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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis, a popular rock ballad, is characterized by its melancholic chord progressions. Its key is major, specifically C Major, but it involves a frequent use of borrowed chords for a touch of bitterness, matching the poignant lyrics.

This iconic Britpop song predominantly features the use of traditional tonal harmony found in pop songs throughout the late 20th century, and the verse specifically recalls the harmonic patterns utilized in the 1950s and 60s. The defining feature of this song (as is the case with many Oasis tunes) is the use of returning, resounding repetitions of simple chord sequences.

The chord progression in the chorus of “Sexx Laws” by Beck is a non-diatonic chord progression that features chromatic and unexpected chords. The progression seems to be based in the key of E major, but the chords used are not strictly within the E major scale, providing a distinctive sound and style characteristic of Beck’s music. The progression contains some parallel major chords, giving it a distinct classic rock vibe.

“Heartbreaker” by The Rolling Stones is a rock song that exhibits some fundamental rock and blues progressions and chord changes. The chorus of the song is a three-chord progression [E, G, C] that repeats four times.

This is a beautiful chorus from “Rocket Man,” a song by Elton John. The overall vibe of the song is nostalgic and melancholy, largely due to the combination of key changes, chord progression, and Elton John’s vocal melody. The song appears to be in the key of G major.

Oasis – Dont Look Back In Anger – Chorus

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Chord Progression

[‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘F’, ‘Fm6’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘Fm6’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

The analysis of the chord progressions is as follows:

“`
C (I), G (V), Am (vi), E7 (V/vi – Secondary Dominant), F (IV), G (V), C (I), Am (vi), G (V),
C (I), G (V), Am (vi), E7 (V/vi – Secondary Dominant), F (IV), G (V), C (I), Am (vi), G (V),
C (I), G (V), Am (vi), E7 (V/vi – Secondary Dominant), F (IV), G (V), C (I), Am (vi), G (V),
C (I), G (V), Am (vi), F (IV), Fm6 (iv – Borrowed Chord), C (I), G (V), Am (vi), E7 (V/vi – Secondary Dominant),
F (IV), Fm6 (iv – Borrowed Chord), C (I)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

Similar progressions can be noticed in tracks from artists across eras and genres. The usage of borrowed chords and secondary dominants is a common musical device.

1. “Let it Be” by The Beatles:
The song has a similar chord progression, including the use of iv in the bridge.
“`
C (I), G (V), Am (vi), F (IV), C (I), G (V), F (IV), C (I), C7 (V7/IV),
F (IV), A7 (V7/ii – Secondary Dominant), Dm (ii), G (V)
“`
2. “Hey Jude” by The Beatles:
Here secondary dominants are also a key feature.
“`
F (I), C (V), C7 (V7/IV), F (I), Bb (IV), F (I), C7 (V7/IV), F (I)
“`

Musical Analysis

The verses set up a sequence of VI-V which is quite common in the pop/rock genre. However, the use of the E7 chord as a secondary dominant is refreshing, building up tension towards the Am chord.

The Fm6 chord towards the end is a borrowed chord which gives a nice uplifting quality and adds a surprise element to the chord progression.

Overall Analysis

“Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis is written in the key of C major. Although it largely conforms to the traditional progressions expected within this key, the song does feature some interesting variations in the form of borrowed chords coming from the parallel minor key (C minor) – a common technique used in pop and rock music.

Style Analysis

Oasis, a quintessential Britpop band from the 90s, showcases their classic combination of simple yet effective chord progressions. The style often includes elements of traditional British rock, combined with the usage of borrowed chords – a trait highlighted in this song.

Chords in the Chorus section of Dont Look Back In Anger by Oasis are:

[‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘F’, ‘Fm6’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘Fm6’, ‘C’]