Music Theory Alchemy

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“Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles is a song that displays the remarkable depth of harmonic creativity found in their songwriting. The chord progression in the Chorus 4 section of the song is particularly complex. This progressions illustrate the band’s ability to exploit common harmonic devices such as diatonic pivots, modal mixture, and deceptive resolutions, in order to produce beautifully unique and captivating chord sequences.

“All My Loving” by The Beatles is a mid-tempo pop song written in the key of E minor for the verse and D Major for the bridge and outro, featuring a distinct, upbeat walking bassline. The grey, almost mournful verses, along with the brighter, major-toned bridges and chorus, create a juxtaposition of feelings within the piece. The bridge also highlights The Beatles’ use of secondary dominants and chromaticism. Concluding in the tonic key of D Major, the song has an interesting interplay between Em and D Major throughout, which could be perceived as a Em: i, VI, III, II and D: vi, V7, I, vi, IV, ii, I progression.

“Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin is a classic rock song with a strong blues influence. It features a heavy riff-based progression and a powerful vocal performance by Robert Plant. The song is in the key of E Mixolydian, a mode based on the fifth degree of the A Major scale, and exhibits a heavy use of syncopation, pentatonic scales, and chromaticism throughout its structure. The rich harmonic language and distorted guitar tone makes the song an excellent example of the emerging Hard Rock and Heavy Metal styles of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

“Here Comes The Sun” is written by George Harrison from The Beatles and it is a key example of the band’s flirtation with what is commonly referred to as Mixolydian mode. The piece showcases their skillful blending of folk idioms with contemporary pop sensibilities.

“Today” by The Smashing Pumpkins is composed in the key of E minor. The song has quite a simple structure and harmony with a strong emphasis on the I-IV-V (D-G-A in E minor key) chord progression which is one of the most common patterns in popular music. This I-IV-V progression vests the song with its harmonic backbone and creates a strong, wide-open sonic canvas.

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’]