The Rolling Stones – Honky Tonk Women – Verse 2
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 (V/IV)
D Major (IV)
G Major (I)
C Major (IV)
G Major (I)
D Major (IV)
G Major (I)
“`
Note: The A Major chord in the progression is a borrowed chord from the key of D, the IV of the key of G.
Similar Chord Progressions
1. AC/DC – “You Shook Me All Night Long” uses a similar I-IV progression in the key of G: G (I), C (IV) and D (IV).
2. Lynyrd Skynyrd – “Sweet Home Alabama” uses a similar I-IV progression in the key of D: D (I), C (IV), G (V).
3. Bruce Springsteen – “Born in the USA” also uses a I-IV-V progression (though in the key of B): B (I), E (IV), F# (V).
Musical Analysis
The progression as a whole utilizes a common move in rock and roll and blues music, by alternating between the tonic, the subdominant and the dominant. This creates a sense of drive and tension that keeps the groove going. The A Major, a borrowed chord from the key of D, provides a nice ‘twist’ in the progression, adding a feeling of increased tension and leading neatly into the D Major, which then resolves back to the G Major to complete the cycle.
Overall Analysis
“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.
Style Analysis
“Honky Tonk Women” has a bluesy rock vibe which is signature of many of The Rolling Stones’ songs. The chord progression is influenced by the standard blues progression, but with a rock twist. The track makes extensive use of power chords and is driven by a strong groove from the rhythm section (drums and bass) and the use of the dominant chords in the progression adds to the bluesy feel of the song.
What are the chords in: The Rolling Stones – Honky Tonk Women – Verse 2?
[‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘G’]
