#