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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“All My Loving” by The Beatles is a mid-tempo pop song written in the key of E minor for the verse and D Major for the bridge and outro, featuring a distinct, upbeat walking bassline. The grey, almost mournful verses, along with the brighter, major-toned bridges and chorus, create a juxtaposition of feelings within the piece. The bridge also highlights The Beatles’ use of secondary dominants and chromaticism. Concluding in the tonic key of D Major, the song has an interesting interplay between Em and D Major throughout, which could be perceived as a Em: i, VI, III, II and D: vi, V7, I, vi, IV, ii, I progression.

“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by The Beatles is in the minor mode and its chord progression showcases rich harmonic content and unexpected key changes, common to The Beatles’ music. Harmonically, it features an interesting mixture of chords from the parallel major and minor keys, which is indicative of modal interchange, a key characteristic of The Beatles’ songwriting.

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“Girl” is a song by The Beatles from their 1965 album “Rubber Soul”. The song is written in the key of E minor and it showcases the band’s ability to incorporate non-diatsubject resorting to non-diatonic progressions and utilizes various seventh chords to establish a more sophisticated and jazzy soundid progression. It’s important to note their use of the Dorian mode, which adds to the melodic and harmonic sophistication of the song. Moreover, the song exhibits the lyrical and songwriting depth of The Beatles.

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“Take Me Home Country Roads” is written in G major. The song is characterized by a strong, consistent beat and a simple, memorable melody which are typical characteristics associated with country and folk music. The progression follows a predictable sequence, also typical of these genres, and contributes to the song’s classic, feel.

“Wild Horses” by the Rolling Stones is a song in the key of G Major with a chord progression marked by the use of common chords and a few borrowed chords from other keys. The usage of minor and major chords conjures a variety of emotions synonymous with the mood of the song. The repetitive nature of the sequence creates a cyclical feeling that gives a strong sense of the song’s emotional journey.

The Beatles – All My Loving – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

[‘Em’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘A7’, ‘Em’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘D’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Below is the chord progression analysis with full chord names and their associated roman numerals. Note that the chord names may appear differently based on the musical context but conform to the key of D Major:

“`
Em (ii), A7 (V7/ii), D (I), Bm (vi), G (IV), Em (ii), C (VII/bIII), A7 (V7/ii),
Em (ii), A7 (V7/ii), D (I), Bm (vi), G (IV), A (V), D (I).
“`

Note the ‘C’ appearing as a borrowed chord from the parallel minor (D minor), as D Major does not traditionally include a C Major chord. Such use of borrowed chords adds extra flavor to the song’s harmonic texture.

Similar Chord Progressions

One song that comes to mind with a similar progression is “Stolen Moments” by Oliver Nelson. The ii-V-I sequence, the borrowed chord, and the jazzy elements align closely with the progressions used in “All My Loving”.

Here is the chord progression of “Stolen Moments” in D Major:

“`
Dm7 (ii), G7 (V7/ii), Cmaj7 (I), A7b9 (vi7b9), Dm7(ii), G7 (V7/ii), Cmaj7(I), A7b9 (vi7b9).
“`

This progression also uses the ii-V-I sequence, a common borrowed chord (A7b9), and includes jazz influence through the 7th and extended chords.

Musical Analysis

This song immediately shows its depth with its chord sequences. The ii-V-I sequence beginning with Em-A7-D is a classic jazz progression and gives a strong sense of resolution. The inclusion of Bm introduces a sensitive tonality, while the G chord grounds the progression back in the predominant D Major key.

The use of the C chord as a borrowed chord adds a surprise element to the progression. Borrowed chords, typically from the parallel minor, add depth and unexpected color to the harmonic landscape. These techniques show the Beatles’ mastery in integrating sophisticated harmony in their accessible pop tunes.

Overall Analysis

“All My Loving” by the Beatles is a great example of their early ’60s pop style. This song’s verse chord progression is in the key of D Major with a mix of minor chords and 7th chords that add to the emotional intensity of the song. The composition blends pop simplicity with complex harmony, encapsulating the Beatles’ innovative songwriting.

Style Analysis

“All My Loving” captures the early Beatles’ style, with its catchy melody and harmony. The chord progression with its jazzy ii-V-I sequence and unexpected borrowed chord expresses a sense of longing and wistfulness that matches the lyrics beautifully.

The Beatles’ style often included such surprises, combining popular music structures with more sophisticated harmonic ideas from jazz and classical music, such as borrowed chords and modal interchange. This fusion created a unique sound that was easy to digest yet rich in content.

Chords in the Verse 1 section of All My Loving by The Beatles are:

[‘Em’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘A7’, ‘Em’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘D’]