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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Everything In Its Right Place” by Radiohead is an experimental and ambient piece released in 2000 as part of their album “Kid A.” The piece defies traditional pop and rock song forms, delving more into the territory of electronic and experimental music. The outro chord progression is simple but intriguing, serving a hypnotic and unresolved quality that keeps the listener engaged.

“Exit Music (For a Film)” by Radiohead is a song characterized by a strong sense of melancholy and dark ambiance. The harmonic movement creates tension through the use of chromaticism, borrowed chords, and non-diatonic notes. In the verse progression, there is a mixture of minor and major chords, along with added tones that enhance the complexity and mood of the music.

“Closer” by Nine Inch Nails is a song in the key of B minor, although it freely borrows chords from the parallel major key. The song’s structure is as follows: Verse – Pre-Chorus – Chorus – Verse – Pre-Chorus – Chorus – Bridge – Chorus – Instrumental.

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“Little Sister” by Queens of the Stone Age is based in the rock genre, featuring a simple melody with strong rhythmic components, built on a mix of power, suspended and major chords. The use of the C#5 and G#5/D# chords in the verses and the F#sus4-E-G#sus4 repetition in the chorus indicate an overall key signature of F# minor.

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The song “Every Day is Exactly the Same” by Nine Inch Nails is in E minor key. The chord progression found in the chorus consists mainly of common chords found in the E minor key, along with a couple of borrowed chords from E major. The use of borrowed chords adds unique color and tension to the music.

Radiohead – Everything In Its Right Place – Chorus

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Chord Progression

F, C, Db, Eb, F, C, Db, Eb, F, C, Db, Eb, C, Db, Eb, C, Db, Eb, C, Db, Eb, C, Db, Eb

Chord Progression Analysis

Fmaj (‘I’), Cmaj (‘V’), Dbmaj (‘bVI’), Ebmaj (‘bVII’), Fmaj (‘I’), Cmaj (‘V’), Dbmaj (‘bVI’), Ebmaj (‘bVII’), Fmaj (‘I’), Cmaj (‘V’), Dbmaj (‘bVI’), Ebmaj (‘bVII’), Cmaj (‘V’), Dbmaj (‘bVI’), Ebmaj (‘bVII’), Cmaj (‘V’), Dbmaj (‘bVI’), Ebmaj (‘bVII’), Cmaj (‘V’), Dbmaj (‘bVI’), Ebmaj (‘bVII’), Cmaj (‘V’), Dbmaj (‘bVI’), Ebmaj (‘bVII’)

Borrowed Chords:
`Dbmaj (‘bVI’), Ebmaj (‘bVII’)`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Space Oddity” by David Bowie:
Cmaj (‘I’), E7 (‘V7/IV’), Fmaj (‘IV’), Fm (‘iv’), Cmaj (‘I’), Fmaj (‘IV’), Gmaj (‘V’), Amaj (‘VI’), Am (‘vi’), Cmaj (‘I’)

2. “Paranoid Android” by Radiohead:
Bm (‘i’), E (‘V/vi’), G (‘VI’), B7 (‘vii°’), Emaj7 (‘ii°’), F#m (‘iii’), G (‘VI’), Ab7 (‘bVII+7’), A (‘vii°/iii’), E (‘V/vi’), Bm (‘i’)

3. “Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles:
Dbmaj (‘I’), Bbm9 (‘ii9’), Fm7 (‘iv7’), Gbmaj7 (‘V7’), Gb6 (‘V6’), Fm7-5 (‘iv7-5’), Ab7 (‘VI7’)

These examples, while showcasing different styles and artists, showcase a similar approach to chord progressions as “Everything In Its Right Place” by using diatonic and borrowed chords, exploring different tonal centers, and creating rich harmonic results.

Musical Analysis

The shifting tonal centers in “Everything In Its Right Place” create a sense of suspense and resolution throughout the chorus. Starting with the Fmaj chord, the listener may initially assume the key center is F. However, the introduction of Dbmaj and Ebmaj – borrowed chords from the parallel minor – adds new harmonic elements and richness to the progression. It is also interesting to note the alternating pattern of diatonic and borrowed chords, which further emphasizes the tension and release throughout the progression.

Overall Analysis

The chord progression of Radiohead’s “Everything In Its Right Place” is unique and complex, which contributes to the dreamy, atmospheric, and rich harmonic content prevalent in the song. Its ambiguous key center and shifting tonal centers create a sense of fluidity and unpredictability, commonly observed in Radiohead’s style. The chorus features a blend of diatonic and borrowed chords from parallel keys, which creates a colorful, almost impressionist quality to the progression.

Style Analysis

Radiohead is known for their experimentation with harmony, melody, rhythm, and texture. In “Everything In Its Right Place,” the suspended tonality, rich harmonic language, and atmospheric sound create an emotional and ambiguous quality, which is characteristic of their work. The mix of diatonic and borrowed chords contributes to the expressive nature of the song and expands the harmonic palette from a typical pop song. These elements are consistently found in Radiohead’s music, revealing their complex and distinct compositional style.

Chords in the Chorus section of Everything In Its Right Place by Radiohead are:

F, C, Db, Eb, F, C, Db, Eb, F, C, Db, Eb, C, Db, Eb, C, Db, Eb, C, Db, Eb, C, Db, Eb