Chords in Today's Songs
Discover the chords behind familiar songs and see how they work together. Each week, we'll feature a song and explore a short chord sequence that helps give it its distinctive sound.
Use the Fingertips chord boxes to try the progression yourself — and listen for it when you hear the song.
Something — The Beatles
Featured progression: C – Cmaj7 – C7 – F
One of the most recognisable chord movements in Something is also a beautifully simple example of how changing just one note at a time can transform a progression.
Start with C major: C – E – G. Add the major 7th, B, and it becomes Cmaj7. Then lower that B by one semitone to B♭ and you have C7. Lower it once more to A and that note fits naturally into the next chord, F major: F – A – C.
So, while the harmony moves C → Cmaj7 → C7 → F, there is a wonderfully smooth descending line within it:
C → B → B♭ → A
Try playing the four chords slowly and listen for that descending movement. It's a simple technique that can make an ordinary major chord progression sound immediately richer and more expressive.
