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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Can You Feel The Love Tonight” is a pop ballad written in the key of G major. The progression makes traditional use of the G major chord scale with a notable exception of a borrowed chord A/C#.

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“Im Still Standing” by Elton John is a classic rock/pop song composed in E Major. You can see that this is a complex composition with frequent chord changes, giving it a rich musical texture. The chord progression is not diatonic, which means that it includes chords from outside of its home key of E Major.

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The chord progression in Muse’s “Feeling Good” is in the key of G minor and showcases an interesting and creative use of borrowed chords and inversions. The progression follows a cyclical pattern that creates tension and release throughout the verse. The style is reminiscent of soul and jazz influences with a hint of rock elements, which is a common characteristic in Muse’s music.

“Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley is a well-known example of a poignant, introspective ballad with a mix of pop, folk, and gospel elements. It features intricate, emotionally evocative chord progressions that move beyond typical diatonic patterns and uses borrowed chords to create an emotionally charged atmosphere.

“Glory Box” by Portishead is a Trip Hop masterpiece which blends elements of blues, rock, soul, and electronic music together in an innovative and influential way. The song’s chord progression, as illustrated by the verse, is D minor, D minor with C in the bass (notated as Dm/C), B minor 7 flat 5, and B flat major 7. This particular chord progression gives an overall melancholy and haunting feeling throughout the song and sets the tone for the track.

Elton John – Can You Feel The Love Tonight – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

[‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘Am7’, ‘D’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘C’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘D’]

Chord Progression Analysis

For the Verse 1: [‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘Am7’, ‘D’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘C’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘D’]

Full chord Names and their Roman Numerals:
“`
C (I)
G/B (V6)
C (I)
G/B (V6)
C (I)
G/B (V6)
Am7 (vi7)
D (II)
C (I)
G/B (V6)
C (I)
G/B (V6)
C (I)
Em (iii)
F (IV)
D (II)
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The D major chord is a borrowed chord from the parallel minor, which adds tension and a splash of color.

Similar Chord Progressions

The chord progression of “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” might remind you of “Let It Be” by The Beatles.

For: “Let It Be” [‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘G’].

In the same format as the

Musical Analysis

Elton John’s chords express nostalgia and a longing for simplicity. This progression starts with a major I chord (C Major), which is the cornerstone of the key. It then pivots to G/B, which is unusual as G/B (V6) often typically leads to a I chord. But here, he transitions back and forth between the I chord (C Major), and the V6 chord (G/B), promoting a feeling of sentimentality and warmth. The song makes use of the vi7 (Am7) which provides a touch of melancholy before pivoting to the II (D), a dominant secondary, adding a seventh for the tension needed to resolve back to the I chord (C Major). The Em chord (iii) brings another layer of emotion and is followed by F (IV), a typical subdominant choice in pop music, then ending back at the tension-filled D major.

Overall Analysis

“Can You Feel The Love Tonight” by Elton John is a heart-touching love song that carries a smooth flowing blend of pop and soft rock, showing Elton John’s inclination to use diatonic (major and minor) chords, 7th chords and inversions. The song, largely stays in its home key of C major, has an interesting chord progression that shifts between the tonic, subdominant, and dominant. Internally, there are multiple secondary dominant chords and borrowing from the parallel minor, providing color and contrast.

Style Analysis

Elton John’s unique blend of pop, rock, gospel, and R&B elements is evident in this piece. His usage of I-VI-IV chord progression is a common staple in popular kind of music. The borrowed chord from the parallel minor and secondary dominants add to the song’s emotional depth and complexity.

Chords in the Verse 1 section of Can You Feel The Love Tonight by Elton John are:

[‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘Am7’, ‘D’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘C’, ‘G/B’, ‘C’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘D’]