The Beatles – Eight Days A Week – Chorus
Eight Days A Week < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Bm’, ‘E’, ‘D’, ‘E7’]
Chord Progression Analysis
1. B minor (ii)
2. G major (IV)
3. B minor (ii)
4. E major (V/V)
5. D major (I)
6. E dominant 7 (V7/V)
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Borrowed Chords: E major (V/V) is a secondary dominant chord.
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Similar Chord Progressions
A similar chord progression is used in the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows”:
1. A major (I)
2. F# minor (vi)
3. A major (I)
4. E major (V)
5. D major (IV)
6. E dominant 7 (V7)
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Borrowed Chords: None
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Similarly, Billy Joel’s “She’s Always A Woman” also shares a similar progression:
1. F major (I)
2. D minor (vi)
3. F major (I)
4. C major (V)
5. Bb major (IV)
6. C7 (V7)
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Borrowed Chords: None
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Musical Analysis
The chord progression in the song opens by leveraging the typical rock n’ roll progression (I – IV – V) and simultaneously modulates to the relative minor (ii – V/V – I) which is often used in classical music, indicating the song’s wide range.
The switch to the B minor and E major before going back to D major adds a sense of pause and longing, which meshes well with the theme of the song. The use of the E dominant 7 chord works beautifully as a transition, providing a natural and smooth pathway back to the home chord.
Overall Analysis
“Eight Days A Week” by The Beatles is in the key of D major. The song features a handful of basic major and minor chords with a sprinkling of interesting harmonic developments such as the E7 transition chord and the use of the B minor chord which provide a rich palette of colors for the progression.
Style Analysis
The Beatles often fused elements from various music genres, and “Eight Days A Week” is no different. While the song primarily occupies the pop-rock genre, its use of the ii – V – I progression bonds elements from classical music, demonstrating the band’s keen ear for incorporating complex musical structures into accessible pop-rock form.
What are the chords in: The Beatles – Eight Days A Week – Chorus?
[‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Bm’, ‘E’, ‘D’, ‘E7’]
