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Related Music Theory Alchemy

The song “Yesterday” by The Beatles is in the key of F major and spans chord I to VI. It is characterized by a deeply expressive melody and distinctive harmony. The chord progression seems simple, yet it makes full use of secondary dominants, borrowed chords, and subtly shifting tonal centers for narrative, which is a trademark of The Beatles’s songwriting style.

“Let It Be” by The Beatles is a song in the key of C Major. The chord progression featured in Verse 3 of the song, C – G – Am – Am/G – Fmaj7 – F6 – C – G – F – C/E – Dm7 – C, is a common progression in pop music. It has a repetitive structure and revolves around the I-V-vi-VI progression.

“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.

“Wild Horses” is a song by the rock band Rolling Stones from their 1971 album “Sticky Fingers”. It is a great example of the band’s adeptness not only at writing catchy rock songs but also at creating complex and interesting chord progressions. The song is in the key of G major. The verse progression is interesting with the use of the B minor chord (Bm), which is the iii chord in the key of G major – a chord that isn’t commonly used in popular music.

The chord progression in Verse 3 of “Congratulations” by MGMT features a mix of diatonic and non-diatonic chords. The song appears to be in G major, and the progression showcases several common techniques such as the use of inversions (G/F#), borrowed chords (Dsus4), and extended chords (Em7).

The Beatles – Yesterday – Verse 3

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Chord Progression

[‘F’, ‘Em7’, ‘A7’, ‘Dm’, ‘Dm/C’, ‘Bb’, ‘C7’, ‘F’, ‘F/E’, ‘Dm’, ‘G7’, ‘Bb’, ‘F’, ‘F’]

Chord Progression Analysis

These are the roman numerals for each chord in Verse 3:

* F (I)
* Em7 (ii7)
* A7 (V/vi)
* Dm (vi)
* Dm/C (vi/64)
* Bb (IV)
* C7 (V7)
* F (I)
* F/E (I6)
* Dm (vi)
* G7 (V7/V)
* Bb (IV)
* F (I)
* F (I)

Borrowed Chords:
“`
Em7 (ii7) from parallel minor key
A7 (V/vi) as secondary dominant
G7 (V7/V) as secondary dominant
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. Elton John – “Rocket Man”: [‘Bb (I)’, ‘C7 (V7)’, ‘F (IV)’, ‘Em7 (iii7)’, ‘A7 (V/vi)’, ‘Dm (vi)’, ‘Dm/C (vi/64)’, ‘Bb (IV)’, ‘F (I)’]

2. Billy Joel – “She’s Always a Woman”: [‘F (I)’, ‘Dm (vi)’, ‘G7 (V7/V)’, ‘Bb (IV)’, ‘F (I)’, ‘Em7 (ii7)’, ‘A7 (V/vi)’, ‘Dm (vi)’, ‘C (V)’, ‘F (I)’]

3. Brian Wilson – “God Only Knows” (Chorus): [‘A (IV)’, ‘G (bIII)’, ‘F#m7 (ii7)’, ‘B7 (V/vi)’, ‘Em (vi)’, ‘Em/D (vi/64)’, ‘D (I)’, ‘Bm7 (vi7)’, ‘E7 (V7/vi)’, ‘A (IV)’, ‘D (I)’]

All these song examples feature chord progressions that incorporate secondary dominants and borrowed chords, similar to the Beatles’ “Yesterday”. Each utilizes these techniques to capture their own distinctive harmonic color, showcasing the endless possibilities in pop songwriting.

Musical Analysis

“Yesterday” demonstrates the Beatles’ fondness for mixing major and minor harmonies. The Em7 (ii7) and A7 (V/vi) are borrowed chords, which are chords borrowed from the parallel minor key. These borrowed chords highlight unexpected flavors in the harmony and serve as bridge chords, linking diatonic sections together.

The use of secondary dominants, such as A7 (V/vi) and G7 (V7/V), creates a strong pull towards their respective tonic chords, thus adding tension and release in the chord progression.

Overall Analysis

“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.

Style Analysis

The Beatles were known for incorporating traditional pop and blues influences with innovative chord progressions and song structures. “Yesterday” reflects this approach with its mix of major and minor harmony, augmented with secondary dominants and borrowed chords to create a complex yet accessible sound that has made it an enduring classic.

Chords in the Verse 3 section of Yesterday by The Beatles are:

[‘F’, ‘Em7’, ‘A7’, ‘Dm’, ‘Dm/C’, ‘Bb’, ‘C7’, ‘F’, ‘F/E’, ‘Dm’, ‘G7’, ‘Bb’, ‘F’, ‘F’]