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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“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.

“In My Life” is a song written by The Beatles which stands as a hallmarks of their inventive songwriting and command of complex musical structures. The song is primarily in the key of A Major, but it employs a number of borrowed chords and modal interchange to create a more interesting and richer harmonic landscape. The melody, rhythm, and lyrics of this song are poignant and memorable, making “In My Life” an enduring classic in the Beatles’ catalog.

“It’s A Fire” by Portishead is a song characterized by its frequent modulations and use of borrowed chords, making it a considerable complexity in terms of harmony. It features transition from key centers and borrowed chords from other keys, which creates tension and resolution creating the signature moody and intense atmosphere Portishead is known for.

“Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis is written in the key of C major. Although it largely conforms to the traditional progressions expected within this key, the song does feature some interesting variations in the form of borrowed chords coming from the parallel minor key (C minor) – a common technique used in pop and rock music.

“Knights of Cydonia” by Muse features a harmonically straightforward chord progression within the rock style. This progression is primarily based in the key of E minor and centers around the Em, Bm, and A chords. Throughout the song, the driving rhythm, vocal melodies, and transitions between different sections contribute to its energetic and dramatic qualities.

The Beatles – Dont Let Me Down – CHORUS

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Chord Progression

[‘E’, ‘F#m’, ‘F#m7’, ‘Amaj7/B’, ‘E’, ‘F#m’, ‘F#m7’, ‘Amaj7/B’, ‘Esus4’, ‘E’]

Chord Progression Analysis

E (I), F#m (ii), F#m7 (ii7), Amaj7/B (IV7/5), E (I), F#m (ii), F#m7 (ii7), Amaj7/B (IV7/5), Esus4 (Isus4), E (I)

Below are the full chord names along with their roman numerals as per your request:

“`shell
E Major (‘I’)
F# Minor (‘ii’)
F# Minor Seventh (‘ii7’)
A Major Seventh over B, also known as A Major Seventh with B in the bass (‘IV7/5’)
E Major (‘I’)
F# Minor (‘ii’)
F# Minor Seventh (‘ii7’)
A Major Seventh over B, also known as A Major Seventh with B in the bass (‘IV7/5’)
E Suspended Fourth (‘Isus4’)
E Major (‘I’)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

Okay, now let’s look at a few other songs that demonstrate

Musical Analysis

The Beatles often used borrowed chords in their music, but in this chorus, there are no borrowed chords, instead they’ve got the simple diatonic chords (I, ii, IV) and common secondary chords like the ii7 and IV7/5. The use of the slash chord, Amaj7/B, creates a suspension feeling before resolving back to E major. The Esus4 chord is a common device to create tension before resolution to E Major.

Overall Analysis

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.

Style Analysis

In terms of the Beatles’s style, this chord progression is quite representative of their later, more experimental period. The combination of simple major and minor chords with more complex seventh and suspended chords is very characteristic of their style. This harmonic complexity, combined with their strong melodic writing, is one of the reasons why their music is often used to demonstrate advanced concepts in pop music theory.

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

[‘E’, ‘F#m’, ‘F#m7’, ‘Amaj7/B’, ‘E’, ‘F#m’, ‘F#m7’, ‘Amaj7/B’, ‘Esus4’, ‘E’]