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Related Music Theory Alchemy

The song “Ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine is in the key of G Major, employing a mixture of major, minor, and additive chords to create a progression that lends itself to a pop/folk atmosphere. The song is largely composed of diatonic chords in the key of G Major, with an occasional use of a B7, which can be seen as a secondary dominant to Em.

“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.

The chord progression in the verse 2 of “House of The Rising Sun” by The Animals is an iconic progression in popular music. The song is in the key of A minor, and is built using diatonic and borrowed chords with some chromaticism. The progression features a strong sense of movement and resolution, with the mix of major and minor chords creating an emotional and dramatic atmosphere.

“Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd is a classic rock ballad from their 1975 album of the same name. The song features an introspective and expressive melody with a predominantly acoustic instrumentation. The chord progression for Verse 2 demonstrates a blend of diatonic and non-diatonic chords, with borrowed chords from parallel modes, which adds to the emotional depth of the piece.

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“Viva la Vida” mostly utilizes a four-chord progression thorough the song which is fairly common in popular music. The verse we are focusing on replicating the verse goes like this: C – D – G – Em. The chord progressions are pretty simple, catchy and give the song an uplifting feel.

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Lizzy McAlpine – Ceilings – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

[‘Cadd9’, ‘Em’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘Em’, ‘D’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘Em’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘B7’, ‘C’, ‘D’]

Chord Progression Analysis

“`
Cadd9 (‘IV add9’),
Em (‘vi’),
Cadd9 (‘IV add9’),
G (‘I’),
D (‘V’),
Cadd9 (‘IV add9’),
Em (‘vi’),
D (‘V’),
Cadd9 (‘IV add9’),
Em (‘vi’),
Cadd9 (‘IV add9’),
G (‘I’),
D (‘V’),
Cadd9 (‘IV add9’),
B7 (‘III7’ – borrowed from the parallel minor),
C (‘IV’),
D (‘V’).
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. I Will Follow You Into the Dark (Death Cab for Cutie)

Chord progression: [F(‘IV’), C(‘I’), Am(‘vi’), F(‘IV’), C(‘I’), C(‘I’), G(‘V’)]

2. Let it Be (The Beatles)

Chord progression: [C(‘I’), G(‘V’), Am(‘vi’), F(‘IV’), C(‘I’), G(‘V’), F(‘IV’), C(‘I’)]

Note: These are comparable instances of the IV – I – vi – V progression appearing in major key songs. However, they do not necessarily implement the same cascading pattern or the exact extended and borrowed chords found in Lizzy McAlpine’s “Ceilings”.

Musical Analysis

The recurring sequence of Cadd9, Em, Cadd9, G, D adds a level of texture and harmonic variety often found in indie folk songs. Its engaging arrangement of IV – vi – IV – I – V is fairly common in popular music as it balances tension and release well.

The B7 chord, which is borrowed from the parallel minor, introduces an interesting tension to the progression – a feature common in pop and folk music.

Overall Analysis

The song “Ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine utilizes fairly simple, yet effective, chord changes that are quite common in popular music. This progression primarily takes place in the key of G major, but borrows chords from the parallel minor scale and adds extensions to the chords to add depth and color.

Style Analysis

The predominant use of open voicing and added ninth chords characterize the performative style of indie folk music. Lizzy McAlpine’s compositions often use extensions of simple triadic chords for more complex harmonies and tonal color. This, combined with her thoughtful lyrics and emotive vocal delivery, contributes to her overall narrative and reflective style.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of Ceilings by Lizzy McAlpine are:

[‘Cadd9’, ‘Em’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘Em’, ‘D’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘Em’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Cadd9’, ‘B7’, ‘C’, ‘D’]