The Beatles – I Want To Hold Your Hand – Verse 1
I Want To Hold Your Hand < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘B’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘B7’]
Chord Progression Analysis
– G Major (I)
– D Major (V)
– E minor (vi)
– B Major (‘III borrowed from parallel minor’)
– G Major (I)
– D Major (V)
– E minor (vi)
– B7 Major (‘III7 borrowed from parallel minor’)
A code block for the borrowed chord:
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“B Major” and “B7 Major” are borrowed from the parallel minor (G minor) scale
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Similar Chord Progressions
Artists like The Beach Boys and Elton John have also used similar chord progressions. For example, in Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer”:
– A Major (I)
– E Major (V)
– F# minor (vi)
– C# Major (‘III borrowed from parallel minor’)
– A Major (I)
– E Major (V)
– F# minor (vi)
– C#7 Major (‘III7 borrowed from parallel minor’)
In Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows”, the progression is:
– A Major (I)
– E Major (V)
– F# minor (vi)
– C# Major (‘III borrowed from parallel minor’)
– A Major (I)
– E Major (V)
– F# minor (vi)
– C#7 Major (‘III7 borrowed from parallel minor’)
Musical Analysis
Borrowed chords create an unexpected element in chord progressions and it’s one of the tools used by The Beatles for enhancing musical interest in their composition. The use of the B Major and B7 chords from the parallel minor scale adds a unique color to the harmony and increases the tension which is resolved when returning to the G Major. It also creates a seamless chromatic ascending bass line from E (in Em chord) to F# (in G chord) via F (in B major or B7).
Overall Analysis
“I Want To Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles is an excellent example of their innovative approach to harmony and chord progression. This song, written in the key of G major, features a common I-V-vi-III progression in the verses. It notably uses borrowed ‘B’ major and ‘B7’ chords from the parallel minor scale.
Style Analysis
The use of major chords borrowed from the parallel minor scale is a key characteristic of The Beatles’ style and it’s evident in many of their songs. It gives a happy yet melancholic feel to the song. Another style hallmark in this song is the effective use of dominant 7th chords to create a sense of anticipation and resolve.
What are the chords in: The Beatles – I Want To Hold Your Hand – Verse 1?
[‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘B’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘B7’]
