The Beatles – A Hard Days Night – Verse
A Hard Days Night < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’]
Chord Progression Analysis
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G Major (‘I’)
C Major (‘IV’)
G Major (‘I’)
F Major (‘♭VII’) – Borrowed from the parallel minor
G Major (‘I’)
G Major (‘I’)
C Major (‘IV’)
G Major (‘I’)
F Major (‘♭VII’) – Borrowed from the parallel minor
G Major (‘I’)
C Major (‘IV’)
D Major (‘V’)
G Major (‘I’)
C Major (‘IV’)
G Major (‘I’)
“`
Similar Chord Progressions
1. “Twist and Shout” (The Beatles)
“`
D Major (‘I’)
G Major (‘IV’)
A Major (‘V’)
D Major (‘I’)
“`
2. “Wild Thing” (The Troggs)
“`
A Major (‘I’)
D Major (‘IV’)
E Major (‘V’)
A Major (‘I’)
“`
3. “Three Little Birds” (Bob Marley)
“`
A Major (‘I’)
D Major (‘IV’)
E Major (‘V’)
A Major (‘I’)
“`
In the above progressions, the same I-IV-I-V pattern is used, but they don’t have the ‘bVII’ chord found in A Hard Day’s Night, making their transition smoother but perhaps not as distinctive or interesting.
Musical Analysis
The chord progression of “A Hard Day’s Night” verse plays around the I-IV chords with the addition of the ‘♭VII’ chord borrowed from the parallel minor of G major, which is G minor. This borrowing gives the song a distinctive, unexpected twist which is typically perceived as a key characteristic of Beatles’ songs, helping to give them an additional level of complexity.
Overall Analysis
“A Hard Day’s Night” by The Beatles, despite seeming to have a simple structure, is quite unique in its musical composition. The progression varies from standard rock, pop, and folk structure by integrating unique transitions and slightly unconventional chord choices.
Verse
Style Analysis
The Beatles, especially in their early years, often combined elements of rock-n-roll, British pop, and R&B, while ingeniously incorporating more unconventional elements into their songwriting. The ‘♭VII’ borrowed chord is a feature generally seen in blues music. Blues influence is observed in many Beatles songs, and this chord adds tension or surprise which soon resolves back to the tonic, creating a pleasurable musical experience.
What are the chords in: The Beatles – A Hard Days Night – Verse?
[‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’]
