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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Let It Be” by The Beatles uses some of the most common chords in the key of C Major, which is the tonic of the song. It also contains few instances of chord extensions, inversions, and secondary dominants, which are widely used in pop music composition.

“Can’t Buy Me Love,” a song by The Beatles, exhibits a style that’s emblematic of their earlier work, with a clear, upbeat tonality and an elegant yet straightforward chord progression. The tune is predominantly centred in the key of C major, but it utilizes both major and dominant 7th chords to create tension and resolution, modulating away from the home key. The particular progression you’ve given, ‘C7’, ‘F7’, ‘C’, isn’t rare and demonstrates the Beatles’ precision and understanding of pop and rock music’s creative possibilities.

“Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls is well-known for its unique tuning and chords which adds a certain tenderness and emotional depth to the song. The song is in D Major and utilizes a repeated chord progression that is relatively simple but effective.

The given chord progression is from the chorus of “Earfquake” by Tyler, The Creator, a contemporary hip-hop and neo-soul artist. The progression features a smooth and mellow tonality, characterized by the use of 7th chords. The chord progression is in the key of Bb Major and showcases the use of mostly diatonic chords with a repetition that contributes to the song’s catchy nature.

As this song has a distinct classical rock sound, you’ll see a mixture of major and minor chords. The progression is in the key of E major. The use of seventh chords and suspended chords provides a dense harmonic texture.

The Beatles – Let It Be – Chorus

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Chord Progression

[‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C/E’, ‘Dm7’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C/E’, ‘Dm7’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C/E’, ‘Dm7’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

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Here’s the chord progression analysis with Roman numerals for the chorus.

1. A minor (‘vi’)
2. G major (‘V’)
3. F major (‘IV’)
4. C major (‘I’)
5. C major (‘I’)
6. G major (‘V’)
7. F major (‘IV’)
8. C/E (‘I6’)
9. D minor 7 (‘ii7’)
10. C major (‘I’)
11. A minor (‘vi’)
12. G major (‘V’)
13. F major (‘IV’)
14. C major (‘I’)
15. C major (‘I’)
16. G major (‘V’)
17. F major (‘IV’)
18. C/E (‘I6’)
19. D minor 7 (‘ii7’)
20. C major (‘I’)
21. A minor (‘vi’)
22. G major (‘V’)
23. F major (‘IV’)
24. C major (‘I’)
25. C major (‘I’)
26. G major (‘V’)
27. F major (‘IV’)
28. C/E (‘I6’)
29. D minor 7 (‘ii7’)
30. C major (‘I’)

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Similar Chord Progressions

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1. The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” has a similar progression in its chorus: [‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘C/D’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘C/D’, ‘D’, ‘G’], aligning to: G major (‘I’), E minor (‘vi’), C/D (‘IV6’), D major (‘V’), G major (‘I’).

2. Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” uses a progression with similar elements in its verse: [‘Bm’, ‘A’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘Bm’], corresponding to: B minor (‘i’), A major (‘VII’), G major (‘VI’), E minor (‘iv’), B minor (‘i’).

3. Oasis’s “Wonderwall” adopts a similar progression in its chorus: [‘Em’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘Em’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘A’], mapping to: E minor (‘i’), G major (‘III’), D major (‘VII’), A major (‘IV’), E minor (‘i’), G major (‘III’), D major (‘VII’), A major (‘IV’).

Musical Analysis

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The chorus cyclically moves from the ‘vi’ to the ‘V’ to the ‘IV’ to the ‘I’, reinforcing the major tonality. The brief touches on the ‘vi’ chord provide an undercurrent of minor sonority, adding contrast within the progression. The ‘I6’ (C/E) chord is an example of an inverted chord used to smooth the bass motion.

The D minor 7 chord (‘ii7’) is used as a pivot chord to modulate the key, momentarily providing a softening effect before resolving back to the tonic, C major (‘I’).

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Overall Analysis

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“Let It Be” is one of The Beatles’ most popular songs and features a primarily major tonality (C Major), giving it its iconic uplifting and inspiring quality. The song’s chord progression is quite standard in terms of pop/rock music, yet it does include some interesting elements like inversions and a 7th chord to add variety and emotional depth.

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Style Analysis

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Beatles are known for their innovative use of chord progressions and harmonies, a feature that sets them apart from other artists of their era. In “Let It Be”, they combine conventional and uncommon progressions, embodying their talent in combining simplicity with complexity. The melody notes are primarily derived from the key of C major, providing a strong sense of unity and coherence.

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Chords in the Chorus section of Let It Be by The Beatles are:

[‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C/E’, ‘Dm7’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C/E’, ‘Dm7’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C/E’, ‘Dm7’, ‘C’]