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Related Music Theory Alchemy

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“Sour Times” by Portishead is a song with a complex and intriguing chord progression. It blends minor key tonality with modulations and chromaticism to give it a mysterious and brooding atmosphere. The song is primarily in the key of C# minor and features some borrowed chords and inversions that color the overall progression.

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The song, “Sour Times” by Portishead, is in the key of C# minor. The chord progression of the chorus that you’ve provided swings between three chords (F#m7, Emaj7, D#7) four times before ending on a C#m chord. It suggests a II – I – VII progression in the chorus, which is rare and distinctive in contemporary music genres. This choice of chord progression creates a mysterious, dark, and contemplative mood, characteristic of the trip-hop genre that Portishead propounds.

Taylor Swift’s “Black Dog” features a chorus that uses a sophisticated and intricate chord progression to drive the emotional depth and thematic elements of the song. This progression combines inversions and extensions to create a layered and textured musical atmosphere, reflecting the complexity of the song’s lyrics and enhancing its reflective nature.

“Bennie And The Jets” by Elton John, released in 1973, features a distinctive chord progression that exemplifies Elton’s advanced harmonic sensibility and taste for grand piano-based balladry. The song is mainly in the key of G Major.

“Can You Feel The Love Tonight” is a pop ballad written in the key of G major. The progression makes traditional use of the G major chord scale with a notable exception of a borrowed chord A/C#.

Portishead – Sour Times – Chorus

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Chord Progression

[‘F#m7’, ‘Emaj7’, ‘D#7’, ‘F#m7’, ‘Emaj7’, ‘D#7’, ‘C#m’, ‘D#7’, ‘G#7’]

Chord Progression Analysis

The following is the chord progression analysis for the chorus:

“`
F# minor 7 (ii7),
E Major 7 (I7),
D# Dominant 7 (vii7),
F# minor 7 (ii7),
E Major 7 (I7),
D# Dominant 7 (vii7),
C# minor (vi),
D# Dominant 7 (vii7),
G# Dominant 7 (#V7)
“`

The G# Dominant 7 is a borrowed chord, it is typically absent from the key of E major and thus lends a more complex and unique character to the song’s arrangement.

Similar Chord Progressions

1) “Creep” by Radiohead also employs a similar progression with shifting from a minor 7th to a Major 7th and also features a borrowed Major 7th chord:
“`
G Major (I),
B Major (#III – borrowed chord),
C Major (IV),
C minor (iv – borrowed chord)
“`

2) The Beatles’ “Something” also uses a descending progression with seventh chords:
“`
C Major (I),
C Major 7 (I7),
C7 (I7),
F Major (IV)
“`

3) “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen follows a similar progression and includes a Major 7th chord:
“`
C Major (I),
A minor (vi),
C Major (I),
A minor (vi),
F Major (IV),
G Major (V),
C Major (I),
G Major (V)
“`

Musical Analysis

In “Sour Times”, the usage of F# minor 7 to E Major 7 provides a smooth descending progression that introduces an element of resolution to the chorus. The transition from D#7 to F#m7 reintroduces some tension which is then diffused again by returning to the E Major 7, creating a satisfying and distinctive cyclic pattern. The progression concludes with the C#m, D#7, to the borrowed G#7, providing a unique flavour and an unexpected turn to the song.

Overall Analysis

“Sour Times” by Portishead is characterized by dark, brooding sounds and melancholic melodies that gives the song its distinct feel, largely due to the specific chord progression that is used throughout the song. Written in the key of E major, the song makes use of a diverse selection of chords that offers a wider blend of harmonic options to navigate through different moods and tonal landscapes.

Style Analysis

Portishead is known for their unique sound that fuses elements of trip-hop, electronica, and jazz and “Sour Times” is no exception. The song’s unorthodox chord arrangement showcases Portishead’s signature style – a complex arrangement of moods and tones that evoke a sense of drama and melancholy. The usage of seventh chords contributes to its jazzy feel and trip hop’s signature gloomy ambience.

Chords in the Chorus section of Sour Times by Portishead are:

[‘F#m7’, ‘Emaj7’, ‘D#7’, ‘F#m7’, ‘Emaj7’, ‘D#7’, ‘C#m’, ‘D#7’, ‘G#7’]