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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“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.

“Wonderwall” by Oasis is in the key of G major and features an effective and memorable chord progression that repeats throughout the song. The progression falls into the indie rock and Britpop genres, highlighting simple, strong harmonies, and incorporates a repeated sequence of Em–G-D–A7sus4 throughout its composition with occasional deviations.

The chord progression in Verse 2 of Beck’s “Say Goodbye” showcases a unique blend of chords that are not commonly heard together in popular music. The mix of major, minor, and borrowed chords creates an interesting and engaging sound. Its distinctive quality can be found in the use of the A# major chord, which is not diatonic to the key of G major.

“When Doves Cry” by Prince shows the artist’s flair for the unusual. While the song is primarily in A minor, Prince takes liberties with creating unexpected shifts in harmony, which gives the song its unique character. The song revolves around five chords: Am, G, Em, F, and G, repeated throughout the verse. This circular progression offers a sense of continuity, yet Prince’s interpretation and arrangement create a sense of unpredictability.

The verse 2 chord progression in “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Muse follows a typical jazz/pop style with the use of extended and altered chords such as Major 7th and minor 7th ♭5 chords. It also features a variation in line with the different sections of the piece.

Oasis – Dont Look Back In Anger – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

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

Chord Progression Analysis

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These are the chords and their roman numerals per your request, please manage that all chords listed are triads (three notes) unless indicated otherwise (like the E7 which has four notes):

“`
C (I),
G (V),
Am (vi),
E7 (V7/vi), *borrowed chord,
F (IV),
G (V),
C (I),
Am (vi),
G (V),
C (I),
G (V),
Am (vi),
E7 (V7/vi), *borrowed chord,
F (IV),
G (V),
C (I),
Am (vi),
G (V)
“`
The E7 in this context is a secondary dominant – it is the V7 of the vi chord, Am. It provides a strong pull towards the Am chord and gives the progression a bit of tension and release. In other words, we “borrow” the V7 from the key of A minor.

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Similar Chord Progressions

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The aforementioned Andalusian cadence is a ubiquitous chord progression found in multiple genres and songs. As such, here are a few songs with

Musical Analysis

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This progression shows a mix of tonic (I and vi), subdominant (IV), and dominant (V) harmonies, providing a rich harmonic variety within a major tonal center. The composition also uses secondary dominants (V7/vi) which adds a bit of harmonic tension that is then resolved – known as a tonicization – giving the progression an interesting twist.

The particular progression C-G-Am-E7 is also called the Andalusian Cadence, a progression used frequently in both popular and classical music from several cultural traditions, including Flamenco.

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Overall Analysis

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“Don’t Look Back In Anger” uses simple yet effective chord progressions common in pop/rock music. It incorporates both major and minor chords, showing some classic pop sensibilities. The song is situated in the key of C Major. Embedded within this progression are instances of borrowed chords – the E7 for instance, is a secondary dominant, often used to inject a bit of tension and to give strong resolution leading into the next chord.

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Style Analysis

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Oasis popularized the Britpop genre in the late 90s and early 2000s, which fused British pop and rock music. The chord progression found in “Don’t Look Back In Anger” is emblematic of their style – harmony rich, and reminiscent of the Beatles.

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Chords in the Verse 2 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’]