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Related Music Theory Alchemy

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The piece, ‘1979’ by The Smashing Pumpkins follows an overarching structure with a mix of major and minor chords, what stand out are the rich extended chords, ‘Emaj7’ and ‘Amaj7’. The piece displays a balance between tonic chords and dominant chords, expressing a classic pop-rock style whilst frequent usage of maj7 chords adding a distinctive jazziness to the tune.

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“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.

“In My Head” by Queens of the Stone Age shows a variety of complex chord progressions that are often seen in alternative rock and other sub-genres of rock music. The chord progressions seem to use a combination of modal and chromatic harmony which gives it an edgy and intriguing sound quality.

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“Somebody To Love” by Queen is a classic rock ballad in the key of G major, drawing heavily from influences of gospel music and blues progressions. Its bridge, aside from the characteristic gospel and rock elements, includes a modulating progression that is particularly interesting due to its use of borrowed chords, which adds contrast and emphasizes the emotive quality of the song.

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“Dont Let Me Down” by The Beatles is a song that’s heavily grounded in the key of E Major, with some interesting use of borrowed chords for a richer, more emotional harmonic texture. The song is a fine example of The Beatles’ songwriting style, which often involves mixing diatonic chords with chromatic passing chords, borrowed chords, and secondary dominants.

The Smashing Pumpkins – 1979 – Bridge

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Chord Progression

[‘C#m’, ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C#m’, ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C#m’, ‘A’, ‘F#m7’, ‘B’, ‘Emaj7’, ‘E’]

Chord Progression Analysis

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The song is in the Key of E Major. The chord progression in the Bridge is constructed as:

“`C# Minor (vi) – A Major (IV) – B Major (V) – C# Minor (vi) – A Major (IV) – B Major (V) – C# Minor (vi) – A Major (IV) – F# Minor7 (ii7) – B Major (V) – E Major 7 (IMaj7) – E Major (I)“`

In code block:

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“C# Minor (‘vi’) – A Major (‘IV’) – B Major (‘V’) – C# Minor (‘vi’) – A Major (‘IV’) – B Major (‘V’) – C# Minor (‘vi’) – A Major (‘IV’) – F# Minor7 (‘ii7’) – B Major (‘V’) – E Major 7 (‘IMaj7’) – E Major (‘I’)”
“`

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Similar Chord Progressions

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Similar to the vi-IV-V-I progression used in ‘1979’, Green Day has used similar progression in their hit song ’21 Guns’:

“`D minor (vi) – Bb Major (IV) – F Major (I) – C Major (V)“`

Coldplay’s ‘The Scientist’ also shares a familiar chord progression:

“`D minor (vi) – Bb Major (IV) – F Major (I) – C Major (V)“`

Avril Lavigne’s ‘Complicated’ also involves a similar progression:

“`F Major (I) – C Major (V) – Bb Major (IV) – D minor (vi)“`

In code block:

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“D minor (‘vi’) – Bb Major (‘IV’) – F Major (‘I’) – C Major (‘V’)”
“D minor (‘vi’) – Bb Major (‘IV’) – F Major (‘I’) – C Major (‘V’)”
“F Major (‘I’) – C Major (‘V’) – Bb Major (‘IV’) – D minor (‘vi’)”
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Musical Analysis

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This chord progression revolves around the vi-IV-V, which is a popular progression in pop music as it creates a strong sense of resolution when it finally lands on the ‘I’ chord. It begins and ends on the ‘E’ while it deviates slightly in the middle by incorporating an F# minor 7 chord, which works as a borrowed chord and provides a unique flavor to the progression.

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Overall Analysis

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“The Smashing Pumpkins” in the song ‘1979’ has used a somewhat unconventional yet memorable chord progression, particularly in the bridge section. This progression creates a certain mood and melodic texture befitting the song’s laid-back yet emotionally resonant feel.

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Style Analysis

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The Smashing Pumpkins are known for their diverse approach to songwriting, often incorporating various music styles ranging from pop, punk, gothic rock, and heavy metal. Their chord progressions often have a sense of resolution but with unexpected twists which make their music unpredictable yet melodically strong. ‘1979’ is an excellent example of this stylization as it combines the use of common and borrowed chords to create a distinctive sound.

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Chords in the Bridge section of 1979 by The Smashing Pumpkins are:

[‘C#m’, ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C#m’, ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C#m’, ‘A’, ‘F#m7’, ‘B’, ‘Emaj7’, ‘E’]