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Related Music Theory Alchemy

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)

“Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones, off their 1971 album Sticky Fingers, is in the key of C major, and primarily uses the chords C, F, G and Bb. This song showcases the band’s blues rock influences, built on a repetitive, riff-driven chord progression. The use of I, IV, V, and a borrowed bVII (Bb), which is common in the blues, creates an appealing and familiar sound, helping the song resonate with listeners.

“Someone to Love” by Queen is a rock song infused with gospel and blues influences. It’s written in the key of Ab major but the second verse you have provided seems to be in G major.

“When Doves Cry” by Prince shows the artist’s flair for the unusual. While the song is primarily in A minor, Prince takes liberties with creating unexpected shifts in harmony, which gives the song its unique character. The song revolves around five chords: Am, G, Em, F, and G, repeated throughout the verse. This circular progression offers a sense of continuity, yet Prince’s interpretation and arrangement create a sense of unpredictability.

“Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin is a classic and iconic rock song released in 1971, as part of their fourth studio album, Led Zeppelin IV. The song is considered one of the greatest rock songs of all time, featuring an intricate chord progression, a memorable melody, and folk-inspired acoustic guitar work. The verse you provided is the second verse of the song, which shares a similar, but not identical chord progression to the other verses. The song is in the key of A minor, and the chord progression showcases a mix of diatonic and borrowed chords, along with a couple of chromatic alterations.

The Rolling Stones – As Tears Go By – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

G, A, C, D, G, A, C, D, C, D, G, D/F#, Em, C, D

Chord Progression Analysis

The base key for the song is G Major, as the majority of the chords belongs to the key of G Major. Here is the full listing for the Verse 2 chord progression with roman numerals:

G Major (I), A Major (V/IV), C Major (IV), D Major (V), G Major (I), A Major (V/IV), C Major (IV), D Major (V), C Major (IV), D Major (V), G Major (I), D Major/F# (V6), E minor (vi), C Major (IV), D Major (V).

Note that the A Major chord functions as a secondary dominant (V/IV), which momentarily modulates to the closely related key of C Major.

Similar Chord Progressions

Several artists have used similar chord progressions in their songs. Here are a few examples:

1. The Beatles – “Let It Be”:
C Major (I), G Major (V), A minor (vi), F Major (IV), C Major (I), G Major (V), F Major (IV), C Major (I)

2. Bob Dylan – “Like A Rolling Stone”:
C Major (I), D Major (V/V), E minor (iii), F Major (IV), G Major (V), C Major (I)

These songs feature similar instances of secondary dominant chords and modulations between closely related keys, providing harmonic interest and movement throughout the songs.

Musical Analysis

The second verse of “As Tears Go By” builds mainly on the I-IV-V progression, which is a common chord progression in rock and pop music. The use of secondary dominant (V/IV) and the modulation between G Major and C Major creates a sense of movement and interest throughout the verse, providing harmonic richness.

Overall Analysis

“As Tears Go By” by The Rolling Stones is a popular song from the mid-60s that features a mix of major and minor chords along with modulations between closely related keys. The overall harmonic structure shares similarities with other rock and pop songs of that era, including The Beatles and Bob Dylan.

Base Key and

Style Analysis

“As Tears Go By” showcases a mix of folk rock and pop ballad styles, characterized by its poignant melody and rich harmonic progressions. The song reflects the influence of pop and rock music from the era, including The Beatles’ early works.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of As Tears Go By by The Rolling Stones are:

G, A, C, D, G, A, C, D, C, D, G, D/F#, Em, C, D