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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“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.

“You And Whose Army?” by Radiohead is an alternative rock song featuring an interesting chord progression in the bridge. The chord progression is characterized by its dynamic movement and integration of non-diatonic chords. The progression is in the key of C# minor, and it displays unique qualities that allow it to stand out from traditional chord progressions. The combination of borrowed chords and voice leading creates a sense of tension and excitement, which contributes to the song’s overall atmosphere.

The chord progression from the bridge of Weezer’s “Buddy Holly” is in the key of A major. The progression presents a strong sense of tonality and features common rock/pop techniques, such as diatonic chord progressions, inversions, and the use of the minor subdominant.

“Bullet With Butterfly Wings” by The Smashing Pumpkins is a rock song that alternates between heavy distortion and calm sections. Interestingly, the song is mostly in E minor, but uses a lot of power chords (5th chords) and sus2 chords which give the song a distinctively undecided, floating feeling, as these chords don’t have a clear major or minor character. The song uses a rather straightforward progression with a few deviations and embellishments which provide tension and release.

The Rolling Stones – Miss You – Bridge

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Chord Progression

[‘F’, ‘Em’, ‘Dm’, ‘F’, ‘Em’, ‘Dm’, ‘E’, ‘E’, ‘Am’, ‘Dm’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Here’s the listing of the full chord names and their corresponding roman numerals:

“`python
F -> F Major (‘VI’)
Em -> E minor (‘V’)
Dm -> D minor (‘IV’)
F -> F Major (‘VI’)
Em -> E minor (‘V’)
Dm -> D minor (‘IV’)
E -> E Major (‘V’)
E -> E Major (‘V’)
Am -> A minor (‘I’)
Dm -> D minor (‘IV’)
“`

Borrowed chords:

The inclusion of the E Major chord in this progression is a borrowed chord. Here’s the borrowed chord in code block format:

“`python
E -> E Major (‘V’)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

The V-IV-I progression in the bridge is common in many rock songs.

1. The Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand”:

“`python
G -> G Major (‘V’)
D -> D Major (‘IV’)
C -> C Major (‘I’)
“`

2. Eagles’ “Hotel California”:

“`python
B -> B Minor (‘V’)
F -> F# Major (‘IV’)
A -> A Major (‘I’)
“`

3. Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way”:

“`python
F -> F Major (‘V’)
C -> C Major (‘IV’)
G -> G Major (‘I’)
“`

These all utilise a similar progression, though with different root chords due to different keys.

Musical Analysis

Generally, in the key of A minor, the chord built on E should be a minor chord, i.e., E minor. However, in this chord progression, the song switches to E Major (‘V’), before resolving back to the root Am (‘I’). This gives the song a sense of tension and release, common in many blues songs.

Overall Analysis

“Miss You” by The Rolling Stones is in the key of A minor. The main chord progression in the song is quite consistent — Am, Dm, Am, Am, Dm, Am, Am, Dm — with some variations in the bridge. The song’s chord progression is bluesy in nature, given the usage of minor chords and the parallel movement. In particular, the usage of E, the V chord in A Minor, gives a resolution back to the root chord (Am), which gives the song a sense of tension and release.

Style Analysis

“Miss You” falls under the umbrella of rock and roll with a distinctive bluesy feel. The blues influence comes from the chord progression’s reliance on the minor key and parallel movement used throughout the song. The intro and verse maintain a consistent Am-Dm progression, typical in many blues compositions, which grounds the song in the minor tonality while adding a rhythmic drive. For the bridge, it briefly switches to a VI-V-IV progression, adding variety and interest to the composition before resolving back to the root chord (Am).

Chords in the Bridge section of Miss You by The Rolling Stones are:

[‘F’, ‘Em’, ‘Dm’, ‘F’, ‘Em’, ‘Dm’, ‘E’, ‘E’, ‘Am’, ‘Dm’]