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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Hey Joe” by Jimi Hendrix is a classic rock song featuring a cyclic chord progression in the key of E major. The song is well-known for its distinctive and temporarily ambiguous harmonic structure, bluesy vocal melodies, and Jimi Hendrix’s influential guitar playing. The verse chord progression constantly circles back on itself, creating a hypnotic effect.

The Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix is a classic rock ballad written in the key of F major, based around a somewhat simple, yet effective, chord progression. There are a few borrowed chords and modulations that add to the harmonic complexity and characteristic guitar work by Hendrix. The song’s structure consists of a verse, followed by a brief pre-chorus, and a chorus before repeating.

The chord progression of MGMT’s “Electric Feel” outro is in E Minor, and it features a combination of diatonic chords and a borrowed chord from the parallel major key. The progression creates a sense of tension and resolution, giving the outro a captivating and memorable quality. The song itself is a psychedelic, funk-infused electro-pop track, which enhances the trippy, mesmerizing vibe of the progression.

Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ contains a rich mixture of chord progressions, which is typical of the band’s complex songwriting. The outro of the song makes use of the F, F7, Bb, and Gm7 chords. This progression is in the key of F Major, with F being the tonic (I), F7 being the dominant 7th (V7), Bb being the subdominant (IV) and Gm7 being the submediant 7th (vi7). The Bb chord is a borrowed chord from the parallel minor key (F Minor) and the usage of F7 serves to add a level of tension before resolving to the Bb.

“Paper Tiger” by Beck is a song from his album “Sea Change,” released in 2002. The style of this song is primarily alternative rock, with elements of psychedelia and baroque pop. The outro of “Paper Tiger” features a simple chord progression of E, E7, and Bm, with interesting harmonic techniques, such as secondary dominants and borrowed chords.

Jimi Hendrix – Hey Joe – Outro

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Chord Progression

C, G, D, A, E, E, C, G, D, A, E, E

Chord Progression Analysis

C Major (I) – G Major (V) – D Major (II) – A Major (VI) – E Major (III) – E Major (III) – C Major (I) – G Major (V) – D Major (II) – A Major (VI) – E Major (III) – E Major (III)

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Borrowed Chord(s): None
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Similar Chord Progressions

1. The Beatles – “Let It Be”
C Major (I) – G Major (V) – A Minor (vi) – F Major (IV) – C Major (I) – G Major (V) – F Major (IV) – C Major (I)

2. Eurythmics – “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”
C Minor (i) – G Major (III) – A Flat Major (VI) – F Minor (iv) – G Major (III) – G Major (III)

Although these examples might not share the exact same chords as “Hey Joe,” they do exhibit Circle of Fifths progressions or elements of it. The common thread among these examples is the sense of momentum and resolution provided by the descending or ascending root movement by fifths.

Musical Analysis

The Circle of Fifths progression in “Hey Joe” creates a sense of forward momentum, due to the descending root movement by the interval of a perfect fifth (or, by ascending a perfect fourth). The consistent falling fifth movement adds to the harmonic structure, as each chord resolves smoothly to the next one.

Additionally, the repetition of this progression serves to emphasize the cyclical nature of the chord relationships in this outro, adding to its hypnotic effect.

Overall Analysis

The outro of “Hey Joe” by Jimi Hendrix uses a descending circle of fifths chord progression, which is a very common progression in many styles of music, particularly in the Baroque period and in blues-based rock music. The progression features a steady descent through the Circle of Fifths that creates a strong sense of harmony and resolution. In this context, Jimi Hendrix uses the progression to create tension and momentum, which is appropriate for an outro section.

Style Analysis

The use of the Circle of Fifths progression has its roots in both blues and classical music, which can be clearly heard in Jimi Hendrix’s guitar playing. The progression lends itself to both harmonic and melodic improvisation, which is a core feature of rock, blues, and jazz. “Hey Joe” is a prime example of how Hendrix’s blues influences blended with distinctive elements of his playing style, forming a unique synthesis of musical ideas.

Chords in the Outro section of Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix are:

C, G, D, A, E, E, C, G, D, A, E, E