The Beatles’ unique chord progression

When it comes to ultimate Beatles songs, I Am The Walrus is a close second to me, only after Strawberry Fields! This song is yet another example of John Lennon's unique approach to songwriting and harmony, and George Martin's magnificent ability to bring John's often eccentric ideas to life!

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

[DavidBennettPiano]

Also, at 7:36 the audio is out of sync with the sheet music. Sorry about that! Thanks to the commenters who noticed it! At least somebody is paying attention 😅😂

[venderstrat]

It's sometimes hard to believe that The Beatles really existed.

[sschmidtevalue]

This song is one of many reasons why I classify George Martin as the 5th Beatle. Billy Preston was a good contributor for a few songs, but G.M. did it throughout their career.

[willk]

It's so cool how it is both catchy and disorienting at the same time. It's like a beautifully demented pop song.

[Mike-rwnh]

Whenever anyone says all social media is vapid nonsense, I point them to content such as this gem. Stellar content, good sir.
👍👍👍

[GG-kpgf]

I honestly think that Magical Mistery Tour is up there with Revolver, Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road for being considered the greatest album by the Beatles

[christianlacheze]

I Am The Walrus is the reason (together with Strawberry Fields) why I have always thought that whilst Paul Mc Cartney is an incredible musician, John Lennon was a genius, because he just envisioned the music differently

[davidemaria]

I always found "I Am The Walrus" as the most Beatles-que song by the Beatles, it's got everything they were. I always fall in love with songs that inspire mystery and magic, and this is definitely number one. Surely one of their best songs.

[RobinAllender]

Brilliant video. My theory with this song is that John set himself a task to try and write a song using only 'white key' major chords: A, B, C, D, E and F. I think it's that restriction which he imposed on himself that makes the song so unique and brilliant.

(Also aided by an ambulance or police car driving by which prompted the nee-naw nee-naw style melody, allegedly.)

[batbugz]

This song got me into the Beatles and honestly music in general. I remember, i was walking through a target looking at the games and the displays and saw one showing off the beatles rockband and this song in particular. I couldn't move. It was such a cool sounding song.

[kyjbrandes.music]

I love your Beatles analysis, thank you for this I know you worked hard on recording your own version so you could properly analyze for the video!! Great job!!

[RugbyLeaguePassport]

The way the outro crawls up and down reminds me of the “A Day In The Life” slow wind up to the big E major.

[cdprince]

What's remarkable is, as you've pointed out in the past, the Beatles probably didn't even know the music theory they were implementing. Yet they managed to create such sophisticated compositions. It's a tribute to their exposure to diverse music in their youth.

[AidanEyewitness]

This is a brilliant exposé on song I hadn't paid much attention to. It's incredible to hear the explanation of the weird key movements and contrasting melodic paths. The version you've done of the song is also sensational - great vocals, I watched the 'making of' video. You really have taken the musical knowledge I got at school doing A level (in which I sadly only got an E!) a lot further. You are producing some of the best, most sophisticated and innovative content on YouTube.

[rwjwith]

Another brilliant job at analyzing a masterpiece. I think Lennon’s music in terms of songwriting was the most experimental in the Beatles. McCartney tended to be very sophisticated but more conventional in form . On WALRUS like Strawberry Fields Lennon kind of merged his poetry and surreal vision with his music, this era was his most innovative and his high point to me, 66 through 69.. he was at the height of his genius.

[lazornagy]

I have been mesmerised by this song ever since I first heard it about 40 years ago. I know very little about music theory but I can honestly say I have never heard anything like it. It shouldn't work but it does. There are no spectacular guitar solos, no catchy tune (try to sing it... it's really hard!), no attempt to perform some kind of virtuoso technical performance and yet it's just perfect. Even the silly rhymes and the distorted radio reception is spot on, perhaps because it's short and not pretentious.
And I didn't even have to listen to it for several times to appreciate it, immediately as I heard the fist few bars, with the electric piano playing the two tones that sound a bit like a police siren, the whole thing hit me and I just "got it". The orchestration is perfect too. For me it gives me a feeling of being in a feverish dream. Amazing.
Thanks, David, for the musical analysis, I can't say I have the knowledge to follow it more than at a very basic level but I appreciate your expert treatment of the song.

[Quinceps]

I've always thought this is actually the best Beatles song.

[ninobasanic]

video idea: songs with riffs that make dissonant intervals work (Fade to black intro, Fix you intro solo...)

[allergeist]

I used to drive myself crazy wondering what electric piano John had used on this song, because it’s the same electro piano he was playing in the video for “The Night Before” from Help! It wasn’t a Wurlitzer because it didn’t have that mid scoop and it looked nothing like a Wurlitzer. And I knew it couldn’t have been a Rhodes because they didn’t exist until 1968, and a Rhodes would’ve had that unmistakeable full rich chime. I was so happy when I got a book on beatle gear/session logs and it listed the Hohner Pianet as the go-to electric piano (until the “Get Back” session footage where you see them unboxing a brand new Rhodes, which Billy Preston pretty much claimed as his own as he could get his hands on it! They really lucked out to have him in their lineup for those last recording sessions. Billy must have also been thrilled to play their final rooftop gig. He always had a big ol smile on his face.

[dimitrifyodorovickaramazov]

Fun fact: That chat you hear at the end of the song were recorded directly off a radio broadcast of King Lear. They are taken from Act 4, Scene 6. Lennon tuned his radio to the BBC Third Program on its final day before becoming Radio 3 and captured these lines quite by chance. They hold no thematic significance but add to the song’s trippy atmosphere.