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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Paint It, Black” is in E minor key, with verse 3 having an exciting harmonic progression: Em – B – Em – B – Em – D – G – D – Em – Em – D – G – D – A – B. The chord progression suggests that the Rolling Stones utilise borrowed chords to impose an air of ambiguity that reflects the song’s lyrical themes. Additionally, this song is a blend of rock and raga rock style and exemplifies the Stones’ 1960s exploration into psychedelia and Eastern musical styles.

The chord progression of “Beast Of Burden” by The Rolling Stones from verse 3 appears to be a standard pop/rock progression with a bit of melodic flavor. It features the chords of E major, B major, C# minor, and A major.

The song is in the key of E Major as that’s the chord the progression starts and ends with, and most of the chords are from the E major scale. There are no borrowed chords, and the progression is repetitive, maintaining a loop throughout most of the song.

Let’s move on to the detailed chord progression analysis, chord names, and their roman numerals.

The progression is in the key of C major. The use of the Bb major is known as modal interchange, where a chord that is not in the key is borrowed from a parallel key, which in this case is C minor. This contributes an interesting tone color to the overall sound. The chord progression does consist a use of slash chords (C/B, C/G) which adds a more complex bassline creating a more harmonically active feeling, and yielding more tension and release.

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“Don’t Look Back In Anger” uses simple yet effective chord progressions common in pop/rock music. It incorporates both major and minor chords, showing some classic pop sensibilities. The song is situated in the key of C Major. Embedded within this progression are instances of borrowed chords – the E7 for instance, is a secondary dominant, often used to inject a bit of tension and to give strong resolution leading into the next chord.

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Across the Universe by The Beatles is a melancholic, introspective piece set in the key of D major, imbuing an overall sound spectrum that’s somber with a hint of hopeful resolution. The chord progression utilizes both diatonic and borrowed chords, making it both unusual and interesting.

The Rolling Stones – Paint It Black – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

[‘Em’, ‘B’, ‘Em’, ‘B’, ‘Em’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘Em’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘B’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Em (i),
B (V),
Em (i),
B (V),
Em (i),
D (vii),
G (III),
D (vii),
Em (i),
Em (i),
D (vii),
G (III),
D (vii),
A (IV),
B (V).

Similar Chord Progressions

Stylistically, the chord progression recalls “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals, another song that plays heavily with minor tonality. The song “All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix also exhibits a similar chord progression in the key of C minor (with the chords being Cm, G, Ab and Bb).

– The Animals – House of The Rising Sun:

Am (i), C (III), D (IV), F (VI), Am (i), E (V), Am (i).

– Jimi Hendrix – All Along the Watchtower:

Cm (i), G (V), Ab (bVI), Bb (bVII).

Musical Analysis

The music of “Paint It Black” is characterized by its minor tonality and the use of syncopated rhythms. The chords are strummed in a steady eighth-note rhythm, giving the track its driving feel. The melody of the song is centered around the E minor pentatonic scale, which gives it its haunting and heartfelt quality. The instrumentation includes a wide array of textures, including electric guitar and drums with the sitar, a traditional Indian instrument, as the primary lead instrument. This instrumentation gives the song an exotic and slightly psychedelic feel, further emphasizing the minor tonality of the piece.

Overall Analysis

“Paint It Black” plays with minor tonality, which isn’t extremely common in rock and roll music of the era. The song is in the key of E minor and uses the chords Em, B, D, G, and A. The verse has an interesting use of harmonies, incorporating the minor i, major V, minor iv, major bIII, and major IV chords.

Style Analysis

The song exhibits an unconventional approach to rock and roll, playing with minor tonality and uncommon instrumentation. There is a significant influence of Indian classical music, not just in the use of sitar but also in the melody, which is based on the E minor pentatonic scale, a tuning commonly used in Indian classical music. However, the song stays grounded in its rock roots through its use of typical rock instruments and song structure.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of Paint It Black by The Rolling Stones are:

[‘Em’, ‘B’, ‘Em’, ‘B’, ‘Em’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘Em’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘B’]