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Back', 'So Far Away' v, 'Respect' ch, 'Give Peace A Chance', 'Yellow Submarine' ch, 'Have I The Right'.
I-VI/ C-Am: significant as one of the strongest changes from major to minor. Only one note changes between
these chords (C E G, A C E) yet the mood change is great. 'His Latest Flame', 'Shout', 'Needles And Pins',
'Itchycoo Park' ch, 'What's Going On' ch, 'Rat Trap' i, 'You Really Got A Hold On Me' i, 'Head Over Heels, 'You
Do' v.
I-bVII/ C-Bb: often implied in riff-based songs. 'Whole Lotta Love', 'My Generation', 'You Really Got Me',
'We Can Work It Out' v, 'The Rocker' v, 'Somebody' v, 'Hong Kong Garden'.
These are the chords in columns 1-7 of the table. Here are some other, exotic variations. Some are "reverse polarity":
I-Im/ C-Cm: an arresting chord change that unsettles the sense of key. The first change of the verse of 'I'm Not
In Love' is from a major to a minor on the same root. Also in 'Those Were The Days' (Am A Dm), 'I Don't Want
You To Destroy Me' (A F#m E Em), 'Close To You' (C Bsus4 B Bm). 'Autumn Almanac' has several at the end
of one section and start of the next. The verse of 'We Have All The Time In The World' has E to Em in the key
of A major.
I-bIImaj/ C-C#: highly unusual – listen to the verse of 'Dancing Days'. In power chords, it's important for the
1980s HM of bands like Metallica.
I-IImaj/ C-D: ambiguous because it sets up the expectation of a key change to G.
I-bIII/ C-Eb: a classic hard-edged blues change. 'Children Of The Revolution' v, 'Can The Can' ch. Can also be
exotic, as in the verse of 'Head Over Heels'.
I-IIImaj/ C-E: ambiguous because it sets up the expectation of a key change to A or A minor.
I-IVm/ C-Fm: a staple chord change of ballads and MOR. Expressive to the point of sentimentality.
I-Vm/ C-Gm: ambiguous, because it sets up the expectation of a key change to, or being in, F. This can be
heard on the disconcerting intro of Paul Young's version of 'Don't Dream It's Over' and at the start of 'She's
Leaving Home'.
I-bVI/ C-Ab: slightly strange-sounding, though the note C is common to both chords. Used by John Barry.
Occurs in 'We Close Our Eyes'.
I-VIm/ C-A: ambiguous because it sets up the expectation of a key change to D or D minor. '(Sittin' On) The
Dock Of The Bay' ch, 'Road To Nowhere' v.
I-bVIIm/ C-Bbm: very unusual change that will imply a IV-V change in F minor.
Minor Key Two Chord Changes
What happens if we start from a minor chord? These changes work differently in minor keys where, depending on
which minor scale or mode is being used, the most common would be: