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“Just The Two of Us” by Grover Washington Jr. is an easy-listening song, falling under R&B and jazz genres. It’s a classic example of the use of major 7th, dominant 7th, and minor 7th chords to create a rich, smooth harmonic texture. The chord progression is quite repetitive and follows a mixture of diatonic and chromatic movement.

“Just The Two Of Us” by Grover Washington Jr. is a soulful song with a distinct R&B and smooth jazz style. The song is in the key of E minor during the verses, but frequently borrows chords from the parallel major, E major, delivering a rich harmony that is both pleasing and surprising to the ear.

“Another Brick In The Wall Part 2” is a song by Pink Floyd from their 1979 album “The Wall.” It is a rock song with elements of funk and progressive rock, featuring a catchy guitar riff, memorable bassline, and a guitar solo. The song is characterized by its anti-establishment message and satirical lyrics about the educational system, and it explores themes of isolation and conformity. The music provides a strong foundation for the message, with a somewhat ominous tone that complements the lyrics’ dark subject matter.

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The overall chord progression of “A Hard Days Night” by The Beatles fluctuates between major and minor keys which adds a level of emotional complexity to the song. The use of borrowed chords and unique transitions makes it a noteworthy piece in the realm of 20th-century popular music.

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“Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy” by Queen from the album “A Night at the Opera” is essentially written in the key of C major. The song includes an intricate and quite peculiar chord progression full of chromatic and borrowed chords, highly characteristic of Queen’s eccentric and unique style of songwriting. In particular, Freddie Mercury, the primary songwriter, often incorporated complex harmonic structures from classical music into their rock/pop context.

The complexity and richness of the harmonics is among the aspects that make Queen’s songs stand out and, in this specific track, it contributes to the song’s upbeat yet nostalgic feel.

Grover Washington Jr. – Just The Two Of Us – Solo

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Chord Progression

[‘Cmaj7’, ‘B7’, ‘Bbmaj7’, ‘A7’, ‘Abmaj7’, ‘G7’, ‘Cmaj7’, ‘F13’]

Chord Progression Analysis

In this piece, the main chord progression could be simplified to Cmaj7 – B7 – Em7 and then eventually to Dm7 – G7. In this context, the B7 acts as a secondary dominant (V/iii) leading to Em7, and the Dm7 – G7 is a ii – V progression in the key of C major. As the song progresses, there are instances where it shifts half step down from the primary key utilizing borrowed chords from parallel keys.

Full chord names and their Roman Numeral structures:

“`markdown
Cmaj7 (‘I maj7’)
B7 (‘V7/iii’)
Em7 (‘iii7’)
Dm7 (‘ii7’)
G7 (‘V7’)
Bbmaj7 (‘bVII maj7’, Borrowed from C minor)
A7 (‘VI7’, Secondary Dominant)
Abmaj7 (‘bVI maj7’, Borrowed from C minor)
F13 (‘IV13’, Variation/Extension of F major)
Ebm7 (‘bIII7’, Borrowed from C minor)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

George Duke’s “Brazilian Love Affair” and Lonnie Liston Smith’s “Expansions” uses similar complex chord progressions common in jazz and funk fusion genre.

George Duke’s chord progression in a similar format:

“`markdown
Dm7 (‘ii7’)
G7 (‘V7’)
Emi7 (‘iii7’)
A7 (‘V7/vi’)
“`

Lonnie Liston Smith’s chord progression in similar format:

“`markdown
Emaj9 (‘I maj9’)
Amaj7 (‘IV maj7’)
F#m7 (‘ii7’)
B7 (‘V7/v’)
“`

Musical Analysis

The piece employs the use of secondary dominants, which are common jazz and classic RnB style, used to provide a richer harmonic content and movement. The V7/iii in this context creating tension and resolution in the song. The use of borrowed chords adds color and surprise, which are characteristic of the jazz genre.

Overall Analysis

“Just the Two of Us” by Grover Washington Jr. is a sample gold mine for those interested in jazz, soul, and RnB influenced chord progressions. This song, co-written with Bill Withers, perfectly illustrates the fusion of jazz and pop music. The song is primarily in C Major key but it makes significant use of secondary dominant chords, and borrowed chords from parallel keys which are typical characteristics of jazz-inflected pop.

Style Analysis

Grover Washington Jr.’s style can be characterized as a blend of funk, RnB and jazz. His music often uses complex chord progressions which aren’t found in traditional pop music but also remain catchy and accessible due to their repetitious nature. He was adept at fusing these elements to create a smooth, soulful sound, evident in “Just the Two of Us”.

Chords in the Solo section of Just The Two Of Us by Grover Washington Jr. are:

[‘Cmaj7’, ‘B7’, ‘Bbmaj7’, ‘A7’, ‘Abmaj7’, ‘G7’, ‘Cmaj7’, ‘F13’]