The Rolling Stones – Honky Tonk Women – Verse 1
Honky Tonk Women < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’]
Chord Progression Analysis
G Major (I)
C Major (IV)
G Major (I)
A Major (II – Borrowed chord)
D Major (V)
G Major (I)
C Major (IV)
G Major (I)
D Major (V)
G Major (I)
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The A Major chord here is borrowed and not native to the key of G Major.
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Similar Chord Progressions
1. “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd also features a I-IV-V progression but in the key of D major.
D Major (I)
C Major (bVII – Borrowed)
G Major (IV)
2. “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2 has a similar chord progression in the key of D major.
D Major (I)
G Major (IV)
A Major (V)
B minor (vi)
3. “Hey, Soul Sister” by Train has a similar chord progression but shifted to a different key (E major).
E Major (I)
B Major (V)
C# minor (vi)
A Major (IV)
Musical Analysis
Musically, the use of both the IV (C) chord and the V(D) chord in the progression gives the song a resolved feel. The progression starts and ends with I (G), giving it a cyclic feel. The introduction of the borrowed II (A) chord gives the song a mixolydian feel momentarily, attributing to its slightly unconventional rock ‘n’ roll progression.
Overall Analysis
“Honky Tonk Women” by The Rolling Stones is a classic rock song heavily influenced by country and blues. The song is characterized by both major and minor chords, primarily G, C, A, and D. The song is in the key of G major from the verse 1 progression you provided, and it has elements of both I-IV-V and I-V-vi-IV.
Verse 1
Style Analysis
“Honky Tonk Women” incorporates elements from both country & blues genres into a rock ‘n’ roll framework. It features the I-IV-V progression common in blues, and the borrowed II chord is a feature associated with country music. This gives the song a kind of raw, gritty feel that is characteristic of The Rolling Stones’ style.
What are the chords in: The Rolling Stones – Honky Tonk Women – Verse 1?
[‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’]
