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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles is an iconic psychedelic rock track marked with rich harmonies and sophisticated musical elements. The song is primarily constructed around the key of A, but it employs several modal mixtures and non-diatonic chords, contributing to its intriguing tonality.

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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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“Castles Made of Sand” by Jimi Hendrix is a psychedelic rock song that features a unique chord progression and distinctive guitar techniques that were ahead of its time. The song was released in 1967 on the album “Axis: Bold as Love” and showcases Hendrix’s innovative approach to guitar playing and songwriting.

This chord progression is from the song, “Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy” by Queen, which is known for its complex and intricate progressions. The song is set in the key of C major, and it features a mixture of triadic major and minor chords, dominant sevenths and the common use of borrowed and secondary dominant chords to create tension. This creates a lot of harmonic interest.

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“1979” by The Smashing Pumpkins is a classic alternative rock song that cleverly uses uncommon, sophisticated chords to evoke an emotional, melancholic atmosphere.

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The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever – Chorus 3

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Chord Progression

[‘A’, ‘Em7’, ‘Em7’, ‘F#7’, ‘D’, ‘F#7’, ‘Dmaj7’, ‘A’]

Chord Progression Analysis

“`
– A Major (I)
– E minor 7 (v7)
– E minor 7 (v7)
– F#7 (VI7)
– D Major (IV)
– F#7 (VI7)
– D Major 7 (IVmaj7)
– A Major (I)
“`
All the chords used here are diatonic except for F#7 which is borrowed from the parallel minor key (A minor). This creates a jazz-influenced dominant 7th chord transition which adds melodic and harmonic variance to the sequence.

Similar Chord Progressions

The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” also utilizes many borrowed chords and secondary dominants. Specifically, the progression Brian Wilson uses in the verses, like:
“`
– E Major (I)
– B/F# (V)
– G#m7 (iii7)
– C#m7 (vi7)
– F#7 (V7)
– C#m7 (ii7)
– F#7 (V7)
“`
“Bennie and the Jets” by Elton John also employs non-diatonic chord progressions within the context of pop music. For instance, the verses feature:
“`
– G Major (I)
– Em7 (vi7)
– A7 (II7)
– D7 (V7)
– G Major (I)
“`
Both these songs, like “Strawberry Fields Forever”, challenge the traditional Major/minor dynamics in pop music, creating a richer harmonic palette.

Musical Analysis

The Beatles often used traditional harmonic music theory principles and expanded upon them. The use of the VI7 (F#7) borrowed chord is an example of using secondary dominants, which forces an abrupt change and adds a more sophisticated, Jazz-like sound. The use of the E minor 7 vocabulary is also an unconventional move in a piece written in A Major. This alteration contributes to a moodier, darker quality within the song which differentiates it from a typical pop song.

Overall Analysis

“Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles is written in the key of A Major and features 4/4 time signature. The chord progression for Chorus 3, which you’ve mentioned, is quite sophisticated and creative, exhibiting the Beatles’ aptitude for blending conventional pop harmony with more unexpected changes, drawn from their broad palette of influences and their willingness to experiment.

Style Analysis

“Strawberry Fields Forever” is an example of Psychedelic Rock due to its unusual melodies and chord progressions, use of unconventional instruments (like the Mellotron), complex studio effects including tape loops and backwards recordings, and its cryptic lyrics. It’s considered one of their masterpieces in “psychedelia”.

Chords in the Chorus 3 section of Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles are:

[‘A’, ‘Em7’, ‘Em7’, ‘F#7’, ‘D’, ‘F#7’, ‘Dmaj7’, ‘A’]