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“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.

“Castles Made Of Sand” is a song by Jimi Hendrix, featured on the 1967 album “Axis: Bold as Love.” The chord progression in the verse is notable for its use of both diatonic and chromatic chords, creating a complex harmonic structure that reflects the intricate guitar work and emotive lyrics of the song.

“Rocket Man” by Elton John is primarily in the key of Bb minor (the verses and chorus), but its outro transposes to the key of C Major, which gives a sensation of resolution. The chord progression in the Outro is a simple two-chord progression (I – V), which is extremely common in all styles of music and impacts the listener with its familiarity and stability.

“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.

“Yesterday” by The Beatles is a classic Pop song in F Major maintaining a 2/2 time signature. The song changes the chords frequently to create a rich harmonic texture, and is known for its iconic descending guitar melody.

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