Portishead – Glory Box – Verse 2
Glory Box < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘Dm’, ‘Dm/C’, ‘Bm7b5’, ‘Bbmaj7’, ‘Dm’, ‘Dm/C’, ‘Bm7b5’, ‘Bbmaj7’, ‘Dm’, ‘Dm/C’, ‘Bm7b5’, ‘Bbmaj7’]
Chord Progression Analysis
Here’s the chord analysis with the full chord names and their Roman numeral:
– Dm (i)
– Dm/C (i)
– Bm7b5 (vi half-diminished: viø)
– Bbmaj7 (bVI maj7)
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Dm/C is a borrowed chord. It’s essentially the i chord in 2nd inversion (i/C).
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Similar Chord Progressions
1. “Bittersweet Symphony” by The Verve also uses similar rhythm and techniques. It sticks more to traditional diatonic harmony but bears a similar ambience.
– E (I)
– Bm7 (vi7)
– D (IV)
– A (V)
2. “Creep” by Radiohead, while more simple in construction, uses a chromatic mediant chord (Major III) unexpectedly, similar to how Portishead uses the Bbmaj7.
– G (I)
– B (III)
– C (IV)
– Cm (iv)
Musical Analysis
This progression repeats and forms the foundation for the verse. It begins on the tonic chord (Dm), lending a familiar, grounded feel. The bass then drops to play a Dm/C, essentially the same chord in 2nd inversion.
A shift to Bm7b5 creates a jazzy half-diminished sound, preparing for a move to Bbmaj7, a chromatic mediant relationship with the tonic Dm. The use of Bbmaj7 supports the overall melancholy and longing found throughout the song. It also forms a clear ii-V-I progression in the key of the relative major key (F Major), further emphasizing a jazz influence on the song, and yet it becomes an unexpected progression due to the return to the tonic minor afterward rather than resting on the relative major.
Overall Analysis
“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.
Style Analysis
Portishead’s definitive style is trip-hop, a genre born in the UK, often featuring electronica-influenced beats, scratching, samples, and a dark, brooding atmosphere. “Glory Box” utilizes these features with its prominent looping sample, slow tempo, use of synths, and Beth Gibbons’ chilling vocals, over a predominantly minor chord progression, welcoming an overall melancholic mood.
What are the chords in: Portishead – Glory Box – Verse 2?
[‘Dm’, ‘Dm/C’, ‘Bm7b5’, ‘Bbmaj7’, ‘Dm’, ‘Dm/C’, ‘Bm7b5’, ‘Bbmaj7’, ‘Dm’, ‘Dm/C’, ‘Bm7b5’, ‘Bbmaj7’]
