Really great video exploring one of their most classically inspired pieces! One correction, at 4:43 the B minor chord is not from the RELATIVE minor but rather the PARALLEL minor.
Sometimes your location leads to some misunderstandings in music. Take the musical notation for example. A, B, C, D, E, F, G couldn’t be easier. In Germany the B is called H and nobody knows why. I’ve it’s because of misread handwritten letter, but I don’t know if it’s true.
I’m still a young boy (only 66) . I have ever loved this song; the first time I’ve listened to it, I have feeled the magic in it! I’m sorry if my english is not perfect : I’m juste a little young french boy 🍏
Same here (at 70). I loved this song the first time I heard and it has remained a favorite, perhaps THE favorite, of their entire repertoire! It’s one of those songs I could hear literally a thousand times and never tire of it.
Hi Don, I'm a year older than you and bought a guitar when I was 18. I learned a few chords, pattern picking and a few blues and ragtime snippets. Hear me for two minutes and you'd think I could play...but in truth, from that day to this, only by rote. I now play clawhammer banjo and also took flute lessons for three years so I learned what the dots on the five lines meant...I knew nothing of that before as all was in tablature. I've watched hundreds of videos like this one with talk of pentatonic scales, keys, diminished and augmented things. I go away, look each one up, think I've understood but ten minutes I'd have no idea. That up the neck stuff is still a mystery...the guys fingerlings in this video are simply unfathomable. I think I've realised I'm musically dyslexic! I can carry a melody, sing harmonies sometimes and like listening to complex jazz and orchestral music. But it's still similar to school where music was what the rich kids did....other worldly....Luckily, the arthritis in my fretting forefinger is so bad, I'll be selling my guitar! I'm happy this video has been an epiphany for you.
@@DerayesCalm down. Don't reply to the idea that a single comment about "a stroke of genius " is the same as the poster saying this one stroke alone makes the composer a genius. Have you been through all the key changes? Your "only" is inaccurate. There is a lot more going on. Check out on RUclips "The Beatles: A musical appreciation and analysis by composer Howard Goodall CBE" and appreciate all the other strokes of genius.
I agree. And that's what separates great pop from just a simple pop song. It's the hidden depths that are designed to sound so easy on the ear. It's a craft within itself and hugely underappreciated.
Underrated fact : This is the most amazingly accurate "Penny Lane" tutorial on RUclips. I just learned the whole song by your pinpoint analysis and I felt what you wanted us to feel while listening/playing the song. Kudos to you! We want more of these.
The more you learn about Beatles songs, the more it seems insane that they not only existed, but we're all alive at the same time as at least two of them. These are geniuses that seem otherworldly.
I took a college course on Beatles Composition and this video brought back so many memories. I was smiling through the entire video. It's so incredible how every single Beatles member is a talented composer, musician, and singer, with no formal training. Thank you for sharing, I wish there was a "love" button for this video.
I realized many years ago that McCartney has one of the most sophisticated chord vocabularies you could ever encounter. Sing Along Junk, Yesterday, Martha My Dear, (of course) Penny Lane, etc.
Honestly every video that I watch from this absolute masterpiece of a channel I feel like I grow so much as a guitar player. Thank you so much Paul. Never stop.
I am also a huge Beatle fan. I am also a guitarist. I have been raving about that b minor chord for years. In fact I was again raving about that chord and the whole progression to my musician son last night at our family Christmas dinner…. Before I saw this video. Then I made the wild assertion that the Beatles were the greatest composers since the classical era.
Another often overlooked, and sometimes much maligned, song by Paul McCartney is "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey". I love that song. It was on the radio in my early childhood memories (I only remember the Beatles after their breakup, and mainly because of the wonderful Red (1962-1966) and Blue (1967-1970) collections. The section of Uncle Albert with the thunderstorm sounds like Brian Eno would later make an entire career out of. The trumpet solo melody during "Hands Across The Water" is so wonderfully catchy and fun. Paul McCartney is the greatest!
One of my favorite elements in this song is how Paul manages to make A Major sound like it is brightening up from B Major by placing the chorus melody slightly higher than the verse melody, while still maintaining continuity/familiarity by keeping that rising stepwise motion in the melody. (B-C♯-D♯ in B Major, C♯-D-E in A Major)
If you and Rick B were everyones' music teacher every one would play an instrument to a decent grade for sure. You are both just so brilliant and make music so interesting !
The sequence after the Bm, where it hits the Gm7b5 -> Gmaj7 -> F#7sus4 -> F#7 is so goooooood! Love the visuals in your videos @PaulDavids! I always learn something new when I watch your videos. Excellent content!!!
The Beatles with Ringo formed, and first recorded, in 1962. Penny Lane was written in 1966. Secondary Dominant. Pivot Chords. Modal Mixture. Modulating... Had McCartney learned music theory as he went through those few years of writing, or was it intuitive? From Love Me Do to Penny Lane in 4 short years...simply amazing, isn't it?!?
He probably learned songs that had similar chord structures and put his own twist to it. That's how I think most musicians compose rather than just "learning music theory".
@@letsgomets002 please provide a source for this because this statement is constantly thrown around the internet and I have not once heard an ounce of support for it
This gave me a whole new appreciation for this song, I’m just so used to hearing it I’ve never perceived this level of complexity and depth in it before. Great video Paul!
I implore you to watch Howard Goodall's series titled, "Howard Goodall's 20th Century Greats", and in particular, the Beatles episode: ruclips.net/video/ZQS91wVdvYc/видео.html The section on Penny Lane totally blew my mind, as I've loved the song since I was a child some 45 years ago. Thank's to Goodall, I now know why. The Penny Lane segment starts around the 18th minute mark in the linked video. As a bonus, he then goes on to unravel Elenor Rigby. Pure magic!!
A lot of the Beatles songs are like this. When I was growing up, I considered then "oldies" music that my parents listened to. Sure, some of the tunes were catchy, but I never paid much attention. But recently I've been listening to a lot of their stuff and trying to learn some of it and it's simply amazing. Most of the songs sound simple but they often have lots of unique and cool chords and changes in them that give them that Beatles sound.
I'm much the same. The Beatles' songs are so ingrained in our cultural consciousness that we forget to analyse them. They just exist, and it feels like they always have done.
All Paul's songs are like that. Bass lines in Come together and Dear Prudence. Obladi oblada da is made fun of, but just listen to the catchiness of the melody!
@@deansusec8745 I always thought it was great Reggae this was before Reggae became well known. A lot of groups could not even play Reggae in the seventies, it is to do with the timing in rock and blues it is 1234 in reggae the beat is slower and the timing is different it is 1and2and etc, it is more to do with the off beat.
Yes, and there is a connection, the same connection that many other famous bands had from the 60's and 70's. That connection is a deep understanding of music theory. Knowing how you can progress chords. A secret is you can use any notes, like for example, the chord formulas do not allow for an A's 13th(6th) interval to fit in the C major scale but you can build one which would be notated as Amb6 or Am7b13 which makes the 6th/13th an F rather than an F#. One useful thing to do is learn(or write down) the formulas to build chords, . The formulas are applied to the major chord of the root note. Thus Major chords are all natural intervals, dominate chords are all natural but a b7th(you can still sharpen or flatten any other interval accept for the 3rd because minor chords are a b3rd & b7th. Diminished chords are b3rd - b5th - (bb7th for them diminished 7th) while m7#5 and m7b5 are half diminished. I think, minus altered chords that you would build there are like 50 or so chords that fall in the scale C major, the minor chords in Key Cmajor have a dominate chord that falls in the scale, A7sus4, D7sus4, E7sus4. So when you start with an Am for example, you have even more options because you can use the Cmajor scale or the A harmonic minor which sharpens the 7th (A B C D E F G#) which allows you to turn your v chord (Em) into a dominate Chord using the G#(E G# B D) . But then of course, you can modulate(change key) or borrow chords(Temporarily step out of key). Or you can do inversions(changing the order of notes in a chord but keeping the root note as the bass note)[C E G or C G E(INVERSION), or you can use Slash Chords like the example Paul just gave of the Cm with E as the bass, notated as Cm/E(in most cases(not all) if the 3rd interval is the bass note you don't include anymore octaves of the 3rd in your chord). Unless the only thing you desire to do is play songs already written or use the same simple progressions used over and over music theory is 100% needed to write unique progressions like most of the bands through the 60's and 70's.
Your ears can help you "feel theory" and your ears need the knowledge they get from listening to a variety of musical styles and musicians. Learning actual theory can help you make sense of where that ear wants to go and can help it get there, quicker. But the most important job is to feed your ears-- the songwriters many revere listened to alot of things you might not expect. So, eat your musical vegetables and then learn about applied nutrition. And follow your damn muse.
When things were at their very worst: 2 Suns, Cross in the sky, 2 comets will collide = don`t be afraid - repent, accept Lord`s Hand of Mercy. Scientists will say it was a global illusion. Beware - Jesus will never walk in flesh again. After WW3 - rise of the “ man of peace“ from the East = Antichrist - the most powerful, popular, charismatic and influential leader of all time. Many miracles will be attributed to him. He will imitate Jesus in every conceivable way. Don`t trust „pope“ Francis = the False Prophet - will seem to rise from the dead - will unite all Christian Churches and all Religions as one. One World Religion = the seat of the Antichrist. Benedict XVI is the last true pope - will be accused of a crime of which he is totally innocent. "Arab uprising will spark global unrest - Italy will trigger fall out" "The time for the schism in the Church is almost here and you must get prepared now" The Book of Truth.
I'm a music illiterate, but I love how the music supports the lyrics. The walking bass when you picture Paul literally walking down Penny Lane, the Bminor when nostalgia kicks in, and the modulation in the chorus describe the happy memories and the blue skies perfectly.
Being a music Illiterate ain’t bad if you ask me, you enjoys more rather than criticise more. I remember not understanding much about scores and love simple music, until i’ve learned so much to a point that i slowly despises this kind of music, and somehow, it’s so hard to be entertain by it nowadays.
@@chys13830 you are confusing arranging with composing. Paul composed that song. It didn’t exist without him. Yes George Martin helped arrange it, as any producer should (except better), but Paul WROTE it.
You break this down so well Paul ! I had no idea how intricate Mr McCartney’s chord progression was. I will be 78 soon. First heard the Beatles with their “ I want to hold your hand”. Loved them ever since. Thank you so much for taking the time to show the world how beautiful music is. You play that guitar brilliantly. 🙏🙏David M
As a nearly life-long Beatles fan and even having studied their music in an elective music course at University many years ago - this was an absolutely brilliant analysis! Thanks so much Paul Davids
I grew up with Beatles songs. They were always so, so - well, so uplifting, somehow. They seemed simple enough songs to me, so how did they get that unique Beatles sound? You've explained it perfectly - genius musicianship that hides its own complexity.
I totally agree. And the simpler, the better. Hello Goodbye is an almost perfect pop piece of ear candy. "We Can Work it Out" is like a therapy session without all the heavy mood... Paul is my favorite musician (followed closely by Beethoven and Debussy).
That dissection of a classic just blew my mind. Admittedly, I’ve been playing for several years but have never delved into the method and theory of playing guitar because that part of music has never seemed like much fun to me. However, the way you unwound that song just made something click and now I’m looking at playing in a completely different light. Thanks, Paul!
He liked when critics would say stuff like "their song masterfully uses Aeolian cadences" but he didn't want to look up what it meant. Like many great artists he didn't want to focus too much on the technical. Just as much as he needed to get away with it.
When you have an innate, magical reservoir of creativity that you can tap into without conscious thought and it leads you to a place of wonderful sounds and aesthetics, why mess it up with too much technical knowledge --- very rare to have musicians with this type of natural talent, in tune with something the majority of us could not tap into, at least not without constant training and technical exercises which in the end would likely sound a bit artificial and too thought out anyway. Come to think of it, perhaps it was all those endless of hours of just 'playing' music and not necessarily 'learning' it in some class or book that took Paul (and the Beatles) to this very special place.
@@Hernal03 forgot who said it, but someone said any musician or artist can learn on their own eventually even if they dont know what the theory is called
Great analysis is a beautiful song. I used to the music teacher at Dovedale Primary School in Liverpool. John and George both went there but I was there many years after they had left!! The school also backs on to Penny Lane and it was part of my mission statement to make sure that every child could sing this from memory and with joy in their voices. It was a song about them and their home after all. I'm no good on guitar but it works beautifully on piano though and I used to play it in G major, modulating to F major on the choruses to accommodate for the higher range of their voices. FYI all the things mentioned in the song were actually on Allerton Road at the time Paul wrote it. I guess Penny Lane was just catchier to sing. Such a glorious song.
I was talking to my co-worker the other day and I said I how don't understand how people HATE the Beatles. She said that their music isn't very interesting. I was dumbfounded by the comment, as when I was a young guitarist and I tried to learn Beatles tunes the "weird" chord voicings really threw me off. I still will never understand the hate for the band, they are one of if not the most influential band in basically all genres of music, and yet somehow are still wholly unique.
and this is why the Beatles are so revered ... they were geniuses ... Paul still continues to compose and he is a master of melody ... you hear it in his bass playing and no-one was playing bass as melodically as he was then and now.
I have to say that as amazing as the content of this video is, I spent just as much time appreciating your production and editing. For how many cuts there are it’s so clean. Your b-roll camera is perfectly tied into a-roll as you go back and forth from explanation to playing. It’s a dream to aspire to. Every second of the 13:45 is informative and builds on itself. the lighting is perfect. Thanks for keeping the bar completely unreachable 😜
Beatles songs are like watching a swan on a river .. serene, simple and beautiful on the surface .. but there’s a lot going on below the surface, always so much more complicated that expected or than the casual listener would hear. Amazing that these self taught musicians could master these seemingly difficult musical theories.
A good ear does not need to know music theory or how to read music to compose great songs. Well pop and rock at least. However if you are working with a killer producer like George Martin who can read and knows theory it is certainly not going to hurt. He was the 5th Beatle.
I never knew anything about a perfect chord progression. All I knew, was it’s probably my favourite Beatles song. It’s amazing what these guys, you included, are thinking, and the complexities you notice.
I remember a few years ago reading Pollacks analysis on this song (among several other Beatles songs) and it really cemented this one as a favorite. Every modulation just works so well. The way each chorus modulates down a step, but vocally goes UP, but then the final chorus goes up both musically and vocally. It really drives home the nostalgic feeling of the place where you grew up. Just magic.
Paul McCartney's dad was a jazz musician, he was raised on jazz progressions. I went to school to study jazz and these are standard jazz changes. Go listen to jazz standards from the 40s and 50s. Why more pop musicians don't use more jazz changes is beyond me. That being said Paul McCartney is my favourite pop musician. It's sad that people learning music stop at the basic chords and don't learn anymore. Never stop learning
A great companion piece to this video would be Episode 2 of "McCartney 3, 2, 1". Rick Rubin gets Paul all excited about his old masterpiece. They talk about the famous piccolo trumpet solo, and McCartney reminisces about coaxing that high note out of the player. They then listen to the tape, and as that note rings out, an almost 80 year old Sir Paul whoops in excitement like a little boy. That whole show is pure joy. I hope it'll be more easily accessible one day. Right now you need Hulu to watch it.
Aaaah! I love how you show the typical walk down, chord progression 99% of musicians would use to resolve back to the Bmajor and contrast that with the amazing and brilliant way Paul McCartney takes us back to the start. Just never content with ordinary. Part of their collective greatness. The closer I look at the music of the Beatles the more I realize, I know nothing!!
As a kid and fledgling player in 1968, most Beatles chord books then had VERY basic chords denoted. I knew they weren’t correct but could have NEVER figured them out on my own. Then or now! Thanks for a great lesson.
Penny Lane is not even the kind of song most would consider playing on guitar since in the song you only notice voice, bass and orchestra. Very impressive the way he got it on guitar here. I have been playing a long time myself and also would have never figured it out even if I tried.
People have accused them of being a typical pop band that plays 3 chords, but I always knew how intricate their chords were because I have the huge tab book with the most accurate transcriptions, you can see even in their early days they were using some wild chord progressions up and down the neck that are not easy to play.
I had looked with great pleasure at the seven, count 'em, seven modulations in this song and how modulating the chorus down to Amaj raises the voicing of the vocal and gives it a wistful feeling to the reminiscence of the lyrics. But your study for guitar is so much more thorough and just expands the wonder of this composition. Thanks!
Superb tune ! & the horn lead lines are really something else too. They are well worthy of a separate vid. & this is only one of literally dozens(at least) of truly great tunes. The Beatles is where to begin with music, NO question. & perhaps even end regarding writing IMHO. At least there is nobody else since that I'm aware of with such a quantity of quality.
McCartney is an intuitive genius and melody man, if you analize this without chords it also works beautifully because the melody and lyrics alone are just awesome 🙌
Going from the major to the parallel minor is one of my favorite things I learned from Paul. Fool in the Hill does it by having the verses in D major and the Chorus in D minor, such a rich sound and tool to play with.
Very well done! One omission: a big part of the first section is the suspended chords effected by the piano. They give the whole thing a special sweetness.
One amazing thing about this progression is how it works with the melody and theme of the song. Even though the song modulates DOWN for the chorus the melody goes UP. This contrast gives the chorus the lift we'd expect a chorus to have, but there's also an element of nostalgia or melancholy since the key is lower than before. This nostalgia is further accented by the shift to B minor in the verses. Obviously, Paul didn't think about it in that way. The really important thing is how the melody works with the chords to make the shifts sound natural. A whole video could be done just in the way the melody walks from chord to chord, setting each up before it happens. Anyway, I love that you did this video today. With McCartney 3, 2, 1 having come out recently and with Get Back coming soon, I've been on a massive Beatles kick recently. The timing feels serendipitous.
Sir Paul once told a story about taking a bus across town just to see and learn the B7 chord. Lol And this song show us how advanced in chords he became in just several years i believe. Like how?! So gifted!
Obviously this sequence is special, but as someone who loses motivation for playing from time to time, I really like videos like this that show the jigsaw puzzle like structure of chords and melodies. There is so much satisfaction in fitting the pieces together and looping back around to the start of the phrase and letting the flow take you along for a ride 😊
Love this! I let my fingers get soft again, but I’m getting my free back as a retiring teacher, and I gingerly anticipate the exquisite torture of building up fingerpad callouses and fighting cuts at the right thumbnail. I’m just a chord banger, but before I leave this plane I want to learn to pick patterns and thumb a bass walk.
Love your little production touches, eg supers of chords so we don't have to search for them and can follow along. But mostly, love your appreciation of great songcraft. Thanks Paul.
That was the very first song I recorded on the A side of my very first mix recording (out of hundreds I did for many years). I was eleven and it was 1975. The Beatles had broken up five years earlier, but they managed to change my life forever
The album The Magical Mystery Tour is a shining jewel in the discography of The Beatles. Every song is brilliant and as a kid was played constantly on my quarter track player. Bet no one else remembers those things.
Yeah I had to think about that for a second when he said that, but it's really the chord right before the chorus starts that gives us that perception of going up, as you said. I already forgot what chord it was, but I'll be keeping this video handy
Modulating down a tone, modulating up a minor seventh, it's all in the eye of the beholder. Just like the final chorus is in B major like the beginning, but the melody's one octave higher!
I also find it fascinating how I grew up with the Beatles but only recently realized what an amazing bass player McCartney was/is. Now that I listen for it I notice the tastiest bass lines ever in like everything they do.
These perfect chord progressions videos are my favorite now. I had just watched the Paul Simon one hours ago and now I got this notification. I always learn so much from you!
I find it absolutely amazing that these guys were self taught. And its one thing that Paul wrote this, but George had to step right up and play it. His playing skills had to match Paul's complex writing skills.
But that's the very reason they were able to think outside the box constantly and come up with fresh ideas. They had no rules to follow, they just wrote by the ear. Some composers benefit from classical training and for some it is a burden. Popular music wouldn't have evolved in the 60's without the sense of adventure. Much of this was brought by self-taught musicians (with a little help from psychedelic drugs).
Great vid Paul! That chorus modulation is unique in that it is a downwards modulation (rare). It heightens the melancholy-longing of the song by reducing the energy or momentum of the piece, yet counteracting that with a shift in the direction of the melody. In the verse, he uses downward melodic themes, and shifts that to upward phrases in the chorus. So the listener gets the longing for the past of the verse to chorus shift without the depression of a downward modulation in the key. It’s a happy memory about a place that is no longer that carefree and peaceful. But McCartney doesn’t want to go dark but stay in the happier memory. Masterful connection of idea, vocals, melody lines and phrases, and the chords.
@@79achavez, most modulations in-song go up some interval. Makes for an uplifting moment in the song. Everything sounds higher and brighter. But PL goes down from B to A. That would tend to create a darker mood moment in the song. But Macca manages that with the way the melody works. And that sort of fixes it, so it’s not too dark a shift. But it leaves you feeling like we’re not fully bright and light and…better than sad, better than melancholy; more like wistful and nostalgic. And that’s exactly what this piece is about - Paul talking about the good old days on PL. Very complete song.
This composition is a warm, heart-tugging, home-turf celebration in the same vein as 'Ferry Cross The Mersey" by Gerry Marsden. I dearly love them both.
The Beatles have been in our ears and in our eyes for so long that their songs are second nature to us and we perceive them as effortless and simple. That was the genius of the fab four, that the songs were intentionally constructed using advanced writing techniques and yet had to sound accessible to the listeners. Just think of when this song was released only as a single and on the flipside another brilliant progression, "Strawberry Fields". Ahh, those lad's knew a thing or two.
Thanks so much for this brilliant analysis! I'm 60 and this song was always one I found to be so beautiful. I play the bass in various jazz bands, so I know a few things about chord progressions, yet I never took the time to try to figure out what made this song so uniquely beautiful for what on the surface seems to be a simple song. This explains it. Thank you, kind sir.
I'm glad I could see the channel becoming this big. I can point a difference in the way he presents the class he's giving. Beyond his charm, his charisma, he tells a story.
I love a lot of groups from 50s and 60s but just how timeless the Beatles were is incredible. Besides the fact that you know it’s from the 60s, you really can’t tell what decade many of their songs are from.
You are one of my favorite guitarist, on RUclips. That's saying a lot considering I follow a lot! Thank you for taking your time out of the day to make this. I love, The Beatles and love this video, thank you Paul! 🤘
I'm 6'3" and this flies over my head. That said, you're awesome. Pleasure to watch (and learn a bit too). Super production on all your stuff. OK, enough from me. Thanks
That was really fascinating. Its so insightful and interesting to dissect something you've pretty much taken for granted to discover just how genius and elaborate its composition really is. Not that I ever doubted Paul McCartney. Thank you. You really are an amazing guitar player.
I loved that song from the first time I listened to, it definitely conquered my heart. My father bought the single for me on 1967 when I was 8! And the side B was Strawberry Fileds!!! You can't ask for nothing else
Genius song writing. Thank you Paul for taking your time to explain for ignoramuses like us. We always know the song is great, but never understood the building blocks that helped create these great songs...
0:51 Progression - level 1 - ii-V-I 01:40 level 2 - vi-ii-V-I 02:26 level3 - turn chords to 7 chords 02:46 add walking bass 03:58 B minor borrowed from parallel minor (modal interchange) 04:52 significance of the above explained 05:20 B minor becomes B minor 7 05:32 progressing through B minor key: B minor 7 -- G# half-dim -- G maj7 -- F#7sus4 -- F#7 -- F#7sus4 -- F#7 - B 06:25 Andalusian cadence expected but avoided 08:16 modulation to A major via E major pivot chord 10:14 modulating back to B 11:07 last chorus is in the key of the verse (B)
I think what’s so important about Sir Paul is that he’s also a superb keyboard player, an excellent guitarist and first-rate drummer - with a four-octave vocal range. Consequently, he wrote songs from many points of view, including his instinctive and beautiful melodies. Enjoyable video!
When I realized the modulation up to B for the out chorus was also just going back to the key the song originally started in I was dumbstruck. Paul is a genius. I don't know how you could ever write another song after this one perfect piece, and he wrote several hundred more.
Hey Paul I would absolutely love it if you could make a video about Nick Drake and his guitar style. I would love to hear your analysis of his trademark and legendary out of tune accoustic guitar songs and riffs. For those who have not heard about him or his songs I would highly encourage you to listen to his album Pink Moon. It's an absolute masterpiece. Nick Drake, according to me is the Van Gogh of guitar. Cheers and Thank you so much 🤗😁
If you haven't already seen it, Josh Turner did a pretty good dive into Nick Drake's sound on his channel a few years ago. ruclips.net/video/EzdQE3fJW2E/видео.html
Fantastic video in every way; thanks. In their 6 big years, the Beatles put out 300 songs that made the charts, about 1 per week. I think about that every time I see or hear something like your video. To think of 20 year olds doing that without formal music training ( probably gave them the freedom to do it actually) shows they were true geniuses and it was a miracle of music history that they met each other and gave us these treasures.
Actually, the Beatles recorded the basic backing track in C. The four tracks (mostly piano tracks) were then bounced to track 1 of another tape in order to record vocals, bass, drums and guitar. When that reduction was done, the first tape was slowed down to be a semitone lower and slightly slower, which is how we hear it in B. But it was first done in C, which makes so much more musical sense when you go to play it on the piano. Listen to those first 4 tracks (Take 6 from the Sgt. Pepper Anniversary bonus material) and you'll see that Paul wrote Penny Lane in C.
Even in the lyrics-"very strange" & "meanwhile back"; McCa. is telling the story of the surmountable progressions. So much better when You explain it. 10Q Paul.
I can't think of too many other songs where the lyrics describe the harmonic progressions. The only one that comes to mind is Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah': "It goes like this: the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift..." But 'Penny Lane' is subtler; McCartney hints at it, without entirely spelling it out.
Very strange, I woke up singing this song in my head this morning - honestly - and had no idea I would watch a great video that explained so much about it this evening. Great video Paul and great song Paul. Keep up the good work...both of you!
Aside from the lesson itself (which was way over my head as a beginner), I also really enjoyed your whole 'gestalt' Paul: your genuine love of the music, your snappy personal style (and the beard circa 1890 Vienna) and the overall clean, crisp well produced quality of the presentation. Even the part where you run to your chair in the beginning: charming! So, even if I don't support you with dollars (or would it be Dutch guilders?), know that your efforts are well appreciated nonetheless!
The truly amazing thing about The Beatles is that they were all instinctively creative musicians. They all had no formal musical training and were all musically illiterate, meaning they couldn't read musical notation. They relyed on George Martin for their orchestral arrangements, but it all came from their heads. Beatles 4 ever!
Well, a LOT of came from the perfectly educated minds of George Martin and later, his son... They had done all the hard work of learning, really learning all music from centuries earlier to the latest and greatest... Their input is what made the Fab 4 who we all know... Yes, they could have done a lot on their own, but they were so blessed to have been put together with the brightest minds, musically, the Martin Father and son, and all the other great people who all contributed so beautifully... relied.... :)
they say this a lot... but when you do something every day, many hours and many years... that's a trainning... and one teacher could be George Martin. So, sure, they didn't have a "formal" trainning, but they had a musical trainning for years and they also had a better teacher than most school teachers (George M)
They didn't always "rely" on George Martin for arrangements. I know that Paul, at least, gave a lot of input on some tunes with the orchestral arrangements.
@85geoffm Yes they did "rely" on George Martin to write their music for the orchestra musicians. None of the Beatles could read or write musical notation. Paul would hum to Martin what he wanted and he would write the sheet music for the musians.
@michaelward9880 yes, we're in agreement. I'm aware they couldn't read music. I'm just saying the orchestrations weren't entirely George Martin. Paul oftentimes had exactly what he wanted in mind. He didn't always just say, "Here's my song. Do with it what you please." Although, I'm sure that happened a lot.
Really great video exploring one of their most classically inspired pieces! One correction, at 4:43 the B minor chord is not from the RELATIVE minor but rather the PARALLEL minor.
Ah, language got me again. In Dutch 'Parallel Minor' is what in English we call "Relative Minor'... That's why I misspoke. My apologies!
@@PaulDavids Geesh the Dutch…. ;)
@@PaulDavids DONT LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN lol
Yea the terminology is very confusing when translated to different languages. Same problem in Hebrew/Portuguese
Sometimes your location leads to some misunderstandings in music. Take the musical notation for example. A, B, C, D, E, F, G couldn’t be easier. In Germany the B is called H and nobody knows why. I’ve it’s because of misread handwritten letter, but I don’t know if it’s true.
Paul...I am 71 and heard this song the week it came out! You have given me something I wanted for 56 years. I cannot thank you enough for this...
You are a legend sir as they are
I’m still a young boy (only 66) . I have ever loved this song; the first time I’ve listened to it, I have feeled the magic in it!
I’m sorry if my english is not perfect : I’m juste a little young french boy 🍏
Same here (at 70). I loved this song the first time I heard and it has remained a favorite, perhaps THE favorite, of their entire repertoire! It’s one of those songs I could hear literally a thousand times and never tire of it.
Andrew York's solo instrumental is interesting..
Hi Don, I'm a year older than you and bought a guitar when I was 18. I learned a few chords, pattern picking and a few blues and ragtime snippets. Hear me for two minutes and you'd think I could play...but in truth, from that day to this, only by rote. I now play clawhammer banjo and also took flute lessons for three years so I learned what the dots on the five lines meant...I knew nothing of that before as all was in tablature. I've watched hundreds of videos like this one with talk of pentatonic scales, keys, diminished and augmented things. I go away, look each one up, think I've understood but ten minutes I'd have no idea. That up the neck stuff is still a mystery...the guys fingerlings in this video are simply unfathomable. I think I've realised I'm musically dyslexic! I can carry a melody, sing harmonies sometimes and like listening to complex jazz and orchestral music. But it's still similar to school where music was what the rich kids did....other worldly....Luckily, the arthritis in my fretting forefinger is so bad, I'll be selling my guitar! I'm happy this video has been an epiphany for you.
That Bm chord is a pure stroke of genius, it instantly transports the tune into a more melancholy and nostalgic mood.
The emotions evoked by various chords and accidentals are still being researched
very impressive! Thanks for commenting!
And with the G# it’s into Brazilian saudade territory, right. Coming out of strongly assured Englishness, very effective.
@@Derayes I'll do whatever the fuck I want, genius.
See also Fool on the Hill
@@DerayesCalm down. Don't reply to the idea that a single comment about "a stroke of genius " is the same as the poster saying this one stroke alone makes the composer a genius. Have you been through all the key changes? Your "only" is inaccurate. There is a lot more going on. Check out on RUclips "The Beatles: A musical appreciation and analysis by composer Howard Goodall CBE" and appreciate all the other strokes of genius.
What makes it even more special is that we as listeners never really noticed it. The chords just progress so beautifully and simply.
Paul is the master of making the complex sound simple. That's what the best songwriters do. 🙂
And to think that the other Paul ( the Sir one) did it without knowing the music theory, but by what sounded good to his ear.
I agree. And that's what separates great pop from just a simple pop song. It's the hidden depths that are designed to sound so easy on the ear. It's a craft within itself and hugely underappreciated.
@@dingoswamphead man stfu he didnt die 😭 ig his clone can play just like, sing just like, and look 100% like him. maybe because it is him? lol
@@alexwebmch The Beatles are the absolute masters at playing very sophisticated pop songs effortlessly.
Underrated fact : This is the most amazingly accurate "Penny Lane" tutorial on RUclips. I just learned the whole song by your pinpoint analysis and I felt what you wanted us to feel while listening/playing the song.
Kudos to you! We want more of these.
Check out "The Beatles: A musical appreciation and analysis by composer Howard Goodall CBE"
Can't agree more!
@@johnmalcolm4822 Totally excellent video. Great rec.
The more you learn about Beatles songs, the more it seems insane that they not only existed, but we're all alive at the same time as at least two of them. These are geniuses that seem otherworldly.
And went to the same school
Any they had no official musical training.
@@haywoodjblome4768 George and Paul went to the same school, but John and Ringo went to other schools. Still, very close together
I had this exact thought just the other day. It really is insane.
Almost Unbelievable! check out Theodore Adorno.
I took a college course on Beatles Composition and this video brought back so many memories. I was smiling through the entire video. It's so incredible how every single Beatles member is a talented composer, musician, and singer, with no formal training. Thank you for sharing, I wish there was a "love" button for this video.
I’m
take another course here ruclips.net/video/ccEhmQ0M4FY/видео.html
I realized many years ago that McCartney has one of the most sophisticated chord vocabularies you could ever encounter. Sing Along Junk, Yesterday, Martha My Dear, (of course) Penny Lane, etc.
Honestly every video that I watch from this absolute masterpiece of a channel I feel like I grow so much as a guitar player. Thank you so much Paul. Never stop.
I am also a huge Beatle fan. I am also a guitarist. I have been raving about that b minor chord for years. In fact I was again raving about that chord and the whole progression to my musician son last night at our family Christmas dinner…. Before I saw this video.
Then I made the wild assertion that the Beatles were the greatest composers since the classical era.
Another often overlooked, and sometimes much maligned, song by Paul McCartney is "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey". I love that song. It was on the radio in my early childhood memories (I only remember the Beatles after their breakup, and mainly because of the wonderful Red (1962-1966) and Blue (1967-1970) collections. The section of Uncle Albert with the thunderstorm sounds like Brian Eno would later make an entire career out of. The trumpet solo melody during "Hands Across The Water" is so wonderfully catchy and fun. Paul McCartney is the greatest!
A beautiful masterpiece for sure.
One of my favorite elements in this song is how Paul manages to make A Major sound like it is brightening up from B Major by placing the chorus melody slightly higher than the verse melody, while still maintaining continuity/familiarity by keeping that rising stepwise motion in the melody. (B-C♯-D♯ in B Major, C♯-D-E in A Major)
Yeah!
This is so true and somewhat unheard of (literally) today., smart and uncompromising songwriting.
I noticed that too. He modulates down, but it feels like he's jumping up.
If you and Rick B were everyones' music teacher every one would play an instrument to a decent grade for sure. You are both just so brilliant and make music so interesting !
Paul McCharmley is an incredible songwriter
Your mother should know
ruclips.net/video/PIB442fhvtI/видео.html
You mean Dirk McQuickly ;-) ?
@@astroandyborgloh ikr..who's Paul McCharmly duh???
@@hammerjohn9290 Pete McChumple?
The sequence after the Bm, where it hits the Gm7b5 -> Gmaj7 -> F#7sus4 -> F#7 is so goooooood! Love the visuals in your videos @PaulDavids! I always learn something new when I watch your videos. Excellent content!!!
The Beatles with Ringo formed, and first recorded, in 1962. Penny Lane was written in 1966.
Secondary Dominant. Pivot Chords. Modal Mixture. Modulating...
Had McCartney learned music theory as he went through those few years of writing, or was it intuitive?
From Love Me Do to Penny Lane in 4 short years...simply amazing, isn't it?!?
No he didn't know music theory, or know how to read or write music.
He probably learned songs that had similar chord structures and put his own twist to it. That's how I think most musicians compose rather than just "learning music theory".
Love Me Do was innovative as well.
@@letsgomets002 please provide a source for this because this statement is constantly thrown around the internet and I have not once heard an ounce of support for it
it's Called George Martin
It’s incredible how they write the perfect chord progression, then did it again and again and again.....
And they never took and clases on it. They would just find new chord and see how the fit when writing new music.
@@dlow4872 same chord progression in different keys
@@andy_182 WRONG. AND clueless.
can you say Ghost Writers and many many of them
@@Good-Enuff-Garage no ghost writers the only help they had was George Martian.
This gave me a whole new appreciation for this song, I’m just so used to hearing it I’ve never perceived this level of complexity and depth in it before. Great video Paul!
I implore you to watch Howard Goodall's series titled, "Howard Goodall's 20th Century Greats", and in particular, the Beatles episode: ruclips.net/video/ZQS91wVdvYc/видео.html
The section on Penny Lane totally blew my mind, as I've loved the song since I was a child some 45 years ago. Thank's to Goodall, I now know why. The Penny Lane segment starts around the 18th minute mark in the linked video. As a bonus, he then goes on to unravel Elenor Rigby. Pure magic!!
A lot of the Beatles songs are like this. When I was growing up, I considered then "oldies" music that my parents listened to. Sure, some of the tunes were catchy, but I never paid much attention. But recently I've been listening to a lot of their stuff and trying to learn some of it and it's simply amazing. Most of the songs sound simple but they often have lots of unique and cool chords and changes in them that give them that Beatles sound.
I'm much the same. The Beatles' songs are so ingrained in our cultural consciousness that we forget to analyse them. They just exist, and it feels like they always have done.
All Paul's songs are like that. Bass lines in Come together and Dear Prudence. Obladi oblada da is made fun of, but just listen to the catchiness of the melody!
@@deansusec8745 I always thought it was great Reggae this was before Reggae became well known. A lot of groups could not even play Reggae in the seventies, it is to do with the timing in rock and blues it is 1234 in reggae the beat is slower and the timing is different it is 1and2and etc, it is more to do with the off beat.
The Beatles and perfect chord progressions.. there seems to be a connection
Yes, and there is a connection, the same connection that many other famous bands had from the 60's and 70's. That connection is a deep understanding of music theory. Knowing how you can progress chords. A secret is you can use any notes, like for example, the chord formulas do not allow for an A's 13th(6th) interval to fit in the C major scale but you can build one which would be notated as Amb6 or Am7b13 which makes the 6th/13th an F rather than an F#. One useful thing to do is learn(or write down) the formulas to build chords, . The formulas are applied to the major chord of the root note. Thus Major chords are all natural intervals, dominate chords are all natural but a b7th(you can still sharpen or flatten any other interval accept for the 3rd because minor chords are a b3rd & b7th. Diminished chords are b3rd - b5th - (bb7th for them diminished 7th) while m7#5 and m7b5 are half diminished. I think, minus altered chords that you would build there are like 50 or so chords that fall in the scale C major, the minor chords in Key Cmajor have a dominate chord that falls in the scale, A7sus4, D7sus4, E7sus4. So when you start with an Am for example, you have even more options because you can use the Cmajor scale or the A harmonic minor which sharpens the 7th (A B C D E F G#) which allows you to turn your v chord (Em) into a dominate Chord using the G#(E G# B D) . But then of course, you can modulate(change key) or borrow chords(Temporarily step out of key). Or you can do inversions(changing the order of notes in a chord but keeping the root note as the bass note)[C E G or C G E(INVERSION), or you can use Slash Chords like the example Paul just gave of the Cm with E as the bass, notated as Cm/E(in most cases(not all) if the 3rd interval is the bass note you don't include anymore octaves of the 3rd in your chord). Unless the only thing you desire to do is play songs already written or use the same simple progressions used over and over music theory is 100% needed to write unique progressions like most of the bands through the 60's and 70's.
So true.
@EndofMusic that’s literally just what people tell themselves to make themselves feel better about not understanding music theory.
Your ears can help you "feel theory" and your ears need the knowledge they get from listening to a variety of musical styles and musicians. Learning actual theory can help you make sense of where that ear wants to go and can help it get there, quicker. But the most important job is to feed your ears-- the songwriters many revere listened to alot of things you might not expect. So, eat your musical vegetables and then learn about applied nutrition. And follow your damn muse.
When things were at their very worst:
2 Suns, Cross in the sky, 2 comets will collide = don`t be afraid - repent, accept Lord`s Hand of Mercy.
Scientists will say it was a global illusion.
Beware - Jesus will never walk in flesh again.
After WW3 - rise of the “ man of peace“ from the East = Antichrist - the most powerful, popular, charismatic and influential leader of all time. Many miracles will be attributed to him. He will imitate Jesus in every conceivable way.
Don`t trust „pope“ Francis = the False Prophet
- will seem to rise from the dead
- will unite all Christian Churches and all Religions as one.
One World Religion = the seat of the Antichrist.
Benedict XVI is the last true pope - will be accused of a crime of which he is totally innocent.
"Arab uprising will spark global unrest - Italy will trigger fall out"
"The time for the schism in the Church is almost here and you must get prepared now"
The Book of Truth.
Always look at the bright side of life ---- by listening to the Beatles!
I'm a music illiterate, but I love how the music supports the lyrics. The walking bass when you picture Paul literally walking down Penny Lane, the Bminor when nostalgia kicks in, and the modulation in the chorus describe the happy memories and the blue skies perfectly.
Being a music Illiterate ain’t bad if you ask me, you enjoys more rather than criticise more.
I remember not understanding much about scores and love simple music, until i’ve learned so much to a point that i slowly despises this kind of music, and somehow, it’s so hard to be entertain by it nowadays.
I've been saying this for decades, Penny Lane is an absolute masterpiece by a genius.
I like it and said it was my favourite many years ago, got looked at weirdly by someone who's music taste was very limited, he was a Beetle snob.
Except the genius was called George Martin - not McCartney
@@chys13830 Paul wrote that pretty brilliant song though
@@chys13830 you are confusing arranging with composing. Paul composed that song. It didn’t exist without him. Yes George Martin helped arrange it, as any producer should (except better), but Paul WROTE it.
@@chys13830 What makes you think that George Martin wrote that chord progression?
You break this down so well Paul ! I had no idea how intricate Mr McCartney’s chord progression was.
I will be 78 soon. First heard the Beatles with their “ I want to hold your hand”. Loved them ever since.
Thank you so much for taking the time to show the world how beautiful music is. You play that guitar brilliantly.
🙏🙏David M
As a nearly life-long Beatles fan and even having studied their music in an elective music course at University many years ago - this was an absolutely brilliant analysis! Thanks so much Paul Davids
I grew up with Beatles songs. They were always so, so - well, so uplifting, somehow. They seemed simple enough songs to me, so how did they get that unique Beatles sound? You've explained it perfectly - genius musicianship that hides its own complexity.
I totally agree. And the simpler, the better. Hello Goodbye is an almost perfect pop piece of ear candy. "We Can Work it Out" is like a therapy session without all the heavy mood... Paul is my favorite musician (followed closely by Beethoven and Debussy).
"genius musicianship that hides its own complexity." Well said.
That dissection of a classic just blew my mind. Admittedly, I’ve been playing for several years but have never delved into the method and theory of playing guitar because that part of music has never seemed like much fun to me. However, the way you unwound that song just made something click and now I’m looking at playing in a completely different light. Thanks, Paul!
Paul would be like- “ oh is that why it sounds so good”
that’s that high class stuff
Yeah, Paul McCartney never learned theory or how to read or write musical notation.
He liked when critics would say stuff like "their song masterfully uses Aeolian cadences" but he didn't want to look up what it meant. Like many great artists he didn't want to focus too much on the technical. Just as much as he needed to get away with it.
When you have an innate, magical reservoir of creativity that you can tap into without conscious thought and it leads you to a place of wonderful sounds and aesthetics, why mess it up with too much technical knowledge --- very rare to have musicians with this type of natural talent, in tune with something the majority of us could not tap into, at least not without constant training and technical exercises which in the end would likely sound a bit artificial and too thought out anyway. Come to think of it, perhaps it was all those endless of hours of just 'playing' music and not necessarily 'learning' it in some class or book that took Paul (and the Beatles) to this very special place.
@@Hernal03 forgot who said it, but someone said any musician or artist can learn on their own eventually even if they dont know what the theory is called
Great analysis is a beautiful song. I used to the music teacher at Dovedale Primary School in Liverpool. John and George both went there but I was there many years after they had left!! The school also backs on to Penny Lane and it was part of my mission statement to make sure that every child could sing this from memory and with joy in their voices. It was a song about them and their home after all. I'm no good on guitar but it works beautifully on piano though and I used to play it in G major, modulating to F major on the choruses to accommodate for the higher range of their voices.
FYI all the things mentioned in the song were actually on Allerton Road at the time Paul wrote it. I guess Penny Lane was just catchier to sing.
Such a glorious song.
The most challenging thing is to make advanced music sound simple. No one did it better than the beatles.
I was talking to my co-worker the other day and I said I how don't understand how people HATE the Beatles. She said that their music isn't very interesting. I was dumbfounded by the comment, as when I was a young guitarist and I tried to learn Beatles tunes the "weird" chord voicings really threw me off. I still will never understand the hate for the band, they are one of if not the most influential band in basically all genres of music, and yet somehow are still wholly unique.
A lot have done it better than the Beatles
@@williamberry2351 but they were the pioneers
As someone else commented on YT, the Beatles wrote and played incredibly sophisticated pop effortlessly.
@@BeatlesCentricUniverse what about the Kinks? They were doing it earlier than the Beatles. The true greatest British band of all time
and this is why the Beatles are so revered ... they were geniuses ... Paul still continues to compose and he is a master of melody ... you hear it in his bass playing and no-one was playing bass as melodically as he was then and now.
Every Beatle song has at least a half dozen melodies within them. Utterly astounding.
Finally talk more about the Beatles especially Paul McCartney ❤😍the best
I have to say that as amazing as the content of this video is, I spent just as much time appreciating your production and editing. For how many cuts there are it’s so clean. Your b-roll camera is perfectly tied into a-roll as you go back and forth from explanation to playing. It’s a dream to aspire to. Every second of the 13:45 is informative and builds on itself. the lighting is perfect. Thanks for keeping the bar completely unreachable 😜
Yeah, this perfectionistic attitude of his towards making content is something I always admired
@@rainbow9832 🤘
I’ve always loved that song. Actually bought the single back in the 60s as kid and to me The Beatles are the most amazing band ever.
My husband found this and sent it to me. I'm so glad to hear someone talk about the theory so easily and without being a schmuck. Love this!
I enjoy hearing the technical breakdown but it makes me appreciate writing complex songs by ear even more
Beatles songs are like watching a swan on a river .. serene, simple and beautiful on the surface .. but there’s a lot going on below the surface, always so much more complicated that expected or than the casual listener would hear. Amazing that these self taught musicians could master these seemingly difficult musical theories.
A good ear does not need to know music theory or how to read music to compose great songs. Well pop and rock at least. However if you are working with a killer producer like George Martin who can read and knows theory it is certainly not going to hurt. He was the 5th Beatle.
I never knew anything about a perfect chord progression. All I knew, was it’s probably my favourite Beatles song. It’s amazing what these guys, you included, are thinking, and the complexities you notice.
Great video. I’ve always loved how Paul used the phrase “meanwhile back” to get back to the verses.
I remember a few years ago reading Pollacks analysis on this song (among several other Beatles songs) and it really cemented this one as a favorite. Every modulation just works so well. The way each chorus modulates down a step, but vocally goes UP, but then the final chorus goes up both musically and vocally. It really drives home the nostalgic feeling of the place where you grew up. Just magic.
Paul McCartney's dad was a jazz musician, he was raised on jazz progressions. I went to school to study jazz and these are standard jazz changes. Go listen to jazz standards from the 40s and 50s. Why more pop musicians don't use more jazz changes is beyond me. That being said Paul McCartney is my favourite pop musician. It's sad that people learning music stop at the basic chords and don't learn anymore. Never stop learning
🫂y🫂
A great companion piece to this video would be Episode 2 of "McCartney 3, 2, 1". Rick Rubin gets Paul all excited about his old masterpiece. They talk about the famous piccolo trumpet solo, and McCartney reminisces about coaxing that high note out of the player. They then listen to the tape, and as that note rings out, an almost 80 year old Sir Paul whoops in excitement like a little boy. That whole show is pure joy. I hope it'll be more easily accessible one day. Right now you need Hulu to watch it.
In the UK it's on Disney+. Haven't watched it yet, but I intend to do so before the Get Back documentary comes out!
Aaaah! I love how you show the typical walk down, chord progression 99% of musicians would use to resolve back to the Bmajor and contrast that with the amazing and brilliant way Paul McCartney takes us back to the start. Just never content with ordinary. Part of their collective greatness.
The closer I look at the music of the Beatles the more I realize, I know nothing!!
Love that humility, @Robby. Never stop learning, and keep enjoying music, bro. More power to you.
As a kid and fledgling player in 1968, most Beatles chord books then had VERY basic chords denoted. I knew they weren’t correct but could have NEVER figured them out on my own. Then
or now! Thanks for a great lesson.
Penny Lane is not even the kind of song most would consider playing on guitar since in the song you only notice voice, bass and orchestra. Very impressive the way he got it on guitar here. I have been playing a long time myself and also would have never figured it out even if I tried.
People have accused them of being a typical pop band that plays 3 chords, but I always knew how intricate their chords were because I have the huge tab book with the most accurate transcriptions, you can see even in their early days they were using some wild chord progressions up and down the neck that are not easy to play.
I had looked with great pleasure at the seven, count 'em, seven modulations in this song and how modulating the chorus down to Amaj raises the voicing of the vocal and gives it a wistful feeling to the reminiscence of the lyrics. But your study for guitar is so much more thorough and just expands the wonder of this composition. Thanks!
Superb tune ! & the horn lead lines are really something else too. They are well worthy of a separate vid. & this is only one of literally dozens(at least) of truly great tunes. The Beatles is where to begin with music, NO question. & perhaps even end regarding writing IMHO. At least there is nobody else since that I'm aware of with such a quantity of quality.
McCartney is an intuitive genius and melody man, if you analize this without chords it also works beautifully because the melody and lyrics alone are just awesome 🙌
Going from the major to the parallel minor is one of my favorite things I learned from Paul. Fool in the Hill does it by having the verses in D major and the Chorus in D minor, such a rich sound and tool to play with.
Clearly taken for Cole Porters "Night and Day."
One of my favorite songs of The Beatles. Thank you, Paul
Very well done! One omission: a big part of the first section is the suspended chords effected by the piano. They give the whole thing a special sweetness.
I can't watch your videos without smiling ear to ear. Another great video, Paul!
arent u the dude who had those videos wit poppy , shit was cool
They are a joy to watch, aren't they?
Me too
Smiling ear to ear is scary
Never expected to see you here
One amazing thing about this progression is how it works with the melody and theme of the song. Even though the song modulates DOWN for the chorus the melody goes UP. This contrast gives the chorus the lift we'd expect a chorus to have, but there's also an element of nostalgia or melancholy since the key is lower than before. This nostalgia is further accented by the shift to B minor in the verses.
Obviously, Paul didn't think about it in that way. The really important thing is how the melody works with the chords to make the shifts sound natural. A whole video could be done just in the way the melody walks from chord to chord, setting each up before it happens.
Anyway, I love that you did this video today. With McCartney 3, 2, 1 having come out recently and with Get Back coming soon, I've been on a massive Beatles kick recently. The timing feels serendipitous.
Sir Paul once told a story about taking a bus across town just to see and learn the B7 chord. Lol And this song show us how advanced in chords he became in just several years i believe. Like how?! So gifted!
@Ethan Sanders He took the bus to someone's house to learn that chord, can't remember who, perhaps George?
@@SandrineVoxServices No just some man in Liverpool who they heard knew that chord. He was maybe 14 at the time.
@@SandrineVoxServicesthis is from Anthology series. It was not George.
thank you for all the hard work/ great teaching
Obviously this sequence is special, but as someone who loses motivation for playing from time to time, I really like videos like this that show the jigsaw puzzle like structure of chords and melodies. There is so much satisfaction in fitting the pieces together and looping back around to the start of the phrase and letting the flow take you along for a ride 😊
Love this! I let my fingers get soft again, but I’m getting my free back as a retiring teacher, and I gingerly anticipate the exquisite torture of building up fingerpad callouses and fighting cuts at the right thumbnail. I’m just a chord banger, but before I leave this plane I want to learn to pick patterns and thumb a bass walk.
Love your little production touches, eg supers of chords so we don't have to search for them and can follow along. But mostly, love your appreciation of great songcraft. Thanks Paul.
That was the very first song I recorded on the A side of my very first mix recording (out of hundreds I did for many years). I was eleven and it was 1975. The Beatles had broken up five years earlier, but they managed to change my life forever
The album The Magical Mystery Tour is a shining jewel in the discography of The Beatles. Every song is brilliant and as a kid was played constantly on my quarter track player. Bet no one else remembers those things.
Studying beatles songs i realize why i love them so much. The complex chords and unusual key changes makes them challenging to play and learn.
I’ve always loved this song, but you made me realize all the greatness behind it and I was very touched by it, even made me cry. Astonishing video!
I find it fascinating how we perceive the chorus as going UP, when it is in fact modulating DOWN.
Yeah I had to think about that for a second when he said that, but it's really the chord right before the chorus starts that gives us that perception of going up, as you said. I already forgot what chord it was, but I'll be keeping this video handy
Key modulating down, melody modulates up.
it's just moonwalking, you know what I mean!
Modulating down a tone, modulating up a minor seventh, it's all in the eye of the beholder. Just like the final chorus is in B major like the beginning, but the melody's one octave higher!
I also find it fascinating how I grew up with the Beatles but only recently realized what an amazing bass player McCartney was/is. Now that I listen for it I notice the tastiest bass lines ever in like everything they do.
I’m teaching my 10 year old son some Beatles songs on guitar at the moment, this is very helpful. Thanks for uploading!!!
These perfect chord progressions videos are my favorite now. I had just watched the Paul Simon one hours ago and now I got this notification. I always learn so much from you!
i mean paul pretty much added a key change on a key change by going back to the original chorus in the 2cnd chorus, thats genius
So, so many of their songs have little surprises in chord progression, melody, instrumentation, vocals…that brings you back to listen time and again.
I find it absolutely amazing that these guys were self taught. And its one thing that Paul wrote this, but George had to step right up and play it. His playing skills had to match Paul's complex writing skills.
Paul's dad was a band leader. Paul learned a lot from his dad. And they all shared with each other.
But that's the very reason they were able to think outside the box constantly and come up with fresh ideas. They had no rules to follow, they just wrote by the ear. Some composers benefit from classical training and for some it is a burden. Popular music wouldn't have evolved in the 60's without the sense of adventure. Much of this was brought by self-taught musicians (with a little help from psychedelic drugs).
@@jmaekelae613 bro in jazz they use borrowed chords all the time
@@joshentertainment2 ost ost ost extended mk
Great vid Paul! That chorus modulation is unique in that it is a downwards modulation (rare). It heightens the melancholy-longing of the song by reducing the energy or momentum of the piece, yet counteracting that with a shift in the direction of the melody. In the verse, he uses downward melodic themes, and shifts that to upward phrases in the chorus. So the listener gets the longing for the past of the verse to chorus shift without the depression of a downward modulation in the key. It’s a happy memory about a place that is no longer that carefree and peaceful. But McCartney doesn’t want to go dark but stay in the happier memory. Masterful connection of idea, vocals, melody lines and phrases, and the chords.
what bro?
@@79achavez, most modulations in-song go up some interval. Makes for an uplifting moment in the song. Everything sounds higher and brighter. But PL goes down from B to A. That would tend to create a darker mood moment in the song. But Macca manages that with the way the melody works. And that sort of fixes it, so it’s not too dark a shift. But it leaves you feeling like we’re not fully bright and light and…better than sad, better than melancholy; more like wistful and nostalgic. And that’s exactly what this piece is about - Paul talking about the good old days on PL. Very complete song.
I'm loving all these song analyses lately! Keep it up Paul!
A music genius apprecieating a music genius' work.These are the things still keeps the world beautiful❤ keep more of these coming
This composition is a warm, heart-tugging, home-turf celebration in the same vein as 'Ferry Cross The Mersey" by Gerry Marsden.
I dearly love them both.
The Beatles have been in our ears and in our eyes for so long that their songs are second nature to us and we perceive them as effortless and simple.
That was the genius of the fab four, that the songs were intentionally constructed using advanced writing techniques and yet had to sound accessible to the listeners.
Just think of when this song was released only as a single and on the flipside another brilliant progression, "Strawberry Fields".
Ahh, those lad's knew a thing or two.
I like how this is both explaining the song elements, while also basically being a tutorial
So cool how you isolated Paul's voice as if he was there, singing along with you. Great analysis. Loved it.
The vocals are The Analogues, not The Beatles. If you have never heard them, watch their concert videos, they are tremendous!
Thanks so much for this brilliant analysis! I'm 60 and this song was always one I found to be so beautiful. I play the bass in various jazz bands, so I know a few things about chord progressions, yet I never took the time to try to figure out what made this song so uniquely beautiful for what on the surface seems to be a simple song. This explains it. Thank you, kind sir.
I'm glad I could see the channel becoming this big. I can point a difference in the way he presents the class he's giving. Beyond his charm, his charisma, he tells a story.
I love a lot of groups from 50s and 60s but just how timeless the Beatles were is incredible. Besides the fact that you know it’s from the 60s, you really can’t tell what decade many of their songs are from.
You are one of my favorite guitarist, on RUclips. That's saying a lot considering I follow a lot! Thank you for taking your time out of the day to make this. I love, The Beatles and love this video, thank you Paul! 🤘
This is probably one of my favorite videos I’ve seen on this channel, and I love this channel!!
So great!
Thank you for this analysis! Penny Lane has always been among my most favourite Beatles' Songs, and now I understand why.
I'm 6'3" and this flies over my head. That said, you're awesome. Pleasure to watch (and learn a bit too). Super production on all your stuff. OK, enough from me. Thanks
That was really fascinating. Its so insightful and interesting to dissect something you've pretty much taken for granted to discover just how genius and elaborate its composition really is. Not that I ever doubted Paul McCartney. Thank you. You really are an amazing guitar player.
I loved that song from the first time I listened to, it definitely conquered my heart.
My father bought the single for me on 1967 when I was 8!
And the side B was Strawberry Fileds!!! You can't ask for nothing else
Same story for my. Born 1960 and got the single as kid. Two of the best songs ever!
Double A side really. They released EP's which were mini albums really. Especially in mainland Europe.
I knew the song was amazing but your breakdown has given me a deeper appreciation for its timeless genius. Thank you
Great video Paul from a huge Beatles fan. There's a lot of Beatles songs that are much more complex than people give them credit for.
Genius song writing. Thank you Paul for taking your time to explain for ignoramuses like us. We always know the song is great, but never understood the building blocks that helped create these great songs...
Amazing video! The fact that he used downwards key change to get an epic chorus is just mind blowing!
0:51 Progression - level 1 - ii-V-I
01:40 level 2 - vi-ii-V-I
02:26 level3 - turn chords to 7 chords
02:46 add walking bass
03:58 B minor borrowed from parallel minor (modal interchange)
04:52 significance of the above explained
05:20 B minor becomes B minor 7
05:32 progressing through B minor key: B minor 7 -- G# half-dim -- G maj7 -- F#7sus4 -- F#7 -- F#7sus4 -- F#7 - B
06:25 Andalusian cadence expected but avoided
08:16 modulation to A major via E major pivot chord
10:14 modulating back to B
11:07 last chorus is in the key of the verse (B)
I think what’s so important about Sir Paul is that he’s also a superb keyboard player, an excellent guitarist and first-rate drummer - with a four-octave vocal range. Consequently, he wrote songs from many points of view, including his instinctive and beautiful melodies.
Enjoyable video!
When I realized the modulation up to B for the out chorus was also just going back to the key the song originally started in I was dumbstruck. Paul is a genius. I don't know how you could ever write another song after this one perfect piece, and he wrote several hundred more.
I really appreciate your knowledge in showing us the way Paul put this song together- Big kudos to you and your channel. ❤
Hey Paul I would absolutely love it if you could make a video about Nick Drake and his guitar style. I would love to hear your analysis of his trademark and legendary out of tune accoustic guitar songs and riffs.
For those who have not heard about him or his songs I would highly encourage you to listen to his album Pink Moon. It's an absolute masterpiece. Nick Drake, according to me is the Van Gogh of guitar.
Cheers and Thank you so much 🤗😁
It would be a dreaam
I love the idea of calling Nick Drake the Van Gogh of guitar, it's so apt given their similar pioneering genius and tragic lives.
Brilliant idea!
Nick Drake is one of few musicians where, if you say he was a magician, you would actually not be exaggerating.
If you haven't already seen it, Josh Turner did a pretty good dive into Nick Drake's sound on his channel a few years ago. ruclips.net/video/EzdQE3fJW2E/видео.html
Fantastic video in every way; thanks. In their 6 big years, the Beatles put out 300 songs that made the charts, about 1 per week. I think about that every time I see or hear something like your video. To think of 20 year olds doing that without formal music training ( probably gave them the freedom to do it actually) shows they were true geniuses and it was a miracle of music history that they met each other and gave us these treasures.
GREAT coment!
Great analysis of the chord structure. It took what I always thought of as a simple I-IV-II-V song and added a whole new dimension!
The perfect video for a perfect song - I got so much out of this, thank you!
Actually, the Beatles recorded the basic backing track in C. The four tracks (mostly piano tracks) were then bounced to track 1 of another tape in order to record vocals, bass, drums and guitar. When that reduction was done, the first tape was slowed down to be a semitone lower and slightly slower, which is how we hear it in B. But it was first done in C, which makes so much more musical sense when you go to play it on the piano. Listen to those first 4 tracks (Take 6 from the Sgt. Pepper Anniversary bonus material) and you'll see that Paul wrote Penny Lane in C.
Even in the lyrics-"very strange" & "meanwhile back"; McCa. is telling the story of the surmountable progressions. So much better when You explain it. 10Q Paul.
I can't think of too many other songs where the lyrics describe the harmonic progressions. The only one that comes to mind is Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah': "It goes like this: the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift..." But 'Penny Lane' is subtler; McCartney hints at it, without entirely spelling it out.
Did I enjoy this video? I loved it! Thank you for this incredible breakdown of an iconic Beatles’ song Paul.
Very strange, I woke up singing this song in my head this morning - honestly - and had no idea I would watch a great video that explained so much about it this evening. Great video Paul and great song Paul. Keep up the good work...both of you!
‘Very strange’ yes
Aside from the lesson itself (which was way over my head as a beginner), I also really enjoyed your whole 'gestalt' Paul: your genuine love of the music, your snappy personal style (and the beard circa 1890 Vienna) and the overall clean, crisp well produced quality of the presentation. Even the part where you run to your chair in the beginning: charming! So, even if I don't support you with dollars (or would it be Dutch guilders?), know that your efforts are well appreciated nonetheless!
The truly amazing thing about The Beatles is that they were all instinctively creative musicians. They all had no formal musical training and were all musically illiterate, meaning they couldn't read musical notation. They relyed on George Martin for their orchestral arrangements, but it all came from their heads. Beatles 4 ever!
Well, a LOT of came from the perfectly educated minds of George Martin and later, his son... They had done all the hard work of learning, really learning all music from centuries earlier to the latest and greatest... Their input is what made the Fab 4 who we all know...
Yes, they could have done a lot on their own, but they were so blessed to have been put together with the brightest minds, musically, the Martin Father and son, and all the other great people who all contributed so beautifully...
relied.... :)
they say this a lot...
but when you do something every day, many hours and many years... that's a trainning...
and one teacher could be George Martin.
So, sure, they didn't have a "formal" trainning, but they had a musical trainning for years and they also had a better teacher than most school teachers (George M)
They didn't always "rely" on George Martin for arrangements. I know that Paul, at least, gave a lot of input on some tunes with the orchestral arrangements.
@85geoffm Yes they did "rely" on George Martin to write their music for the orchestra musicians. None of the Beatles could read or write musical notation. Paul would hum to Martin what he wanted and he would write the sheet music for the musians.
@michaelward9880 yes, we're in agreement. I'm aware they couldn't read music. I'm just saying the orchestrations weren't entirely George Martin. Paul oftentimes had exactly what he wanted in mind. He didn't always just say, "Here's my song. Do with it what you please." Although, I'm sure that happened a lot.