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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#.

The verse of “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John is generally in the key of C major (with some temporary modulations) and features a varied and interesting chord progression that is indicative of Elton John’s complex, piano-driven musical style.

“Bullet With Butterfly Wings” by The Smashing Pumpkins features a chord progression that uses a lot of power chords (fifth chords) which demonstrates its grungy, rock oriented style. It also incorporates major, minor, and suspended second chords, making it an interesting combination of simplicity and complexity.

“Hey You” by Pink Floyd is a prog-rock song featured on their iconic album, “The Wall.” Its chord progression showcases a unique blend of chords that creates a sense of yearning and emotional intensity. The use of borrowed chords from parallel keys enhances the song’s emotive quality, and the overall structure shows a level of harmonic sophistication typical of Pink Floyd’s work.

“Hysteria” by Muse is a song with a heavy rock style, featuring a powerful bassline and distorted guitars. The chord progression mentioned is present in the first verse of the song. This progression is characterized by the use of standard tonal harmony and minor key tonality, with some slight variations that are typical in rock music.

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)
“`

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’]