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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Landslide” by The Smashing Pumpkins is a cover of a popular folk-rock song by Fleetwood Mac. In this song, The Smashing Pumpkins show their alternative rock style, while also paying homage to the folk-rock genre and especially to the founder of Folk-Rock “Fleetwood Mac”. The chords used throughout the song are predominantly composed in the key of G major, with the occasional use of a common borrowed chord (Am) from the G minor key.

“Tonight, Tonight” by The Smashing Pumpkins is a rock song happy to embrace classical music tropes. An orchestral, string-heavy arrangement propels the song, surrounding the listener with a rich tapestry of sound. The grandiose sound of the full orchestra is bolstered by the band’s dual guitars and Billy Corgan’s characteristic singing.

“The Wind Cries Mary” by Jimi Hendrix is a classic example of the blending of blues, rock, and pop elements that characterizes Hendrix’s unique style. The chord progression in Verse 3 demonstrates Hendrix’s use of non-diatonic chords and chromatic harmony, while maintaining a strong sense of tonality and harmonic progression. The unconventional chord progression and the expressive guitar work contribute to the song’s lasting appeal.

“Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day is set in the key of E minor, and uses a recurrent sequence of four chords throughout the song: Em, G, D, and A. The prevalence of this progression endows the song with an air of melancholy, aligning with its lyrical themes of loneliness and disillusionment. These four chords create a harmonic loop that reflects the circulative narrative portrayed in the lyrics.

“Lord Only Knows” by Beck is a blend of folk and country with a touch of alternative rock. The song features an interesting chord progression, especially in Verse 3, which includes a mixture of major and minor chords as well as a few borrowed chords.

The Smashing Pumpkins – Landslide – Verse 3

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Chord Progression

[‘C’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘C’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘C’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘C’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘C’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘Am’, ‘G6’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Here’s a detailed chord progression analysis with complete chord names and their corresponding roman numeral forms:

– C Major (‘I’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– A minor (‘vi’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– C Major (‘I’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– A minor (‘vi’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– C Major (‘I’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– A minor (‘vi’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– C Major (‘I’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– A minor (‘vi’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– C Major (‘I’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– G6 (‘V6’)
– A minor (‘vi’)
– G6 (‘V6’)

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Wonderwall” by Oasis
– Progression: Em7 (‘ii7’) – G (‘V’) – Dsus4 (‘IVsus4’) – A7sus4 (‘VII7sus4’)

2. “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin
– Progression: Am (‘vi’) – D/F# (‘II#’) – G/F (‘bVII/F’) – G (‘V’) – Am (‘vi’)

Each of these songs use similar technique of alternating between major and minor chords, creating a memorable tonal landscape that moves the listener. “Wonderwall” also uses a type of 6th chord (A7sus4) that, similar to “Landslide”, creates a unique and distinctive sound.

Musical Analysis

The structure of C – G6 – G6 – Am, repeated several times, beautifully leads into each other, building suspense before resolving back to the C. The G6 chord acts as a transition chord leading to the Am, and then once again leads back to the C, effectively outlining the tonal center of the piece.

Overall Analysis

“Landslide” by The Smashing Pumpkins is a subtly complicated piece of music. At first glance, the chord progression may seem simple, but it actually incorporates a number of rich musical techniques that give the song its iconic depth and emotional resonance. The song follows a simple yet powerful chord progression and relies heavily on the interplay between the root C major chord, the G6, and the Am minor. There is a recurring theme of returning to the G6, which creates tension and suggests feelings of melancholy or introspection.

Style Analysis

The dominant use of G6 gives a nod to the band’s alternative-rock style, as this is not a conventional chord that is traditionally used. The Smashing Pumpkins have been known for their grunge and heavy metal influences, and incorporating such chords adds a layer of musical sophistication and unpredictability to their songs.

Chords in the Verse 3 section of Landslide by The Smashing Pumpkins are:

[‘C’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘C’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘C’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘C’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘C’, ‘G6’, ‘G6’, ‘Am’, ‘G6’]