The Beatles – I Am The Walrus – Bridge
I Am The Walrus < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘B’, ‘A’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘E’, ‘F’, ‘B7’]
Chord Progression Analysis
B(Major I), A(Major VII), G(Major VI), F(Major V), E(Major IV), F(Major V), B7(Dominant I)
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“Borrowed chord(s)”: The ‘F’, ‘F’ are borrowed chords from the parallel minor.
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Similar Chord Progressions
– Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” also uses a similar descending bassline progression.
– F(Major I), E(Major VII), D(Major VI), C(Major V), B(Major IV), C(Major V), B7(Dominant I)
– Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android” also uses borrowed chords and varied key changes.
– G(Major I), F#(Major VII), E(Major VI), D(Major V), C#(Major IV), D(Major V), G7(Dominant I)
Please keep in mind that the naming of the Roman numeral progression varies, depending on the root, the scale and the chord in use.
Musical Analysis
The A to F segment in the verse follows a chromatic descending progression in the bass, which is a feature long employed in many pop songs but had only just emerged in Beatles’ songs at the time. The harmony in these verses mixs tonic (A) with IV (D), bVII (G), and bVI (F) in a closely related fashion.
The bridge, which you queried, does away with the A major key and instead presents a descending major scale starting on B Major, introducing harmonic tension with the surprising change. What’s unique here is the usage of B Major, which is a tritone away from the key of E (a non-diatonic motion).
Overall Analysis
“I Am The Walrus” is a composition by The Beatles in which the song varies in key and progressive elements, with fascinating uses of borrowed chords from parallel modes and chromatic bass motion. The melody resides predominantly within a pentatonic framework, frequently rotating around subversions. The Bridge section beautifully showcases Beatles’ experimentation with descending chord progression built around chromatic movement.
Style Analysis
Musically, “I Am The Walrus” reflects The Beatles’ renowned style of incorporating varied music styles, consisting of pop, art rock, and psychedelic music. The use of unusual chord progressions, borrowed chords, changing keys and tonalities, and electric instrumentation all contribute to the song’s unique sound. It’s an exemplar of their later period works where they pushed the boundaries of pop music into uncharted territory.
What are the chords in: The Beatles – I Am The Walrus – Bridge?
[‘B’, ‘A’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘E’, ‘F’, ‘B7’]
