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Theory Talk - Analysis of Country Roads 3
So last time we talked about the Chorus. Sometimes songs use a bridge to insert more interest or flavor to the song.
A bridge itself can be a very good songwriting tool or technique. It often fits with the song but its comprised of a different progression from that key.
Lets look at one of the things that are going on with this bridge.
Em - D : The first thing that stands out to Me, is chords are now coming faster, 2 chords are sharing a single bar, so that contrast from the long meandering (predictable) strumming in the rest of the song, just added interest, because chords are coming faster now. The bridge also starts on a minor chord, which is different than the verse and chorus, again it suggests emotional contrasts, a wistful longing for home. Make no mistake. The construction of these things, are intentional. This is bread and butter songwriting.
So lets put the whole thing down in Nashville Numbering.
6m 5 1 4
1 5 6m b7
4 1 5 5/7
So it begins on the 6m and you know that the 6m (if you went though Theory Bites, and Mastered G major) shares 2 notes with the 1 chord.
6 then goes to 5 which we expect to pull to…? Thats right, the 1! Authentic cadence. And sure enough, it does! But then the 1 goes to… the 4
The 4 goes to the 1 next. Thats our 4-1 move, the Plagal cadence. See, this stuff really happens! Its not all just randomness and throwing chords out everywhere. This stuff happens all day long right under our noses.
Our next chord after that is 5, but does it go to the 1 again? Nope it goes to the 6m. A deceptive cadence!
Heres something new (but if you followed Theory Bites to the end, youre not lost). a b7! has referred to this chord as a “backdoor dominant”. I told you its a common way we dont play the typical diminished chord in music and this b7 is a very common departure.
In this case the b7 instantly adds a slightly outside sounding chord, that has not come up one time in this tune, to this point. Why is it here now? One word - interest. Its literally ear candy, and perks the ears up “oh what was that?”. Songwriters LOVE a different, unpredictable chord, even once! Piano players make their money on crazy off sounding chords because its easier to do for their instrument. We try it like they do, and a couple fingers might snap off!
So where does it go?
to the 4. not the 1. Hmmm
Oh look! the 4 goes to the 1! Plagal cadence? Yep. So the b7 (backdoor dominant) set up to go to the 4 with the sole intention of making a Plagal cadence!
So then the song goes straight to the 5 after. one bar, signaling a 5-1. But the next bar its a 5/7.
A dominant 7! Now its REALLY signalling that “dude this bus is about to resolve straight back to the 1”
And what does it do? It goes straight back to the 1 - An Authentic Cadence!
Guys this is the power of analysis! The ability to see and understand whats happening and why, in the end, its not random. This is masterful songwriting, and here we are decades later, singing it, why is it so loved by every generation?
This is not an accident. This is why I am so passionate about helping others understand music!
I hope it wasnt too long and I didn't lose everyone. If youre lost, go through Theory Bites, click on the Theory category and learn the G Major key this week!
This stuff is right there for you if you commit the smallest effort to it!
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Theory Talk - Analysis of Country Roads 3
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