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“In My Life” is a song written by The Beatles which stands as a hallmarks of their inventive songwriting and command of complex musical structures. The song is primarily in the key of A Major, but it employs a number of borrowed chords and modal interchange to create a more interesting and richer harmonic landscape. The melody, rhythm, and lyrics of this song are poignant and memorable, making “In My Life” an enduring classic in the Beatles’ catalog.

“Yesterday” by The Beatles is a classic Pop song in F Major maintaining a 2/2 time signature. The song changes the chords frequently to create a rich harmonic texture, and is known for its iconic descending guitar melody.

“Hey Jude,” written by The Beatles, charts a classic journey from tonic to dominant, with a detour through the subdominant and the minor dominant. It starts with a D chord (I), moves onto A (V), then A7 (V7) and back to D (I). The interlude features the progression D (I) – D7 (I7) – A7 (V7). This clever progression creates a momentary modulation to the key of G with the D7 chord, creating an interesting harmonic shift.

The interlude piece from Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So” features an eight-chord progression in the key of C major, with prevalent use of Roman numeral notation and borrowed chords from parallel minor scales. This progression is typical in rock and pop music, representing Weezer’s alternative rock style.

“Undone – The Sweater Song” by Weezer features a simple yet effective chord progression in the interlude, using triadic chords and one altered chord (G6#9). The progression is in the key of G major and exhibits Weezer’s trademark alternative rock sound with a mix of pop sensibilities.

The Beatles – In My Life – Interlude

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Chord Progression

[‘A’, ‘E’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Interlude: A Major (I), E Major (V).

Here, the ‘A’ is the tonic chord (I), and ‘E’ is the dominant chord (V). The interlude progression provides a perfect cadence from V to I which is commonly found in many styles of western music. This resolves the musical tension and gives listeners a sense of resolution and homecoming.

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Borrowed Chord: None in this progression
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Similar Chord Progressions

Song: “Earth Angel” by The Penguins
Progression: D major (I), F# minor (vi), B minor (iii), G major (IV), A major (V), D major (I), G major (IV), A major (V).

Similar to “In My Life”, “Earth Angel” utilizes the I-vi-IV-V progression, a staple of doo-wop music from the 1950s. The song structure is straightforward, featuring a cycle of chords that constantly loop back to the beginning.

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Borrowed Chord: None in this progression
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Musical Analysis

“In My Life” is notable for its variety of chord progressions. The natural minor key is featured in the song; it provides the harmonic foundation in the verses and chorus. The occasional use of D minor borrowed chord from the parallel minor key gives the song an added depth and expresses a sense of longing or melancholy.

Overall Analysis

“In My Life” is a song by The Beatles from the 1965 album Rubber Soul. It is written in the key of A Major, beloved for its introspective lyrics and harmonic structure. The chord progression is complex and contains several borrowed chords and secondary dominants, displaying an impressive use of tonality that is characteristic of the band’s sophisticated songwriting.

Style Analysis

The harmonic structure of “In My Life” embodies the maturation of the Beatles as songwriters. Their use of different key centers, clean transitions between keys, and incorporation of borrowed chords from the parallel minor show a departure from the traditional pop song structures. This mixture of major and minor modes may be seen as a sonic reflection of the mix of joy and melancholy expressed in the lyrics.

Chords in the Interlude section of In My Life by The Beatles are:

[‘A’, ‘E’]