Explain the chords of Paramore's Only Exception?

Branshen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J7J_IWUhls

Need some schooling on progressions.

is it this progression in the key of E

o   V-II-I

o   Bridge:  VI-V-IIMaj-VI-V-IIMaj-I

Or

this progression in the key of B

o   I-Vm-IV

o   Bridge: II-I-V-II-I-V-IV

Or

Both?

Branshen

honestly, it feels like the latter one. but what's the theory behind it all? 

randomhandclaps

You are correct, it is the second.  It's only the F#m that confuses it but it's just a substitution simply for effect.   It's nothing complex, just using the A instead of the A#, plus the F#m is very much the passing chord of the main progression.

Branshen

Cheers. but, why does it work as a substitution?

randomhandclaps

Well in reality it could be viewed as key change rather than a substitution, however as someone who has spent a large chunk of my like writing out complex scores and transcribing for large groups I am never keen on seeing and scoring every diversion from atonality as a key change.  Rather a brief or passing substitution.  Viewing every of key note as a key change adds a complexity to the transcribing which 99.9% was not in the mind of the composer.

If you view it as the (albeit brief and recurring) key change it is, then there is no reason for it not to work. 

There are many songs where the IV or V chord is 'minorised' for effect.  A lot pieces also use the trick of playing a major IV or V chord and then 'minorising' them.  For example - C/// G/// F/// Fm///.

Branshen

I'm well aware of the popular major to minor IV chord. by flatting the 3rd of the IV chord (hence making it minor), you'll hit the 6th degree of the I major scale. In my shallow understanding, that's why it fits so well.

What about flatting the 3rd of the V chord? I dont understand why this should work..

bigjon

It derives from the harmonisation of the mixolydian scale 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7. The pattern of bVII IV I is very common in popular music (e.g. 'Gloria' by Them) and the Vm chord is the relative minor of the bVII chord.

viz

Yes. In the chords' triads, expressed in terms of the tonic B, we have:

I: the root, the major 3rd, the perfect 5th.

Vm: the perfect 5th, the flattened 7th, the major 2nd.

IV: the perfect 4th, the major 6th, the octave root.


As BJ says, all the notes of the B mixolydian.

The D# (the major 3rd of the I chord) is also allowed to ring out in the other two chords as well, so the Vm chord is actually F#m add6, and the IV chord is actually Emaj7. That all sets up the strong major 3rd of the subsequent I chord and reinforces that happy major quality despite the flat 7 of the I chord. (Mixolydian doesn't normally sound as happy as Ionian, but having that major 3rd reinforced even in other chords helps - she even sings it on "curse").

Branshen

Great answers. Thanks guys!