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Related Music Theory Alchemy

As this song has a distinct classical rock sound, you’ll see a mixture of major and minor chords. The progression is in the key of E major. The use of seventh chords and suspended chords provides a dense harmonic texture.

“Across The Universe” by The Beatles, written mostly by John Lennon, is known for its rich and complex harmonic structures that added new dimensions to pop music. The song is predominately in the key of D major, with occasional borrowings from the parallel minor (D minor) and the closely-related key of B minor. The verse 1 progression – D, Bm, F#m, Em7, A, A7, D, Bm, F#m, Em7, Gm – creates an affectingly melancholic mood through its mix of major, minor and borrowed chords, producing a unique ambience that evokes a sense of cosmic contemplation, matching with the philosophical lyrics of the song.

“Perfect” by The Smashing Pumpkins is written in the key of D major. The song takes a relatively standard and common approach in chord progression, particularly with the cyclical variations that have the onset within a classic pop/rock realm. The tonality and mid-tempo pacing give the song a melancholic and nostalgic tone.

“Bullet With Butterfly Wings” by The Smashing Pumpkins is a rock song that alternates between heavy distortion and calm sections. Interestingly, the song is mostly in E minor, but uses a lot of power chords (5th chords) and sus2 chords which give the song a distinctively undecided, floating feeling, as these chords don’t have a clear major or minor character. The song uses a rather straightforward progression with a few deviations and embellishments which provide tension and release.

The song “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver is written in the key of G Major. The chord progression in the bridge made use of the four main chords in this key, which are G, Em, C, and D along with an interesting use of the F chord, which is a borrowed chord from the parallel minor key of G minor.

The Beatles – Dont Let Me Down – BRIDGE

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Chord Progression

[‘E’, ‘B’, ‘B7’, ‘E’]

Chord Progression Analysis

– E Major (I)
– B Major (V)
– B7 Major (V7)
– E Major (I)

Any borrowed chord would be indicated by parentheses with a “b”, for instance, (bIII) would denote a borrowed minor III from the parallel minor key. However, in this progression, there are no borrowed chords, as all the chords listed are diatonic to the key of E Major.

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Sweet Child ‘O Mine” by Guns N Roses. The song also exhibits a similar V-I progression:
– D Major (I)
– A Major (V)
– A7 Major (V7)
– D Major (I)

2. “Creep” by Radiohead. Similar use of a major V7 chord to add tension before resolving back to the tonic:
– G Major (I)
– B Major (III)
– B7 Major (III7)
– G Major (I)

All these songs show how a dominant seventh chord can be employed to evoke emotion, drive melody, and resolve tension in a composition.

Musical Analysis

This is a textbook example of a V-I progression, which is fundamental in Western music. It creates a powerful harmonic movement with a sense of finality, also known as a perfect cadence.

The B7 Major chord is often called a “dominant seventh” chord because it is built from the fifth note (the dominant) of the scale. In this case, it acts as a secondary dominant, seeking to resolve to E Major. This gives the progression a bluesy, tension-filled character before it finally resolves back to the tonic chord.

Overall Analysis

“Dont Let Me Down” by The Beatles is a song that’s heavily grounded in the key of E Major, with some interesting use of borrowed chords for a richer, more emotional harmonic texture. The song is a fine example of The Beatles’ songwriting style, which often involves mixing diatonic chords with chromatic passing chords, borrowed chords, and secondary dominants.

Style Analysis

The Beatles often employed seventh chords to add a sense of tension and release within their compositions. This progression somewhat echoes the progression in their earlier song “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” wherein The Beatles use a D7 as a dominant chord to tightly resolve back to G Major.

Chords in the Bridge section of Dont Let Me Down by The Beatles are:

[‘E’, ‘B’, ‘B7’, ‘E’]