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Another Beatles mystery chord...


rasputin1963

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We've spoken here at length about that complex guitar cluster that kicks off the Beatles' song "Help!".

 

I have another Beatles mystery chord to consider.

 

 

It's the second chord in the main theme of "Michelle".

 

In other words:

 

MI----CHELLE.........(boom)..........ma belle

 

The chord played at that "boom" moment in the main theme of "Michelle". After the straight D chord and before the Fmaj7 chord.

 

In Rock Harmony class at Berklee, I raised my hand and suggested that this chord was more complex than the "Gm7" chord...that is usually notated in sheet music and lead sheets. I was laughed at and gainsaid by fellow students and prof.

 

Specifically, I suggested that, on the recording, it sounded more like a C7add9/add11 chord. Whatever it is, it's a "wittier", "softer" chord than that ponderous Gm7 chord proposed... I am sure that, with the vocal harmonies considered, I hear the notes "C" and "E" being implied.

 

Your thoughts? I'm asking that you listen directly to the recording using your ears, not refer to any sheet music you possess.

 

What say you?

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In Rock Harmony class at Berklee, I raised my hand and suggested that this chord was more complex than the "Gm7" chord...that is usually notated in sheet music and lead sheets. I was laughed at and gainsaid by fellow students and prof.

Want respect?

 

Load up your backpack with ammonium nitrate fertilizer; fill up a jug with gasoline, and bring it to class.

 

See if they

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It's the second chord in the main theme of "Michelle".

 

 

You're hearing the background vocals. That's what's confusing you. Also...

 

The song is in F. The progression goes: F -- Bbm7. There is no "other" chord between the two. The only thing that happens on the "boom" that you indicate is the high background vocal "oooh" slides from the major A to Ab, which is what makes up the 7th note of the Bbm7. That's all. Nothing else there to hear.

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I'll have to give it a new listen. Been a long time since I played it so I forget the chords. But the OP might be right in what he's hearing in this sense: Any combo of notes played at a given moment can be identified as a chord, and any melodic note played during that time can be construed as an harmonic element of the chord. So if you are correct about the progression, the 'chord' at that moment would be an Fsus4.... F / Fsus4 / Bbm7.

 

Will listen when I get home.

 

You're hearing the background vocals. That's what's confusing you. Also...


The song is in F. The progression goes: F -- Bbm7. There is no "other" chord between the two. The only thing that happens on the "boom" that you indicate is the high background vocal "oooh" slides from the major A to Ab, which is what makes up the 7th note of the Bbm7. That's all. Nothing else there to hear.

 

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Alan Pollack gives it a pretty thorough run down here.

 

http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/DATABASES/AWP/m4.shtml

 

The song is in F, with several detours to Fm and beyond. A good day's work for Paul. But then, many of you don't really think the Beatles were "all that". What was he? All of 23?

 

By the way Ras, none of the chords you mentioned are right. Not even if you were to transpose the song to D.

 

Steve

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Don't you mean "A Hard Day's Night" ?


"Help" is pretty straightforward.

 

I was gonna point all of this out - wrong key for "Michelle", no "mystery chord" on the "BOOM" he was talking about, calling "A Hards Day's Night" "Help"...

He posted it at 10:30pm, so I think Ras had likely emptied a wine box by the time he made his original post, hence my first reply about "hearing more than is there." It was too crazy to even comment on. :p

:poke: We still love you, man. :thu:

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You're hearing the background vocals. That's what's confusing you. Also...


The song is in F. The progression goes: F -- Bbm7. There is no "other" chord between the two. The only thing that happens on the "boom" that you indicate is the high background vocal "oooh" slides from the major A to Ab, which is what makes up the 7th note of the Bbm7. That's all. Nothing else there to hear.

 

 

You're right about the music but you're wrong about what's confusing him. In another thread, he told me that he was smarter than me because he used bigger words.

 

Then, it was overly complex words he was using inaccurately. Here, it's overly complex chords he's using inaccurately.

 

It's not about being confused by background vocals. It's about him thinking he's smarter than other people, and that somehow making things overly complex confirms his delusions of superior intelligence.

 

The song is beautiful because it's simple and unpretentious.

 

I heard Paul McCartney sing it a few weeks ago. Glorious!

 

Insult me all you like, Ras, but please do not insult Sir Paul!

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You guys leave Ras alone


He's my chum

 

 

And mine, and Cooter, I know you mentioned previously (in Jest) that he might have been into a Winebox when he started the thread...

 

Ras has eschewed drinking for a while now,

 

SSS benefits greatly from his posts, and I really never got the feeling he really thinks he is smarter than anyone on this site.

 

He is an extremely intelligent Cat though.

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