Radiohead – Paranoid Android – Verse
Paranoid Android < All Analyses
Chord Progression
Cm, D#, F, D#, Gm, Bb, A7sus4, Cm, D#, F, D#, Gm, Bb, A7sus4
Chord Progression Analysis
Here is the detailed analysis of the verse chord progression with full chord names and their roman numerals:
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C Minor (i),
D# Major (III),
F Major (VI),
D# Major (III),
G Minor (v),
Bb Major (VII),
A7sus4 (‘borrowed bVII7sus’, resolves to Cm),
C Minor (i),
D# Major (III),
F Major (VI),
D# Major (III),
G Minor (v),
Bb Major (VII),
A7sus4 (‘borrowed bVII7sus’, resolves to Cm)
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A7sus4 (‘borrowed bVII7sus’, resolves to Cm)
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Similar Chord Progressions
1. Muse – “Knights of Cydonia”:
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Am (i),
F (VI),
E (V),
F (VI),
Abmaj7 (bVIIMaj7),
E (V)
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2. Yes – “Roundabout”:
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C#m (i),
Dmaj7 (II),
F#m (iv),
A (VI),
G# (V),
G7 (bVIMaj7)
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3. Pink Floyd – “Time”:
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F#m (i),
A (III),
E (V),
D (IV)
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While the exact chord progression of “Paranoid Android” is unique and challenging to find elsewhere, these songs and other progressive rock compositions share a similar spirit of experimentation, complexity, and unpredictability.
Musical Analysis
The chord progression starts with the tonic Cm (i chord) that provides a home base for the progression. The next chord, D# Major (III) is a major chord in a minor key, which implies a sense of drama and tension. The F Major (VI) and D# Major (III) add more tension and create movement. Following these chords, we have Gm (v) and Bb Major (VII), which are typical chords found in natural minor key progressions.
One interesting component includes the borrowed chord A7sus4, creating some tension and chromaticism in the song. This chord deviates from the diatonic chords of the C minor scale, as it would typically appear as Ab Major in the context of C minor. The A7sus4 acts as a temporary dominant of the relative major, D minor, which serves to create tension before resolving back to the tonic chord, Cm.
Overall Analysis
Paranoid Android is a progressive rock song by Radiohead from their album “OK Computer.” The song features various time signature changes, complex harmonic structures, and a blend of distorted guitar tones and strings. The given chords belong to the first verse of the song. The overall tonality of the song is predominantly centered around the C minor key. However, there are some instances of borrowed chords and chromaticism in the chord progression, which adds tension and an unstable quality to the music.
Style Analysis
Radiohead is known for their experimentation and incorporation of different styles and structures in their music. The verse chords of “Paranoid Android” are not a typical progression of pop or rock songs. The chromaticism, rapid chord changes, and borrowing of chords from outside the key contribute to the unorthodox nature of the song and its progressive rock categorization. This combination of unusual elements creates an uneasy, unstable, and complex texture that reflects the song’s underlying theme of a “paranoid android.”
What are the chords in: Radiohead – Paranoid Android – Verse?
Cm, D#, F, D#, Gm, Bb, A7sus4, Cm, D#, F, D#, Gm, Bb, A7sus4
