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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” by Elton John employs interesting chord progressions and borrows chords from other modes and keys, contributing to its melancholy, yet dynamically expressive mood. The song is set in E minor and uses basic chord progressions, some more sophisticated ones, and many borrowed chords.

As this song has a distinct classical rock sound, you’ll see a mixture of major and minor chords. The progression is in the key of E major. The use of seventh chords and suspended chords provides a dense harmonic texture.

Muse’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” is a rock interpretation of the classic 1967 pop song “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli, which has been covered by various artists in different styles. The chord progression of the chorus is characterized by a series of diatonic chords, predominant in Western pop music. This progression follows a typical 1950’s “doowop” pattern present in countless pop and rock songs, utilizing the familiar circle of fourths movement (Dm-G-C) and establishing a straightforward harmonic rhythm.

Chord Progression Analysis with Roman Numerals (borrowed chords in code block):

D minor (iv) – G major (VII) – C major (I) – A minor (vi) – D minor (iv) – G major (VII) – C major (I) – A major (V/vi) – D minor (iv) – G major (VII) – C major (I) – A minor (vi) – D minor (iv) – G major (VII) – C major 7 (Imaj7) – C7 (I7) – C6 (I6) – C major (I) – Ab major (*bVI) – C major (I)

`* Ab major (bVI) is a borrowed chord from the parallel minor key (C minor).`

The chord progression in the chorus of “Kids” by MGMT is a repetitive and catchy sequence that features four chords, showcasing MGMT’s characteristic electronic pop and psychedelic rock sound. The progression is in the key of A Major, and the chords follow a vi-IV-I-V pattern.

Elton John – I Guess Thats Why They Call It The Blues – Chorus

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Chord Progression

[‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘D’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Em’, ‘F’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Here is the chorus chord progression with the full chord names and their corresponding Roman numerals:

“`
C Major (I)
G Major (V)
F Major (IV)
C Major (I)
G Major (V)
F Major (IV)
C Major (I)
G Major (V)
A minor (vi)
C Major (I)
F Major (IV)
D Major (II) – Borrowed
F Major (IV)
G Major (V)
C Major (I)
E minor (iii)
F Major (IV)
“`
As seen above, all chords fit into the key of C Major, with the exception of D Major (II), which may be considered a borrowed chord from the parallel key of C minor.

Similar Chord Progressions

Similar chord progressions can be found in many songs by other artists. For example, “The Scientist” by Coldplay follows a similar chord progression in the key of C Major with the regular IV-V-I progression.

“`
Db Major (IV)
Ab Major (I)
Bb minor (ii)
F minor (vi)
Db Major (IV)
Ab Major (I)
Bb minor (ii)
F minor (vi)
“`

Another example can be found in “Let it Be” by The Beatles, with a similar progression and use of a borrowed chord from a parallel key.

“`
C Major (I)
G Major (V)
A minor (vi)
F Major (IV)
C Major (I)
G Major (V)
F Major (IV)
C major (I)
“`

Overall, “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues” demonstrates a masterful use of traditional progressions mixed with interesting borrowed chords to create a deeply emotive and effective chorus.

Musical Analysis

The chorus, starting on the C Major chord, revolves around the I-IV-V, reflecting the standard major key progression. The progression from I-V-IV (C-G-F) gives the song a grounded and satisfying sense of familiarity common among pop and rock music. The use of A minor (vi) introduces a minor tone into the chorus, adding a touch of melancholy. The D Major chord (II) is interesting as this is not directly part of the C Major scale, this borrowed chord adds tension and anticipation, leading back into the F Major.

Overall Analysis

“I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues” is a well-known hit by Elton John from the album “Too Low for Zero” released in 1983. The song is a blend of pop, rock and blues styles and showcases Elton John’s proficiency in blending different music genres. The verse uses a straightforward I-V-vi-IV progression which is a common progression in pop music.

The Chorus’s

Style Analysis

The style of this progression, particularly the use of the IV-V-I and VI-IV-V-I resolution is typical of Elton John’s style. The borrowed II chord creates a touch of blues in the progression, reflecting the song’s title and giving it depth.

Chords in the Chorus section of I Guess Thats Why They Call It The Blues by Elton John are:

[‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘D’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Em’, ‘F’]