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Related Music Theory Alchemy

The song “Roads” by Portishead features a haunting yet melodic chord progression reminiscent of the minor key-oriented pop/rock of the 90’s. It combines chords from the key of A minor along with a borrowed chord from the parallel major key to create a moody, atmospheric soundscape typical of the trip-hop genre.

“Glory Box” by Portishead is a Trip Hop masterpiece which blends elements of blues, rock, soul, and electronic music together in an innovative and influential way. The song’s chord progression, as illustrated by the verse, is D minor, D minor with C in the bass (notated as Dm/C), B minor 7 flat 5, and B flat major 7. This particular chord progression gives an overall melancholy and haunting feeling throughout the song and sets the tone for the track.

“Eleanor Rigby’” is a song by The Beatles, released on their 1966 album “Revolver”. Being unusually somber and profound for a pop song, it showcases The Beatles’ expanding musical palette and their desire to move past the conventional parameters of popular music at the time. The song itself is crafted entirely around the key of E minor, with only occasional diversions to the IV chord (C Major). It strongly exhibits the use of Aeolian mode (commonly known as the ‘natural’ minor) and employs string quartet instrumentation, a unique stylistic pattern at that time.

“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.

“Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley is a well-known example of a poignant, introspective ballad with a mix of pop, folk, and gospel elements. It features intricate, emotionally evocative chord progressions that move beyond typical diatonic patterns and uses borrowed chords to create an emotionally charged atmosphere.

Portishead – Roads – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

[‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘Fma7’, ‘E7’, ‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘Fmaj7’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘Am’]

Chord Progression Analysis

– Am (‘i’)
– G6 (‘♭VII6’)
– Fmaj7 (‘♭VIΔ7’)
– E7 (‘V7’)

(Note: ‘♭VIΔ7’ (Fmaj7) is a borrowed chord)

Similar Chord Progressions

– Radiohead – “Paranoid Android”: [‘Am’, ‘Fmaj7’, ‘Gmaj7’, ‘Cmaj7’]
– Tame Impala – “Yes I’m Changing”: [‘Am’, ‘Gmaj’, ‘Fmaj7’, ‘E7’]

Though not identical, these songs share a similar use of the ‘♭VIΔ7’ chord (Fmaj7) and resolve to a dominant 7th. This creates a similar mood and feel between these songs and “Roads” by Portishead.

Musical Analysis

This intriguing progression forms the verse’s primary harmonic structure. It traverses from the tonic i (Am), to the flat major 7th (‘♭VIΔ7’; Fmaj7), and finally to the dominant 7th (V7; E7). This creates unpredictability as it doesn’t follow a standard harmonic motion usually found in popular music. Emphasizing on the E7 chord’s tension, it calls for a resolution that returns us to the tonic (i, Am).

Overall Analysis

“Roads” by Portishead is set in the key of Am, also known as A minor. In the verse, there is an interesting use of the flat major 7 (Fmaj7) chord. This chord is not typically found within the natural minor key but is considered a borrowed chord from the A major key. Thus, this use of said borrowed chord and its resolution to the E7 dominants gives the song a unique feel, contributing to its mesmerizing and emotive ambience. Portishead tends to blend the use of A minor and A Dorian modality in their music, especially apparent in this composition.

Style Analysis

Portishead is known for their trip-hop genre. Their style often fuses elements of rock, hip-hop, and jazz which is reflected in the mixture of modalities and harmonic progressions used in “Roads”. The use of a ⸗♭VIΔ7 (Fmaj7) chord gives a somewhat jazzy feel to the song. The progression has a poignant and somewhat melancholic vibe that fits well with the overall theme of the song.

Chords in the Verse 1 section of Roads by Portishead are:

[‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘Fma7’, ‘E7’, ‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘Fmaj7’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘Am’]