The Beatles – Eight Days A Week – Verse 4
Eight Days A Week < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘D’, ‘E7’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘D’, ‘E7’, ‘G’, ‘D’]
Chord Progression Analysis
The specific progression for Verse 4 is: D major (I), E dominant 7th (V7/V), G major (IV), D major (I), D major (I), E dominant 7th (V7/V), G major (IV), D major (I)
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D Major (‘I’)
E Dominant 7th (‘V7/V’)
G Major (‘IV’)
D Major (‘I’)
D Major (‘I’)
E Dominant 7th (‘V7/V’)
G Major (‘IV’)
D Major (‘I’)
“`
Similar Chord Progressions
– “Every Breath You Take” by The Police:
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G Major (‘I’)
E7 (‘V7/VI’)
C Major (‘IV’)
D Major (‘V’)
“`
– “Let It Be” by The Beatles:
“`markdown
C Major (‘I’)
G Dominant 7th (‘V7’)
A Minor (‘vi’)
F Major (‘IV’)
“`
These songs don’t have the exact same progression, but they do manipulate dominant chords in a similar way to create tension and release, just like “Eight Days a Week”. “Every Breath You Take” uses the E7 as a secondary dominant of the vi chord, and “Let It Be” uses the G7 to resolve to the IV chord.
Musical Analysis
Analyzing further, the E dominant 7th chord is a secondary dominant (also known as a borrowed chord) as it is not naturally occurring in the scale of D major. Secondary dominants are used to temporarily tonicize, or focus on, a certain chord in the scale. The E7 acts as the dominant of the A major, which is the next chord in the original version of the song. However, that A major is replaced with the G major, creating a surprising modulation to the IV which creates a tension-release dynamic.
Overall Analysis
The song “Eight Days a Week” by The Beatles is an interesting example of pop music songwriting from the mid 1960’s. It showcases Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s ability to use common chord progressions and tweak them in a unique and recognizable way. It utilizes a simple progression in the verse but what makes it different is their use of 7th and borrowed chords. The key of the song is D major.
Style Analysis
The utilization of the secondary dominant and IV chord in this way is a common signature in The Beatles’ music. They often used these techniques to add unique flavors and tension to their melodies and chord progressions, despite the seemingly simple chord structures. This ability to intricately construct and deconstruct progressions is a big part of their style that helped them stand out and become one of the most influential bands in history.
What are the chords in: The Beatles – Eight Days A Week – Verse 4?
[‘D’, ‘E7’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘D’, ‘E7’, ‘G’, ‘D’]
