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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“A Hard Day’s Night” by The Beatles, despite seeming to have a simple structure, is quite unique in its musical composition. The progression varies from standard rock, pop, and folk structure by integrating unique transitions and slightly unconventional chord choices.

Verse

“In My Life” is a song written by The Beatles which stands as a hallmarks of their inventive songwriting and command of complex musical structures. The song is primarily in the key of A Major, but it employs a number of borrowed chords and modal interchange to create a more interesting and richer harmonic landscape. The melody, rhythm, and lyrics of this song are poignant and memorable, making “In My Life” an enduring classic in the Beatles’ catalog.

“I Am The Walrus” by The Beatles is a song that stands out because of its unique chord progressions and thematic material. The chord progression of the pre-chorus is particularly captivating and somehow unusual compared to common pop/rock tunes.

“Time” by Pink Floyd is a progressive rock song from their iconic album, The Dark Side of the Moon (1973). The listed chords form the harmonic basis of the chorus section. The harmony is characterized by diatonic major seventh chords, interspersed with a few borrowed chords. The chorus features a fluctuating major/minor tonality, giving the song an emotional and contemplative feel.

“Something I Can Never Have” by Nine Inch Nails is a song with a dark and moody atmosphere. The chord progression in both the verse and chorus of the song features certain borrowed chords and chromatic tones that give the piece this distinctive quality. The song seems to be in the key of C Major, but certain chords from the parallel minor key (C Minor) are used to create a sense of tension and emotional turmoil.

Hey Jude

Song

All Analyses by Song

“Hey Jude” goes through a clear progression, switching through the keys of D major, A major and G major. Like many Beatles songs, it cleverly varies between these keys in keeping with the melody and mood of the piece. The complexity of this progression is part of the song’s charm and helps exemplifies the band’s creative approach to composition.

The outro of ‘Hey Jude’ by The Beatles is a prime example of a repeated chord progression, specifically a repeated loop of D-C-G-D. This progression is repeated throughout the last significant section of the song, often referred to as the “na na na” section, essentially becoming a kind of mantra or chant that brings the song to a sustained and palpable resolution.

“Hey Jude,” written by The Beatles, charts a classic journey from tonic to dominant, with a detour through the subdominant and the minor dominant. It starts with a D chord (I), moves onto A (V), then A7 (V7) and back to D (I). The interlude features the progression D (I) – D7 (I7) – A7 (V7). This clever progression creates a momentary modulation to the key of G with the D7 chord, creating an interesting harmonic shift.

“Hey Jude,” by The Beatles, is an iconic song. The chord progression is in the key of D major and it follows a sort of Variation on I-V-IV-I progression of many pop and rock songs. However, what makes this song extremely unique is its out-of-the-box structure and the experimental use of borrowed cords – it shows The Beatles’ fondness for combining elements of pop, rock and classical music and results in an emotional, powerful progression that resonates strongly with listeners.