The Beatles – Here Comes The Sun – Verse 1
Here Comes The Sun < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘D’, ‘Dsus2’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘A7’, ‘A7sus4’, ‘D’, ‘Dsus4’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘A7’, ‘A7sus4’]
Chord Progression Analysis
Here’s the chord breakdown:
– D Major (I)
– Dsus2 (Isus2)
– D Major (I)
– G Major (IV)
– A7 (V7)
– A7sus4 (V7sus4)
– D Major (I)
– Dsus4 (Isus4)
– D Major (I)
– G Major (IV)
– A7 (V7)
– A7sus4 (V7sus4)
The Dsus2 and Dsus4 chords are primarily used as embellishing chords, giving a fresh twist to the music. They add a layer of intrigue and emphasize the change that’s being sung about. The A7sus4 acts as a colorful way to set up tension and resolution in the progression.
Similar Chord Progressions
The progression in “Here Comes The Sun” echoes other pieces by The Beatles and many artists in pop and folk music. An example is “Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis:
Verse: [‘C’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘E7sus4’, ‘Am7’, ‘G’] translates to:
– C Major (I)
– F Major (IV)
– C Major (I)
– G Major (V)
– A minor (vi)
– E7sus4 (iii7sus4)
– A minor7 (vi7)
– G Major (V)
This progression similarly uses major and suspended chords to lend tension, color, and movement to the music. The sus4 chords are characteristic to Oasis’ sound and commonly found in pop, rock and country music. The use of minor chords and sevenths makes the progression less predictable and more emotionally varied compared to Here Comes The Sun.
Musical Analysis
The song employs hooks using Dsus2 and Dsus4 to create a melodic drive in the repeating motif. The IV (G Major) and V7 (A7) chords give a traditional sense of tension and release, providing motion to the music. The use of A7sus4 before transitioning to the core D Major reinforces the movement in the composition.
Overall Analysis
“Here Comes The Sun” by The Beatles uses a D Major scale. The song primarily comprises chords built on the tonic or root note (D), which lends a consistent, grounded feel. This reflects the lyrics’ mood—contentment, renewed optimism, and a sense of homecoming with the arrival of the sun.
Style Analysis
“Here Comes The Sun” exemplifies the Beatles’ imaginative mix of traditional and improvisational style elements. In this case, it uses predominantly major and suspended chords in a fresh, ingenious combination. This compositional approach, using simple harmonies with slight variations (like suspensions), lends an upbeat and reaffirming character to the piece, which goes with the context of the lyrics.
What are the chords in: The Beatles – Here Comes The Sun – Verse 1?
[‘D’, ‘Dsus2’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘A7’, ‘A7sus4’, ‘D’, ‘Dsus4’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘A7’, ‘A7sus4’]
