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The Sound Of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel, released in 1964, is a solid example of folk rock genre transitioning into what we now know as classic rock. The chord progression is straightforward yet powerful, and it perfectly complements the beautifully written lyrics and evocative vocal harmonies. Furthermore, the song is written in A minor, a key that is often associated with sadness, which enhances the melancholic and introspective feelings conveyed by the lyrics.

“The Sound Of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel is written in the key of Am and follows the Verse-Chorus form common in pop and rock music. The progression consists of a beachfront of common and borrowed chords, showing the use of modal interchange and diatonic chords in creating a memorable and emotive sound.

The chord progression for Verse 3 of “Hey Joe” by Jimi Hendrix is a repeating pattern of C, G, D, A, E. The progression employs one borrowed chord and is loosely structured around the circle of fifths. The song features a blues-rock style, with a heavy emphasis on guitar playing and expressive solos.

The chord progression of “Beast Of Burden” by The Rolling Stones from verse 3 appears to be a standard pop/rock progression with a bit of melodic flavor. It features the chords of E major, B major, C# minor, and A major.

The song is in the key of E Major as that’s the chord the progression starts and ends with, and most of the chords are from the E major scale. There are no borrowed chords, and the progression is repetitive, maintaining a loop throughout most of the song.

Let’s move on to the detailed chord progression analysis, chord names, and their roman numerals.

“Kiss” by Prince is primarily a rock song that features pop elements. The song utilizes power chords which are common in rock music, having a stripped-down chord structure that highlights the root and the fifth notes of the chord. The defined chord progression listed for Verse 3 is: [‘A5’, ‘D5’, ‘A5’]. This progression lacks the richness of Major or Minor chords but provides a solid, driving rhythm backbone to the song, prioritizing rhythmic energy over harmonic complexity.

Simon & Garfunkel – The Sound Of Silence – Verse 3

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Chord Progression

[‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘C/B’, ‘Am’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Here are the chords for this Verse 3:

G Major (bVII)
A minor (i)
F Major (bVI)
C Major (III)
F Major (bVI)
C Major (III)
F Major (bVI)
C Major (III)
C/B (III)
A minor (i)
C Major (III)
G Major (bVII)
A minor (i)

Here’s the information within a code block:

“`
G Major (bVII), A minor (i), F Major (bVI), C Major (III), F Major (bVI), C Major (III), F Major (bVI), C Major (III), C/B (III), A minor (i), C Major (III), G Major (bVII), A minor (i)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

“Hey Jude” by The Beatles also has a similar progression. In the key of F, the chords go:

F Major (I)
C Major (V)
Bb Major (IV)
F Major (I)

In the key of G, the song “Wonderwall” by Oasis also has a similar progression:

Em7 (vi)
G (I)
Dsus4 (v)
A7sus4 (II)

Both of these songs use diatonic chords with the addition of suspended chords or 7th chords to add more complexity.

Musical Analysis

This chord progression presents with a cyclic repetition of harmonic sequences, providing a unique sense of coherency to the song. Borrowed chords such as bVII (G Major) and the bVI (F Major) from the parallel major (A major) feature prominently in this progression, imparting further color and depth.

Overall Analysis

The chord progression for “The Sound Of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel is in the key of A minor. It makes use of both diatonic and borrowed chords. The song reflects a folk and folk rock style, with its roots in the 1960s. The melody and harmony are interwoven to form an integral part of the song, reflecting the introspective and melancholic mood of the lyrics.

Style Analysis

Simon and Garfunkel’s style is characterized by their use of diatonic and borrowed chords, creating a fluid movement that evokes a varying array of emotions. The regular cycling of these chords, with occasional shifts in rhythmic emphasis, allows the progression to maintain a sense of unpredictability while still being familiar, characteristic of their folk and folk rock style.

Chords in the Verse 3 section of The Sound Of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel are:

[‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘C/B’, ‘Am’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’]