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Related Music Theory Alchemy

Across the Universe by The Beatles is a melancholic, introspective piece set in the key of D major, imbuing an overall sound spectrum that’s somber with a hint of hopeful resolution. The chord progression utilizes both diatonic and borrowed chords, making it both unusual and interesting.

“Here Comes The Sun” by The Beatles, composed by George Harrison, features a complex and stylistically unique chord progression. The song is primarily in the key of D major, with elements of modal interchange (also known as borrowed chords) from both the parallel minor key (D minor) and other modes, including the Mixolydian mode.

The song “3 Libras Acoustic Live” by A Perfect Circle oscillates between an A major and a C# minor structure, with a D major introduced at the end of the progression. The dominant chords are A (represented as Asus2) and C# (represented as C#m). The final D chord can be seen as a modulation, adding a somewhat unexpected resolution that doesn’t adhere to the traditional rules of tonic-dominant resolution in either major or minor keys.

The song “Let It Happen” by Tame Impala, which is in the key of A Major, uses a simple yet effective chord progression during its outro. The common pattern of I-vi-IIIIV (Major-minor-Suspended 4) recurs throughout. The G#sus4 chord provides a moment of tension before resolving back to the tonic and restarting the pattern. The progression concludes with an Emaj7 chord, which is a borrowed chord from the parallel minor.

The chord progression of MGMT’s “Electric Feel” outro is in E Minor, and it features a combination of diatonic chords and a borrowed chord from the parallel major key. The progression creates a sense of tension and resolution, giving the outro a captivating and memorable quality. The song itself is a psychedelic, funk-infused electro-pop track, which enhances the trippy, mesmerizing vibe of the progression.

The Beatles – Across The Universe – Outro

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Chord Progression

[‘D’, ‘D’]

Chord Progression Analysis

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The progression of D-D in the outro constitutes a repetition of a single chord which is representative of the ‘tonic’ or home key. In the context of D Major (the key signature of the song), it can be laid out as:

D Major (I)

Considering the key of D Major, this implies that the D major chord is utilized twice, signifying a strong and forceful closing, serving to reinforce the root or home chord in our minds by the end of the song.

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Similar Chord Progressions

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– “No Woman, No Cry” by Bob Marley: F – C – Dmin – Amin, a common four-chord song in pop music, differs in fourth-chord (Amin), but shares the sustained rhythmic closure technique with ‘Across The Universe”s D – D outro.
– “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen: C – Ami – C – Ami, a song with identical repeated outro chords.
– “Let It Be” by The Beatles: C – G – Ami – F, shares the D-D pattern in the outro, showing a tendency of Beatles to use this technique in their music.

Musical Analysis

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The conclusion of ‘Across The Universe’ consists of a simple yet effective D-D chord, repeated twice as an outro. This static harmony signals a completion or resolution to the song, as it hits and rests in the root note. The absence of any moving melody or chord change within the outro allows for the vocals to shine through, without any disruptive or distracting undercurrent of chordal movement.

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Overall Analysis

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The song, ‘Across the Universe’ by The Beatles is uniquely complex in its melody and chord progression. The song modulates or shifts key but is rooted mainly in D major. The song utilizes the standard rock/pop song structure of Verse, Chorus, and Outro. The unusual facet of this song’s composition is the use of borrowed chords (non-diatonic chords) that add unexpected twists to an otherwise typical chord progression.

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Style Analysis

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The Beatles frequently used repeated tonic chords to finish their songs, providing a clear sense of ending. Combined with their trademark melodic vocal line, rich harmonies, and layered instrumentation, the simplicity of this technique was often enough to create a satisfying conclusion.

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Chords in the Outro section of Across The Universe by The Beatles are:

[‘D’, ‘D’]