The Beatles – With A Little Help From My Friends – Bridge 2
With A Little Help From My Friends < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘C#m’, ‘F#’, ‘E’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘C#m’, ‘F#’, ‘E’, ‘D’, ‘A’]
Chord Progression Analysis
The chord progression for Bridge 2 is as follows:
“`
C# Minor (‘vi’), F# Major (‘II’), E Major (‘I’), D Major (‘♭VII’), A Major (‘IV’),
C# Minor (‘vi’), F# Major (‘II’), E Major (‘I’), D Major (‘♭VII’), A Major (‘IV’)
“`
Similar Chord Progressions
Back to Black (Amy Winehouse)
“`
D#m (‘vi’), A# (‘II’), G# (‘I’), F# (‘♭VII’), C# (‘IV’),
D#m (‘vi’), A# (‘II’), G# (‘I’), F# (‘♭VII’), C# (‘IV’)
“`
Message in a Bottle (The Police)
“`
C#m (‘vi’), F# (‘II’), E (‘I’), D (‘♭VII’), A (‘IV’),
C#m (‘vi’), F# (‘II’), E (‘I’), D (‘♭VII’), A (‘IV’)
“`
These songs share similar progressions with “With A Little Help From My Friends,” though each artist of course puts their unique spin on it. The borrowed ♭VII is a particularly popular trick in rock music, and you can hear it in numerous songs across the genre.
Musical Analysis
Here, the D Major is a borrowed chord from the parallel major scale of E, taking the flat-seventh ‘♭VII’ position. This is a common Beatles’ trick to transition through different scales and create an appealing, complex progression. They transition from the Minor vi to the Major II, then resolve it on to I. The ♭VII and IV give us an out-of-key but satisfying cadence to round off the progression.
Overall Analysis
The overall analysis of “With A Little Help From My Friends” indicates usage of the classic Pop/Rock chord style that The Beatles were known for. This style often features I-IV-V (1-4-5) progressions and the usage of minor chords to create emotive contrasts. “With A Little Help From My Friends” uses this to great effect, even incorporating borrowed chords from parallel scales for enhanced emotion and “singability.”
Style Analysis
The Beatles use a mix of major and minor chords in a way that’s characteristic of their balancing pop accessibility with emotional depth. Their use of the major II chord adds a bit of tension and interest, as does their use of the borrowed ♭VII. Both of these techniques make the song more dynamic and engaging, straying from the pure, somewhat predictable I-IV-V progressions often found in pop/rock music.
What are the chords in: The Beatles – With A Little Help From My Friends – Bridge 2?
[‘C#m’, ‘F#’, ‘E’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘C#m’, ‘F#’, ‘E’, ‘D’, ‘A’]
