Songs with the sus4-triad-sus2-triad Figure

unless it's Amaj7/G#

(Man, Plant's voice on II.)

(was still really powerful and full-bodied was what I meant, to digress. I wish he still sang like that when Page's end of things got really great on IV/HotH/PG.)

OK, back on track now

Whoop, you're right about Adele. In my head I was confusing the piano intro with that of Jewel's "Foolish Games"

Funny, I have a little riff I made up with this a few years ago (in D) and I've been trying to figure out which song I stole it from. But I think it's not so much that I stole as it sounds like a lot of other things. It's for sure one of the easiest things a novice guitarist can do to sound like they know something.

Oh, that's the first example someone's given of this in a minor key!
xpost

Hm, I was honestly just shooting the shit when I started this thread but I'm starting to wonder if there's a paper to be written here. ILX would get any due credit if I ever actually write something, obv.

Ha, I'm listening to Wilco and "One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)" does this in F with a ^4-^3-^2-^1 line in the highest voice (^2-^3-^4-^3-^2-^1 if you consider the whole riff).

I don't know if that actually counts as suspended chords though because he's basically just playing that melodic line with the harmony being implied.

"wicked little town" from "hedwig and the angry inch"

(which makes two of these that the breeders covered, along with "so sad about us.")

Probably too easy to just find examples ^4-^3-^2-^1 over the tonic in the bass, although there's no real functional difference.

the other one guitarist/songwriters like a lot is descending from the major triad, to major seventh to dominant seventh chord, e.g. the verse in strawberry fields forever or Something (which also features the rarer minor chord version)

the other one guitarist/songwriters like a lot is descending from the major triad, to major seventh to dominant seventh chord, e.g. the verse in strawberry fields forever or Something (which also features the rarer minor chord version)

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Sunday, July 21, 2013 7:54 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Fucking hell, it's like you just read my mind... was just thinking this!

I call it the 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You' progression because that's where I first remember hearing it.

I don't think "Stairway to Heaven" does this

No, but a sus2-triad-sus4 progression is used in the breakdown before the solo.

"Here's Where You Belong" by The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band http://youtu.be/-AXjkHuYxXA

Hmmmmm. I dunno, Sund4r, this is too common a musical device to really derive any interesting conclusions, imo.

Tend to agree with with that. Sorry, Sund4r.

You're probably right. I like to feel like I'm not just wasting time though.

Talking about wasting time, I once figured out how to play the So Sad About Us progression in G so I could put in the truck driver key change up to A

Me I'm interested in songs that have changeable 4ths. #4 on the verses, then hit a solid IV-chord on the choruses. Most on-the-nose example is Grizzly Bear "Two Weeks". Or chorus of "This guy's in love with you", where the introduction of the #4 (as a secondary dominant) feels like the sun coming out. Or XTC "Travels in Nihilon", where it sounds like the end of the world.

I think You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory by Johnny Thunders does this.

This being the thread title, not flamboyant goon tie included's example.

I was sure I remembered Frank Zappa saying something about this in 'The Real Frank Zappa Book" and yes, I knew I could rely on some Zappa obsessive somewhere on the net to have quoted it, so I didn't have to go and dig the damn thing from the back of the bookcase...

Doesn't he do it, as a poke at folk rock, on a song on "We're Only In It For the Money"? Possibly "Flower Punk"? I'd have to check, but the the inspiration might well be this:

That reminds me that some bands did this on "Hey Joe." The Love version, for example.

the other one guitarist/songwriters like a lot is descending from the major triad, to major seventh to dominant seventh chord, e.g. the verse in strawberry fields forever or Something (which also features the rarer minor chord version)

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Sunday, July 21, 2013 7:54 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Fucking hell, it's like you just read my mind... was just thinking this!

Or a variation of that, Em - Em/M7 - Em7 - Em6, eg the "bossa nova" sections of the Beatles' "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." Aimee Mann uses this one a lot.

Brass in Pocket
All I want is you

"Brass in Pocket" is triad-sus2-sus4-triad.

On one listen, I think the figure in "All I Want Is You" is more just vacillation between the triad and sus2 before the root itself changes.

REM - "Half A World Away" (I think... might be triad-sus4-triad-sus2 though?)

Patience - GnR

John Lennon - "Woman" (the intro) first example that pops into my head. And yes, this chord pattern does seem more rare in songs from the last 15 years or so, at least in pop-oriented stuff.

"Carnival of Sorts" on A in the chorus, but I think he's just playing the notes (4-3-2-1).

ditto -- in a much more pronounced way -- on the A turnaround between the chorus and verse of "don't go back to rockville."

"Money Changes Everything" has this, I believe. Also Beefheart's "Call On Me" and several songs by the Beau Brummels ("Sad Little Girl", "I Want You", "Don't Talk To Strangers", maybe more.)

The Beatles - "Anytime at All" (after the chorus)

"American Pie"

The Doors "Love Street" in a little turn before it modulates at 2:08.

The "hold on" section of the bridge in "Ballad of El Goodo" is written around this, including the vocal melody. Nice to run into our old friend in an essential, rather than embellishing, role.

Wire, "French Film Blurred"

Following the line, "On the day the vibrations will shake your bones".

opening day, that is

'VCR' by the XX does this around the C triad on all the verses.

Velvet Underground, "I'm Set Free".

Surprised The Beatles - "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" hasn't been mentioned.

Also I think Pearl Jam - "Down" qualifies.

sugar "if i can't change your mind" (on the C triad on intro and verses)

It comes up in Taylor Swift's "I'm Only Me When I'm With You" here, which has to be one of the most recent appearances in a popular song.

I'm surprised "Hide Your Love Away" didn't come up earlier too! "Love Street" and Sugar = good catches.

The "hold on" section of the bridge in "Ballad of El Goodo" is written around this, including the vocal melody. Nice to run into our old friend in an essential, rather than embellishing, role.

Wow, good one.

I haven't listened to the third VU album in a long time. I forgot about this one.

We missed "Shaking Through" in the R.E.M. accounting!

David Bowie - "Kooks" almost does this but just D to Dsus4

Bruce Springsteen - Brilliant Disguise

The Monkees - You Told Me