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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones is based in the key of C major. The verse has a simple and catchy chord progression that primarily revolves around the I and IV chords in the key, with brief excursions to the dominant and a borrowed chord from the parallel minor key. This structure contributes to the song’s bluesy and rock’n’roll sound.

“Start Me Up” by The Rolling Stones is structured in a key of D Major, and the song largely follows a I-IV-V chord progression, which is a staple in many genres, especially in blues and rock music. The progression is known for its simple, catchy, and resolved sounds.

The chord progression in Muse’s “Endlessly” from Verse 2 is a mix of diatonic chords and a borrowed chord from the parallel major key. The progression has a melancholic feel, utilizing suspended chords to create tension and release. The use of both minor and major chords provides a balanced sound, giving the piece its unique character.

The progression from B to A to E is a common progression in pop and rock music. This progression utilizes diatonic and non-diatonic chords, meaning that the chords all belong to the same key and it suggests the use of borrowed chords. A Perfect Circle tends to use a lot of downward motion in their chord progressions, moving from higher to lower pitches, which can give their music a distinct ‘heavy’ feel.

The given chord progression is from Beck’s song “Sexx Laws” and runs as follows: B, G#, B, G#, B, G#, A, F#. This progression features chords mainly from the B Major key, but includes borrowed chords from the parallel minor key as well. The harmonic movement showcases Beck’s interesting approach to songwriting and shows some influence from the soul and funk genres.

The Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

[‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘Bb’, ‘C’, ‘Bb’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Verse 2 proceeds as follows:
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
F Major (IV)
F Major (IV)
F Major (IV)
F Major (IV)
F Major (IV)
F Major (IV)
F Major (IV)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
Bb Major (bVII) – borrowed chord
C Major (I)
Bb Major (bVII) – borrowed chord
G Major (V)
G Major (V)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
G Major (V)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)
C Major (I)

Similar Chord Progressions

Several artists have used similar chord progressions. Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” uses a similar progression with chords in key of A minor, and a borrowed D Major chord: [‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘D’, ‘D’, ‘D’, ‘D’, ‘D’, ‘D’, ‘D’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘E’, ‘E’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘E’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’, ‘Am’]. Likewise, Neil Young’s “Powderfinger” uses a similar progression with chords in key of D Major and a borrowed C Major chord.

Musical Analysis

The song revolves around a recurring major pentatonic riff. The Stones use heavy repetition of the I chord (C major) which creates a hypnotic, driving groove. The IV chord (F major) then provides a brief change. Borrowed bVII chord (Bb Major) adds color to the progression, and the use of V chord (G Major) adds tension and release, and allows for the transition back to the I chord (C major) to resolve the progression.

Overall Analysis

“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.

Style Analysis

“Brown Sugar” embodies elements of blues, rock’n’roll, and classic rock genres. Known for their blues-influenced rock sound, Rolling Stones make good use of the borrowed bVII chord. By incorporating this borrowed chord, which is frequently used in blues, the band creates an authentic ‘bluesy’ feeling, and adds color to their music.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of Brown Sugar by The Rolling Stones are:

[‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘Bb’, ‘C’, ‘Bb’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’, ‘C’]