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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.

Dead Flowers by The Rolling Stones is a classic track that exhibits some very traditional aspects of popular music and blues-based rock. The song is in D major and follows a fairly standard chord progression, using only three chords (D, A, and G), which make up four-measure phrases that are repeated throughout this part of the song.

“Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix is a classic and influential rock song released in 1967. The chord progression featured in Verse 3 of this song has a bluesy, psychedelic sound that typifies Hendrix’s style. The use of the E7#9 chord, also known as the “Hendrix chord,” adds a sense of tension and dissonance, which contributes to the edgy and innovative nature of the song.

“Love Of My Life” by Queen, especially Verse 3, showcases a mix of simple and complex harmony, with many secondary dominants, borrowed chords, and diminished chords contributing to varying and shifting tonal centres. This makes for an emotional and contextually appropriate progression that fits well with the song’s lyrical content.

Muse’s “New Born” is a rock composition with progressive and alternative elements. The harmonic structure is simple, making use of common chords and progressions. In the given chord progression from Verse 3, there is a sense of tension and release between the major and minor chords, creating a sense of dynamics and urgency. The chord progression itself is repetitive, with subtle variations added to keep interest.

The Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar – Verse 3

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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

“`
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)
C Major (I)
Bb Major (bVII)
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

The I-IV-bVII-V progression can be found in numerous songs across various genres, particularly in rock and pop music. Here are a few:

“Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses
“`
Db Major (I)
Ab Major (V)
Bb minor (vi)
Gb Major (IV)
Db Major (I)
Ab Major (V)
B Major (bVII)
“`

“Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty
“`
D Major (I)
D Major (I)
A Major (V)
G Major (IV)
B minor (IV)
A Major (V)
G Major (IV)
B Major (bVII)
“`

Note: Bear in mind that different songs might have variations in their chord progressions.

Musical Analysis

The aforementioned structure introduces tension and release within the song and provides a clear directional movement. The usage of the borrowed bVII chord (Bb) adds variety and deviates from the straightforward major key progression, transiently hinting at a Mixolydian mode. The solidly anchored harmonic rhythm also provides continuity and predictability.

Overall Analysis

The chord progression can be divided into three main sections (please see the details below). The first section is based around the I chord (C), the second section introduces the IV chord (F), then it returns to the I chord. The third section introduces a borrowed chord (bVII – Bb from C Mixolydian), a V chord (G), then returns to the I chord with a brief excursion back to the V chord. There is repetition in this section with the return to the I chord.

Style Analysis

Like many Rolling Stones songs, “Brown Sugar” is grounded in blues and rock. The borrowed bVII chord is a common trope in rock music that often comes from the Mixolydian mode, which is just a major scale with a flat 7th degree. The Rolling Stones are particularly known for their mixture of rock and blues stylings, and this chord progression reflects that well.

Chords in the Verse 3 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’]