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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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The song “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” by Elton John is brilliantly harmonized, showcasing the great musical arrangement skills of John at his best. Primarily, the song is based in the key of C Major and uses a variety of moving bass lines over mostly diatonic chords in the verses and choruses. There are some key modulations and borrowed chords that give the harmony a rich and complex quality which sets it apart from many contemporary pop songs.

Verse

The chord progression of “Because” by The Beatles demonstrates the band’s profound exploration of harmony. The song starts in the key of C# minor, revolves around this key, and includes various modulations and tonicizations to explore chords beyond the key. It heavily employs secondary dominants and borrowed chords, particularly the diminished 7th chords, which is not uncommon in Beatles’s songs. The chord progression has a dreamy and fluid flow due to these harmonic explorations.

“Buddy Holly” is a song by Weezer with an upbeat, pop-rock feel. It exists in the key of A major and showcases a recurring chord progression in its verse consisting of F#m, E/G#, and A.

“Creep” by Radiohead is a song that features a well-known four-chord progression throughout the verses. This progression is G – B – C – Cm, which is often considered one of the factors that contribute to the song’s memorable and emotional quality. The chord progression helps create a melancholic and haunting atmosphere in the song. This song is notably influenced by alternative rock and grunge styles from the early 90s.

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:
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E (‘I’),
B (‘V’),
C#m (‘vi’),
A (‘IV’)
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Or even “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd:
“`
E (‘I’),
A (‘IV’),
B (‘V’)
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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’]