Search

Related Music Theory Alchemy

“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

**

Looking at the entire song and isolating the verse, the chord progression provided shows a rock style often seen in Queens of the Stone Age compositions. The harmonic language of this song and its progression style fall within the realm of Pop / Rock music, with frequent use of minor chords suggesting a somber or introspective mood. On first glance, it appears to contain chords primarily from the key of F# minor, with no obvious borrowings from other keys. However, a closer inspection will allow us to delve deeper into their harmonic function.

**

“Bullet With Butterfly Wings” by The Smashing Pumpkins is an alternative rock song released in 1995. The song is in the key of E minor and primarily uses power chords derived from the E minor scale throughout the song. Power chords or ‘5’ chords, like B5 or G5, don’t have a major or minor quality and are often used in rock music for their strong and neutral sound. The song also applies modal mixture (borrowing chords from parallel keys) for color and tension.

The chorus of Taylor Swift’s song “ME!” employs a bright and catchy chord progression that’s emblematic of pop music’s joyful and exuberant character. This progression underpins the song’s themes of self-affirmation and positivity, making it an infectious and memorable part of the track.

“Cant Buy Me Love” by The Beatles, is a song in the key of C Major, but it has an interesting harmonic structure, especially in the chorus. The song features a number of borrowed and secondary dominant chords to create tension that resolves into the tonic chord. The chorus’s progression can be seen as a series of descending minor thirds, with an unexpected shift to a ii-V-I progression which is quite popular in jazz music.

Queens of the Stone Age – I Sat By The Ocean – Chorus

Add To Favorites Remove From Favorites

< 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)

“`
C# minor (vi)
F# Major (II)
G#7 Dominant Seventh (III7)
E Major (I)
“`

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:

“`
B minor (ii)
E Major (V)
F#7 Dominant Seventh (VI7)
A Major (I)
“`

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.

Chords in the Chorus section of I Sat By The Ocean by Queens of the Stone Age are:

[‘C#m’, ‘F#’, ‘G#7’, ‘E’]