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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“The Long And Winding Road” is in the key of D major. The chords are quite typical of pop music, however, The Beatles use of extensions and suspensions provide a unique complexity to the progression. The song dabbles in modal interchange as it borrows chords from parallel minor, a popular Beatles technique.

“Yesterday” is predominantly composed in the key of F Major. The song is a classic in pop songwriting and showcases the effective use of borrowed chords to capture a unique, nostalgic sound that has made it one of the most covered songs in pop music. Specifically, in this verse, the use of secondary dominants and borrowed chords from the parallel minor key provides the song’s distinctive tonal color.

“Castles Made Of Sand” is a song by Jimi Hendrix, featured on the 1967 album “Axis: Bold as Love.” The chord progression in the verse is notable for its use of both diatonic and chromatic chords, creating a complex harmonic structure that reflects the intricate guitar work and emotive lyrics of the song.

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Feels Like We Only Go Backwards by Tame Impala uses very interesting chord progressions that convey a feeling of constant motion. The song is primarily in the key of F Major, as revealed by the majority of the chords (F, C, Gm). However, the chord progression in the verse introduces Dm and Cmaj7/G, showing some clever use of modal interchange, also known as borrowed chords.

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“Ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine, draws its magic from a mix of interesting chord progressions and different rhythms. The use of added notes in several chords (Cadd9, Emadd9) introduces additional color into the mix, creating a rich and thoughtful atmosphere. The tonality of the song is in G Major, despite the liberal use of the Cadd9 in the progression. We’ll use this tonality for the Roman numerals.

The Beatles – The Long And Winding Road – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

[‘Bm’, ‘Gsus2/A’, ‘D’, ‘D7’, ‘G’, ‘Gmaj7’, ‘G’, ‘F#m’, ‘Bm’, ‘Em’, ‘A’, ‘D’, ‘D7’, ‘G’, ‘F#m’, ‘Bm’, ‘Em’, ‘A’, ‘D’]

Chord Progression Analysis

“`
B Minor (ii)
G suspended 2 / A, which functions as an A11 (V11)
D Major (I)
D Dominant 7 (I7)
G Major (IV)
G Major 7 (IVmaj7)
G Major again (IV)
F# Minor (iii)
B Minor repeating (ii)
E Minor (ii in the key of D Major, representing modal interchange from D minor)
A Major (V)
D Major repeating (I)
D Dominant 7 repeating (I7)
G Major repeating (IV)
F# Minor repeating (iii)
B Minor repeating (ii)
E Minor repeating (ii with modal interchange from D minor)
A Major repeating (V)
D Major repeating (I)
“`
Please note that while not traditionally diatonic to D Major, the E minor and A11 chords can be explained through modal interchange and dominant function respectively.

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen has a similar feel, using a mix of diatonic chords and borrowed chords. Here’s the progression for the verse:

“`
C Major (I)
A Minor (vi)
C Major repeating (I)
A Minor repeating (vi)
F Major (IV)
G Major (V)
C Major (I)
G Major (V)
“`

2. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley also features a rich, emotive chord progression:

“`
C Major (I)
Em/B (iii/V)
Am (vi)
Am/G (vi)
F Major (IV)
C Major (I)
F Major (IV)
G Major (V)
Ab Major (bVI, a borrowed chord from C minor)
C Major (I)
E7 (III7, a secondary dominant targeting Am)
A Minor (vi)
“`

Please note that while these progressions aren’t identical to “The Long and Winding Road,” they exhibit a related sense of journey and contain similar elements such as secondary dominants and borrowed chords.

Musical Analysis

“The Long and Winding Road” is typified by chord progressions that strike an intriguing balance between satisfying resolution and mild tension. The progression creates a push-and-pull effect via the use of dominant resolutions to unexpected chords (e.g., the resolution of the D7 to the Gmaj7 or G). There’s this masterful manipulation of tonal expectations that is a hallmark of The Beatles’ compositions.

Overall Analysis

“The Long and Winding Road” by The Beatles is an iconic pop ballad renowned for its rich harmonic content. It employs both modal interchange and secondary dominants, thus securing its place as an exemplary piece in pop music harmony. Its dominant tonality is D Major, however, it makes use of many borrowed chords.

Style Analysis

The Beatles are known for their unique blend of pop and rock with elements of classical music, which is reflected in this progression. This blending of styles redefined what was possible in popular music and made them one of the most influential bands in the history of popular music. The use of sophisticated music theory concepts such as modal interchange and secondary dominants helped them to keep their music innovative and unpredictable.

Chords in the Verse 1 section of The Long And Winding Road by The Beatles are:

[‘Bm’, ‘Gsus2/A’, ‘D’, ‘D7’, ‘G’, ‘Gmaj7’, ‘G’, ‘F#m’, ‘Bm’, ‘Em’, ‘A’, ‘D’, ‘D7’, ‘G’, ‘F#m’, ‘Bm’, ‘Em’, ‘A’, ‘D’]