The Beatles – Dont Let Me Down – BRIDGE
Dont Let Me Down < All Analyses
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.
What are the chords in: The Beatles – Dont Let Me Down – BRIDGE?
[‘E’, ‘B’, ‘B7’, ‘E’]
