Song structure: the whole song on one bar line, as played, wrapping before each Verse. The coloured band is the Section; a pill is a Phrase, in its Phrase family’s colour as in the Phrase overview; a coloured box is a Melody Block, its letter the class of blocks that sound alike; the squares are the bars; the chord row prints every chord change where it falls in the bar. Click anything to hear it, at the toolbar’s tempo and speed; a chord plays without the melody.
VCBSection colours: Verse blue, Chorus orange, Bridge green, others grey. On the harmony panels a Phrase name wears the colour of the Section it falls in.
Phrase structure panel
Phrase overview: every Phrase of the song as a pill under its Section’s name, in playing order, all the same width. The Phrases of one family share a colour; a variant (a primed name, such as P1A’) is paler with a dashed border; a family heard only once is grey. Click a pill to hear that Phrase.
a0Each box is a Melody Block at its true bar and beat; vertical lines are bar starts, and empty space is silence.
One line per Phrase. Melody Blocks that sound alike share a colour; within a colour the most-heard one is plain and the others carry a pattern, listed at the side.
The strongest colours go to the largest groups, so two Melody Blocks never look alike unless they are alike. One heard only once stays grey.
▶Click a row to jump to its strip. Hover a box for its details and its ▶, which plays that Melody Block — the recording on Play audio, the synthesiser on Play synth — while a red line follows it along that Phrase’s row.
Melodic line
Top pitch = the highest melody note sounding in each beat. The band behind it is where the corpus’s first Verses and first Choruses sit (the middle half of songs, their average as a line), stretched over each Verse and Chorus here in the Section’s colour. "Typical range" hides band and line; "In Section colours" hides the band.
Vocal loudness = how loud the singer is, measured on the voice separated out of the recording; Loudness = the whole recording, averaged over one bar. Each lane runs from its quietest 5% at the bottom (silence opening or closing the recording not counted) to its loudest at the top; a gap = no voice there, or a bar the recording does not play. One switch shows or hides both.
Harmony panels
Synth chordsUnder each Phrase name in the Harmonic journey: Synth chords, Synth bass and Synth parts play that Phrase on the synthesiser; Audio chords, Audio bass and Audio parts play the chords or the bass separated out of the recording, or the recording itself (shown only when the song has one). The panel’s PLAYBACK SPEED line sets how fast.
Chord colour on the Harmony map and the Staircase of fifths = how much the chord pulls onward: lightest blue at home, deepest at the dominant. A chord from outside the key wears a dashed edge. The Harmonic journey does not use these colours.
!Badge = a rarer-than-usual chord move; in the Harmonic journey it sits between the two chords it joins. Click it for the numbers.
Bracket under the last chords of a Harmonic journey line = the closing cadence.
Pink and blue brackets = where a secondary dominant builds its tension (pink) and where it lands (blue). The Tension resolution switch shows them in place of the cadence bracket.
Slim bars under a Harmony map row = the sounding bass, drawn higher for a higher note; a gap = no accompaniment there.
Pill under a chord on the Harmony map = how unusual its arrival is: the fuller, the rarer, pink for very rare. Click it for the numbers.
→↷⇝Marks over the Harmony map's chords, in order: an authentic cadence, a secondary dominant arriving, a plain falling fifth. The "Cadence marks" pill on the Harmony map's title line hides them.
Dashed outline on a bar = a later statement of that Phrase reads differently there; both are shown at the foot of the Harmony map.
Pink line under the Staircase of fifths = one run of chords; the arrowhead says which way the root moves.
↕ 3rdGrey dotted double arrow marked "3rd" on the Staircase of fifths = the root moves by a third, so the two chords share two notes.
Score/energy & Performance maps
Map square = the chord the bar ends on, shaded like the harmony panels’ chords: lightest blue at home, deepest at the dominant. Click it to jump to that bar. A small corner square on the Performance map marks a notable chord there.
Thick border on a map bar = a section (Verse, Chorus…) starts here.
→Gold arrow under the map = a Phrase closing on an authentic cadence.
3.4Number after a Section name = how unusual its chord moves are on average, green (ordinary) to red (unusual).
Lanes under the Score/energy map: Descending fifths, the chord root’s distance from home in fifths, one point per beat (Chord tension, Melody tension, Energy and Energy blend are switched off for now); then, under "Recording stats", the recording’s Loudness, Brightness, Low-end weight and Attack rate, each averaged over one bar. Each lane has its own switch above the map.
Fine pink dotted line = a step of the Descending fifths line, carried up to the Phrase blocks above the map; at a Phrase’s start it marks its first downbeat.
Cell focus
same notesCell focus: one strip per family, one frame per occurrence — the engraved notes, the chord(s) under them, and three readings against the family’s first occurrence: pitch (same pitch or moved …), shape (same shape or reshaped), chord (same or new); grey when nothing changes, orange when something does. Opens on the first verse and chorus; "Show relatives" adds the families within the RELATIVES cut. Hover a frame for the transformation notation and its cost.
Engraved strips
a0Band above the staff = one Melody Block, labelled with its Class letter and wearing the colour the Phrase structure panel gives it, so it looks the same wherever the page shows it.
12Light-grey digits at each bar's left edge = the score measure number, in played order.
Translucent wash behind the staff = an out-of-key chord zone; tinted noteheads = its foreign notes.
♪♪CT/NCT shading: orange noteheads = notes outside the sounding chord, blue = chord tones.
Lanes below the staff
VHarmony lane: the degree and chord name of each chord, coloured like the map squares; a chord from outside the key wears a dashed edge. The "Harmony labels" switch chooses which of the two leads here, or shows either one on its own.
→Teal arrow below the harmony lane = authentic cadence arriving on that tonic chord. The "Cadence marks" pill hides all three arrows.
↷Curved gold arrow = a secondary dominant resolving to the chord it points at.
⇝Grey wavy arrow = a plain falling fifth between two chords, with no dominant involved.
Toolbar & playback
▶▶ plays from there, and the red line follows along. The Harmonic journey's ▶ plays the chords without the melody, and stops when pressed again; the buttons under each Phrase name there say what they play.
Play audioPlay synth / Play audio = what the page's ▶s play: the page's synthesiser reading the score, or the song's recording (offered only when the song has one).
×2×1 ×2 ×4 ×8 beside the tempo in the toolbar's PLAYBACK row, and on the Harmonic journey's PLAYBACK SPEED line = how many times faster than that tempo every play on the page runs — the strips, a bar, a Melody Block and the Harmonic journey alike.
What makes timeless pop songs work? The tools below help you listen, visualise and hunt for clues.
How to read this page
Chord names. Chords are named two ways: by letter (Am, E7) and by a Roman numeral giving their place in the song’s key — I is the chord built on the first note of the scale, V on the fifth, and so on; capitals for major chords, lowercase for minor. The numerals are what let you compare songs written in different keys. More: Open Music Theory · Wikipedia.
Harmonic journey — one row per phrase of the song, in the order you hear them. The line traces the harmony from chord to chord; press ▶ to listen to a phrase while you follow it. The pills above highlight what makes the journey interesting: rare chord transitions, how likely each move is, the bass line.
Song structure
Click melody blocks to assess their similarity. Same name or colour means similar or related. Play chords at accelerated speeds using Play synth option to feel the progression.
Height is harmonic function. III / VI sits halfway between subdominant and tonic, on a short hint rather than a line of its own. An applied dominant sits just above the chord it prepares, wears its pink target numeral, and carries a pink arrow onto that chord where it actually arrives. A dashed chord and contour are ahead of the first strong beat. Chromatic notes writes the altered note over each out-of-key chord and turns its box red; off, every box is blue. The SEE/HEAR THE DIFFERENCE pills swap the chosen device chords for the plain diatonic chord on their degree — displayed and heard; a greyed option has nothing to remove in this song.
Harmony map
Verse 1
→
↷
↷
P1
55
V7B7V7V7B7B7V7
66
IEIIEEI
VB/D#VVB/D#B/D#V
77
VIC#mVIVIC#mC#mVI
I7E7/BI7I7E7/BE7/BI7
88
IVAIVIVAAIV
IE/G#IIE/G#E/G#I
99
II7F#7II7II7F#7F#7II7
V7B7V7V7B7B7V7
→
↷
↷
→
P1'
99
V7B7V7V7B7B7V7
1010
IEIIEEI
VB/D#VVB/D#B/D#V
1111
VIC#mVIVIC#mC#mVI
I7E7/BI7I7E7/BE7/BI7
1212
IVAIVIVAAIV
IE/G#IIE/G#E/G#I
1313
II7F#7II7II7F#7F#7II7
V7B7V7V7B7B7V7
IEIIEEI
Chorus 1
↷
P2A
1414
IEIIEEI
III7G#7III7III7G#7G#7III7
VIC#mVIVIC#mC#mVI
I7E7/BI7I7E7/BE7/BI7
↷
P2A'
1616
IVAIVIVAAIV
IE/G#IIE/G#E/G#I
II7F#7II7II7F#7F#7II7
V7B7V7V7B7B7V7
↷
↷
↷
→
P2B
1818
IEIIEEI
III7G#7III7III7G#7G#7III7
1919
VIC#mVIVIC#mC#mVI
I7E7/BI7I7E7/BE7/BI7
2020
IVAIVIVAAIV
IE/G#IIE/G#E/G#I
2121
II7F#7II7II7F#7F#7II7
V7B7V7V7B7B7V7
IEIIEEI
Colour = how much the chord demands to continue, graded by its function against the key of its own bar — darker means more: rest (I)partial rest (vi, iii)departure (IV, ii, borrowed)peak (V, vii°, secondary dominants, bVII)…plus an add or sus note. A chord from outside the key wears a dashed edge; it takes a rung like any other rather than sitting off the scale. Pill under a chord = how surprising its arrival is — the fuller, the rarer the move; red when really rare. Click it for the numbers. Grey block = a chord the software read but published no degree for; it prints the best-guess chord name where the shape supports one, else the shape. Only chords we are at least quite sure of are shown. Dashed magenta = a bar where a restatement differs. → authentic cadence ↷ secondary dominant resolving ⇝ plain falling fifth.
Staircase of fifths
Height is the chord root’s distance from home measured in fifths (+4 at the top down to -1 at the bottom). A chain of falling fifths reads as a diagonal staircase. Moving up or down a 3rd can be handy (successive chords then share 2 notes).
Verse 1
P1
55
66
77
88
99
V7B7V7V7B7B7V7
IEIIEEI
VB/D#VVB/D#B/D#V
VIC#mVIVIC#mC#mVI
I7E7/BI7I7E7/BE7/BI7
IVAIVIVAAIV
IE/G#IIE/G#E/G#I
II7F#7II7II7F#7F#7II7
V7B7V7V7B7B7V7
P1'
99
1010
1111
1212
1313
V7B7V7V7B7B7V7
IEIIEEI
VB/D#VVB/D#B/D#V
VIC#mVIVIC#mC#mVI
I7E7/BI7I7E7/BE7/BI7
IVAIVIVAAIV
IE/G#IIE/G#E/G#I
II7F#7II7II7F#7F#7II7
V7B7V7V7B7B7V7
IEIIEEI
Chorus 1
P2A
1414
IEIIEEI
III7G#7III7III7G#7G#7III7
VIC#mVIVIC#mC#mVI
I7E7/BI7I7E7/BE7/BI7
P2A'
1616
IVAIVIVAAIV
IE/G#IIE/G#E/G#I
II7F#7II7II7F#7F#7II7
V7B7V7V7B7B7V7
P2B
1818
1919
2020
2121
IEIIEEI
III7G#7III7III7G#7G#7III7
VIC#mVIVIC#mC#mVI
I7E7/BI7I7E7/BE7/BI7
IVAIVIVAAIV
IE/G#IIE/G#E/G#I
II7F#7II7II7F#7F#7II7
V7B7V7V7B7B7V7
IEIIEEI
Colour = how much the chord demands to continue, graded by its function against the key of its own bar — darker means more: rest (I)partial rest (vi, iii)departure (IV, ii, borrowed)peak (V, vii°, secondary dominants, bVII)…plus an add or sus note. A chord from outside the key wears a dashed edge; it takes a rung like any other rather than sitting off the scale.
Excerpt only. Full score and lyrics available from official publishers.
EI
Degree I in key of E
The first chord of the song — nothing before it to compare it with.
B/D♯V
Degree V in key of E
I → VMove from E to B/D#
How frequent after I?
24%
Harmonic surprise
2.1 bits
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
EI→B/D♯V
C♯mVI
Degree VI in key of E
V → VIMove from B/D# to C#m
How frequent after V?
13%
Harmonic surprise
3.0 bits
Most frequent after V?
I (53%)
B/D♯V→C♯mVI
E7/BI7
Degree I7 in key of E
VI → I7Move from C#m to E7/B
How frequent after VI?
21%
Harmonic surprise
2.2 bits
Most frequent after VI?
IV (39%)
C♯mVI→E7/BI7
AIV
Degree IV in key of E
I7 → IVMove from E7/B to A
How frequent after I7?
36%
Harmonic surprise
1.5 bits
Most frequent after I7?
IV (36%)
E7/BI7→AIV
E/G♯I
Degree I in key of E
IV → IMove from A to E/G#
How frequent after IV?
56%
Harmonic surprise
0.8 bits
Most frequent after IV?
I (56%)
AIV→E/G♯I
F♯7II7
Degree II7 in key of E
I → II7Move from E/G# to F#7
How frequent after I?
4.5%
Harmonic surprise
4.5 bits
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
E/G♯I→F♯7II7
B7V7
Degree V7 in key of E
II7 → V7Move from F#7 to B7
How frequent after II7?
29%
Harmonic surprise
1.8 bits
Most frequent after II7?
I (36%)
F♯7II7→B7V7
EI
Degree I in key of E
V7 → IMove from B7 to E
How frequent after V7?
53%
Harmonic surprise
0.9 bits
Most frequent after V7?
I (53%)
B7V7→EI
B/D♯V
Degree V in key of E
I → VMove from E to B/D#
How frequent after I?
24%
Harmonic surprise
2.1 bits
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
EI→B/D♯V
C♯mVI
Degree VI in key of E
V → VIMove from B/D# to C#m
How frequent after V?
13%
Harmonic surprise
3.0 bits
Most frequent after V?
I (53%)
B/D♯V→C♯mVI
E7/BI7
Degree I7 in key of E
VI → I7Move from C#m to E7/B
How frequent after VI?
21%
Harmonic surprise
2.2 bits
Most frequent after VI?
IV (39%)
C♯mVI→E7/BI7
AIV
Degree IV in key of E
I7 → IVMove from E7/B to A
How frequent after I7?
36%
Harmonic surprise
1.5 bits
Most frequent after I7?
IV (36%)
E7/BI7→AIV
E/G♯I
Degree I in key of E
IV → IMove from A to E/G#
How frequent after IV?
56%
Harmonic surprise
0.8 bits
Most frequent after IV?
I (56%)
AIV→E/G♯I
F♯7II7
Degree II7 in key of E
I → II7Move from E/G# to F#7
How frequent after I?
4.5%
Harmonic surprise
4.5 bits
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
E/G♯I→F♯7II7
B7V7
Degree V7 in key of E
II7 → V7Move from F#7 to B7
How frequent after II7?
29%
Harmonic surprise
1.8 bits
Most frequent after II7?
I (36%)
F♯7II7→B7V7
EI
Degree I in key of E
V7 → IMove from B7 to E
How frequent after V7?
53%
Harmonic surprise
0.9 bits
Most frequent after V7?
I (53%)
B7V7→EI
B/D♯V
Degree V in key of E
I → VMove from E to B/D#
How frequent after I?
24%
Harmonic surprise
2.1 bits
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
EI→B/D♯V
C♯mVI
Degree VI in key of E
V → VIMove from B/D# to C#m
How frequent after V?
13%
Harmonic surprise
3.0 bits
Most frequent after V?
I (53%)
B/D♯V→C♯mVI
E7/BI7
Degree I7 in key of E
VI → I7Move from C#m to E7/B
How frequent after VI?
21%
Harmonic surprise
2.2 bits
Most frequent after VI?
IV (39%)
C♯mVI→E7/BI7
AIV
Degree IV in key of E
I7 → IVMove from E7/B to A
How frequent after I7?
36%
Harmonic surprise
1.5 bits
Most frequent after I7?
IV (36%)
E7/BI7→AIV
E/G♯I
Degree I in key of E
IV → IMove from A to E/G#
How frequent after IV?
56%
Harmonic surprise
0.8 bits
Most frequent after IV?
I (56%)
AIV→E/G♯I
F♯7II7
Degree II7 in key of E
I → II7Move from E/G# to F#7
How frequent after I?
4.5%
Harmonic surprise
4.5 bits
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
E/G♯I→F♯7II7
B7V7
Degree V7 in key of E
II7 → V7Move from F#7 to B7
How frequent after II7?
29%
Harmonic surprise
1.8 bits
Most frequent after II7?
I (36%)
F♯7II7→B7V7
EI
Degree I in key of E
V7 → IMove from B7 to E
How frequent after V7?
53%
Harmonic surprise
0.9 bits
Most frequent after V7?
I (53%)
B7V7→EI
G♯7III7
Degree III7 in key of E
I → III7Move from E to G#7
How frequent after I?
1.5%
Harmonic surprise
6.1 bits — rare above 4.64
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
EI→G♯7III7
C♯mVI
Degree VI in key of E
III7 → VIMove from G#7 to C#m
How frequent after III7?
34%
Harmonic surprise
1.5 bits
Most frequent after III7?
VI (34%)
G♯7III7→C♯mVI
E7/BI7
Degree I7 in key of E
VI → I7Move from C#m to E7/B
How frequent after VI?
21%
Harmonic surprise
2.2 bits
Most frequent after VI?
IV (39%)
C♯mVI→E7/BI7
AIV
Degree IV in key of E
I7 → IVMove from E7/B to A
How frequent after I7?
36%
Harmonic surprise
1.5 bits
Most frequent after I7?
IV (36%)
E7/BI7→AIV
E/G♯I
Degree I in key of E
IV → IMove from A to E/G#
How frequent after IV?
56%
Harmonic surprise
0.8 bits
Most frequent after IV?
I (56%)
AIV→E/G♯I
F♯7II7
Degree II7 in key of E
I → II7Move from E/G# to F#7
How frequent after I?
4.5%
Harmonic surprise
4.5 bits
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
E/G♯I→F♯7II7
B7V7
Degree V7 in key of E
II7 → V7Move from F#7 to B7
How frequent after II7?
29%
Harmonic surprise
1.8 bits
Most frequent after II7?
I (36%)
F♯7II7→B7V7
EI
Degree I in key of E
V7 → IMove from B7 to E
How frequent after V7?
53%
Harmonic surprise
0.9 bits
Most frequent after V7?
I (53%)
B7V7→EI
G♯7III7
Degree III7 in key of E
I → III7Move from E to G#7
How frequent after I?
1.5%
Harmonic surprise
6.1 bits — rare above 4.64
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
EI→G♯7III7
C♯mVI
Degree VI in key of E
III7 → VIMove from G#7 to C#m
How frequent after III7?
34%
Harmonic surprise
1.5 bits
Most frequent after III7?
VI (34%)
G♯7III7→C♯mVI
E7/BI7
Degree I7 in key of E
VI → I7Move from C#m to E7/B
How frequent after VI?
21%
Harmonic surprise
2.2 bits
Most frequent after VI?
IV (39%)
C♯mVI→E7/BI7
AIV
Degree IV in key of E
I7 → IVMove from E7/B to A
How frequent after I7?
36%
Harmonic surprise
1.5 bits
Most frequent after I7?
IV (36%)
E7/BI7→AIV
E/G♯I
Degree I in key of E
IV → IMove from A to E/G#
How frequent after IV?
56%
Harmonic surprise
0.8 bits
Most frequent after IV?
I (56%)
AIV→E/G♯I
F♯7II7
Degree II7 in key of E
I → II7Move from E/G# to F#7
How frequent after I?
4.5%
Harmonic surprise
4.5 bits
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
E/G♯I→F♯7II7
B7V7
Degree V7 in key of E
II7 → V7Move from F#7 to B7
How frequent after II7?
29%
Harmonic surprise
1.8 bits
Most frequent after II7?
I (36%)
F♯7II7→B7V7
EI
Degree I in key of E
V7 → IMove from B7 to E
How frequent after V7?
53%
Harmonic surprise
0.9 bits
Most frequent after V7?
I (53%)
B7V7→EI
F♯mII
Degree II in key of E
I → IIMove from E to F#m
How frequent after I?
4.5%
Harmonic surprise
4.5 bits
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
EI→F♯mII
BV
Degree V in key of E
II → VMove from F#m to B
How frequent after II?
29%
Harmonic surprise
1.8 bits
Most frequent after II?
I (36%)
F♯mII→BV
EI
Degree I in key of E
V → IMove from B to E
How frequent after V?
53%
Harmonic surprise
0.9 bits
Most frequent after V?
I (53%)
BV→EI
C♯mVI
Degree VI in key of E
I → VIMove from E to C#m
How frequent after I?
10%
Harmonic surprise
3.3 bits
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
EI→C♯mVI
F♯mII
Degree II in key of E
VI → IIMove from C#m to F#m
How frequent after VI?
13%
Harmonic surprise
2.9 bits
Most frequent after VI?
IV (39%)
C♯mVI→F♯mII
BV
Degree V in key of E
II → VMove from F#m to B
How frequent after II?
29%
Harmonic surprise
1.8 bits
Most frequent after II?
I (36%)
F♯mII→BV
E/BI
Degree I in key of E
V → IMove from B to E/B
How frequent after V?
53%
Harmonic surprise
0.9 bits
Most frequent after V?
I (53%)
BV→E/BI
F♯mII
Degree II in key of E
I → IIMove from E/B to F#m
How frequent after I?
4.5%
Harmonic surprise
4.5 bits
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
E/BI→F♯mII
BV
Degree V in key of E
II → VMove from F#m to B
How frequent after II?
29%
Harmonic surprise
1.8 bits
Most frequent after II?
I (36%)
F♯mII→BV
EI
Degree I in key of E
V → IMove from B to E
How frequent after V?
53%
Harmonic surprise
0.9 bits
Most frequent after V?
I (53%)
BV→EI
C♯mVI
Degree VI in key of E
I → VIMove from E to C#m
How frequent after I?
10%
Harmonic surprise
3.3 bits
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
EI→C♯mVI
F♯mII
Degree II in key of E
VI → IIMove from C#m to F#m
How frequent after VI?
13%
Harmonic surprise
2.9 bits
Most frequent after VI?
IV (39%)
C♯mVI→F♯mII
BV
Degree V in key of E
II → VMove from F#m to B
How frequent after II?
29%
Harmonic surprise
1.8 bits
Most frequent after II?
I (36%)
F♯mII→BV
E/BI
Degree I in key of E
V → IMove from B to E/B
How frequent after V?
53%
Harmonic surprise
0.9 bits
Most frequent after V?
I (53%)
BV→E/BI
C♯m7VI
Degree VI in key of E
I → VIMove from E/B to C#m7
How frequent after I?
10%
Harmonic surprise
3.3 bits
Most frequent after I?
IV (36%)
E/BI→C♯m7VI
Background & Context
"Les Champs-Élysées" is a French pop song performed by Joe Dassin, released as a single on August 15, 1969 on the CBS label (catalog 4281). It is an adaptation of "Waterloo Road," composed by Mike Wilsh and Mike Deighan and originally performed by the British group Jason Crest in 1968. While the original had little commercial success, producer Jacques Plait discovered the track and introduced it to Dassin, who commissioned Pierre Delanoë to write French lyrics. When asked what "Waterloo Road" represented, Dassin explained it was "the London equivalent of the Champs-Élysées," inspiring Delanoë's lyrical concept.
The song was recorded in March 1969 with orchestral arrangements by Jean Musy. It became a major commercial success, selling over 500,000 copies in France and reaching second place in sales charts. Dassin won the Grand Prix de l'Académie Charles-Cros for this recording. The song was also recorded in German and Japanese versions, and was used by the French embassy in Japan for cultural promotion in 1969.
The song appears on Dassin's third studio album, also titled "Joe Dassin" (released May 1969).
Musical character and devices
Key musical ideas:
Cell & motif repetition by harmonic context: Les Champs-Élysées builds its verse from a single patter figure stated four times in immediate succession, stepping down with a circle-of-fifths harmony whose every chord recolours the figure's common tone — sequence and reinterpretation fused in one gesture. The chorus restates the chain at identical pitch with one chord of the cycle exchanged — a secondary dominant where the dominant stood — turning the common tone from dissonance into root.
Walking-bass = walking-down-the-avenue: the circle-of-fifths bass enacts the lyric's stroll. Harmony itself walks; listeners feel the forward motion before parsing the words.
Classical composer devices illustrated:
Circle-of-fifths bass (verse: I-V6-vi-I-IV-I6-II7-V7 in E major): textbook Baroque voice-leading procedure — root motion by descending fifths within a closed period. Pachelbel-canon foundation applied to a 1969 pop hit.
Climax-by-leap: octave leap A4 → A5 on the "pa pa pa" hook.
Credits
Original words and music: Mike Wilsh and Mike Deighan (Waterloo Road)