The Smashing Pumpkins – 1979 – Chorus 2
1979 < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘E’, ‘Emaj7’, ‘Amaj7’, ‘E’, ‘Emaj7’, ‘Amaj7’, ‘E’, ‘Emaj7’, ‘Amaj7’, ‘B’]
Chord Progression Analysis
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* E (‘I’)
* Emaj7 (‘Imaj7’)
* Amaj7 (‘IVmaj7’)
* E (‘I’)
* Emaj7 (‘Imaj7’)
* Amaj7 (‘IVmaj7’)
* E (‘I’)
* Emaj7 (‘Imaj7’)
* Amaj7 (‘IVmaj7’)
* B (‘V’)
“`Borrowed chords: none in this particular section“`
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Similar Chord Progressions
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1. The Beatles – “Something”: The verses follow a similar structure with their usage of maj7 chords, albeit in a different key.
Chords: C (‘I’), Cmaj7 (‘Imaj7’), Am7 (‘vim7’), D7 (‘II7’)
2. Radiohead – “Paranoid Android”: Incorporates maj7 chords and progresses in a similar oscillating manner, but in a different key and with the addition of a minor iv chord.
Chords: C (‘I’), Cmaj7 (‘Imaj7’), G (‘V’), Fmaj7 (‘IVmaj7’), Fm (‘iv’)
Please note that the use of maj7 chords in the context of rock genre is a distinguishing feature. While not identical, these pieces showcases similar stylistic choices.
Musical Analysis
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This progression oscillates between E and E major 7th, marking a standard I-Imaj7 progression. Transition from Emaj7 to Amaj7 presents a smooth stepwise up movement in the bass(From E to G# to A), hence creating a light dissonance but resolves it in the next E chord. Concluding in the B chord intensifies a strong melodic pull back to the tonic.
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Overall Analysis
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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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Style Analysis
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The Smashing Pumpkins are known for their innovative fusion of different genres. While ‘1979’ maintains a strong rock sensibility, it exhibits interesting incorporations of jazz elements, as evident in the inclusion of major 7th chords. Repeated use of the same chords underlies a characteristic feature of pop-rock genre – repetition and the use of catchy, addictive loops.
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What are the chords in: The Smashing Pumpkins – 1979 – Chorus 2?
[‘E’, ‘Emaj7’, ‘Amaj7’, ‘E’, ‘Emaj7’, ‘Amaj7’, ‘E’, ‘Emaj7’, ‘Amaj7’, ‘B’]
