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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#.

“Rocket Man” by Elton John is primarily in the key of Bb minor (the verses and chorus), but its outro transposes to the key of C Major, which gives a sensation of resolution. The chord progression in the Outro is a simple two-chord progression (I – V), which is extremely common in all styles of music and impacts the listener with its familiarity and stability.

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Generally, the chord progression follows the conventional guidelines of western music, utilizing strong resolution from B (V) to E (I). However, it also employs some harmony techniques very typical in pop/rock music, such as the use of slash chords and chord inversions (A/E, F#m7/E) to add harmonic interest. In addition, it incorporates chromatic mediant relationships (E to C#m) to create a sense of progression.

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The chord progression of “Say Goodbye” by Beck uses a combination of diatonic and borrowed chords within the key of G major. The verse features a total of 8 chords: G major, A# major, A minor, and C major. The use of a borrowed chord (A# major) adds an interesting twist to the progression and provides a unique color to the harmony.

“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’].

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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’]