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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.

“Rocky Raccoon” by The Beatles incorporates chords commonly associated with the genre of folk or country music. It is primarily built on a repetitive chord progression which consists of Am7, D7sus4, D7, G7, C, and C/B. There’s also a use of plenty of sevenths and suspensions to create a slightly jazzy feel. It’s also worth noting The Beatles’ penchant for chords that provide a mix of major and minor tonalities.

The chord progression of “Beast Of Burden” by The Rolling Stones from verse 3 appears to be a standard pop/rock progression with a bit of melodic flavor. It features the chords of E major, B major, C# minor, and A major.

The song is in the key of E Major as that’s the chord the progression starts and ends with, and most of the chords are from the E major scale. There are no borrowed chords, and the progression is repetitive, maintaining a loop throughout most of the song.

Let’s move on to the detailed chord progression analysis, chord names, and their roman numerals.

Prince’s “Purple Rain” is a classic power ballad, rooted deeply in pop and rock genres. The chord progressions, with particular emphasis on the one given in Verse 3, underlines Prince’s lyricism and craft, showcasing his unique ability to blend seemingly simple chord progressions to evoke emotional and profound moods. The key of the song is G major.

“The Wind Cries Mary” by Jimi Hendrix is a classic example of the blending of blues, rock, and pop elements that characterizes Hendrix’s unique style. The chord progression in Verse 3 demonstrates Hendrix’s use of non-diatonic chords and chromatic harmony, while maintaining a strong sense of tonality and harmonic progression. The unconventional chord progression and the expressive guitar work contribute to the song’s lasting appeal.

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’]