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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.

The Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix is a rock ballad with elements of blues, featuring a unique and expressive chord progression. The song is in the key of F major and the verse progression consists of 25 chords. The progression is largely diatonic, but includes chromatic lines and borrowed chords, which give the piece a rather unpredictable yet emotive quality.

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“Im Still Standing” by Elton John is a classic rock/pop song composed in E Major. You can see that this is a complex composition with frequent chord changes, giving it a rich musical texture. The chord progression is not diatonic, which means that it includes chords from outside of its home key of E Major.

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“Rocket Man” by Elton John, released in 1972, is a melodic and harmonically sophisticated example of his pop/rock style. The piece is in the key of G, and the chord progression of Verse 2 introduces some harmonies that exploit john’s expertise in using extended and altered chords, which lend colorfulness and a feel of departure and return. The use of slash chords like G/B and D/F# creates a descending bass line that is very characteristic of pop and rock music, creating a sense of melodic movement within the chords themselves. Verse 2 is navigated skillfully between simplistic and complex harmonies.

The given chord progression is found in Verse 2 of Tyler, The Creator’s song “Are We Still Friends.” The song is in the key of E major, and the progression features a mix of major, minor, and dominant seventh chords. The distinctive chromatic movement and the use of borrowed chords make for a memorable and unique progression. The combination of these elements results in a lush and emotionally charged progression which contributes greatly to the overall feel of the song.

Jimi Hendrix – Hey Joe – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

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

Similar Chord Progressions

1. Procol Harum – “A Whiter Shade of Pale”
Chord Progression: C Major (I) – Bb Major (bVII) – F Major (IV) – G Major (V) – D Major (II) – A Major (VI) – E Major (III)

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

3. Leonard Cohen – “Hallelujah”
Chord Progression: C Major (I) – A Minor (vi) – C Major (I) – E Major (III) – F Major (IV) – G Major (V) – C Major (I) – G Major (V)

These examples show similar use of circle of fifths progressions, with some variations in the chords used, creating a similarly recognizable flow and sense of resolution.

Musical Analysis

The chord progression in “Hey Joe” is a modulation of the circle of fifths. The circle of fifths is a sequence of chords with roots that are a fifth apart. In this case, the root movement is a descending fifth (or ascending fourth). This pattern is commonly found in many genres, particularly in jazz and classical music. The simplicity and familiarity of the progression make it easy to memorize and facilitates smooth voice leading, creating a sense of resolution from one chord to the next.

Overall Analysis

“Hey Joe” is a famous song by Jimi Hendrix, which features a simple yet very effective chord progression throughout its verses. It has a five-chord progression, which is C, G, D, A, and E. This progression creates a strong and recognizable flow, thus contributing to the song’s iconic status.

Style Analysis

“Hey Joe” is a great example of the blues-rock style, pioneered by Hendrix himself. The simple, descending circle of fifths progression has influences from blues, jazz, and folk music. This, combined with Jimi Hendrix’s signature guitar playing style, which featured heavy use of distortion, legato phrasing, and various other techniques, contributed to the development and popularization of the blues-rock and psychedelic rock genres.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix are:

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