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Related Music Theory Alchemy

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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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“Rocket Man” by Elton John and his long-time lyricist Bernie Taupin is a standout song in Elton John’s discography, well known for its memorable melody line and masterful chord progression that was very innovative for its time (1972). It showcases his trademark style of combining rock with various other genres such as folk.

Overall, the harmony in this song is quite rich and a clear example of Elton John’s ’70s songwriting style: using complex chords and a lot of borrowed chords from other keys that add extra color to the harmonic progression.

The chord progression in the verse of “Congratulations” by MGMT is an interesting blend of conventional pop and classical harmonies with some use of borrowed chords. The progression features mostly diatonic chords in the key of G major, but there are moments of modal interchange and suspensions that add color and tension to the progression.

“Right Where It Belongs” by Nine Inch Nails features a non-diatonic chord progression that creates a sense of tension and resolution. The progression makes use of borrowed chords from parallel keys, contributing to its distinctive sound. The overall key of the song is D minor.

“Castles Made Of Sand” is a song by Jimi Hendrix, featured on the 1967 album “Axis: Bold as Love.” The chord progression in the verse is notable for its use of both diatonic and chromatic chords, creating a complex harmonic structure that reflects the intricate guitar work and emotive lyrics of the song.

Elton John – Im Still Standing – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

[‘E’, ‘A/E’, ‘B’, ‘E’, ‘F#m7/E’, ‘A/E’, ‘B’, ‘C#m’, ‘A’, ‘E’, ‘F#m/E’, ‘E’]

Chord Progression Analysis

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“`
E (‘I’),
A/E (‘IV/I’),
B (‘V’),
E (‘I’),
F#m7/E (‘ii7/I’),
A/E (‘IV/I’),
B (‘V’),
C#m (‘vi’),
A (‘IV’),
E (‘I’),
F#m7/E (‘ii7/I’),
E (‘I’)
“`

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Similar Chord Progressions

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One of pop music’s most famous examples of similar chord progressions might be “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey:
“`
E (‘I’),
B (‘V’),
C#m (‘vi’),
A (‘IV’)
“`
Or even “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd:
“`
E (‘I’),
A (‘IV’),
B (‘V’)
“`
Note that these songs do not include the slash chords and inversions seen in “I’m Still Standing,” making them a bit less harmonically complex. However, their basic structure, emphasizing I-IV-V and vi chord relationships, is quite similar.

Musical Analysis

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The progression opens and closes with the E Major chord, clearly establishing the tonal center. The alternation between E and A/E highlights the I-IV pattern which is very common in pop/rock music. The V-I progressions in the sequence (B-E) add tension and release, keeping the song moving forward. The F#m7/E shows a bit more color, adding some complexity to the harmony. The progression from C#m (vi) to A (IV) is a fairly common one in pop music, often used after the V-I close of a phrase.

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Overall Analysis

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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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Style Analysis

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This chord progression is quite typical for Elton John’s style. He often uses these sort of “common pop” chords in his songs, but with slight tweaks like slash chords and inversions to make them more interesting. He also incorporates the chromatic mediant (C#m) more frequently than most pop composers, adding a slight classical touch to his sound.

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Chords in the Verse 1 section of Im Still Standing by Elton John are:

[‘E’, ‘A/E’, ‘B’, ‘E’, ‘F#m7/E’, ‘A/E’, ‘B’, ‘C#m’, ‘A’, ‘E’, ‘F#m/E’, ‘E’]