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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Tiny Dancer” is an iconic song by Elton John from his 1971 album Madman Across the Water. Written in the key of C Major, it genre-wise fits the mold of pop music from the early 1970s. Structurally, the song displays unique nuances, especially in its pre-chorus, which shifts the tonal center and incorporates some borrowed chords from parallel minor scales.

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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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This chord progression from the verse of Tame Impala’s “Alter Ego” suggests a key of C major due to the recurring instances of Cmaj7. However, the presence of certain chords like Bm7 and Dm suggests that Kevin Parker is creatively “borrowing” chords from the parallel and associated keys (C minor, D minor) to create colorful departures from the primary tonality. The use of extended chords (7ths) and suspended chords (Bsus4) adds a sense of complexity and sophistication to the harmony. As can be seen, the chord progression mostly oscillates between Cmaj7, Bsus4, Bm7 before moving to Dm and Gm towards the end of the verse.

“Heartbreaker” by The Rolling Stones is a classic rock song that utilizes a chord progression that is stereotypical of the genre. The verse and chorus unfold in the key of E minor, with the verse using primarily a cycle of Em7 and Am7. In terms of musical mood and expressivity, the progression conveys a melancholic yet energetic feeling, which is characteristic of the rock genre.

“Weezer’s “Island in the Sun” features a memorable and catchy chord progression, with a mix of major and minor chords that creates an overall uplifting and pleasant atmosphere. The song is in the key of G Major and employs a simple and repetitive progression, characteristic of pop and rock music. Although the chord progression is fairly common, the rhythmic pattern and melodic line make the song stand out among other pop and rock tunes.

Elton John – Tiny Dancer – Verse

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Chord Progression

[‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘Em7’, ‘Am7’, ‘D’, ‘Dm’, ‘Em7’, ‘Am’, ‘G7’, ‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘C’, ‘G’]

Chord Progression Analysis

In this key, the chords can be analyzed as follows:

“`
C (I)
F/A (IV6)
C (I)
F/A (IV6)
C (I)
F/A (IV6)
G (V)
C (I)
F/A (IV6)
C (I)
F/A (IV6)
C (I)
F/A (IV6)
G (V)
F (IV)
Em7 (iii7)
Am7 (vi7)
D (V/vi)
Dm (ii)
Em7 (iii7)
Am (vi)
G7 (V7)
C (I)
F/A (IV6)
C (I)
F/A (IV6)
C (I)
G (V)
“`

In this progression, the borrowed chords are:

“`
Am7 : vi7
— (common substitution for Major IV)
D : V/vi
— (secondary dominant)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” also features a similar progression with the tonic (I), subdominant (IV), and dominant (V) chords in the key of C Major. It, too, borrows a chord from the parallel minor key.

“`
C (I)
G (V)
Am (vi)
F/C (IV6)
C/G (I6)
F/C (IV6)
C/E (I6)
G (V)
C (I)
“`

2. The Beatles’ “Let It Be” shares a similar prime (I), relative minor (vi), and dominant (V) progression in the key of C Major.

“`
C (I)
G (V)
Am (vi)
F (IV)
C (I)
G (V)
F (IV)
C (I)
“`

In conclusion, “Tiny Dancer” represents an intricate exercise in advanced harmony while maintaining strong melodic content and structure, which is characteristic of Elton John’s songwriting style.

Musical Analysis

The song begins with reliance on the I and IV chords, creating a strong sense of home key. The alternating I – IV6 chords provide a solid, grounded opening. From there, the progression moves through primary diatonic harmony, with the V chord (G) establishing a sense of anchor and tension.

The Em7 and Am7 chords contribute to the mood shift, with a minor 7th bringing a somber, reflective feel. The D chord is a secondary dominant, which temporarily diverts us to the related minor key (Am), further deepening the sense of longing. The Dm, Em7, and Am chords propagate an ascending stepwise motion creating a tension that resolves into the dominant seventh (G7), and finally ends in the tonic (C).

Overall Analysis

“Tiny Dancer” by Elton John, written in the key of C Major, is a classic example of elaborate pop song writing. The chord progression features common primary and secondary chords in the key of C Major, along with some borrowed chords to add color. This combination makes for a memorable and melodic song.

The most unique feature of the song is how it slowly changes to the key of C minor in the second half of the verse, making use of two borrowed chords. This is a powerful tool in songwriting, as it can dramatically affect the emotional tone of the song. Lastly, this song demonstrates Elton John’s use of Coloristic harmony, through chromatically altered chords.

Style Analysis

Elton John’s style is marked by complex harmonic structures, often using chromaticism, secondary dominants, and borrowed chords. “Tiny Dancer” exemplifies this with its use of modal interchange in the second half of the verse and the secondary dominant.

Chords in the Verse section of Tiny Dancer by Elton John are:

[‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘Em7’, ‘Am7’, ‘D’, ‘Dm’, ‘Em7’, ‘Am’, ‘G7’, ‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘C’, ‘F/A’, ‘C’, ‘G’]