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Related Music Theory Alchemy

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.

“Eight Days A Week” by The Beatles, released in 1965, is renowned for its catchy melodic phrases, tight harmonies, and distinctive use of chords. The song is firmly rooted in the key of D major, but there is an interesting use of borrowed chords.

Verse 2

The piece “3’s and 7’s” by Queens of The Stone Age illustrates a fascinating blend of minor and major tonality, accented dissonances, and unexpected harmonic turns, which is characteristic of the band’s stoner rock and alternative metal style. The verse 2 chord progression is in A# minor and it sticks to a fairly repetitive three-chord progression of A#m – G# – F.

The chord progression in the verse 2 of Beck’s “Morning” is an example of a common progression in popular music, involving the I, IV, iii, and ii chords. The harmony is mostly diatonic, staying within the key of E major. The progression features regular 4-chord phrases and a smooth, consonant flow between chords.

“When Doves Cry” by Prince shows the artist’s flair for the unusual. While the song is primarily in A minor, Prince takes liberties with creating unexpected shifts in harmony, which gives the song its unique character. The song revolves around five chords: Am, G, Em, F, and G, repeated throughout the verse. This circular progression offers a sense of continuity, yet Prince’s interpretation and arrangement create a sense of unpredictability.

The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

[‘E’, ‘Emaj7’, ‘E7’, ‘F#m’, ‘E’, ‘D’, ‘D’, ‘E’, ‘A’, ‘F#m’, ‘D’, ‘E’, ‘D’, ‘A’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Following is your requested structure with chords from Verse 2:

“`
E (I)
Emaj7 (I maj7)
E7 (I7)
F#m (ii)
E (I)
D (bVII)
D (bVII)
E (I)
A (IV)
F#m (ii)
D (bVII)
E (I)
D (bVII)
A (IV)
“`
Here E7 is a dominant function to lead to A. D is a borrowed chord from E mixolydian mode.

Similar Chord Progressions

“Something” by The Beatles also employs a similar pattern using borrowed chords, though in a different key. Its progression amounts to:

“`
C (I)
Cmaj7 (I maj7)
C7 (I7)
F (IV)
D (bVI)
G (V)
G (V)
A (VI)
“`

Musical Analysis

In Verse 2, the progression initially alternates between the E (I) chord with variations, including the altercations to Emaj7 and E7, and the F#m (ii) chord assisting in the mood. Interestingly, the introduction of borrowed chord D (bVII) from the mixolydian mode and subsequent alternation between E and D creates a unique ambiguous tonality. This progression then resolves to A (IV) creating a sense of stability, only to start the cycle anew.

Overall Analysis

“Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles is one of the excellent examples of the unique and complex style popular in the late 1960’s. It is in the key of E and further progresses to F# minor. The progression utilizes modal interchange, chromaticism, and unusual chord progressions to create a dreamlike and psychedelic landscape that perfectly suits the lyrical theme of the song.

Style Analysis

The Beatles had a unique way of fusing both traditional and unconventional harmonic concepts. This piece follows the same. The base key doesn’t remain stable and shifts from major key to its relative minor. Also, this song exhibits a modal interchange, with a switch to Mixolydian mode with the borrowed chord D (bVII) giving a different sonic flavor.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles are:

[‘E’, ‘Emaj7’, ‘E7’, ‘F#m’, ‘E’, ‘D’, ‘D’, ‘E’, ‘A’, ‘F#m’, ‘D’, ‘E’, ‘D’, ‘A’]