Music Theory Alchemy

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The Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever” is composed in the key of A Major, but utilizes a number of chord extensions and non-diatonic chords to create a dreamy, nostalgic soundscape fitting the song’s theme of reminiscing about childhood.

The song “With A Little Help From My Friends” by The Beatles is written in the key of E major. The third verse is mostly consistent with the key, with the only chords used are E, F#m, and B.

The chord progression in the chorus of George Benson’s “Give Me The Night” is an example of a smooth and groovy R&B progression from the early 1980s. It has a mix of minor chords, a major chord, and a major 7th chord, creating a soulful and slightly melancholic character. The progressions use diatonic chords from the F minor scale, with a hint of modal interchange.

“Here Comes The Sun” by The Beatles, composed by George Harrison, features a complex and stylistically unique chord progression. The song is primarily in the key of D major, with elements of modal interchange (also known as borrowed chords) from both the parallel minor key (D minor) and other modes, including the Mixolydian mode.

The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever – Chorus 4

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Chord Progression

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

Chord Progression Analysis

“`
A (I),
Em7 (ii7),
Em7 (ii7),
F#7 (III7),
D (IV),
F#7 (III7),
Dmaj7 (IVmaj7),
A(I),
F#m (vi),
Dmaj7 (IVmaj7),
A (I),
Dmaj7 (IVmaj7),
E (V),
D (IV)
“`

Note: The F#7 is a secondary dominant chord, specifically V7/iii.

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys shares a similar usage of diatonic chords and modal interchange with Strawberry Fields Forever.
Chord progression:
“`
A (I),
C#m7 (iii7),
F#m (vi),
G#7 (V7/vii),
C#m7(iii7),
Bm7 (ii7),
E (V)
“`
2. “Just the Way You Are” by Billy Joel also employs similar harmonic practices as Strawberry Fields Forever, playing with the expectation and resolution of tension. Chord progression:
“`
D (I),
Em7(ii7),
F#m7(iii7),
Bm(vi),
Em7(ii7),
A7(V7),
D(I)
“`

These songs all use harmonic devices such as secondary dominants and modal interchange to create rich, complex progressions that blur the lines between pop and classical music.

Musical Analysis

This progression exemplifies the practice of modal mixture, also known as modal interchange. Modal mixture is when chords are borrowed from the parallel minor (or other modes) of the key the music is in. In this case the song is in the key of A Major, and the Em7 is borrowed from the parallel minor key, A minor.

Overall Analysis

“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.

Style Analysis

The Beatles were known for their innovative use of chord progressions, often incorporating elements of baroque and classical music into their pop/rock compositions. The use of the major IV chord (D) followed by a maj7 version of the same chord (Dmaj7) is fairly unusual, adding a sophisticated touch to the otherwise simple progression.

Chords in the Chorus 4 section of Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles are:

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