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“Across The Universe” by The Beatles, written mostly by John Lennon, is known for its rich and complex harmonic structures that added new dimensions to pop music. The song is predominately in the key of D major, with occasional borrowings from the parallel minor (D minor) and the closely-related key of B minor. The verse 1 progression – D, Bm, F#m, Em7, A, A7, D, Bm, F#m, Em7, Gm – creates an affectingly melancholic mood through its mix of major, minor and borrowed chords, producing a unique ambience that evokes a sense of cosmic contemplation, matching with the philosophical lyrics of the song.

“Something” is composed in C Major; however, it modulates to several different keys. The song’s chord progression is relatively complex and less adherent to traditional tonality, typical of much of The Beatles’ work, particularly in their later years. Throughout the song, they make use of several common progressions, but with a few unique changes.

“A Hard Day’s Night” by The Beatles is a song that was unusually complex and beautifully experimental. It uses rarely seen chord structures that emphasize both traditional tonality and borrowed tones from outside the key signature. This song is an excellent example of Beatles-style blending of rock & roll and pop music with elements of classical chord progressions and harmonies. It is also a great example of how The Beatles stretched the boundaries of diatonic harmony.

“A Day In The Life” is a progressive rock song from the “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album, released in 1967. The progression includes some well-known chords, along with more unusual chords and alterations that contribute to the unique sound of the song.

The Beatles – Here There And Everywhere – Middle 8

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Chord Progression

[‘F’, ‘Bb’, ‘Gm’, ‘Cm’, ‘D7’, ‘Gm’, ‘Cm’, ‘D7’]

Chord Progression Analysis

The section given (Middle 8) takes the song momentarily from G major to F major, prior to a brief modulation to G minor before returning to G major.

1. In the key of F major, ‘F’ is the I chord and ‘Bb’ is the IV chord. The progression then moves to ‘Gm’ which acts as the ii chord.
2. ‘Cm’ functions as the v chord.
3. ‘D7’ is a secondary dominant (V7/vi)
4. ‘Gm’ ii
5. ‘Cm’ v
6. ‘D7’ V7/vi

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F (I), Bb (IV), Gm (ii), Cm (v), D7 (V7/vi), Gm (ii), Cm (v), D7 (V7/vi)
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Similar Chord Progressions

1. “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys has a comparable non-standard progression and key changes, which McCartney said directly influenced “Here, There and Everywhere.”
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B (I), A (VII), G#m (VI), E (IV), F# (V), D#m (III), B (I), E (IV)
“`
2. “Something” by The Beatles, another song that uses similar techniques of borrowed chords and modulation.
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C (I), Cmaj7 (Imaj7), C7 (I7), F (IV), D (V/vi), G (V), Am (vi), Am(maj7) (vimaj7)
“`

Musical Analysis

This song is a perfect exemplification of how The Beatles revolutionized pop music by stepping away from the typical I – IV – V constructions and experimented with unusual chord progressions and modulations. The use of a secondary dominant (D7), which functionally operates as a borrowed chord from the key of G minor in a major context, is a common practice in popular music to smoothly transition into minor keys or closely related keys.

Overall Analysis

“Here, There and Everywhere” is a Beatles song from the album “Revolver”, released in 1966. The song is in the key of G major and showcases an advanced use of borrowed chords and modulations, a topic that contributes to the originality of this song. McCartney credited the song’s structure of changing key to Brian Wilson’s influence in the same period.

Style Analysis

“Here, There and Everywhere” leans towards the soft and melodic style of songwriting, which was distinctive of Paul McCartney among The Beatles. The song’s melody has physically tracked the chord changes to create a smooth, flowing feel.

Chords in the Middle 8 section of Here There And Everywhere by The Beatles are:

[‘F’, ‘Bb’, ‘Gm’, ‘Cm’, ‘D7’, ‘Gm’, ‘Cm’, ‘D7’]