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“Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd is an iconic rock ballad from their 1975 album of the same name. The song’s verse chord progression evokes a sense of nostalgia and longing, featuring a combination of major and minor chords, as well as borrowed chords and inversions that create a unique and emotional soundscape.

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.

The song “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails is based primarily around the C minor 7 chord, giving the song its dark and moody atmosphere. The song is in the key of C minor. This chord progression is repetitive and simple, allowing other aspects of the song, such as the lyrics and production, to take center stage.

The chord progression featured in Radiohead’s “Motion Picture Soundtrack” Verse 2 is a four-chord loop that moves from G major to C major (acting as a suspension) and B minor (with an added 9th), creating an interesting mix of tonalities and suspensions. The progression establishes G major as the tonal center but continually moves away from it, creating a sense of ambiguity.

“Glory Box” by Portishead from the album Dummy (1994) presents a haunting and somewhat melancholy ambience commonly found in their trademark trip-hop style. This song, in particular, draws from a palette of jazz-influenced harmony. The chords used, their extensions, and inversions, conjure complexity beyond basic triadic harmony. The chord progression listed appears to be in the key of D minor and employs common jazz techniques like ii-V-I progressions and usage of the half-diminished chord.

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

C, D/F#, Am/E, G, D/F#, C, Am, G

Chord Progression Analysis

C Major (‘I’), D Major/F# (‘V/V’), A minor/E (‘vi’), G Major (‘V’), D Major/F# (‘V/V’), C Major (‘I’), A minor (‘vi’), G Major (‘V’)

Borrowed Chord:
`D Major/F# (‘V/V’)`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. The Beatles – “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”
Progression: Am (‘vi’), G (‘V’), Am/G (‘vi/V’), Am/F# (‘vi/♯IV’), Am/F (‘vi/IV’), Am/E (‘vi’), D (‘II’), E (‘III’)

2. Led Zeppelin – “Stairway To Heaven”
Progression: Am (‘vi’), G (‘V’), F (‘IV’), Am (‘vi’), G (‘V’), F (‘IV’), C (‘I’), D (‘II’)

Note that these progressions share some similarities but are not identical to the chord progression in “Wish You Were Here.” The main aspect they have in common is the usage of secondary dominants or borrowed chords, and the general classic rock aesthetic.

Musical Analysis

The song is in the key of C Major. The progression begins with the tonic chord, C Major (‘I’), providing a sense of stability. It then moves to D Major/F# (‘V/V’), which is a secondary dominant chord that borrows from the parallel key (C Lydian or G Major, depending on interpretation). This borrowed chord sets up an expectation for the resolution to the G Major chord (the V of C Major), however, the progression instead moves to A minor/E (‘vi’)—a deceptive resolution—creating a sense of longing in the music. Finally, the G Major (‘V’) chord appears and resolves back to the C Major (‘I’) chord, completing the progression.

The presence of the slash chords (D/F# and Am/E) adds a smoothness in the bass line movement and increases harmonic interest, while maintaining an overall sense of consonance.

Overall Analysis

“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.

Style Analysis

Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” is noted for its introspective lyrics and mellow, almost melancholic style. This is creatively reflected in the chord progression, which combines conventional diatonic chords with the secondary dominant D Major/F# to add a level of sophistication and depth. The combination of acoustic guitar and the chord progression creates an intimate and emotional atmosphere, in line with the reflective nature of the lyrics.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd are:

C, D/F#, Am/E, G, D/F#, C, Am, G