Elton John – Im Still Standing – Verse 2
Im Still Standing < All Analyses
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/V’)
B (‘V’)
E (‘I’)
F#m7/E (‘ii7/V’)
A/E (‘IV/V’)
B (‘V’)
C#m (‘vi’)
A (‘IV’)
E (‘I’)
F#m/E (‘ii7’)
E (‘I’)
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Similar Chord Progressions
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There are not many that perfectly match Elton’s exact chord progression, since the chords he chose and their arrangements are quite unique. However, there are some similarities to other artists’ progressions.
The Beatles, “Let it Be” – The use of IV/V is quite similar, despite it being in C Major.
C (‘I’)
G (‘V’)
Am (‘vi’)
F (‘IV’)
Paul McCartney’s resolve to the IV chord (‘F’) can be compared to the A/E in Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing”.
“Imagine” by John Lennon also uses the I-V and IV-V resolve but with fewer chords:
C (‘I’),
Cmaj7 (‘I’),
F (‘IV’)
Dm (‘ii’)
F (‘IV’)
C (‘I’)
Musical Analysis
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You will notice that ‘Im Still Standing’ applies flipping principles in the chord, A/E and F#m7/E, where E is the sustained bass note. This gives a steady edge to the song, as commonly applied in rock and pop music.
Lyrically, the song moves from phrases of resolution (E, ‘I’) to tension (B, ‘V’) and back to resolution. This gives a cyclical feeling to the music, mirroring the lyrics about persistence and resilience. The ‘C#m’ (‘vi’) introduces a minor chord, adding depth and a dynamic change to the song.
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Overall Analysis
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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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Style Analysis
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Elton John’s use of non-diatonic chords and complex progressions reflects a distinct blend of rock, pop and elements of jazz. His diverse influences can be heard in the song’s structure. The chord inversions, the prevalent usage of the V-I resolution and the mixture of major and minor chords are all hallmarks of his innovative style. John’s songs often feature extensive piano work, and ‘Im Still Standing’ is no exception, with its driving piano chords forming the bedrock of the song’s structure.
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What are the chords in: Elton John – Im Still Standing – Verse 2?
[‘E’, ‘A/E’, ‘B’, ‘E’, ‘F#m7/E’, ‘A/E’, ‘B’, ‘C#m’, ‘A’, ‘E’, ‘F#m/E’, ‘E’]
