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Related Music Theory Alchemy

The key of the song is D major which makes it easier to analyze the chord progression according to the diatonic scale in the key of D Major.

“`plaintext
D Major (I)
E Minor (ii)
G Major (IV)
B Minor (vi)
A Major (V)
G Major (IV)
D Major (I)
E Minor (ii)
G Major (IV)
B Minor (vi)
A Major (V)
G Major (IV)
“`

The song “The Outsider” by A Perfect Circle frequently uses the chord progression [‘B’, ‘B’, ‘A’, ‘E’] in the key of E major. When viewing the chords through the lens of E major we can identify the chord progression as ii, ii, V, I. Furthermore, It shows some interesting harmonic decisions throughout. Most notably, the band makes use of borrowed chords which are chords taken from the parallel minor (in this case E minor). Here, the borrowed chords include A major and C major.

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The given chord progression is from the verse of Beck’s song “Morning.” The progression is in the key of E Major and follows a cyclical pattern throughout the verse.

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“The Rip” by Portishead is a classic example of the Trip-hop genre. It features simple, yet effective harmonic progressions that offer a melancholic tone which is widely utilized in this genre. The distinctiveness of this particular chord progression lies on its subtle shifting between minor and major tonalities, as well as its use of borrowed chords.

Verse 1

Goo Goo Dolls – Iris – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

[‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘G’, ‘Bm’, ‘A’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘G’, ‘Bm’, ‘A’, ‘G’]

Chord Progression Analysis

For Verse 1: [‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘G’, ‘Bm’, ‘A’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘G’, ‘Bm’, ‘A’, ‘G’]

Here is the

Similar Chord Progressions

“Iris” is an example of the band’s mixture of intimate, heart-on-the-sleeve lyricism with catchy, anthemic pop/rock. These chords are often used in rock, pop, and folk to create a deep emotional resonance. The repetition of the progression throughout the song could symbolize the ongoing struggle of the song’s protagonist in expressing his or her feelings.

Musical Analysis

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D Major (I)
E minor (ii)
G Major (IV)
B minor (vi)
A Major (V)
G Major (IV)
D Major (I)
E minor (ii)
G Major (IV)
B minor (vi)
A Major (V)
G Major (IV)
“`

Overall Analysis

“Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls is a song in the key of D Major, and uses a very common pop/rock chord progression. The sheer repetition of the progression throughout the verse establishes a solid harmonic background upon which the melody can freely roam. Chords include the primary triads (I, IV, V) which are D, G, A, minor variations of the secondary triads (ii, iii, vi), which are Em, F#m, Bm.

Style Analysis

This chord progression firmly establishes the key of D major (I). The progression moves from the tonic D Major to the predominant (the chords that set up/lead to the dominant, V) E minor (ii) and G Major (IV) chords. Right after that, the chord progression jumps to B minor (vi), which is relative to D Major. Then it falls to the dominant A Major (V), and returns to the subdominant G major (IV). This journey from tonic through relative minor and back adds an undertone of complexity to the progression’s otherwise straight-forward major sound.

Chords in the Verse 1 section of Iris by Goo Goo Dolls are:

[‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘G’, ‘Bm’, ‘A’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘G’, ‘Bm’, ‘A’, ‘G’]