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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles is a psychedelic rock song often regarded as one of their finest works. It’s innovative from both a melodic and harmonic perspective, using complex chord structures, chromatic touches, and key changes. The song is primarily in the key of E major.

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is a Beatles song composed in the key of D Major. It’s a classic example of Paul McCartney’s knack for catchy pop songwriting. This song showcases McCartney’s affinity for borrowing chords to make his progressions more interesting.

The progression from B to A to E is a common progression in pop and rock music. This progression utilizes diatonic and non-diatonic chords, meaning that the chords all belong to the same key and it suggests the use of borrowed chords. A Perfect Circle tends to use a lot of downward motion in their chord progressions, moving from higher to lower pitches, which can give their music a distinct ‘heavy’ feel.

“Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin is a classic and iconic rock song released in 1971, as part of their fourth studio album, Led Zeppelin IV. The song is considered one of the greatest rock songs of all time, featuring an intricate chord progression, a memorable melody, and folk-inspired acoustic guitar work. The verse you provided is the second verse of the song, which shares a similar, but not identical chord progression to the other verses. The song is in the key of A minor, and the chord progression showcases a mix of diatonic and borrowed chords, along with a couple of chromatic alterations.

“Paper Tiger” by Beck is a unique and stylistic piece, displaying a blend of various genres and influences. The verse 2 chord progression is quite simple, but the harmonic choices create tension and provide a sense of movement throughout the progression. Combining the elements of rock, folk, and alternative music, this chord progression is both intriguing and musically satisfying.

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’]