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The piece “3’s and 7’s” by Queens of The Stone Age illustrates a fascinating blend of minor and major tonality, accented dissonances, and unexpected harmonic turns, which is characteristic of the band’s stoner rock and alternative metal style. The verse 2 chord progression is in A# minor and it sticks to a fairly repetitive three-chord progression of A#m – G# – F.

“I Sat By The Ocean” by Queens of the Stone Age is in the key of E major and utilizes a mix of diatonic chords (i.e., chords native to the key of E major) and borrowed chords (i.e., chords borrowed from parallel or related keys).

Pre-Chorus

The chord progression throughout this verse of Beck’s “Lost Cause” is predominantly in the key of F Major with some chords from its relative minor (D minor). The use of borrowed chords adds variety and color to the progression, and the alternation between F major and C major chords creates a strong sense of tonality and grounding in the key of F Major. The use of Am and E7 chords provides a brief tension and leaning toward the parallel key of F minor before resolving back to the original key. This adds interest and complexity to the otherwise straightforward progression.

“Somewhere Only We Know” composed by Keane, is a pop-ballad that is based in the key of A Minor. It makes use of both diatonic and borrowed chords in a modern pop style progression that creates an oscillating feel, with repetition for familiarity and simple melody drawn from the underlying chords.

Dead Flowers by The Rolling Stones is a classic track that exhibits some very traditional aspects of popular music and blues-based rock. The song is in D major and follows a fairly standard chord progression, using only three chords (D, A, and G), which make up four-measure phrases that are repeated throughout this part of the song.

Queens of the Stone Age – 3S And 7S – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

[‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’]

Chord Progression Analysis

The repeating chord sequence for the verse of “3s and 7s” is A#m, G#, F.

The breakdown is as follows:
A# Minor (‘i’)
G# Major (‘VII’)
F Major (‘VI’)

Similar Chord Progressions

A similar chord progression can be found in Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android.” Although in a different key (G minor), its verse follows a similar pattern:

G Minor (‘i’)
F Major (‘VII’)
Eb Major (‘VI’)

This chord progression is, however, quite common and is found in numerous other modern compositions.

Musical Analysis

In regards to the harmonic function of the chords, the sequence continually resolves from a tense i – VII to VI, before repeating. This sequence focuses on the tonic (A#m) as a driver throughout the verse, commonly leading into the dominant 7th chord (G#) before resolving into the submediant (F). It’s also worth mentioning that from a traditional Classical point, the chord progression lacks a V – I (dominant – Tonic) resolution except in some sections where E (V) resolves to A#m (i).

Overall Analysis

The song “3s and 7s” by Queens of the Stone Age is in the key of A# minor. The chord progression predominantly features three chords: A#m, G#, and F. The progression utilizes elements of rock and metal music, characteristic of the band’s style. The composition has a darker feel brought by the use of minor chords and dropped tuning, which is frequently employed in harder styles of rock music.

Style Analysis

Queens of the Stone Age are known for their unique fusion of heavy metal, hard rock, and alternative rock. The chord progression of “3s and 7s” reflects this, venturing outside of classic rock paradigms. The repeated use of A#m, G#, and F lends itself to a darker, more contemplative, and atmospheric feel.

Chords in the Verse 1 section of 3S And 7S by Queens of the Stone Age are:

[‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’]