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Related Music Theory Alchemy

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“Cant Buy Me Love” by The Beatles is a pure example of their early rock-and-roll style influenced by blues. It uses common chord progressions in rock and blues, such as the I-IV-V progression and the use of dominant 7th chords. The song is set in C major, and makes repeated use of the I-IV (C-F) progression. A significant feature in the song is the use of the dominant 7th chords (C7 and F7), which adds some bluesy quality to the song and also serves as a transition chord to the next chord in the progression.

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“I Want To Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles is one of the band’s early hits noted for its crafty melodic hooks and harmonic structure attesting to their evolving musical sophistication. The chord progression of Verse 3 is a great reflection of this, using classic pop songwriting techniques such as the predominant use of I, IV and V chords along with a borrowed chord from another mode, that add to the emotional depth of the song.

The Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix is a rock ballad with elements of blues, featuring a unique and expressive chord progression. The song is in the key of F major and the verse progression consists of 25 chords. The progression is largely diatonic, but includes chromatic lines and borrowed chords, which give the piece a rather unpredictable yet emotive quality.

“Start Me Up” by The Rolling Stones is a classic rock song that utilizes a common I-IV chord progression primarily in the key of D major. Like many rock songs from their era, the arrangement is simple yet effective, designed to showcase the strong rhythm and melody rather than complex harmonies.

The provided chord progression is quite simple, with a single chord (F) repeated four times. This type of progression creates a static or stable feel, with no harmonic tension to resolve. This chord progression alone isn’t enough to give a complete musical analysis, as it’s quite minimalistic, and it’s necessary to evaluate the progression in the context of the entire song. However, I can still offer some thoughts on the progression’s possible function, style notes, and similar chord progressions.

The Beatles – Cant Buy Me Love – Verse 4

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Chord Progression

[‘C7’, ‘F7’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Given the progression is ‘C7’, ‘F7’, ‘C’, and the key being C Major:

C7 – C Dominant Seventh (‘V7/IV’)
F7 – F Dominant Seventh (‘IV7’)
C – C Major (‘I’)

Note that C7 in the Key of C (Imaj7) would usually be a Major 7th, so the Dominant 7th (V7/IV) is borrowed from the key of F.

“`Chord progression: ‘C Dominant Seventh (V7/IV)’, ‘F Dominant Seventh (IV7)’, ‘C Major (I)’. Borrowed chord: ‘C Dominant Seventh (V7/IV)’“`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles also uses the V7/IV in the transition from D7 to G. Chord progression: ‘D Dominant Seventh (V7/IV)’, ‘G Major (I)’.
2. “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd uses a similar dominant 7th sequence. Chord progression: ‘D Major (I)’, ‘C Dominant Seventh (V7/IV)’, ‘G Major (IV)’.
3. “Learn to Fly” by Foo Fighters uses a similar technique, though transposed to a different key. Chord progression: ‘B Major (I)’, ‘A Dominant Seventh (V7/IV)’, ‘E Major (IV)’.

Note: The borrowed dominant-seventh is often utilized to ‘prepare’ the listener for the IV chord, which then typically resolves back to I, creating a cycle of tension and resolution that is pleasing to our ears.

Musical Analysis

This progression, generally known as a plagal cadence, characterized by a IV to I progression, but with 7th chords, is common in many types of music, especially pop, due to its natural tension and resolution. The inclusion of the dominant 7ths adds a smooth, bluesy quality that is typical of The Beatles’ early style. C7 ‘prepares’ the listener for an incoming F in baroque terms, whereas F7 “prepares” for the home key C. As a result, the C7 is borrowed from the F Major scale.

Overall Analysis

“Can’t Buy Me Love,” a song by The Beatles, exhibits a style that’s emblematic of their earlier work, with a clear, upbeat tonality and an elegant yet straightforward chord progression. The tune is predominantly centred in the key of C major, but it utilizes both major and dominant 7th chords to create tension and resolution, modulating away from the home key. The particular progression you’ve given, ‘C7’, ‘F7’, ‘C’, isn’t rare and demonstrates the Beatles’ precision and understanding of pop and rock music’s creative possibilities.

Style Analysis

The Beatles, particularly in their early career, were well-known for their combination of multiple genres, including rock, pop, and blues. The progression seen here is no exception. C7 to F7 in particular adds slightly bluesy flavor. Their introduction of borrowed chords and 7th harmonies were also a unique innovation that contributes to their characteristic sound.

Chords in the Verse 4 section of Cant Buy Me Love by The Beatles are:

[‘C7’, ‘F7’, ‘C’]