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The Beatles’ “Something” is a soulful ballad from their 1969 album “Abbey Road.” It’s primarily composed in the key of C major, but features modulations to other keys throughout its duration. The harmony of this song is somewhat complicated, but still rooted in traditional practices. “Something” effectively uses borrowed chords—chords from parallel keys—to create a fresh and memorable sound.

“Here Comes The Sun” by The Beatles uses a D Major scale. The song primarily comprises chords built on the tonic or root note (D), which lends a consistent, grounded feel. This reflects the lyrics’ mood—contentment, renewed optimism, and a sense of homecoming with the arrival of the sun.

“Here, There and Everywhere” is a Beatles song from the album “Revolver”, released in 1966. The song is in the key of G major and showcases an advanced use of borrowed chords and modulations, a topic that contributes to the originality of this song. McCartney credited the song’s structure of changing key to Brian Wilson’s influence in the same period.

“A Hard Day’s Night” by The Beatles is a song that was unusually complex and beautifully experimental. It uses rarely seen chord structures that emphasize both traditional tonality and borrowed tones from outside the key signature. This song is an excellent example of Beatles-style blending of rock & roll and pop music with elements of classical chord progressions and harmonies. It is also a great example of how The Beatles stretched the boundaries of diatonic harmony.

“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.

The Beatles – Something – Middle 8

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Chord Progression

[‘A’, ‘C#m/G#’, ‘F#m7’, ‘A/E’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘A’, ‘C#m/G#’, ‘F#m7’, ‘A/E’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Before sharing the chord progression with its full names and Roman numerals, I need to clarify the key we are in when the chords are played. In this middle eight, the song modulates to the key of A major (based on the first and last chords of this section).

“`
A (‘I’),
C#m/G# (‘iii/vi’),
F#m7 (‘vi7’),
A/E (‘I/v’),
D (‘IV’),
G (‘bVII’),
A (‘I’),
A (‘I’),
C#m/G# (‘iii/vi’),
F#m7 (‘vi7’),
A/E (‘I/v’),
D (‘IV’),
G (‘bVII’),
C (‘bIII’)
“`

As shown above, the bVII (G) and the bIII (C) chords are borrowed chords from the parallel minor key.

Similar Chord Progressions

Following are a few instances of other artists using

Musical Analysis

“Something,” like much of The Beatles’ later catalogue, showcases the complexity and experimentation characterising their sound. The middle eight section is a good example, moving fluidly through chord changes, which are anchored by the stable I chord, but float through a series of modulations. The borrowed chords lend a slightly unsettled, uncertain feeling to the progression, typical of The Beatles’ less conventional songwriting.

Overall Analysis

“Something” is composed in C Major; however, it modulates to several different keys. The song’s chord progression is relatively complex and less adherent to traditional tonality, typical of much of The Beatles’ work, particularly in their later years. Throughout the song, they make use of several common progressions, but with a few unique changes.

Style Analysis

This song is a wonderful representation of the approach to harmony developed by The Beatles, especially McCartney and Harrison, from the mid-period onwards. It partially roots itself in traditional tonality but isn’t afraid to borrow chords and even modulate keys to add some unexpected twists, creating a richly nuanced harmonic texture.

Chords in the Middle 8 section of Something by The Beatles are:

[‘A’, ‘C#m/G#’, ‘F#m7’, ‘A/E’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘A’, ‘C#m/G#’, ‘F#m7’, ‘A/E’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘C’]