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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane is a softly and tenderly written song that rests primarily on the key of C Major. However, it uses a fair amount of borrowed chords from the parallel minor key, giving it a warm, melancholic tone, which is typical of many pop ballads.

“Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane is a pop/rock song written in the key of A Major, although the chord progression given seems to be transposed to the key of C Major. It is characterized by its use of repeated motifs and sequenced chord progressions to create a sense of familiarity and typical of the pop genre.

“Roads” by Portishead is set in the key of Am, also known as A minor. In the verse, there is an interesting use of the flat major 7 (Fmaj7) chord. This chord is not typically found within the natural minor key but is considered a borrowed chord from the A major key. Thus, this use of said borrowed chord and its resolution to the E7 dominants gives the song a unique feel, contributing to its mesmerizing and emotive ambience. Portishead tends to blend the use of A minor and A Dorian modality in their music, especially apparent in this composition.

“Goodbye Blue Sky” by Pink Floyd is a beautifully haunting piece with a chord progression that demonstrates their innovative use of borrowed chords and modulation to explore various tonal centers. The song is generally in the key of A minor.

“Time To Pretend” features a simple and repetitive chord progression in the key of D major. The chord progression in the verse is characterized by a repeated pattern of D – G – D – Dsus2. The style of the song can be described as psychedelic synth-pop, with its electronic synth sounds and dream-like atmosphere. MGMT’s music often features catchy melodies and harmonies, which can also be heard in this song.

Keane – Somewhere Only We Know – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

[‘C’, ‘C/B’, ‘Dm’, ‘Gsus4’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘C/B’, ‘Dm’, ‘Gsus4’, ‘G’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Here is the analysis of the chord progression taken from Verse 1:
C Major (I),
C/B (I/II),
Dm (ii),
Gsus4 (V),
G (V),
C Major (I),
C/B (I/II),
Dm (ii),
Gsus4 (V),
G (V)

“`
Borrowed chords: None
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There are no borrowed chords in this particular progression as all chords are diatonic to C Major/A minor key (C Major and A Minor share the same key signature).

Similar Chord Progressions

A similar chord progression can be seen in Coldplay’s “Yellow,” which also employs the frequent use of I, ii and V chords:

D (I), Bm7 (vi), F#m7 (iii), G (IV), D (I), Asus4 (V), G (I)

Another similar chord progression is John Mayer’s “Your Body is A Wonderland,” especially in the use of the I, ii, and V chords:

G Major (I), D Major (V),
Em7 (vi), Cadd9 (IV),
G Major (I), D Major (V),
Em7 (vi), Cadd9 (IV)

It should be noted that while these progressions have a similar outline to that of Keane’s verse progression, there are nuanced differences in each that may alter the mood or feeling of each song.

Musical Analysis

The chord progression mainly functions around the I-ii-V progression, which is a common progression in both classical and popular music. This verse is strongly anchored by the changes between C major and D minor, a dynamic relationship that creates a pull towards resolution. Interestingly, they used a Gsus4 before moving to G, adding a nice color to the progress before resolution.

Overall Analysis

“Somewhere Only We Know” composed by Keane, is a pop-ballad that is based in the key of A Minor. It makes use of both diatonic and borrowed chords in a modern pop style progression that creates an oscillating feel, with repetition for familiarity and simple melody drawn from the underlying chords.

Style Analysis

Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know” chord progression follows a classic pop-ballad style, with use of the I-ii-V progression that is commonly heard in many popular music genres such as pop, rock, and jazz. It also includes a suspended chord (Gsus4), which is a common technique used in pop music to create tension and release.

Chords in the Verse 1 section of Somewhere Only We Know by Keane are:

[‘C’, ‘C/B’, ‘Dm’, ‘Gsus4’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘C/B’, ‘Dm’, ‘Gsus4’, ‘G’]