The Beatles – Maxwells Silver Hammer – Bridge
Maxwells Silver Hammer < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘E7’, ‘A7’]
Chord Progression Analysis
Let’s focus on the bridge, since you have specifically indicated it.
The chords are E7 and A7.
Full Chord Names and Their Roman Numerals:
“`
E7 (‘V7/V’)
A7 (‘V7’)
“`
These are secondary dominants. E7 acts as the dominant of the A7 (V7/V), and A7 as the dominant in the key of D (V7).
Similar Chord Progressions
The technique of using secondary dominants (V7 of V) can be found in other songs across a handful of genres.
1. “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” by The Righteous Brothers. The key is C Major and in its chorus, we find an interesting progression:
Chord progression: [‘D7’, ‘G7’, ‘C’],
Full Chord Names and Their Roman Numerals:
“`
D7 (‘V7/V’)
G7 (‘V7’)
C (‘I’)
“`
2. “Georgia On My Mind” is another song that uses secondary dominants, specifically the version by Ray Charles in the key of F Major. Following the second line of the verse, we find the progression:
Chord progression: [‘G7’, ‘C7’, ‘F’],
Full Chord Names and Their Roman Numerals:
“`
G7 (‘V7/V’)
C7 (‘V7’)
F (‘I’)
“`
Musical Analysis
Using secondary dominants like E7 and A7 in the key of D Major is a common move in pop and jazz harmony. It adds tension and an unexpected color to the harmony since these chords temporarily move away from the home key.
Overall Analysis
“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is a Beatles song composed in the key of D Major. It’s a classic example of Paul McCartney’s knack for catchy pop songwriting. This song showcases McCartney’s affinity for borrowing chords to make his progressions more interesting.
Style Analysis
“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is a pop song with a strong melodic focus. McCartney’s use of secondary dominants in the bridge adds complexity and variety to the harmony. This reveals his proficiency in expanding traditional pop harmony with techniques borrowed from jazz and classical music.
What are the chords in: The Beatles – Maxwells Silver Hammer – Bridge?
[‘E7’, ‘A7’]
