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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Fake Plastic Trees” by Radiohead is in the key of A major and features an alternative rock style with a strong emphasis on the melody and a hauntingly beautiful vocal progression. The song contains a unique mix of simple and complex chords that give it a sense of tension and unease.

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.

The chorus of the Pink Floyd song “Breathe” features a mixture of diatonic and non-diatonic chords and creates a dreamy, spaced-out mood. The combination of major and minor seventh chords, as well as dominant 7th chords with altered 9ths, contributes to this atmospheric quality.

“Hurt” is a song written and composed by Trent Reznor, best known for its version covered by Johnny Cash in C major. The song employs a commonly used pop/rock chord progression (vi- IV- I- V), that aids the conveyance of the theme of regret and redemption. The use of the minor vi chord (Am) as the starting point of the progression provides a very melancholy feel that aligns with the overall tone of regret in the lyrics. The progression then moves to a major IV (F), suggestive of a brief glimpse of hope or relief, before settling into the home key of C. The progression rounds off with a V chord (G), propelling the sequence back to the beginning again, giving a cyclic, repeating, and enduring feel to the music.

The song, “Sour Times” by Portishead, is in the key of C# minor. The chord progression of the chorus that you’ve provided swings between three chords (F#m7, Emaj7, D#7) four times before ending on a C#m chord. It suggests a II – I – VII progression in the chorus, which is rare and distinctive in contemporary music genres. This choice of chord progression creates a mysterious, dark, and contemplative mood, characteristic of the trip-hop genre that Portishead propounds.

Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees – Chorus 2

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Chord Progression

Bm7add11, A, Bm7add11, Asus4, A

Chord Progression Analysis

Bm7add11 (vii7add11), A (IV), Bm7add11 (vii7add11), Asus4 (IVsus4), A (IV)

Borrowed Chord:
None

Similar Chord Progressions

1. Coldplay – “The Scientist”: Dm(add9) (iadd9), Bb (VI), F (III), C (VII)
2. Nirvana – “Polly”: Em (i), G (III), D (VII), C (VI)
3. Oasis – “Wonderwall”: Em7 (ii7), G (IV), Dsus4 (I5sus4), A7sus4 (V7sus4)

These songs, like “Fake Plastic Trees,” showcase the use of unconventional chords and progressions in their respective genres. Each song displays an attention to inventive harmony and emotional depth, making them excellent examples of creative chord progressions in contemporary music.

Musical Analysis

The chord progression can be analyzed in the key of D major. It starts with a Bm7add11, a vii7add11 chord that adds tension before resolving to the IV (A) chord. The progression then returns to the vii7add11 (Bm7add11) before moving to the IVsus4 (Asus4) which adds further tension by suspending the 4th scale degree, and finally resolving back to the IV (A) chord again.

This progression is notable for its use of the vii7add11 and IVsus4 chords, which give it a uniquely tense and atmospheric quality. The mixture of these chords with the more typical IV (A) contributes to the overall melancholic and earnest feel of the song.

Overall Analysis

Radiohead’s “Fake Plastic Trees” is an alternative rock ballad from their 1995 album, “The Bends.” The moody and atmospheric track is characterized by its emotive vocal delivery, contrasting dynamics, rich arrangement, and engaging chord progression. This progression, in particular, features an interesting mixture of diatonic and borrowed chords that create a sense of tension and resolution throughout the piece.

Style Analysis

Radiohead’s “Fake Plastic Trees” is a prime example of the band’s innovative and influential approach to alternative rock songwriting. It showcases the band’s penchant for blending traditional rock instrumentation with unconventional song structures and harmonic choices. The emotional intensity of the vocal delivery, combined with the intricate arrangement and dynamic contrasts, has made the song one of Radiohead’s most recognizable and enduring works.

Chords in the Chorus 2 section of Fake Plastic Trees by Radiohead are:

Bm7add11, A, Bm7add11, Asus4, A