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Related Music Theory Alchemy

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.

“Here, There and Everywhere” is a Beatles song from the album “Revolver”, released in 1966. The song is in the key of G major and showcases an advanced use of borrowed chords and modulations, a topic that contributes to the originality of this song. McCartney credited the song’s structure of changing key to Brian Wilson’s influence in the same period.

The chord progression in Verse 3 of Daniel Caesar’s “Get You” consists of a mix of diatonic chords and borrowed chords from the parallel minor. The overall tonality is in the B minor key. The smooth, soulful sound of the progression is achieved through the use of minor chords, mixed with major seventh chords, and the cycle of fifths progression in some measures.

“Hey You” by Pink Floyd is a progressive rock song from the concept album “The Wall.” The song is characterized by its atmospheric sound created through a combination of acoustic and electric guitars, haunting vocals, and a variety of effects. The chord progression of Verse 3 is interesting as it features a mix of diatonic chords, borrowed chords, and extensions such as the add9 chords that contribute to the song’s unique sound.

“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 – With A Little Help From My Friends – Verse 3

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Chord Progression

[‘E’, ‘B’, ‘F#m’, ‘F#m’, ‘B’, ‘E’, ‘E’, ‘B’, ‘F#m’, ‘F#m’, ‘B’, ‘E’]

Chord Progression Analysis

“`markdown
E Major (I)
B Major (V)
F# Minor (ii)
F# Minor (ii)
B Major (V)
E Major (I)
E Major (I)
B Major (V)
F# Minor (ii)
F# Minor (ii)
B Major (V)
E Major (I)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

– “Let it Be” by The Beatles: [‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C’]

– “No Woman No Cry” by Bob Marley: [‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘F’, ‘C’]

Formatted as:

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

Note: Though these progressions are in a different key, when transposed to the key of E major, they carry a similar harmonic structure to that of “With A Little Help From My Friends”.

Musical Analysis

The given progression is largely diatonic to the key of E Major, centered around its tonic (E), dominant (B), and supertonic (F#m). The root movement in this progression cycles around the IV, V, and vi chords of the key, a common feature of pop music.

The verses adopt a I – V – ii – ii – V – I structure, which is repeated twice in each verse. The repetition here not only gives the song a clear and catchy pattern, but it also effectively creates a sense of stability and resolution.

Overall Analysis

The song “With A Little Help From My Friends” by The Beatles is written in the key of E major. The third verse is mostly consistent with the key, with the only chords used are E, F#m, and B.

Style Analysis

This particular verse is quite indicative of The Beatles’ signature style, a blend of traditional pop structures with an innovative approach to harmony. Their use of predominantly major and minor chords showcases their affinity for tonality, while the slightly unconventional ii – ii resolution speaks to their penchant for exploring new harmonic possibilities.

Chords in the Verse 3 section of With A Little Help From My Friends by The Beatles are:

[‘E’, ‘B’, ‘F#m’, ‘F#m’, ‘B’, ‘E’, ‘E’, ‘B’, ‘F#m’, ‘F#m’, ‘B’, ‘E’]