The Beatles – With A Little Help From My Friends – Bridge
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
Within the key of E Major, this part of the song operates in a generally diatonic environment with some notable exceptions.
“`
C# minor (vi)
F# Major (II)
E Major (I)
D Major (bVII) – borrowed from E minor
A Major (IV)
C# minor (vi)
F# Major (II)
E Major (I)
D Major (bVII) – borrowed from E minor
A Major (IV)
“`
Similar Chord Progressions
1. ‘Something’ by The Beatles
With a progression in the key of C major:
“`
C Major (I)
D Major (II)
A Major (VI)
F# minor (iv)
D Major (II)
A Major (VI)
“`
2. ‘Hey Jude’ by The Beatles
This verse progression (Key of F Major) shows another use of the major IV to I progression.
“`
F Major (I)
C Major (V)
Bb Major (IV)
F Major (I)
“`
Note: Similar chord progressions can evoke similar mood but always depend on factors like rhythm, tempo, timbre, etc. The Beatles’ chord progressions were always unique in context of the melody and the overarching song structure.
Musical Analysis
Here, we see an example of both borrowed chords and secondary dominants. The first borrowed chord in this progression is D major (notated as bVII), which is borrowed from E minor. Borrowed chords offer a way to introduce outside tones and add color to a progression.
The move from F# to E might be viewed as a deceptive cadence given that F# is the dominant of B, but instead resolves to E. This is part of what gives the song its characteristic twist.
Overall Analysis
With a Little Help from My Friends’ exists in a rich harmonic landscape typical of the Beatles. Here, we can see signature moves like mixing major/minor tonalities, borrowed chords, and unconventional harmonic progressions.
Style Analysis
The Beatles frequently utilized non-diatonic (not within the key) chords to add tension and interest to their music. They were well known for unconventional chord progressions and harmonic complexity layered within simple pop structures.
What are the chords in: The Beatles – With A Little Help From My Friends – Bridge?
[‘C#m’, ‘F#’, ‘E’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘C#m’, ‘F#’, ‘E’, ‘D’, ‘A’]
