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“Riptide,” by Vance Joy has a classic, highly repetitive chord progression that creates the folk/pop character of the song. It is written in the key of C Major and uses the simplified I-IV-vi progression, which is also widely used in pop music. In addition, it has a common modulated transition via V chord (G) to the vi chord (Am). There are no borrowed chords in this progression. This repetitive structure can be appealing due to its simplicity and familiarity.

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“Riptide” by Vance Joy is in the key of C major. The chord progression is a repeated sequence of Am, G, C and Fmaj7, with the Fmaj7 being a borrowed chord from the parallel minor, C minor. Given that the majority of the song follows this pattern, it’s simple yet effective, providing a catchy and persistent structure to the song.

“Kiss” is a funk, synthpop song written, produced and performed by Prince. The song’s structure runs around a simple, repeated two-bar eight-note pattern, but what’s odd is the song’s key. Dotting between E and D, it’s hard to pin down definitively, but the song seems to be written in the ambiguous key of E Mixolydian/D major.

The chorus of “Hate This And I’ll Love You” by Muse features a highly chromatic and non-diatonic chord progression, with a myriad of borrowed chords and some distinctive rock sound. The key within which the progression is based seems to shift between E minor and B minor, with a mixture of Major and minor chords throughout.

The chord progression in the chorus of Tyler, The Creator’s “See You Again” exhibits a combination of diatonic and chromatic movements, with the use of borrowed chords and altered dominants that create tension and release. The song is in the key of F# major.

Vance Joy – Riptide – Chorus

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Chord Progression

[‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’]

Chord Progression Analysis

The repetitive chorus (and the majority of the song, in fact) revolves around an A minor-G Major-C Major progression. In the key of C Major, these chords have the following Roman numerals:

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A minor (vi), G Major (V), C Major (I)
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The song does not feature any borrowed chords. Borrowed chords come from a key’s parallel minor or major, and all chords used in “Riptide” are diatonic to the key of C Major.

Similar Chord Progressions

One of the things that makes the three-chord song so profoundly popular is the sheer number of different songs that can be produced from the same simple materials. I-vi-IV progression is one of the most common in pop music. Some examples are:

– “Let It Be” by The Beatles: `C Major (I), G Major (V), A minor (vi), F Major (IV)`
– “No Woman No Cry” by Bob Marley: `C Major (I), G Major (V), A minor (vi), F Major (IV)`
– “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars: `D minor (vi), G Major (V), C Major (I)`.

While the songs above have similar sequences, none of them is an exact match for “Riptide” because the song’s progression is notable for its specific pattern and its minor-major juxtaposition.

Musical Analysis

“Riptide”, like many pop songs, uses a three-chord structure, and what makes it interesting is its simplicity and the techniques used to create variation within it. The only gently nuanced part comes in the bridge, where Vance Joy introduces an Fmaj7 chord which creates tension that resolves back into the main progression. This usage of a non-diatonic chord gives a clever twist to the otherwise straightforward progression.

Overall Analysis

Vance Joy’s “Riptide” is a remarkably simple yet highly effective song written in the key of C Major. The song follows a repetitive I-vi-IV chord progression, which is only varied in the bridge where a minor seventh chord introduces tension before leading back to the song’s major tonality.

Style Analysis

In terms of style, “Riptide” stands out for its catchy ukulele-driven sound and its repetition of the three-chord progression with minimal variation, a common trait in most pop music. Its emotional content derives from the stark switch between the major and minor chords. This lends the song both a happy, upbeat feel from the major chords and an underpinning of melancholy from the minor ones.

Chords in the Chorus section of Riptide by Vance Joy are:

[‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’]