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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Your Song” is characterized by a varied and complex chord progression that helps to emphasize the emotional complexity of the lyrics. This is apparent in the progression used in Verse 2, which employs several techniques used frequently by Elton John. These include the use of secondary dominants, borrowed chords, modal mixture, and chromatic bass movements to add emotional color and reinforce the feeling of tension and resolution in the song’s narrative.

Your Song, like many of Elton John’s pieces, is known for its prominent piano accompaniment and strong melodic hooks. The song is in the key of D Major, which is why the frequent return to the D Major chord provides the sense of home and finality in the piece.

The Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix is a rock ballad with elements of blues, featuring a unique and expressive chord progression. The song is in the key of F major and the verse progression consists of 25 chords. The progression is largely diatonic, but includes chromatic lines and borrowed chords, which give the piece a rather unpredictable yet emotive quality.

“Something” written by George Harrison from The Beatles majorly follows the key of C major and includes a few borrowed chords. There is a usage of secondary dominants and seventh chords which lend a harmonic complexity to the song. During the course of the song, the chords shift from the major scale to the parallel minor scale.

“Can’t Buy Me Love,” a song by The Beatles, exhibits a style that’s emblematic of their earlier work, with a clear, upbeat tonality and an elegant yet straightforward chord progression. The tune is predominantly centred in the key of C major, but it utilizes both major and dominant 7th chords to create tension and resolution, modulating away from the home key. The particular progression you’ve given, ‘C7’, ‘F7’, ‘C’, isn’t rare and demonstrates the Beatles’ precision and understanding of pop and rock music’s creative possibilities.

Elton John – Your Song – Verse 4

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Chord Progression

[‘D’, ‘Gmaj7’, ‘A/C#’, ‘F#m’, ‘Bm’, ‘Bmadd11/A’, ‘Bmadd11/G#’, ‘G’, ‘D/A’, ‘A’, ‘Asus2’, ‘F#’, ‘Bm’, ‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Dsus4’, ‘D’, ‘Dsus2’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Chord list for Verse 4:

`1. D (I)
2. Gmaj7 (IVmaj7)
3. A/C# (V6)
4. F#m (iii)
5. Bm (vi)
6. Bmadd11/A (viadd11 with first inversion)
7. Bmadd11/G# (viadd11 with first inversion/borrowed)
8. G (IV)
9. D/A (I6)
10. A (V)
11. Asus2 (Vadd2)
12. F# (III/borrowed)
13. Bm (vi)
14. D (I)
15. Em (ii)
16. G (IV)
17. D (I)
18. Dsus4 (Isus4)
19. D (I)
20. Dsus2 (Isus2)`

The first interesting observation from this progression is the use of inverted dominant (V6 – A/C#) and tonic chords (I6 – D/A). This creates a sense of melodic bass line harmonizing with the rest of the harmony and melody, a trait possibly influenced by the composer’s deep grounding in piano playing.

Moreover, several major III chords (III – F#) are borrowed from the parallel minor key (D minor), adding expressive tension and intensity to the progression in a baroque or classical manner.

Over the span of this progression, it goes through nearly the whole diatonic chord palette of the D major key, including major, minor, and suspended chords. This variety contributes to the intricate and multi-dimensional mood of the song.

Similar Chord Progressions

The chord progressions used by Elton John in “Your Song” reflect a broader trend in pop music to experiment beyond simple diatonic harmonies, and they have been adopted by a wide range of other artists.

1. “Let It Be” by The Beatles: The IV to iv progression in Verse 4, similar to the one from G to F#, is a noticeable harmonic feature of “Let It Be”.

2. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley: This song also uses the I – V6 progression seen in the transition from D to A/C#, providing a similar sense of melodic motion.

3. “I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton (and famously covered by Whitney Houston): This song like “Your Song” heavily uses suspended and added chords (Dsus4, Asus2) to create a rich, lush harmonic texture.

4. “Imagine” by John Lennon: The song has shared emotional expressions with Elton John’s “Your Song” and shares a similar reliance on piano-driven harmonies, including using iv, Isus4, and Vadd2 chords.

Musical Analysis

The musical setting of “Your Song” is robust yet intimate. A driving force behind this arrangement is the utilization of chord inversions and extensions, carrying the listener along a constantly evolving soundscape.

The chord changes also complement the phrasing of the melody and lyrics, elucidating the subtle emotional shifts of the song’s narrative. For example, the transition from the A/C# to the F#m gives a sense of ascension and intensification, which perfectly matches the content and tone of the lyrics at that moment.

Overall Analysis

“Your Song” by Elton John is an iconic pop ballad featuring a piano-driven accompaniment. Harmonically, the song displays rich and varied chord progressions within key of D major, though with a significant usage of borrowed chords and alterations that contribute to a unique and expressive harmonic language. There is a classical and cinematic air about this song establishing it as a flagship Elton John classic.

Style Analysis

Given that Elton John’s style encompasses a variety of genres, including pop, rock, and even elements of classical music, “Your Song” serves as a showcase for his eclectic musical amalgamation. The piano-driven harmony, the rich and varied chord progression, and the soaring melodic lines all exhibit hallmarks of his singular style, but they also effectively translate emotions specific to this song.

Chords in the Verse 4 section of Your Song by Elton John are:

[‘D’, ‘Gmaj7’, ‘A/C#’, ‘F#m’, ‘Bm’, ‘Bmadd11/A’, ‘Bmadd11/G#’, ‘G’, ‘D/A’, ‘A’, ‘Asus2’, ‘F#’, ‘Bm’, ‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Dsus4’, ‘D’, ‘Dsus2’]