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“Goodbye Blue Sky” by Pink Floyd is a beautifully haunting piece with a chord progression that demonstrates their innovative use of borrowed chords and modulation to explore various tonal centers. The song is generally in the key of A minor.

The chord progression in the bridge of “Hey You” by Pink Floyd is a relatively simple progression that revolves around the C Major and G Major chords, with brief appearances of D Major and E minor add9 chords. The piece showcases Pink Floyd’s signature progressive rock style, with steady changes between chords and a sense of tension and release.

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Looking at the entire song and isolating the verse, the chord progression provided shows a rock style often seen in Queens of the Stone Age compositions. The harmonic language of this song and its progression style fall within the realm of Pop / Rock music, with frequent use of minor chords suggesting a somber or introspective mood. On first glance, it appears to contain chords primarily from the key of F# minor, with no obvious borrowings from other keys. However, a closer inspection will allow us to delve deeper into their harmonic function.

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The song “Every Day Is Exactly The Same” by Nine Inch Nails has a dark and moody atmosphere, characterized by the repetitive chord progression that sets the gloomy tone. This prolific use of chords throughout snippets of the song creates a musical portrait of monotony and disillusion which is reflective of the song’s title and lyrics. Looking at the chords provided from the second verse, this mood is accomplished through the consistent use of minor tonalities and alternation between two power chords – E and C.

“Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones, off their 1971 album Sticky Fingers, is in the key of C major, and primarily uses the chords C, F, G and Bb. This song showcases the band’s blues rock influences, built on a repetitive, riff-driven chord progression. The use of I, IV, V, and a borrowed bVII (Bb), which is common in the blues, creates an appealing and familiar sound, helping the song resonate with listeners.

Pink Floyd – Goodbye Blue Sky – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

D, A7/D, G/D, D, A7/D, G/D, D, D, Am/D

Chord Progression Analysis

D (I) – A7/D (V7/IV) – G/D (IV) – D (I) – A7/D (V7/IV) – G/D (IV) – D (I) – D (I) – Am/D (i/IV)

Similar Chord Progressions

1. The Beatles – “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”
Chord progression: A (I) – A7 (V7) – D (IV) – Bb (bIII) – A (I)

2. Radiohead – “Paranoid Android”
Chord progression: Gm (i) – Cm/G (iv) – A7 (V7/V) – D (V) – Gm (i)

In both examples, non-diatonic chords and borrowed chords are used similarly to “Goodbye Blue Sky.” These chord progressions create a sense of tension and release, contributing to their respective atmospheric and emotional soundscapes.

Musical Analysis

The verse progression follows a prevalent pattern in popular music: I-IV-I. The D, G/D, and A7/D chords serve as the primary harmony for this verse in the key of D major. However, there is a notable non-diatonic chord – Am/D. This borrowed chord comes from D minor (the parallel minor) and is used to create an unexpected shift in harmony and add a sense of tension in the music. The pedal tone (the constant D note in the bass) also contributes to the overall sense of stability while allowing the chords above to change their tonality.

Overall Analysis

“Goodbye Blue Sky” is a song by Pink Floyd from their 1979 album “The Wall.” It is a progressive rock piece with acoustic guitar and vocal harmony that creates a haunting and atmospheric sound. The chord progression in Verse 2 demonstrates the use of non-diatonic chords, pedal tones, and borrowed chords, giving it a sense of tension and release. This unique combination of chords contributes to the overall distinctive mood of the song.

Style Analysis

“Goodbye Blue Sky” showcases Pink Floyd’s signature style of progressive rock with elements of folk and psychedelic rock. The use of acoustic guitar and vocal harmony gives a haunting, dream-like atmosphere, which suits the themes of war and destruction in the song lyrics. The utilization of borrowed chords and pedal tones adds to the progressive nature of the music, pushing the boundaries of conventional chord progressions.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of Goodbye Blue Sky by Pink Floyd are:

D, A7/D, G/D, D, A7/D, G/D, D, D, Am/D