The music theory of 'Strawberry Fields Forever'

Strawberry Fields Forever is not only one of The Beatles greatest and most ambitious accomplishments, but it is one of the most distinctive and creative songs ever recorded. So today I want to take a look at the music theory working behind this masterpiece, the meter changes, the tonal ambiguity and the unique chord progressions.

And, an extra special thanks goes to Douglas Lind, David Bennett is hawt, Vidad Flowers, Ivan Pang, Waylon Fairbanks, Jon Dye, Austin Russell, Christopher Ryan, Toot & Paul Peijzel, the channel’s Patreon saints! 😇

0:00 Introduction
0:53 The Mellotron Intro
2:09 The Chorus
4:10 The Verse
4:40 Take 7/Take 26
7:24 The Final Chorus
8:30 The Fade Out/Fade In
9:15 Conclusion

[DavidBennettPiano]

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[khalidcabrero]

If asked, I would also say "Strawberry Fields Forever" is my favorite song. And I was asked once. I grew up in Africa, where the Beatles (and white music generally) were not particularly popular. Nonetheless, in my teens, I got turned on to them and painstakingly learned to play the entire Beatles catalog on guitar from all the scratchy records I could get my hands on. They were hard to find because nobody really listened to them. And I struggled a lot trying to reproduce John's complicated songs. I had a friend whose father hosted one of the top music shows on the FM radio in the country. One day, she showed up and asked me to turn her dad's show on. He played the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever", the entire song, before moving on to his usual roster of popular rhumba music. I was stunned. It was her belated birthday gift to me. She had once casually asked me what my favorite song was, and I had blurted out "Strawberry Fields" without hesitation. And she remembered and got her father to start his radio show off with it. I think the shabeens and dance halls throughout the country were puzzled for a few minutes.

[lO_-_Ol]

When it switches from take 7 to take 26 it is one of the best beat drops in music history

[resedoton]

Paul's reaction to hearing this song for the first time was, "That's f*cking brilliant, John."

[PianoVampire]

Fantastic analysis, really enjoyed it - my favourite would probably be either A Day In The Life or even I Want You (She's So Heavy)...

[singerofsongss]

Wow. I’ve listened to this song my whole life, and I know it like the back of my hand. But seeing it transcribed in this video made me realize just how odd the whole thing is — I’d never even noticed the compound meter or the odd bars of 2/4 here and there, much less thought about the tonality. Super cool to see, thanks for making this video!

[sjm]

The genius of the Beatles was that they could do all this and still remain incredibly melodic and listenable. Well, that was one of their geniuses.

[novawax]

Imagine myself at 12 years old listening to this masterpiece in a cassette that my father gave me. One of the best songs ever composed and recorded. That orchestral part I used to listen to just using one speaker to feel all the strings and brass in that magnificent score. Even today I try to concentrate and listen to carefully how the bow rubs the strings in that lower C. Now I am 47 and still feel the thrill of this song. Words cannot express what this piece of art make me feel. Thanks for the instrumental part of your video.

[andrewlowden]

06:30 that low Bb note has a nice big smile going on

[awlsounds]

Anyone else noticed John playing Strawberry feilds intro in a hotel room on The Beatles First US Visit film, he playing it on a bontempi melodian mouth organ, years before the release of the song. Mind blowing, well worth a watch

[ericsiegel]

Love these deeper dives into a single song, would love to see more of them!

[flickeringvideo]

The 6/8 "Strawberry Fields Forever" line has a feeling of triplets. I think that's what tricks your brain into feeling the song slows down as to incorporate those 6 notes into two beats the song would have to slow down. It's a great tempo illusion, just perfect

[hw]

One of the greatest chord progressions and choruses of all time. Thanks John

[_Bigzie_]

The variable time signatures in Lennon's work illustrates one part of his genius. He's not thinking about time signatures at all when he's composing. It's done by feel, intuitively, which is simply amazing.

[Jerry_Fried]

8:46 "[The fade out, fade in, fade out] wasn't a creative decision. It was more a problem-solving decision."

Problem solving is the core of creativity.

[snookerwither]

The cut between different takes still amazes me

[John_Fugazzi]

I still remember hearing this song for the first time on the radio in early 1967. It was like a lightning bolt, like nothing I had ever heard before, It felt like a quantum jump in pop music. And the song gained a tremendous amount of depth and power with its ramping up with cello and brass, something that wouldn't have been there if it had stayed with its earlier instrumentation.

[leonardoross]

I'm really digging this format, I would love to see more!

[alanra]

5:55 That triplet-based cello line has always been my favorite aspect of the song. (At least since I heard it "brought out" by a primitive "out-of-phase stereo" mix on a cassette ca. 1985.) I am SO GLAD the cello section was finally given 'full spread' in 2015!

[lukahmad]

I reallly reallly love when you always analysing Beatles songs, love those knowledge. Thank you!