Prince – When Doves Cry – Chorus
When Doves Cry < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘G’]
Chord Progression Analysis
It’s a repeated Am-G-Em-F-G progression, each chord lasts for 1 beat, with minor alterations as the song progresses:
In the key of A minor (Am):
Amaj – A minor (‘i’)
GMaj – G Major (‘VII’)
em – E minor (‘v’)
fm – F Major (‘VI’)
g – G Major (‘VII’)
Note: In the key of A minor, the G Major acts as a borrowed chord from A Major.
Similar Chord Progressions
A similarly distinct chord progression can be found in Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry”. This is in the key of C, however, you can find similar shifts between a major I (C Major), a VII (Bb), a vi (Am), and a V (G Major). The song “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King uses a similar progression, namely in the key of A Major, uses I (A Major), VI (F# minor), IV (D Major), V (E Major), this progression also has a similar feel.
Remember, many songwriters use similar progressions but the distinctive sound of the song comes from the rhythm, tempo, instrumentation, and of course, the melody and lyrics. Each element contributes to creating a unique song.
Musical Analysis
From a tonal perspective, the progression doesn’t perfectly follow traditional Western theory norms and instead adopts the artist’s personal style to give the song its distinctive feel. The repeated descending bass sequence from the Am to the Em creates a somber tone, but the move to the F Major uplifts the mood slightly. This back and forth gives a musical representation of the dramatic and emotional themes of the song.
Overall Analysis
“The song When Doves Cry” by Prince features a very distinctive chord progression in its chorus section. Technically the song is written in a minor key, but the progression tends to flow in a way that feels almost like a major key at times. This is a common characteristic of many Prince songs, signifying the unique and innovative style of the artist.
Style Analysis
Prince often employed unconventional chord progressions in his songs and “When Doves Cry” is no exception. The sequence doesn’t present a clear tonal resolution. Instead, it feels like an ongoing loop, which adds to the haunting and suspenseful tone of the track.
What are the chords in: Prince – When Doves Cry – Chorus?
[‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘G’]
