Ziggy Stardust by Bowie is in G
Verse goes G(I) / Bm(III) / C(IV) / D(V) / G(I) / Em(I) / A7(V7/V) / C (IV) / G (I)
The Chorus goes Am (II) / G(I) / F(?) / D(V) / E(?)
My question is how come the tune is in G yet E and F seem so at home? Is it due to the fact the A7 chord smoothly shifted the tonic to D? But then how do we explain the E?
Cheers guys
Ziggy Stardust Chords
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- KVRer
- 1 posts since 29 Apr, 2010
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- KVRist
- 149 posts since 27 Jan, 2007 from Eyeth
OK, here is my analysis without having heard the piece.
Em isn't (I), but (vi). A7 is a secondary dominant seventh and together with Em they are like ii-V7 in D. Although this characteristic motion tends to suggest D for a moment, there is no really a modulation here - A7 goes deceptively and regressively to C (IV of G) and not to D, - and then you have a plagal motion from C to G, so as far as I see from your post, there is no really a "shift" to D.
According to the way you have described the Chorus, F looks like a borrowed chord from the parallel minor (bVII), which is then followed by D(V) and E, which is V in Am (V/ii). But if you look at the Chorus as it is in Am, then you simply have: i-bVII-bVI-IV-V, and this is how I think it is supposed to sound.
Em isn't (I), but (vi). A7 is a secondary dominant seventh and together with Em they are like ii-V7 in D. Although this characteristic motion tends to suggest D for a moment, there is no really a modulation here - A7 goes deceptively and regressively to C (IV of G) and not to D, - and then you have a plagal motion from C to G, so as far as I see from your post, there is no really a "shift" to D.
According to the way you have described the Chorus, F looks like a borrowed chord from the parallel minor (bVII), which is then followed by D(V) and E, which is V in Am (V/ii). But if you look at the Chorus as it is in Am, then you simply have: i-bVII-bVI-IV-V, and this is how I think it is supposed to sound.
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- KVRAF
- 2217 posts since 15 Jul, 2003
it could just be in G as indicated, shift a bit to related em and come back
the chorus could just be whole step wise descent that creates false sense of key and then slips back to the V (D) and if the E is em again the related minor
if the bass notes descend stepwise in the chorus, I'd go with that
I've looked at a few Bowie songs over the years and he does a great deal with some standard guitar chords -- which is what a lot of guitar-based songwriters do
the chorus could just be whole step wise descent that creates false sense of key and then slips back to the V (D) and if the E is em again the related minor
if the bass notes descend stepwise in the chorus, I'd go with that
I've looked at a few Bowie songs over the years and he does a great deal with some standard guitar chords -- which is what a lot of guitar-based songwriters do