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“A Hard Day’s Night” by The Beatles is a song that was unusually complex and beautifully experimental. It uses rarely seen chord structures that emphasize both traditional tonality and borrowed tones from outside the key signature. This song is an excellent example of Beatles-style blending of rock & roll and pop music with elements of classical chord progressions and harmonies. It is also a great example of how The Beatles stretched the boundaries of diatonic harmony.

“And I Love Her” by The Beatles is predominantly set within the key of F# minor. Apart from the chorus that momentarily modulates to the key of D minor, the verses embrace a darker, melancholic atmosphere portrayed by the minor keys. The tonal structure and chord progressions in the song are reflective of the band’s exploration of intricate harmonies, going beyond the simple three-chord structures of many contemporary pop songs of the time.

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” by The Beatles is a track that showcases the band’s fondness for creating complex and textured compositions by combining multiple melody lines with innovative chord sequences in a pop rock context. It features numerous musical styles, including pop, rock, and music hall, which reflects the band’s eclectic musical influences. The Coda of the song takes place in the key of D major.

“House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals is a folk-rock song in A minor that features a distinct and memorable chord progression in its coda. By incorporating rhythmic and dynamic elements in their rendition, The Animals managed to popularize the song, making it one of their best-known hits.

“I’m Still Standing” is a pop rock song by Elton John, from his 1983 album “Too Low For Zero”. The song is up-tempo, featuring energetic keyboard playing from Elton John, and has become one of his most enduring hits. The song is in the key of E Major.

Here’s the chord progression analysis of the coda and the full chord names with their roman numerals:

The Beatles – A Hard Days Night – Coda

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Chord Progression

[‘C’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘D7sus4’, ‘Dm7’, ‘D7sus4’, ‘Dm7’, ‘D7sus4’, ‘Dm7’, ‘D7sus4’, ‘Dm7’]

Chord Progression Analysis

“`
‘G Major’ (‘I’)
‘C Major’ (‘IV’)
‘G Major’ (‘I’)
‘F Major’ (‘♭VII’ borrowed chord from G minor)
‘G Major’ (‘I’)
‘G Major’ (‘I’)
‘C Major’ (‘IV’)
‘G Major’ (‘I’)
‘F Major’ (‘♭VII’ borrowed chord from G minor)

Below are the special chords in Coda:
‘D7sus4’ (Not applicable as it’s not in the diatonic chords in G Major.)
‘Dm7’ (‘ii7’ but it is minor where in G Major it should be major)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” by The Smiths

“`
‘F# Major’ (‘I’)
‘B Major’ (‘IV’)
‘F# Major’ (‘I’)
‘E Major’ (‘♭VII’ borrowed chord from F# minor)
‘F# Major’ (‘I’)
“`

2. “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses:

“`
‘D Major’ (‘I’)
‘G Major’ (‘IV’)
‘D Major’ (‘I’)
‘C Major’ (‘♭VII’ borrowed chord from D minor)
‘D Major’ (‘I’)
“`

Musical Analysis

This sequence of chords creates a sense of resolution and departure all together. The F Major acts as a borrowed chord from its parallel minor scale (G minor), creating some spice and feeling of departure while maintaining a melodic flow within the song.

Overall Analysis

“A Hard Day’s Night” by the Beatles is in the key of G Major. According to the provided list, the song has an array of major, minor, and some of the seventh and suspended chords, which is quite typical for the pop and rock genres. The coda appears to be a cyclic repetition of a phrase involving a transition from a C Major to a G Major chord, before leading to the repeated sequence of D7sus4, Dm7 chords. The D7sus4 and Dm7 chords give an interesting tension and release effect, as the suspension wants to resolve to the minor chord, while the minor chord creates an expectation for a return to the root chord.

Style Analysis

The Beatles are known for their innovative use of chord progressions and harmonies. Embedding borrowed chords and suspended chords into a pop song structure was one of the methods that greatly enriched their sound, making their music distinctive and widely appreciated.

Chords in the Coda section of A Hard Days Night by The Beatles are:

[‘C’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘D7sus4’, ‘Dm7’, ‘D7sus4’, ‘Dm7’, ‘D7sus4’, ‘Dm7’, ‘D7sus4’, ‘Dm7’]