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The interlude piece from Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So” features an eight-chord progression in the key of C major, with prevalent use of Roman numeral notation and borrowed chords from parallel minor scales. This progression is typical in rock and pop music, representing Weezer’s alternative rock style.

“My Name Is Jonas” by Weezer is a 90’s alternative rock song that features a catchy and memorable chord progression during its chorus. The harmony is simple and combines both major and minor chords, giving it a balanced and well-rounded sound. It is worth noting that this progression is fairly common in popular music, particularly in rock and indie genres.

The bridge of Beck’s “Heart Is A Drum” features a mixture of diatonic chords and borrowed chords. This creates a sense of continuous flow, which is commonly found in many popular music songs. The progression contains primary chords (G, C, and F) and a secondary chord (Dm7).

This particular section is mostly based in the key of F major and highlights Freddie Mercury’s love for moving from the classical I-ii-V progression to the jazz-inspired I-IV-ii-V, often followed by a jazzy II-V-I. In this part of the song, you will find some interesting use of borrowed chords and leading tones, contributing to the chromaticism that enriches the progression.

The song ‘Today’ by The Smashing Pumpkins is a classic example of mixing major and minor modes in rock music. The majority of the song is modal, centered around D major and B minor. However, the bridge section changes gears and revolves around E minor.

Weezer – Say It Aint So – Bridge

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Chord Progression

G, G/F#, C, Eb, G, G/F#, C, Eb, G, G/F#, C, Eb, G, G/F#, C, Eb, Am, E, F, C

Chord Progression Analysis

G major (IV) – G/F# (IV/2) – C major (I) – Eb major (bIII) – G major (IV) – G/F# (IV/2) – C major (I) – Eb major (bIII) – G major (IV) – G/F# (IV/2) – C major (I) – Eb major (bIII) – G major (IV) – G/F# (IV/2) – C major (I) – Eb major (bIII) – A minor (vi) – E major (V/ii) – F major (IV) – C major (I)

Borrowed Chord:
`Eb major (bIII)`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. Radiohead – “Creep”
Chord progression: G major (I) – B major (III) – C major (IV) – Cm (iv)

2. David Bowie – “Space Oddity”
Chord progression: E minor (i) – G major (III) – C major (VI) – A major (IV) – F major (II)

In these examples, the chord progressions also utilize borrowed chords and chromatic harmony, giving the songs a similar sense of tension and unpredictability.

Musical Analysis

The chord progression in the bridge mainly employs diatonic chords like G major, C major, and A minor. However, the Eb major chord is borrowed from the parallel minor key (C minor) and creates a chromatic twist in the harmony. The slash chords such as G/F# add a stepwise bass motion that contributes to a smooth and interesting harmonic progression.

The gradual movement from the G major to G/F# displays an example of chromaticism and helps connect the IV chord smoothly to the I chord. Additionally, the E major chord towards the end can be analyzed as a secondary dominant (V/ii), which resolves to the F major chord before resolving back to the tonic.

Overall Analysis

The bridge of Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So” features an intriguing chord progression, which presents both diatonic and borrowed chords, as well as chromatic harmony. The song’s key is C major, but it touches on the parallel minor key and incorporates unusual chords such as the Eb major chord, which adds tension and surprise. The chord progression and harmonic rhythm are fairly consistent throughout the bridge, creating a sense of unity.

Style Analysis

Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So” bridge exemplifies the band’s alternative rock sound, incorporating some traditional components of pop-rock harmony while also exploring more experimental territory. The unexpected chords create a sense of tension and unpredictability that is a hallmark of Weezer’s music. The chord progression’s simplicity and repetitiveness make it a great example of what makes Weezer’s songwriting style unique.

Chords in the Bridge section of Say It Aint So by Weezer are:

G, G/F#, C, Eb, G, G/F#, C, Eb, G, G/F#, C, Eb, G, G/F#, C, Eb, Am, E, F, C