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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Honky Tonk Women” is a classic blues-infused rock and roll track, like many songs by The Rolling Stones. The guitar riffs and solo (though not discussed here) clearly show blues influence in their use of the pentatonic scale and common blues licks.

The chord progression used for verse 2 is a typical example of a classic rock chord progression, with a key center around G, utilizing the dominant chords of the key in a I-IV-I-V-IV-I-IV-I progression.

“Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones is a famous Rock song heavily influenced by the Indian classical form of music called Raga rock. The song is written in E minor and it has a very distinctively descending minor key tonality. The chords progression in the verse sequence doesn’t follow the conventional rules of western tonal harmony as it navigates through various key centers, showcasing the bands exploration of exotic and unconventional songwriting.

“Have You Ever Seen The Rain” is a popular song by Creedence Clearwater Revival from the 1971 album “Pendulum”. This song is performed in the key of C major, and uses chords from the diatonic scale. However, it also utilizes borrowed chords and chord inversions to create a bit of colour and novelty.

The song “Every Day is Exactly the Same” by Nine Inch Nails is in E minor key. The chord progression found in the chorus consists mainly of common chords found in the E minor key, along with a couple of borrowed chords from E major. The use of borrowed chords adds unique color and tension to the music.

“Eight Days A Week” by The Beatles is in the key of D major. The song features a handful of basic major and minor chords with a sprinkling of interesting harmonic developments such as the E7 transition chord and the use of the B minor chord which provide a rich palette of colors for the progression.

The Rolling Stones – Honky Tonk Women – Chorus

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Chord Progression

[‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’]

Chord Progression Analysis

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The chord progression of the chorus is simple, alternating between the tonic (G) and the dominant (D). Here is the full listing of the chord names and their corresponding roman numerals:

– G Major (‘I’)
– D Major (‘V’)
– G Major (‘I’)
– G Major (‘I’)
– D Major (‘V’)
– G Major (‘I’)
– G Major (‘I’)
– D Major (‘V’)
– G Major (‘I’)
– G Major (‘I’)
– D Major (‘V’)
– G Major (‘I’)

There’s no borrowed chord from a parallel key, so no specific chord in this progression counted as a borrowed chord.

“`code block
None borrowed chord
“`

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Similar Chord Progressions

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Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” and Beatles’ “Let it Be” represent similar usage of I-V chord movement.

Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” in the key of D Major often alternates between D (‘I’) and A (‘V’).

The Beatles’ “Let it Be” uses the I-V movement in its verse, alternating between C (‘I’) and G (‘V’) if we consider it in the key of C Major.

Musical Analysis

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“Honky Tonk Women” features a catchy, simple chord progression, which lends itself well to the bluesy, rock ‘n’ roll style of the Rolling Stones. The regular alternation between the tonic (‘I’) and the dominant (‘V’) creates a relaxed and consistent musical landscape, upon which the melody, lyrics and instrumental lines play out. This alternating I-V pattern hearkens back to basic 12-bar blues progressions, a key component of many rock and roll songs.

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Overall Analysis

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“Honky Tonk Women” by the Rolling Stones is a classic rock track steeped in the blues tradition. The song is played in the key of G Major and primarily uses chords G, C, A, and D.

**Chorus

Style Analysis

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The Rolling Stones style can be linked to the blues and earlier rock ‘n’ roll. With a straightforward, cyclic chord progression, “Honky Tonk Women” provides a sturdy structure for the catchy, narrative lyrics and Mick Jagger’s characteristic vocal performance. The song represents the band’s ability to update the blues for the rock era, combining the raw energy of rock with the emotional intensity of the blues.

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Chords in the Chorus section of Honky Tonk Women by The Rolling Stones are:

[‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’]