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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Yet Again” by Grizzly Bear uses a repetitive verse structure that has a fairly common, major-oriented progression, but develops interest by alternating the exact sequence of chords that it employs. This gives the song a haunting but familiar atmosphere. The mixture of minor and major chords, along with the presence of a borrowed chord, creates tension and release within each verse.

Verse 2 of Grizzly Bear’s “Yet Again” presents a straightforward harmonic progression that is common in pop and indie rock music. This series of chords is mainly built around the key of A minor, and uses diatonic chords (those that naturally occur within the key) of this key. The recurring sequence (Am, G, C, F, F, Em, C, Dm) indicates a strong sense of familiarity and predictability, characteristic of many pop/rock anthologies.

“Eight Days A Week” by The Beatles is in the key of D major. The song features a handful of basic major and minor chords with a sprinkling of interesting harmonic developments such as the E7 transition chord and the use of the B minor chord which provide a rich palette of colors for the progression.

The song “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles is cheerful and upbeat, with accessible melodies that catch the audience’s attention immediately. The rhythm is contagious and gives a happy atmosphere to the whole song. It is a perfect example of the early influences of rock ‘n’ roll on The Beatles, with a chord progression that is quite common in pop/rock music but showcases The Beatles’ ability to create fresh and unique melodic ideas.

Vance Joy’s “Riptide” is a remarkably simple yet highly effective song written in the key of C Major. The song follows a repetitive I-vi-IV chord progression, which is only varied in the bridge where a minor seventh chord introduces tension before leading back to the song’s major tonality.

Grizzly Bear – Yet Again – CHORUS

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Chord Progression

[‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘Bb’, ‘G’, ‘Bb’, ‘G’, ‘Bb’, ‘Dm’]

Chord Progression Analysis

* E minor (iv)
* F major (VI) – borrowed from A minor
* A minor (i)
* E minor (iv)
* F major (VI) – borrowed from A minor
* A minor (i)
* E minor (iv)
* E minor (iv)
* F major (VI) – borrowed from A minor
* A minor (i)
* E minor (iv)
* F major (VI) – borrowed from A minor
* A minor (i)
* G major (VII)
* B flat Major (bII) – Neapolitan chord
* G major (VII)
* B flat Major (bII) – Neapolitan chord
* G major (VII)
* B flat Major (bII) – Neapolitan chord
* D minor (iv) – borrowed from F major

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Paranoid Android” by Radiohead features a chromatic shift similar to the G-Bb modulation in Grizzly Bear’s song. The progression goes: Cm – Eb – Ab – G. Their frequent use of borrowed chords and unexpected modulations is a hallmark of their style.

2. Another song that similarly employs the Neapolitan chord is “Because” by The Beatles. The song modulates from C#m to D, which gives it its distinct sound. The progression is: C#m – D – Amaj7.

3. “Life In Technicolor ii” by Coldplay also uses a chorus that modulates in a similar way to “Yet Again.” The progression is: Em – D – C – Bm – D, giving it a similar feel and sense of resolution.

(Note: The song’s actual chord progression names may vary due to different interpretations and transcriptions by different musicians).

Musical Analysis

The chorus of “Yet Again” has a high use of borrowed chords from the parallel major (F major) which adds a unique, unexpected element, providing the shiftiness that characterizes this song. The song also positions the Neapolitan chord (bII, Bb major in the key of A minor), which is an unusual but effective chord, creating tension before resolution.

Overall Analysis

The modality of the song “Yet Again” by Grizzly Bear is primarily in A minor, which makes it a piece in the minor modality. This song uses several traditional progression elements, but intermixes them with unexpected changes, especially the shift from E minor to F major, and the chromatic shift from G major to B flat major.

Style Analysis

Grizzly Bear notably employs modal mixture and chromaticism in “Yet Again”, borrowing chords from parallel keys to inject a sense of unpredictability. The band’s style is eclectic, often flirting with elements of psychedelic folk, indie rock and chamber pop.

Chords in the Chorus section of Yet Again by Grizzly Bear are:

[‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘Bb’, ‘G’, ‘Bb’, ‘G’, ‘Bb’, ‘Dm’]