Search

Related Music Theory Alchemy

“As Tears Go By” by The Rolling Stones is a classic rock ballad featuring a simple, yet effective chord progression and harmonic language. The song is in the key of G major, and the chord progression features a mix of diatonic chords from the G major scale, with the non-diatonic A major chord included as a borrowed chord from the parallel minor (G minor) key.

“Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones is a rock and roll song prominently featuring electric guitar and piano, characterized by its driving groove and catchy chorus. The base key for the song is C Major. The harmonic progression is fairly simple and stays mainly within the diatonic chords, with some occasional borrowing from other modes.

“Set Fire To The Rain” is a song that largely follows the conventions of pop music, with its simple and repetitive chord progressions echoing those in many similar genres. The chord progression observed in the Outro is primarily a combination of minor and major chords that provide a melancholic and intense undertone to the song’s overall theme. The song is in the key of A minor and the chord progression in the Outro starts on the key’s root chord (‘Am’).

The chord progression of MGMT’s “Electric Feel” outro is in E Minor, and it features a combination of diatonic chords and a borrowed chord from the parallel major key. The progression creates a sense of tension and resolution, giving the outro a captivating and memorable quality. The song itself is a psychedelic, funk-infused electro-pop track, which enhances the trippy, mesmerizing vibe of the progression.

The chord progression in the outro of “Earfquake” by Tyler, The Creator is relatively simple and repetitive, featuring a constant alternation between Bbmaj7 and Am7 chords. This back-and-forth between the two chords creates a sense of tension and release that contributes to the dreamy and emotional atmosphere characteristic of the song.

The Rolling Stones – As Tears Go By – Outro

Add To Favorites Remove From Favorites

< All Analyses

Chord Progression

G, A, C, D, G

Chord Progression Analysis

The central focus of the song’s harmony is primarily on the tonic (G Major), subdominant (C Major), and dominant (D Major) chords. The inclusion of the A Major chord, which is borrowed from the parallel minor key (E minor), adds some unexpected color and interest to the progression, yet it is still smooth and functional due to its resolution back to the IV chord (C Major). The D/F# (V6/4) chord in the verses also provides a smoother bass line and voice leading.

Similar Chord Progressions

Musical Analysis

“As Tears Go By” adheres to a style typical of the 1960s folk-pop ballad, with simple, repetitive harmonic progressions and a verse-based structure. The inclusion of a borrowed chord (A Major) adds an element of subtle tension and unexpectedness, which is a common element in pop music from this era.

Overall Analysis

The Rolling Stones’ “As Tears Go By” is primarily in the key of G major and follows a Verse-Verse-Verse-Outro structure. The harmony is relatively simple, incorporating primarily diatonic chords from the G major scale as well as a few borrowed chords and inversions.

Chord Progression Analysis (Outro):
G Major (I) – A Major (V/vi, borrowed from E minor) – C Major (IV) – D Major (V) – G Major (I)

Style Analysis

1. The Beatles – “I Will” (1968)
Chord Progression: F Major (I) – A Major (V/vi, borrowed from D minor) – Bb Major (IV) – C Major (V) – F Major (I)

2. The Mamas and the Papas – “California Dreamin’” (1965)
Chord Progression: A Minor (i) – G Major (VII) – F Major (VI) – C Major (III) – G Major (VII) – A Minor (i)

3. Bob Dylan – “Girl from the North Country” (1963)
Chord Progression: C Major (I) – D Major (V/V, borrowed from G major) – F Major (IV) – G Major (V) – C Major (I)

In summary, “As Tears Go By” by The Rolling Stones employs a simple, diatonic chord progression with some borrowed chords to add interest. It follows a popular 1960s folk-pop ballad style and shares similarities with other songs from the same era by artists like The Beatles, The Mamas and the Papas, and Bob Dylan.

Chords in the Outro section of As Tears Go By by The Rolling Stones are:

G, A, C, D, G