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“Nothings Gonna Change My Love For You” by George Benson is a romantic ballad in the key of Db major. The piece features a soothing and harmonically rich chord progression that is characteristic of the pop/jazz fusion style popular in the late 70s and 80s. The chorus features a mix of diatonic, borrowed, and secondary-dominant chords, creating an expressive palette of colors and tensions. This progression shares similarities with other ballads and pop songs from the era.

“Give Me The Night” by George Benson is a jazz-fusion piece with a strong R&B and pop influence. The pre-chorus utilizes a smooth harmonic progression, involving the use of common jazz chords and inversions. The progression is primarily diatonic, with a few chromatic alterations, allowing for a sense of tension and resolution that contributes to the overall groove and smooth melody.

The verse chord progression in Beck’s “Girl Acoustic” features a bright and uplifting feel, with a mix of major and minor chords. The progression is in the key of A major and showcases a simplicity that is common in pop and folk music.

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.

The song “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails is in the key of B minor. The verse has a simple yet effective chord progression that revolves mainly around the i, III, and IV chords with a slight deviation towards the end. The chorus is characterized by a i-VII-III-VI progression with a slight extension. The outro mostly repeats the verse progression but is shorter.

George Benson – Nothings Gonna Change My Love For You – Verse

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Chord Progression

C, G/B, Am, Em/G, Fmaj7, C/E, Dm, G, C, G/B, Am, Em/G, Fmaj7, C/E, Dm, F/G, E, Fmaj7, C/E, Bb, Fmaj7, Dm7, C, F, F/G, G

Chord Progression Analysis

“`
C (I)
G/B (V6)
Am (vi)
Em/G (iii6)
Fmaj7 (IVmaj7)
C/E (I6)
Dm (ii)
G (V)
C (I)
G/B (V6)
Am (vi)
Em/G (iii6)
Fmaj7 (IVmaj7)
C/E (I6)
Dm (ii)
F/G (IV6/5)
E (V/vi)
Fmaj7 (IVmaj7)
C/E (I6)
Bb (♭VII)
Fmaj7 (IVmaj7)
Dm7 (ii7)
C (I)
F (IV)
F/G (IV6/5)
G (V)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Just the Way You Are” by Billy Joel:
“`
C (I)
Em (iii)
Am (vi)
F (IV)
C (I)
E (V/vi)
Am (vi)
“`

2. “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston/Dolly Parton:
“`
A (I)
E/G# (V6)
F#m (vi)
C#m7 (iii7)
Dmaj7 (IVmaj7)
A/C# (I6)
Bm7 (ii7)
E (V)
“`

3. “Careless Whisper” by George Michael:
“`
Dm (i)
Gm7♭5 (iv7♭5)
Am7 (v7)
A♭maj7 (♭VIIM7)
Gm (iv)
A (V)
“`

Musical Analysis

The Verse of the song begins with a I-V-vi movement, creating a strong sense of resolution. The iii6 chord adds some emotional depth and tension before resolving to the IVmaj7 chord, which further contributes to the romantic atmosphere of the song. The I6 chord emphasizes the tonic chord and leads to the ii-V-I progression, giving a temporary sense of closure.

The second half of the verse follows a similar pattern, with some deviations. The IV6/5 chord provides a unique twist, leading to the V/vi chord which functions as a secondary dominant chord, hinting at a temporary shift in tonality. The ♭VII chord is a borrowed chord from the parallel minor, emphasizing the heartfelt emotion of the lyrics. The ii7 and I chords re-establish the tonality, and the IV-IV6/5-V movement at the end of the Verse provides a strong cadential resolution, preparing for the next section of the song.

Overall Analysis

“Nothings Gonna Change My Love For You” is a romantic ballad featuring a smooth and melodic chord progression characteristic of the pop and jazz fusion genres. The Verse’s chord progression contains some elements of a standard jazz progression while also making use of several borrowed chords. The chords contribute to the warm and sentimental atmosphere that captures the essence of the song’s theme.

Style Analysis

The style of “Nothings Gonna Change My Love For You” draws from a mixture of pop and jazz genres. The smooth chord progression, melodies, and romantic nature of the song are characteristic of pop ballads from the 1980s. At the same time, George Benson’s background in jazz is evident in the more sophisticated harmonies, secondary dominant chords, and the IVmaj7 and ii7 chords, commonly used in jazz progressions.

Chords in the Verse section of Nothings Gonna Change My Love For You by George Benson are:

C, G/B, Am, Em/G, Fmaj7, C/E, Dm, G, C, G/B, Am, Em/G, Fmaj7, C/E, Dm, F/G, E, Fmaj7, C/E, Bb, Fmaj7, Dm7, C, F, F/G, G