Lizzy McAlpine – Ceilings – Verse 1
Ceilings < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘Cadd9’, ‘Em’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘Em’, ‘D’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘Em’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘Em’, ‘D’, ‘Cadd9’]
Chord Progression Analysis
The exact chord progression of the Verse 1 is:
[Cadd9, Em, Cadd9, G, D, Cadd9, Em, D, Cadd9, Em, Cadd9, G, D, Cadd9, Em, D, Cadd9]
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Cadd9 (IV), Em (vi), Cadd9 (IV), G (I), D (V), Cadd9 (IV), Em (vi), D (V),
Cadd9 (IV), Em (vi), Cadd9 (IV), G (I), D (V), Cadd9 (IV), Em (vi), D (V), Cadd9 (IV)
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Similar Chord Progressions
Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph” uses a similar chord progression: [E, C#m, A, B]; this transposes to the key of G as [Em, Bm, G, A], which is very similar to McAlpine’s progression.
Coldplay’s “The Scientist” bears a resemblance in its chord progression as well: [Dm, Bb, F, Fsus2]; this transposes to the key of G as [Em, C, G, Gadd9], which again is quite similar to the progression in question.
Please note that these aren’t identical, but they bear similarities in their movement and tonalities.
Note that “E” in Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph” represents Em if it is transposed to G key. Similarly, “Dm” in Coldplay’s “The Scientist” represents Em if it is transposed to G key.
Musical Analysis
This progression, while not entirely standard, borrows largely from popular progressions in contemporary and older pop music, creating a sense of familiarity with a touch of uniqueness.
It starts with Cadd9 and immediately moves to a relative minor chord, Em, before returning to the Cadd9 again. The progression then moves to a V-I perfect cadence, moving from D major to G major, creating a sense of resolution. This pattern (I-IV-V or its variations) is fairly common in many songs.
The Cadd9-Em-D progression is used repeatedly as a motif before the progression closes with the Cadd9. The partial use of the vi-IV-V progression, another very common progression in pop music, results in a compelling journey, as it always feels like it’s in constant motion, and never fully resolved until the end.
Overall Analysis
“Ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine, draws its magic from a mix of interesting chord progressions and different rhythms. The use of added notes in several chords (Cadd9, Emadd9) introduces additional color into the mix, creating a rich and thoughtful atmosphere. The tonality of the song is in G Major, despite the liberal use of the Cadd9 in the progression. We’ll use this tonality for the Roman numerals.
Style Analysis
This pattern of chord progression is typical of a pop ballad style song. The added ninth notes add a sense of dreaminess and musical complexity to the piece, as they introduce a level of tension and release within the chords, adding to the ebb and flow of the emotional content in the lyrics and melody.
What are the chords in: Lizzy McAlpine – Ceilings – Verse 1?
[‘Cadd9’, ‘Em’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘Em’, ‘D’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘Em’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘Em’, ‘D’, ‘Cadd9’]
