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Related Music Theory Alchemy

The Outro of “Exit Music (For a Film)” by Radiohead features a striking and emotive chord progression that showcases their innovative approach to harmony. It is characterized by the use of irregular modal interchanges, sustained chords, and slight variations on repeating patterns.

“Fake Plastic Trees” by Radiohead is a haunting and introspective ballad that features an evocative chord progression. The progression appears to have been influenced by alternative rock and combines elements of both major and minor tonalities, as well as non-diatonic and diatonic chords. This blend of harmonic flavors creates an unforgettable sound that is melancholic, yet beautiful.

The chorus of Taylor Swift’s “Guilty as Sin?” showcases a rich and dynamic chord progression that reflects the song’s emotional intensity and narrative depth. This progression, with its interplay of major, major seventh, and minor chords, provides a musical canvas that enhances the emotional weight of the lyrics, indicative of Swift’s sophisticated songwriting approach.

“Little Red Corvette” by Prince is in the key of Gb Major. The song is a staple of 80’s pop and a good example of Prince’s signature sound of fusing elements from different genres, such as funk, pop, and rock. It’s a strong blend of complex chord progressions and simple, catchy melodic lines which adds a compelling depth to the music.

The song “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay is in the key of G major and follows a fairly simple chord progression in the pop/rock genre. This progression particularly makes use of the I, IV, V, and vi chords in this key, which is a typical pop progression.

Radiohead – Exit Music For A Film – Chorus

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Chord Progression

Gmadd11, D7/F#, Asus2, Am, Asus2, Asus4, Am/C, Esus4, Gmadd11, D7/F#, Asus2, Am, Asus2, Asus4, Am/C, Esus4, E

Chord Progression Analysis

“`
Gmadd11 (‘i’)
↳ borrowed from the Aeolian mode
|
D7/F# (‘V7/III’)
↳ secondary dominant to the III
|
Asus2 (‘III’)
↳ borrowed from the Ionian mode
|
Am (‘III’)
↳ borrowed from the Aeolian mode
Asus2 (‘III’)
|
Asus4 (‘III’)
↳ borrowed from the Ionian mode
|
Am/C (‘III’)
↳ borrowed from the Aeolian mode
|
Esus4 (‘VII’)
↳ borrowed from the Ionian mode
|
Gmadd11 (‘i’)
|
D7/F# (‘V7/III’)
|
Asus2 (‘III’)
|
Am (‘III’)
↳ borrowed from the Aeolian mode
|
Asus2 (‘III’)
|
Asus4 (‘III’)
|
Am/C (‘III’)
↳ borrowed from the Aeolian mode
|
Esus4 (‘VII’)
|
E (‘VII’)
borrowed from the harmonic minor

“`

Similar Chord Progressions

One artist with a similar approach to complex and unconventional chord progressions is jazz pianist and composer Bill Evans. His composition “Blue In Green” (often credited to Miles Davis) features a progression that includes chords borrowed from multiple modes and key centers.

Chord progression in “Blue In Green”:
“`
Dm7 (‘ii’):
↳ borrowed from the Dorian mode
|
Gm7 (‘ii’):
↳ borrowed from the Aeolian mode
|
A7 (‘V7’):
↳ borrowed from the Mixolydian mode
|
EbMaj7 (‘IV’):
↳ borrowed from the Ionian mode
|
Gm7 (‘ii’)
|
AbMaj7 (‘VII’):
↳ borrowed from the harmonic minor
|
Gm7 (‘ii’)
“`

Musical Analysis

The song starts in G minor, and the use of the Gmadd11 chord gives a brooding, moody quality to the progression. The D7/F# functions as a secondary dominant chord that leads to the Asus2 and Am, which are borrowed from different modes, adding more depth to the sound.

The Esus4, another borrowed chord from the Ionian mode, appears twice in the progression and resolves to the E major chord, representing the harmonic minor. This switch from the suspended fourth to the major variant provides a sense of resolution but retains some tension in the progression due to its non-diatonic nature.

Overall Analysis

The chord progression in the chorus of “Exit Music (For A Film)” by Radiohead is rather unconventional and features several borrowed chords from different modes. It showcases the band’s affinity for using non-diatonic chords and contributes to the song’s somber and haunting atmosphere.

Style Analysis

Radiohead is well-known for their unconventional approach to songwriting. In “Exit Music (For A Film),” they employ various borrowed chords and unusual chord progressions to create an evocative, surrealist soundscape. The harmonic and melodic complexity of the chorus conveys the emotional weight of the lyrics and the storyline of the film it was composed for (“Romeo + Juliet”).

Chords in the Chorus section of Exit Music For A Film by Radiohead are:

Gmadd11, D7/F#, Asus2, Am, Asus2, Asus4, Am/C, Esus4, Gmadd11, D7/F#, Asus2, Am, Asus2, Asus4, Am/C, Esus4, E