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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album Abbey Road. It was written by Paul McCartney. The song is primarily in the key of D Major and exhibits a mix of major, minor, and dominant seventh chords. This verse progression manifests the distinctive Beatles’ sound which often includes chromaticism and prevalence of secondary dominants that link the chords together, giving a smooth flow and color to the harmonic progression.

“A Day In The Life” is a progressive rock song from the “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album, released in 1967. The progression includes some well-known chords, along with more unusual chords and alterations that contribute to the unique sound of the song.

“A Hard Day’s Night” by the Beatles is in the key of G Major. According to the provided list, the song has an array of major, minor, and some of the seventh and suspended chords, which is quite typical for the pop and rock genres. The coda appears to be a cyclic repetition of a phrase involving a transition from a C Major to a G Major chord, before leading to the repeated sequence of D7sus4, Dm7 chords. The D7sus4 and Dm7 chords give an interesting tension and release effect, as the suspension wants to resolve to the minor chord, while the minor chord creates an expectation for a return to the root chord.

“I’m Still Standing” is a pop rock song by Elton John, from his 1983 album “Too Low For Zero”. The song is up-tempo, featuring energetic keyboard playing from Elton John, and has become one of his most enduring hits. The song is in the key of E Major.

Here’s the chord progression analysis of the coda and the full chord names with their roman numerals:

“House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals is a folk-rock song in A minor that features a distinct and memorable chord progression in its coda. By incorporating rhythmic and dynamic elements in their rendition, The Animals managed to popularize the song, making it one of their best-known hits.

The Beatles – Maxwells Silver Hammer – Coda

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Chord Progression

[‘D’, ‘F#/C#’, ‘Bm’, ‘D7/A’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘D’]

Chord Progression Analysis

– D Major (“I”)
– F#/C# (“II/V”)
– B minor (“vi”)
– D7/A (“V7/5”)
– G Major (“IV”)
– D Major (“I”)
– A Major (“V”)
– D Major (“I”)

“`Borrowed Chord: F#/C# (“II/V”)“`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Blue Moon” by Rogers and Hart also features the I – IV – V sequence quite prominently as a part of its structure. The chord progression is in the form of: C major (“I) – F Major (“IV”) – G7 (“V7”) – C major (“I”).
2. “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King typically returns to the I chord following a IV chord in a similar fashion to Maxwell’s Silver Hammer. The progression is: A major (“I”) – F# minor (“vi”) – D Major (“IV”) – E Major (“V”).
3. “Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers. Their chord progressions in the track are: C Major (“I”) – Am (“vi”) – F Major (“IV”) – G Major (“V”).

The uniqueness in “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” lies in its eclectic borrowed chord, which adds a distinct flavor to the song.

Musical Analysis

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is a quirky, melodically infectious tune. The primary harmonic movement in the song demonstrates a common technique used in pop music – the I-IV-V progression (D, G, A). This repetition of simple, familiar sequences allows the melodic content to catch the listener’s attention. The insertion of the F#/C# borrowed chord right at the beginning of the coda makes this section stand out. Borrowed chords, as the term suggests, are “borrowed” from the parallel minor or major key. In this case, F# is not traditionally seen in chord progressions resolving to Bm (vi) in a D major context, making it the borrowed chord.

Overall Analysis

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” by The Beatles is a track that showcases the band’s fondness for creating complex and textured compositions by combining multiple melody lines with innovative chord sequences in a pop rock context. It features numerous musical styles, including pop, rock, and music hall, which reflects the band’s eclectic musical influences. The Coda of the song takes place in the key of D major.

Style Analysis

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is noted for its playful, music hall feel. The Beatles were known for using various styles from different musical eras, and the music hall style was a throughline in many of their more whimsical tunes. This song features not only playful lyrics, but also an equally playful chord progression blending seamlessly from the verse to the bridge and into the coda.

Chords in the Coda section of Maxwells Silver Hammer by The Beatles are:

[‘D’, ‘F#/C#’, ‘Bm’, ‘D7/A’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘D’]