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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.

The piece “Reckoner” by Radiohead features a chord progression that can be analyzed in the key of E minor, which is a relatively common key for rock music. Its harmonic content exhibits some standard and some unusual behavior, with various instances of borrowed chords and chord changes that result in a unique sound. The progression demonstrates an interesting blending of styles, combining elements from rock, electronic, and alternative genres, which is characteristic of Radiohead’s unique sound.

“Heart Is A Drum” by Beck, from the album Morning Phase (2014), features a simple but effective chord progression in the key of C major. This song can be classified as alternative folk rock, and the harmonies used in the chord progression are quite common in this genre, as well as popular music in general. The progression creates a sense of nostalgia and emotional resonance, elevated by Beck’s lyricism and vocal delivery.

The given chord progression belongs to the verse 2 of the song “Apocalypse Please” by Muse. This progression reflects the band’s signature style that combines elements of rock, classical, and electronic music. The chords follow a pattern that combines both diatonic and chromatic movement, creating a dramatic and intense feel. A unique feature in this progression is the use of slash chords, which adds further harmonic interest.

“Let It Happen” by Tame Impala is characterized by its psychedelic and experimental nuances. It features an overall bright and uplifting tone despite its use of some more complex chords. The song ska common in pop music. The chord progression in question has a strong melodic sensibility demonstrating Kevin Parker’s ability to incorporate complex musical ideas into a pop format.

Radiohead – Everything In Its Right Place – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

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

Chord Progression Analysis

Dbmaj (‘bI’), Cmaj (‘bVII’), Ebmaj (‘bIII’), Dbmaj (‘bI’), Cmaj (‘bVII’), Ebmaj (‘bIII’), Dbmaj (‘bI’), Cmaj (‘bVII’), Ebmaj (‘bIII’), Dbmaj (‘bI’), Cmaj (‘bVII’), Ebmaj (‘bIII’), Dbmaj (‘bI’), Cmaj (‘bVII’), Ebmaj (‘bIII’), Dbmaj (‘bI’), Cmaj (‘bVII’), Ebmaj (‘bIII’), Dbmaj (‘bI’), Cmaj (‘bVII’), Ebmaj (‘bIII’), Dbmaj (‘bI’), Cmaj (‘bVII’), Ebmaj (‘bIII’), Fmaj (‘IV’), Cmaj (‘bVII’), Dbmaj (‘bI’), Ebmaj (‘bIII’)

Borrowed Chords:
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Cmaj (‘bVII’) – Borrowed from the parallel mixolydian mode
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Similar Chord Progressions

1. Muse – “Map of the Problematique”
Chord Progression: Dmin (‘i’), Amaj (‘IV’), Bb (‘V’), Gmin (‘iv’)

2. The Beatles – “Let It Be”
Chord Progression: Cmaj (‘I’), Gmaj (‘V’), Amaj (‘VI’), Fmaj (‘IV’)

Though these examples differ in the exact chords used or their order, they share a similar sensibility in borrowing chords and creating tonal ambiguity with modal mixture. Remember, the similarity lies in concept and commonality of borrowing chords, rather than the exact progression.

Musical Analysis

“Everything In Its Right Place” exhibits a strong sense of modal mixture by borrowing chords from parallel modes. In this case, Db major and Eb major chords form the primary key center. In addition to the modal mixture, certain chords like F major add a sense of surprise and tension, which contrasts with the cycling nature of the progression. The progression revolves around bI-bVII-bIII chords throughout verse 2, reinforcing the hypnotic and cyclic nature of the song. This verse modulates between Db major and Eb major, creating a somewhat unresolved undercurrent complementing the shifting chords.

Overall Analysis

The verse 2 chord progression of Radiohead’s “Everything In Its Right Place” demonstrates a combination of diatonic and non-diatonic chords with tonal ambiguity, frequent use of borrowed chords from parallel modes, and modulation. The progression has a cyclic, hypnotic quality with occasional surprises due to large leaps in pitch and unexpected, non-diatonic chords.

Style Analysis

The chord progression in “Everything In Its Right Place” is characterized by its unusual and experimental nature. By combining chords from different modes and having unexpected leaps in pitch, the progression defies traditional harmony rules. This is consistent with Radiohead’s style, which often brings avant-garde and unconventional elements into their musical compositions, frequently employing borrowed chords, modal mixtures, and polyrhythmic structures.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of Everything In Its Right Place by Radiohead are:

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