“The song When Doves Cry” by Prince features a very distinctive chord progression in its chorus section. Technically the song is written in a minor key, but the progression tends to flow in a way that feels almost like a major key at times. This is a common characteristic of many Prince songs, signifying the unique and innovative style of the artist.
“When Doves Cry” by Prince features an unorthodox chord progression compared to many pop or rock songs from the era. The chord progression in the Outro as well as throughout the song remains constant, which underscores the plaintive mood of the song and lyrics. The progression: Em – F – G in the Outro contains borrowed chords from the parallel minor. This introduces a sense of ambiguity to the overall tonality.
The song “Purple Rain” by Prince is a classic and showcases some interesting use of chord progressions. The key of the song is G major. The classic, popular music formula is present in the use of common chords like I, ii, IV, V which are all diatonic within the key. Noticeably, this song opts for a more simplistic, cyclical chord progression structure that emphasizes repetition of strong melodic lines.
“Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day, released in 2004, is an alt-rock anthem that largely follows a 4-chord progression throughout the song. The key signature of the song is E minor (derived from the root chord), and essentially all chords used in the song are diatonic, meaning they are derived from the scales of the key. The chorus shifts to a progression in C Major. However, it returns to E minor at the end.
“Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls is well-known for its unique tuning and chords which adds a certain tenderness and emotional depth to the song. The song is in D Major and utilizes a repeated chord progression that is relatively simple but effective.
“The song When Doves Cry” by Prince features a very distinctive chord progression in its chorus section. Technically the song is written in a minor key, but the progression tends to flow in a way that feels almost like a major key at times. This is a common characteristic of many Prince songs, signifying the unique and innovative style of the artist.
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.
The progression for the chorus of “Sometimes It Snows In April” by Prince exhibits a rich mixture of non- diatonic chords and borrowed chords. The tonal center of the song is A, but it doesn’t strictly follow a specific major or minor scale, creating an interesting blend of light and dark tonalities. This characteristic is a common feature in Prince’s works, showing his notable talent for blending the traditional with the unconventional.
“Wonderwall” by Oasis is a rock song with folk roots and a melodic pop influence. It uses the alternative rock idiom of harmony, which bestows the song with a sound leaning towards traditional folk and classic pop. The band utilizes common vintage chords mixed with modern progressions to create that identifiable Oasis sound.
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“Honky Tonk Women” by the Rolling Stones is a classic rock track steeped in the blues tradition. The song is played in the key of G Major and primarily uses chords G, C, A, and D.
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“Beast of Burden” by The Rolling Stones uses a common rock arrangement with a focus on the V, I, and vi chords. The distinguishing factor for this particular progression is its consistent use of inverted chords to create more linear, and stepwise, bass lines.
“Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones is a rock ballad with a minor tonality and is composed in the key of G major. The song incorporates the use of modal interchange, more commonly referred to as borrowed chords, from the parallel minor. This common technique in rock music contributes to the melancholic and emotionally resonant feeling of the song.
“Little Red Corvette” by Prince is in the key of Gb Major. The song is a staple of 80’s pop and a good example of Prince’s signature sound of fusing elements from different genres, such as funk, pop, and rock. It’s a strong blend of complex chord progressions and simple, catchy melodic lines which adds a compelling depth to the music.
The song “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails mainly consists of a six-chord progression (Bm, G, D, A, Bm, G), repeating four times in the chorus. The sixth repetition alters the ending (Bm, G, A, B), and the key of the song is B Minor.
“Every Day Is Exactly The Same” by Nine Inch Nails utilizes a unique four-chord cycle in its chorus – ‘E’, ‘A’, ‘C’, ‘G’. The song is in the key of E minor, and therefore, the functional analysis would interpret this progression as i-IV-bVI-III. The bVI and III are borrowed chords from the parallel major scale. This chord progression creates a moody atmosphere that aligns with the overall melancholic and introspective theme of the song.
The chorus of “Right Where It Belongs” by Nine Inch Nails is built upon a repeating four-chord progression of Gm-Bb-F-C. This song is in the key of Bb major (with two flats in the key signature, Bb and Eb). All the chords used in this song are derived from the Bb major scale, which makes this a diatonic chord progression. There is no borrowed or chromatic harmony in this song.
The chorus of “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails is built around a progression that oscillates between a single major chord, F, and a single minor seventh chord, Cm7. This is quite minimalistic. Major chords usually have a happy, positive feel, while minor chords induce a somewhat sad, introspective mood. The use of C minor 7th gives a particular color to the progression: it’s a minor chord with an added minor seventh, which means it’s a bit less stable than a regular minor chord.
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