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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Bullet With Butterfly Wings” by The Smashing Pumpkins is an alternative rock song released in 1995. The song is in the key of E minor and primarily uses power chords derived from the E minor scale throughout the song. Power chords or ‘5’ chords, like B5 or G5, don’t have a major or minor quality and are often used in rock music for their strong and neutral sound. The song also applies modal mixture (borrowing chords from parallel keys) for color and tension.

“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 song “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” by Elton John is brilliantly harmonized, showcasing the great musical arrangement skills of John at his best. Primarily, the song is based in the key of C Major and uses a variety of moving bass lines over mostly diatonic chords in the verses and choruses. There are some key modulations and borrowed chords that give the harmony a rich and complex quality which sets it apart from many contemporary pop songs.

Verse

“Hysteria” by Muse is a song with a heavy rock style, featuring a powerful bassline and distorted guitars. The chord progression mentioned is present in the first verse of the song. This progression is characterized by the use of standard tonal harmony and minor key tonality, with some slight variations that are typical in rock music.

The chord progression in Welcome To The Machine by Pink Floyd features a combination of diatonic chords and some extensions to create a lush, ethereal sound. The progression mainly circulates around the key of E minor, with added color tones and an emotional center created by the interplay of chords such as the major 7th and the addition of the 9th degree to certain chords.

The Smashing Pumpkins – Bullet With Butterfly Wings – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

[‘B5’, ‘Em’, ‘G5’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Here’s the chord progression for Verse 1:

B5 (I5), Em (ii), G5 (IV5)

BU (Borrowed chords) = None

Similar Chord Progressions

1) “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana – E5 (I5), A5 (IV5), G#5 (III#5), C5 (VI5)
2) “Black” by Pearl Jam – E (I), A (IV), D (VII), Em (ii)

Although these songs are not in the same key nor do they have the exact Figure Bass notation, they share the same grunge aesthetic and utilize power chords to achieve that raw, rock sound. Just like in “Bullet With Butterfly Wings”, there are minor chords interjected amongst the power and major chords for a heightened emotional effect.

Musical Analysis

The song is in the key of B Major. The use of power chords such as B5 and G5, stripped down to their core harmonics elements (root and perfect fifth), provides the song with raw power typical of the punk/grunge genre. B5 and G5 are the major chords strengthened by the fifth, which gives it the specific rock sound. Meanwhile, the Em functions as a minor chord offering a slight mood change. The constant shifts between major and minor chords build tension and intensity throughout the song.

Overall Analysis

“Bullet With Butterfly Wings” by The Smashing Pumpkins features a chord progression that uses a lot of power chords (fifth chords) which demonstrates its grungy, rock oriented style. It also incorporates major, minor, and suspended second chords, making it an interesting combination of simplicity and complexity.

Style Analysis

“Bullet With Butterfly Wings” is a signature song of the Smashing Pumpkins’ ’90s grunge rock style, featuring distorted guitar tones, intense emotion, and dark lyrics. The use of power chords is typical in this kind of music as they provide a more powerful, simple, and raw sound to express intense emotions. The Asus2 adds a suspense which is characteristic of the moody and introspective aspects of grunge.

Chords in the Verse 1 section of Bullet With Butterfly Wings by The Smashing Pumpkins are:

[‘B5’, ‘Em’, ‘G5’]