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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Have You Ever Seen The Rain” is a popular song by Creedence Clearwater Revival from the 1971 album “Pendulum”. This song is performed in the key of C major, and uses chords from the diatonic scale. However, it also utilizes borrowed chords and chord inversions to create a bit of colour and novelty.

“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.

“Tiny Dancer” by Elton John, written in the key of C Major, is a classic example of elaborate pop song writing. The chord progression features common primary and secondary chords in the key of C Major, along with some borrowed chords to add color. This combination makes for a memorable and melodic song.

The most unique feature of the song is how it slowly changes to the key of C minor in the second half of the verse, making use of two borrowed chords. This is a powerful tool in songwriting, as it can dramatically affect the emotional tone of the song. Lastly, this song demonstrates Elton John’s use of Coloristic harmony, through chromatically altered chords.

“Little Sister” by Queens of the Stone Age is in C# minor and features an interesting blend of simple cycle of power chords, articulating a I – V/v – III – V progression during verses. The track is heavy but also melodic, built from a four-chord pattern that creates a mesmerizing tonality within the rock genre.

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have You Ever Seen The Rain – Verse

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Chord Progression

[‘C’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Here are the chords for the verse:

“`
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
G Major (V)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
G Major (V)
C Major (I)
“`

This chord progression is essentially a I-V turn around which is a common technique in blues and rock. Note that the Roman numerals represent the general notes in the key of C Major. Hence, C Major is the I chord and G Major is the V chord.

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Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Let It Be” by Beatles
Verse Chord Progression:
“`
C Major (I)
G Major (V)
A Minor (vi)
F Major (IV)
“`
Though slightly more complex than the Creedence Clearwater Revival song, the Beatles’ track also relies on a solid major chord structure with the I and V chords featuring prominently.

2. “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Verse Chord Progression:
“`
D Major (I)
C Major (flat-VII)
G Major (IV)
“`
Here the I and V chords are present alongside a flat-VII chord. This progression shares a similar rock/country feel with “Have You Ever Seen the Rain”.

These examples show how the I-V progression found in “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” is a popular choice in the rock music genre.

Musical Analysis

This song starts and ends on a ‘C Major’ chord, showing no modulations throughout the verse. The ‘I-V’ chord progression is common in rock and popular music. This progression provides a solid, relaxing feel perfect for the lyrics which talk about experiencing change and facing difficult times.

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Overall Analysis

“Have You Ever Seen The Rain” by Creedence Clearwater Revival is a classic rock song written in the key of C Major. It’s a brilliant representation of 60s and 70s folk-rock music with a chord sequence that is very recognizable, even to this day.

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Style Analysis

Creedence Clearwater Revival is known for its distinctive swamp rock style. The chords chosen for “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” allows the band to blend elements of rock, pop, and country. The repetitive ‘I-V’ progression in the verse and the sophisticated yet simple melody line gives the song its timeless appeal.

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Chords in the Verse section of Have You Ever Seen The Rain by Creedence Clearwater Revival are:

[‘C’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘C’]