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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“1979” by The Smashing Pumpkins employs a variety of chords throughout the song, including major, major 7th, and minor 7th chords. The chord progression varies between sections but is based mostly on a mid-tempo groove in the key of E Major. The song utilizes common pop/rock conventions to create a dreamy and nostalgic soundscape, with the juxtaposition of the major and minor 7th chords adding complexity.

“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.

The bridge of George Benson’s “Give Me The Night” features a blend of jazz, R&B, and pop elements. The harmonic progression showcases a series of descending chords, interspersed with borrowed chords that provide an interesting twist to the overall tonality of the piece.

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is a Beatles song composed in the key of D Major. It’s a classic example of Paul McCartney’s knack for catchy pop songwriting. This song showcases McCartney’s affinity for borrowing chords to make his progressions more interesting.

“When I Was Your Man” is a pop power ballad with a chord progression that tends to lean towards traditional pop and soul structures. It’s set in the key of C Major. However, the song has a few interesting deviations from the standard pop song structure.

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:

“`
“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:

“`
“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’)”
“`

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’]