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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“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.

“I Want To Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles is an excellent example of their innovative approach to harmony and chord progression. This song, written in the key of G major, features a common I-V-vi-III progression in the verses. It notably uses borrowed ‘B’ major and ‘B7’ chords from the parallel minor scale.

Verse 3 of Radiohead’s Motion Picture Soundtrack features a melancholic and non-functional chord progression that showcases the band’s use of interesting chord voicings as well as the mixture of major and minor modalities. The progression revolves around the G major, and shifts between borrowed chords and non-conventional chord extensions such as the sus2 chord. This approach is typical of alternative rock bands like Radiohead, which often stray away from traditional norms in favor of innovative and evocative harmonies.

“Kiss” by Prince is primarily a rock song that features pop elements. The song utilizes power chords which are common in rock music, having a stripped-down chord structure that highlights the root and the fifth notes of the chord. The defined chord progression listed for Verse 3 is: [‘A5’, ‘D5’, ‘A5’]. This progression lacks the richness of Major or Minor chords but provides a solid, driving rhythm backbone to the song, prioritizing rhythmic energy over harmonic complexity.

“Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley is a popular and iconic song that showcases Jeff Buckley’s unique vocal talent and emotional delivery. The song is in the key of C major and features a simple yet effective chord progression. The song’s memorable melody is accompanied by guitar, which uses arpeggiated fingerpicking. This adds to its musical depth and also creates dynamic rhythmic interest. The song builds in intensity as it progresses, and this, along with the powerful lyrics, contributes to the overall emotional impact of the piece.

The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever – Verse 3

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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

Below is the chord progression for Verse 3 with their Roman numerals:

“`
E (I),
Emaj7 (Imaj7),
E7 (I7),
F#m (IIIm),
E (I),
D (IV),
D (IV),
E (I),
A (V),
F#m (IIIm),
D (IV),
E (I),
D (IV),
A (V)
“`

Notice that the E7 is a borrowed chord from the parallel minor key (A minor), serving as a secondary dominant to the F#m that follows it.

Similar Chord Progressions

While it’s hard to find an exact match for this progression given its complexity, here are a few examples of similar progressions in their use of borrowed chords, major seventh chords and/or secondary dominants:

1. “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys:
“`
‘A’,
‘D ‘,
‘A/C’,
‘Bm’,
‘ G ‘,
‘A’,
‘D ‘,
‘A/C
‘,
‘Bm ‘,
‘Bm/A’
“`

“`
I,
IV,
I/III,
II,
VI,
I,
IV,
I/III,
II,
II/V
“`

2. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by The Beatles:
“`
‘Am’,
‘Am7/G’,
‘Am6/F’,
‘Am’,
‘D’,
‘G’,
‘C’
“`

“`
Im,
Im7/VII,
Im6/VI,
Im,
IV,
VII,
III
“`

Each of these pieces also has a unique blend of chordal movement that showcases both the songwriters’ creativity and their deep understanding of music theory.

Musical Analysis

The progression starts with a tonic chord (I) followed by a maj7 (Imaj7), creating a dreamy sound that immediately provides an interesting start and draws listeners in. It then hovers around the tonic key, interspersed with an unexpected move to the IV, before returning to the tonic and resolving in the V. This pre-dominant (IV) to dominant (V) to tonic (I) progression is a classic move in Western music, giving a sense of closure.

Overall Analysis

“Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles is a significant example of their high level of technical composition skills. This track, which is played in the key of A Major, incorporates variations in the conventional chord progressions by using borrowed chords and shifting harmonic and melodic structures, showcasing their profound understanding of music theory and ability to use those ideas creatively.

Style Analysis

The Beatles were masterful at blending several different musical styles together, and this song is no exception. This chord progression, with its mix of basic triads, seventh chords, and borrowed chords, is indicative of their experimental and genre-defying nature. Their use of borrowed chords is a trait of modal interchange, an aspect of jazz harmony.

Chords in the Verse 3 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’]