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“Since I’ve Been Loving You” by Led Zeppelin is a slow blues ballad with a rich harmonic palette, featuring expressive guitar solos and a passionate, longing vocal performance. The song is characterized by its use of chromaticism, borrowed chords, and seventh chords, which contribute to its intense, bluesy atmosphere. The chord progression for Verse 2 displays a moody and introspective tone, which serves as the perfect backdrop for the plaintive lyrics and the emotional solos throughout the piece.

The chord progression in the verse 1 of “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin features just two chords: D and E. This fairly simple progression, used repetitively throughout the verse, creates a strong and energetic foundation for the song. The style of the song reflects 1960s heavy rock, and the simplicity of the chord progression adds to the rawness and drive of the music.

“Something” written by George Harrison from The Beatles majorly follows the key of C major and includes a few borrowed chords. There is a usage of secondary dominants and seventh chords which lend a harmonic complexity to the song. During the course of the song, the chords shift from the major scale to the parallel minor scale.

The song “Penny Lane” written by the Beatles is in the key of A major. The structure of Verse 4, specifically, has a very effective use of both diatonic (belonging naturally to the key) and borrowed chords (taken from a different key or mode). They have incorporated secondary dominants, pivot modulation, and modal interchange which reflect their knowledge of musical theory and compositional skills.

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.

Led Zeppelin – Since Ive Been Loving You – Verse 4

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Chord Progression

Cm, Fm, Cm, C7, Fm, Cm, Gm, Ab, Fm, Cm/Eb, G7/D, Cm, Eb7, D7, Dbmaj7, Ab, Fm, Cm/Eb, G7/D, Cm, Eb7, D7, Dbmaj7, Cm

Chord Progression Analysis

Cm (i), Fm (iv), Cm (i), C7 (V7/iv), Fm (iv), Cm (i), Gm (v), Ab (VI), Fm (iv), Cm/Eb (i6), G7/D (V7/v), Cm (i), Eb7 (VI7), D7 (V7/iv), Dbmaj7 (bVIMaj7), Ab (VI), Fm (iv), Cm/Eb (i6), G7/D (/V7/v), Cm (i), Eb7 (VI7), D7 (V7/iv), Dbmaj7 (bVIMaj7), Cm (i)

Borrowed Chords:
`C7 (V7/iv), G7/D (V7/v), Eb7 (VI7), D7 (V7/iv)`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. Derek and the Dominos – “Layla”: Dm (i), Bb (VI), C (VII), Dm (i), C (VII), Dm (i), Eb (V7/iv), Dm (i), Bb9 (VI9), A (V7/v), Abmaj7 (bVIMaj7)
2. Pink Floyd – “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”: Gm (i), F (#VII), Gm (i), Cm (iv), Bb (VII), Ebmaj7 (bIIIMaj7), Bb (VII), Gm (i), Fm (iv), A (V7/v), Ab (#iv)

Musical Analysis

The progression begins with Cm and Fm, followed by a borrowed dominant C7 chord, which functions as a secondary dominant that temporarily resolves to Fm. The progression then returns to Cm, and continues with Gm and Ab, adding some modal mixture and creating a sense of ambiguity.

The next section features a Cm/Eb chord, followed by a borrowed dominant G7/D, which functions as a secondary dominant resolving to Cm. The music then moves to Eb7, D7, and Dbmaj7, with the D7 functioning as another borrowed secondary dominant resolving to the Dbmaj7. This creates a smooth chromatic movement.

The progression continues with Ab and Fm chords before repeating a similar pattern with Cm/Eb, G7/D, and Cm. The verse ends with another sequence of Eb7, D7, Dbmaj7, and Cm, featuring the same chromatic movement as before.

Overall Analysis

The chord progression in verse 4 of “Since I’ve Been Loving You” has a striking mix of diatonic chords and chromatic chords that borrow from different modes, creating a unique and expressive progression found in the blues rock style. The progression features a predominantly minor tonality, with some tension points provided by the dominant seventh and major seventh chords.

Style Analysis

This chord progression exhibits influences from blues and rock genres. The use of borrowed chords, secondary dominants, and modal mixture is characteristic of blues music, allowing for more emotional expression. The chromatic movement and the inclusion of major seventh chords reflect the more experimental and progressive tendencies of 1970s-era rock music, particularly in bands like Led Zeppelin that often blended blues and rock elements together.

Chords in the Verse 4 section of Since Ive Been Loving You by Led Zeppelin are:

Cm, Fm, Cm, C7, Fm, Cm, Gm, Ab, Fm, Cm/Eb, G7/D, Cm, Eb7, D7, Dbmaj7, Ab, Fm, Cm/Eb, G7/D, Cm, Eb7, D7, Dbmaj7, Cm