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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Cant Buy Me Love” by The Beatles, is a song in the key of C Major, but it has an interesting harmonic structure, especially in the chorus. The song features a number of borrowed and secondary dominant chords to create tension that resolves into the tonic chord. The chorus’s progression can be seen as a series of descending minor thirds, with an unexpected shift to a ii-V-I progression which is quite popular in jazz music.

This chorus from The Beatles’ “The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill” is an example of clever use of common chord transitions with several shifts in tonality. The chord progression uses the tonic key of C Major and F minor, showing complex modulation derived from modal interchange and secondary dominant techniques.

“Bohemian Rhapsody”, composed by Queen, is a powerful anthem that merges elements of rock, opera, and progressive music. The chord progression demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of voice leading and functional harmony, contributing to its distinctive sound. Famous for its key changes and thematic progressions, the composition is often cited as an example of Freddie Mercury’s musical genius.

The chord progression in Muse’s “Feeling Good” is in the key of G minor and showcases an interesting and creative use of borrowed chords and inversions. The progression follows a cyclical pattern that creates tension and release throughout the verse. The style is reminiscent of soul and jazz influences with a hint of rock elements, which is a common characteristic in Muse’s music.

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Feels Like We Only Go Backwards by Tame Impala uses very interesting chord progressions that convey a feeling of constant motion. The song is primarily in the key of F Major, as revealed by the majority of the chords (F, C, Gm). However, the chord progression in the verse introduces Dm and Cmaj7/G, showing some clever use of modal interchange, also known as borrowed chords.

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The Beatles – Cant Buy Me Love – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

[‘C7’, ‘F7’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

`C7 (V7/IV) –> F7 (IV7) –> C (I)`

These chords fit perfectly into the structure of the commonly used I-IV-V progression in classical and modern Western music. Yet, the inclusion of a dominant 7th chord on the tonic is quite unique.

In a Major key, a dominant seventh chord (V7) often leads to a resolution on the tonic (I) chord. Here, ‘F7’ (rather than ‘F’) serves as the IV chord, and is preceded by a secondary dominant (V7 of IV), ‘C7’, which creates a strong pull towards ‘F7’.

`Borrowed Chord: F7 (from C minor)`

The use of ‘F7’ (IV7), particularly, is an example of borrowed chord, often found in Blues and other types of music that incorporate blue notes. This chord is borrowed from C minor (the parallel minor of C Major).

Similar Chord Progressions

An example of another song that uses a similar approach through incorporation of secondary dominants and blues-oriented dominant 7th chords is The Beatles’ own “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (`D (I) –> G (IV) –> D (I) –> E7 (V7/IV) –> A7 (V7/V) –> D (I)`).

Aside from The Beatles, artists like Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly used dominant 7th chords frequently. A song like “Johnny B. Goode” (`Bb (I) –> Eb7 (IV7) –> Bb (I)`) or Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be The Day” (`A (I) –> D7 (IV7) –> E7 (V7) –> A (I)`) also share certain similarities with “Can’t Buy Me Love”.

Musical Analysis

The Beatles often incorporate elements of blues and jazz into their music, and “Can’t Buy Me Love” is no exception. The use of dominant 7th chords in the progression, particularly the secondary dominant and the borrowed chord from the parallel minor, adds to the bluesy feel of this song while still conforming to pop song structure norms.

Overall Analysis

“Can’t Buy Me Love” is a song in C Major. The Beatles were renowned for their use of a variety of chord progressions, and this song certainly lives up to that reputation. Although the progression in the verse primarily consists of the chords ‘C7’, ‘F7’, and ‘C’, it’s the way they are harmonically linked that makes it really interesting.

Style Analysis

This track is a blend of rock and roll and pop, with high-energy, uptempo rhythm and catchy melodies. It’s light-hearted and upbeat in terms of style, and the use of distinct chord progressions like a secondary dominant leading to a borrowed chord add a layer of complexity setting The Beatles’ work apart from many contemporaries.

Chords in the Verse 1 section of Cant Buy Me Love by The Beatles are:

[‘C7’, ‘F7’, ‘C’]