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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Hallelujah” is a song by singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley and is a cover of a song originally written by Leonard Cohen. The song is in the key of C major and features a moderate tempo with a 6/8 time signature. This particular chord progression, taken from the second verse, consists mainly of diatonic chords found within the key, but also includes a few borrowed chords and a secondary dominant, giving the song a sense of tension and release.

The song “Hallelujah” written by Leonard Cohen and popularly covered by Jeff Buckley is a solemn ballad consisting of poetic lyrics set to a haunting melody. This particular chord progression in Verse 4 highlights the song’s delicate balance between tension and resolution. The tonality revolves around C major, with deviations into other tonal areas, which adds complexity and emotional impact.

The outro of “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin features a simple alternating chord progression between G major and A major, which creates tension by avoiding a resolution to the tonic or dominant chords. This makes the progression sound unstable, yet well defined as it repeats. The recurring ascending motion creates a sense of lift throughout the outro, while the lack of a true resolution maintains a feeling of unease. This progression is notable for its simplicity, as well as how it invokes a modal sound that is characteristic of the mixolydian mode often used in rock music.

The chord progression in the outro of Tyler, The Creator’s “See You Again” displays a mix of diatonic and borrowed chords within the key of F# major. This progression creates a smooth and somewhat jazzy feel in the music, with the inclusion of a few unexpected chords that add tension and propel the music forward.

“Yellow” by Coldplay is in the key of G major and employs a mix of diatonic chords, extended chords such as the seventh chords, and the occasional borrowed chord from G minor. The progression presents variations of a common IV-V-I pattern seen in pop and rock music.

Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah – Outro

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Chord Progression

F, Am, F, C, G, C, F, Am, F, C, G, C, F, Am, F, C, G, C, Am, F, G, C

Chord Progression Analysis

F Major (IV), A minor (vi), F Major (IV), C Major (I), G Major (V), C Major (I), F Major (IV), A minor (vi), F Major (IV), C Major (I), G Major (V), C Major (I), F Major (IV), A minor (vi), F Major (IV), C Major (I), G Major (V), C Major (I), A minor (vi), F Major (IV), G Major (V), C Major (I)

Borrowed chords:
None

Similar Chord Progressions

1. Leonard Cohen – “Hallelujah” (original version): This song shares its chord progression with Jeff Buckley’s cover, as it’s the source material. The progression is similar, but Cohen’s version features a slightly more sparse arrangement.

2. Bob Dylan – “Make You Feel My Love”: This song has a chord progression sharing similarities with Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah.” It features a key of G Major and shares the same cyclical nature of repetitive progressions: G (I), D (V), G (I), C (IV), G (I), D (V), G (I), C (IV), D (V), G (I)

3. The Beatles – “Let It Be”: This classic song shares similar harmonic ideas with “Hallelujah,” including the IV – V – I resolution at the end of the progression, which creates a strong sense of conclusion. The chord progression is as follows: C Major (I), G Major (V), A minor (vi), F Major (IV), C Major (I), G Major (V), F Major (IV), C Major (I)

Musical Analysis

The chord progression begins with the IV – vi – IV (F – Am – F) movement, which helps to establish the tonal center of C Major, despite not starting on the tonic chord. This creates a level of tension that is resolved when the C Major chord is finally introduced. The I – V – I (C – G – C) movement is a classic progression that strengthens the resolution and emphasizes the tonal center.

The progression repeats the first eight chords before introducing a slight variation in the subsequent chords. This allows for a sense of familiarity, as well as emphasizing the cyclical nature of the outro section.

The outro finishes on a I – IV – V – I (C – F – G – C) progression, solidifying a strong ending to the piece. The combination of chord movements in the outro creates a sense of finality while adding emotion to the piece through the use of minor chords and the IV – V – I movement.

Overall Analysis

The outro of Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah” features a chord progression in the key of C Major. It includes common chords from the key, as well as some borrowed chords from the parallel minor key (C minor), which adds a level of tension and emotion to the progression. The outro has a cyclical nature, with the chords leading smoothly back into the beginning and building a sense of conclusion.

Style Analysis

Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah” is a cover of Leonard Cohen’s original song, and the chord progression seen in the outro is influenced by the original version. It features a folky, singer-songwriter style that breaks away slightly from the primarily guitar-driven chord progressions often used in popular music of the time.

Chords in the Outro section of Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley are:

F, Am, F, C, G, C, F, Am, F, C, G, C, F, Am, F, C, G, C, Am, F, G, C