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The Beatles’ “Rocky Raccoon” incorporates a repeating sequence of predominantly seventh chords, displaying a mix of minor, dominant, and sustained chords within the and C Major/A minor keys. This diversity contributes to the song’s unique harmony, and given its context in a folk rock style, the progression exudes a rustic, storytelling personality.

“The Long And Winding Road” by The Beatles presents us with a classic example of their innovative approach to harmony and composition. Drawing from various sources of influence, the song incorporates elements of traditional pop ballad form with a hint of the Baroque harmonic palette. This song is an excellent study in complex harmony and modulation within a pop music context, a trait that underpins much of The Beatles’ later work.

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” by The Beatles features a popular song structure and a mix of common chord progression techniques. The distinct progressions within the verse repeat throughout the song, but the chords and structures themselves are fairly common within rock and pop music. It mixes the standard I-IV-V (in this case, D-A-G) progression with the ii-V-I progression (in this case, Em-A-D), both of which are staples of songwriting in a variety of genres.

“The Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel is a song from the folk-rock genre. Built on simplicity with few chords used throughout the whole song, the primary focus of the song is on the hauntingly beautiful melody and the profound lyrics. It is written in the key of Am which gives the song a melancholic and somber tone.

“Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin is recognized for its use of modal interchange, specifically borrowing chords from the parallel minor, and its distinct way of blending rock and folk music elements. This piece is in the key of A minor and the chord progression in Verse 5 is simple but quite effective.

The Beatles – Rocky Raccoon – Verse 5

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Chord Progression

[‘Am7’, ‘D7sus4’, ‘D7’, ‘G7’, ‘C’, ‘C/B’, ‘Am7’, ‘D7sus4’, ‘D7’, ‘G7’, ‘C’, ‘C/B’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Here are the full chord names, their roman numerals and borrowed chords code block:

“`
Am7 (‘ii7’), D7sus4 (‘V7sus4’), D7 (‘V7’), G7 (‘VII7’ – borrowed from G major), C (‘I’), C/B (‘I/A’),
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” and Mumford & Sons’ “Little Lion Man” share a similar chord progression with “Rocky Raccoon”. These songs also make excellent use of switching between major and minor, creating a poignant depth even within a simple song structure.

– “Like a Rolling Stone”: [Cm9, D7sus4, D7, G7, C, C/B…,]
– “Little Lion Man”: [Am7, D7sus4, D7, G7, C, C/B, …]

However, it’s the artists’ creative touch on these progressions that gives each song its unique vibe, underscoring the infinite possibilities these simple building blocks can offer.

Musical Analysis

Starting with the Am7, functioning as the ‘ii7’ chord in the key of G major, the progression moves to a D7sus4 and D7, acting as the ‘V7sus4’ and ‘V7’ chords that drive to the G7, borrowed from the G major parallel scale. The G7 adds a bluesy touch before resolving back to the home chord, C, which is the ‘I’ chord in this key. The C/B, labeled as ‘I/A’, functions as a passing chord to create a smooth voice leading back to the Am7, completing the cycle.

These movements from minor to major and vice versa give the song its unique emotional quality and are characteristic of the Beatles’ innovative approaches to harmonic progression.

Overall Analysis

The song “Rocky Raccoon” by The Beatles features a intriguing chord progression typically employed in blues and folk music that creates a captivating storytelling-style musical framework. The verse using the provided chords weaves an interesting tale via major and minor fluctuations giving an emotional depth to the lyrics.

Style Analysis

The chord progression of “Rocky Raccoon” strongly reflects the Beatles’ unique melodic tendency. They often reference the folk and blues traditions, which is evident in the use of the dominant 7th chord (G7), and in their stylistic approach of making use of borrowed chords to add a compelling flavor to their songs.

Twists such as these differentiate The Beatles’ style from other artists of the time, showcased not only in the complexity of their melodies and chord progressions but also in the depth of their lyrics.

Chords in the Verse 5 section of Rocky Raccoon by The Beatles are:

[‘Am7’, ‘D7sus4’, ‘D7’, ‘G7’, ‘C’, ‘C/B’, ‘Am7’, ‘D7sus4’, ‘D7’, ‘G7’, ‘C’, ‘C/B’]