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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“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.

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Vance Joy’s “Riptide” is a folk-pop song that presents a unique coupling of simplicity and depth on the musical landscape. The chord progression, in particular the pre-chorus, is relatively straightforward, but it introduces a flavor of complexity thanks to the inclusion of the borrowed chord. The song operates primarily within the key of C major, and maintains a predominantly folk-like, easy listening aesthetic throughout. Its chord progression, while simple, is nonetheless powerful in conveying the song’s desired emotional ambiance.

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“For No One” is a song from The Beatles’ album Revolver, released in 1966. The song has a melancholic theme, represented quite well through a sophisticated chord progression that features significant use of the minor scale and infrequent use of chord extensions, such as 7th and suspended chords. It’s written primarily in C Major, but the chorus alternates between D Minor and A7, an interesting modal shift (Using structural chords from different modes).

The key of ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ is G Major, a common key for pop and country songs which provides a bright and uplifting sound. Throughout the song, only four different chords are used: G, D, Em and C. The progression is repeated consistently, with only the sudden introduction of an F major chord (borrowed from the parallel minor of G) towards the end of the song during a transition phase.

The song “Every Day is Exactly the Same” by Nine Inch Nails is in E minor key. The chord progression found in the chorus consists mainly of common chords found in the E minor key, along with a couple of borrowed chords from E major. The use of borrowed chords adds unique color and tension to the music.

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:

“`
A minor (vi), G Major (V), C Major (I)
“`

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’]