With a Little Help from My Friends’ exists in a rich harmonic landscape typical of the Beatles. Here, we can see signature moves like mixing major/minor tonalities, borrowed chords, and unconventional harmonic progressions.
The Beatles’ “With A Little Help From My Friends” is in the key of E major and the coda chord progression special in its context. It is a clear example of a piece from the pop or rock genre exhibiting a distinctive use of chord progressions and modulation without adhering strictly to the classical traditions. Common prevailing characteristics of music by The Beatles are exemplified in this piece through its use of borrowed chords, chromatic mediants, and modal interchange, providing a distinct harmonic color and texture.
With a Little Help from My Friends’ exists in a rich harmonic landscape typical of the Beatles. Here, we can see signature moves like mixing major/minor tonalities, borrowed chords, and unconventional harmonic progressions.
The Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix is a classic rock ballad written in the key of F major, based around a somewhat simple, yet effective, chord progression. There are a few borrowed chords and modulations that add to the harmonic complexity and characteristic guitar work by Hendrix. The song’s structure consists of a verse, followed by a brief pre-chorus, and a chorus before repeating.
The song “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” by Elton John is brilliantly harmonized, showcasing the great musical arrangement skills of John at his best. Primarily, the song is based in the key of C Major and uses a variety of moving bass lines over mostly diatonic chords in the verses and choruses. There are some key modulations and borrowed chords that give the harmony a rich and complex quality which sets it apart from many contemporary pop songs.
Verse
The chord progression of “Because” by The Beatles demonstrates the band’s profound exploration of harmony. The song starts in the key of C# minor, revolves around this key, and includes various modulations and tonicizations to explore chords beyond the key. It heavily employs secondary dominants and borrowed chords, particularly the diminished 7th chords, which is not uncommon in Beatles’s songs. The chord progression has a dreamy and fluid flow due to these harmonic explorations.
The song constantly oscillates around C#m, which is the presumed root key. Harmonically, the 8-bar verse progression involves the frequent use of borrowed chords, as well as secondary dominants, which are frequently used in the Beatles’ compositions, to provide a colorful and subtle tension.
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