The Rolling Stones – Paint It Black – Verse 4
Paint It Black < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘Em’, ‘B’, ‘Em’, ‘B’, ‘Em’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘Em’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘B’]
Chord Progression Analysis
Here is the roman numerals notation for each chord in the progression:
“`
E minor (‘i’)
B Major (‘V’)
E minor (‘i’)
B Major (‘V’)
E minor (‘i’)
D Major (‘VII’)
G Major (‘III’)
D Major (‘VII’)
E minor (‘i’)
E minor (‘i’)
D Major (‘VII’)
G Major (‘III’)
D Major (‘VII’)
A Major (‘IV’)
B Major (‘V’)
“`
Similar Chord Progressions
1. “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals shares a similar progression.
“`
A minor (‘i’)
C Major (‘III’)
D Major (‘IV’)
F Major (‘VI’)
A minor (‘i’)
E Major (‘V’)
D Major (‘IV’)
E Major (‘V’)
“`
2. “Bittersweet Symphony” by The Verve also employs similar chord patterns.
“`
E Major (‘I’)
D# minor (‘vii’)
B Major (‘V’)
C# minor (‘vi’)
A Major (‘IV’)
B Major (‘V’)
C# minor (‘vi’)
C# minor (‘vi’)
“`
Remember these are not identically same progressions but they share similar structures, shifts, modulations or harmonic resolutions.
Musical Analysis
The primary chords in this song are from the key of E minor, but there are borrowed chords as well. D Major, G Major, and A Major serve as the borrowed chords. D major and G major are borrowed from the Dorian mode of E minor and A Major is borrowed from the parallel major. The frequent movement between the tonic minor (Em), the major V (B Major), the seventh scale degree (D Major), and the mediant (G Major) creates tension and resolves in the progression, offering a sense of exploration and deviation from simple diatonic rules.
Overall Analysis
“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.
Style Analysis
The song features a fusion of Rock and Roll and Indian classical music, featuring distinctive use of the sitar. The recurring minor key tonality, the descending bass line and the instrument choices colour the song with a dark and melancholic yet aggressive mood, which aligns with the lyrical theme of the song. Frequent vacillation between the dominant (B major) and the tonic (Em) also creates a feeling of unresolved tension.
What are the chords in: The Rolling Stones – Paint It Black – Verse 4?
[‘Em’, ‘B’, ‘Em’, ‘B’, ‘Em’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘Em’, ‘Em’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘B’]
