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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“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 performed in the key of G major. However, the initial chord progression beginning on B minor gives it a modal feel, specifically borrowing chords from G Lydian mode (IV of D Major). It’s an interesting mixture of folky rock with a touch of the blues, and the chord progression is largely based around the typical I-IV-V progression found in many rock songs, but with many deviations and additions.

Key: G Major

Dead Flowers by The Rolling Stones is a classic track that exhibits some very traditional aspects of popular music and blues-based rock. The song is in D major and follows a fairly standard chord progression, using only three chords (D, A, and G), which make up four-measure phrases that are repeated throughout this part of the song.

“Bohemian Rhapsody”, composed by Queen, is a powerful anthem that merges elements of rock, opera, and progressive music. The chord progression demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of voice leading and functional harmony, contributing to its distinctive sound. Famous for its key changes and thematic progressions, the composition is often cited as an example of Freddie Mercury’s musical genius.

The song “It’s A Fire” by Portishead features complex harmonic structures, distinguished by a fusion of pop, rock, and elements of jazz harmonies. The band, known for their trip-hop style, employ chromatically richer harmony and non-diatonic chord progressions in this piece. The chord progression of ‘It’s A Fire’ is consistent with this approach as we see the frequent use of suspended and minor chords alongside major ones, which creates a sense of unresolved tension. Borrowed chords, usually taken from the parallel minor or major key, are also used frequently to add stylistic color to the harmony.

Dead Flowers

Song

All Analyses by Song

Dead Flowers by The Rolling Stones is a classic track that exhibits some very traditional aspects of popular music and blues-based rock. The song is in D major and follows a fairly standard chord progression, using only three chords (D, A, and G), which make up four-measure phrases that are repeated throughout this part of the song.

The song “Dead Flowers” by The Rolling Stones is a classic rock tune that is characterized by its simple yet effective chord progressions. The key of this song is D Major. This song utilizes mostly major chords (D, A, and G), and it has a strong emphasis on the I-IV-V chord progression, a staple in many rock, blues, and pop music.

“Dead Flowers” by The Rolling Stones, from their album “Sticky Fingers” (1971), features a fairly straightforward repetitive chord progression of D, A, G, D in the verse. The key here is D Major. This common progression falls into a I-V-IV-I pattern known as a “plagal cadence”. It’s a progression which consists of a major key followed by its dominant (V), then its subdominant (IV), taking us back to the tonic (I).