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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys showcases the artistic depth and compositional craft of Brian Wilson, the band’s primary songwriter. The song utilizes a complex chord progression and key changes that are unconventional for pop music of its time. The chord progression creates a sense of constant mood transitions, similar to arias in Romantic era music.

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“Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys employs a series of chord progressions that echo the rising tension and resolution in the song’s narrative. The song is primarily in the key of D minor, with moments of temporary modulation, which allows for colorful and unexpected harmonies to emerge. This harmonic and melodic complexity is one of the defining characteristics of Brian Wilson’s writing style, highlighting his ability to push the boundaries of pop music.

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The outro of “Hey Joe” by Jimi Hendrix uses a descending circle of fifths chord progression, which is a very common progression in many styles of music, particularly in the Baroque period and in blues-based rock music. The progression features a steady descent through the Circle of Fifths that creates a strong sense of harmony and resolution. In this context, Jimi Hendrix uses the progression to create tension and momentum, which is appropriate for an outro section.

“Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane is a softly and tenderly written song that rests primarily on the key of C Major. However, it uses a fair amount of borrowed chords from the parallel minor key, giving it a warm, melancholic tone, which is typical of many pop ballads.

The chord progression in the outro of Beck’s “Say Goodbye” is an interesting combination of diatonic and chromatic elements. The use of the borrowed chord A# major in the mostly diatonic setting adds an unexpected twist to the progression, creating a unique and expressive harmonic landscape.

The Beach Boys – God Only Knows – Outro

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Chord Progression

[‘A’, ‘E/G#’, ‘F#m7’, ‘E/G#’]

Chord Progression Analysis

“`
– A (I)
– E/G# (V/vi)
– F#m7 (vi7)
– E/G# (V/vi)
“`

borrowed chords:
“`
E/G# (V/vi)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

“Here, There and Everywhere” – The Beatles
Chord progression:
“`
‘G’ (I),
‘B/G’ (III/IV),
Am7 (ii7),
‘B/G’ (III/IV)
“`

“Can’t Help Falling in Love” – Elvis Presley
Chord progression:
“`
‘D’ (I),
‘B/D#’ (IV/V),
‘Em7’ (ii7),
‘B/D#’ (IV/V)
“`

Both of these songs by other artists feature similar use of inversions and seventh chords to create distinctive progressions. While each song is distinctive, they share common elements with the innovative sound of “God Only Knows”.

Musical Analysis

The outro begins with the A chord which is the tonic of the key the song is in (A major). The ‘E/G#’ is a first inversion dominant of the vi chord (F#m) and is also a borrowed chord. The ‘F#m7’ is just the vi chord with the added seventh. Again, we have the E/G# (V/vi), and this alternation creates a tension-like resolution fashion and adds an interesting twist to the traditional pattern of chordal shifts.

Overall Analysis

“God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys is one of their most well-known pieces and a primary example of the sophisticated harmonic writing characteristic of the group’s 1966 “Pet Sounds” record. This piece is particularly designed in the key of A major. The Outro of the song includes the following chords: ‘A’, ‘E/G#’, ‘F#m7’, ‘E/G#’ and many other chords throughout the song with complex chord changes that might not be typical in a pop song, but are characteristic of the band’s sound.

Style Analysis

The Beach Boys were known for their sophisticated, complex harmonies that pushed the boundaries of popular music in their era. One of the groundbreaking aspects of their work was their use of non-traditional chords and progressions in their music. This outro is one such example – it uses non-diatonic, borrowed chords to create a sound that is uniquely Beach Boys.

Chords in the Outro section of God Only Knows by The Beach Boys are:

[‘A’, ‘E/G#’, ‘F#m7’, ‘E/G#’]