Queens of the Stone Age – I Sat By The Ocean – Chorus
I Sat By The Ocean < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘C#m’, ‘F#’, ‘G#7’, ‘E’]
Chord Progression Analysis
The chords in the given progression are: C# minor (vi), F# Major (II), G#7 Dominant Seventh (III7), E Major (I)
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C# minor (vi)
F# Major (II)
G#7 Dominant Seventh (III7)
E Major (I)
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Similar Chord Progressions
A similar chord progression, albeit in a different key, can be seen in Nirvana’s “In Bloom”. The chord progression is [‘Bm’, ‘E’, ‘F#7’, ‘A’] translates to B minor (ii), E Major (V), F#7 Dominant Seventh (VI7), and A Major (I) in the key of A Major:
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B minor (ii)
E Major (V)
F#7 Dominant Seventh (VI7)
A Major (I)
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Musical Analysis
This progression begins with the relative minor (vi) which helps to set a melancholic mood at the onset. However, it soon resolves to a major chord, the dominant major (II), which provides a level of tension. The tension climbs further as it escalates to the III7 chord, a luminous major dominant seventh chord that is not typically found in the E Major scale.
This unexpected movement introduces a foreign note (F natural) into the mix, thus creating an instance of borrowed harmony. Finally, the progression resolves on the tonic (I), the E Major chord, which brings an uplifting release of the tension built up from the preceding chords.
Overall Analysis
“I Sat By The Ocean” by Queens of The Stone Age is written in E Major key.
Style Analysis
The chord progression is a classic example of the band’s stylistic influences from hard rock, alternative rock, and stoner rock genres. While the use of borrowed chords isn’t uncommon in popular music and rock, it is a classic Queens of the Stone Age move to use a borrowed VII chord, which is more common in jazz, and subtly adds a touch of dissonance and surprise to their harmonies.
What are the chords in: Queens of the Stone Age – I Sat By The Ocean – Chorus?
[‘C#m’, ‘F#’, ‘G#7’, ‘E’]
