Borrowed Chords by Example

A Complete List Of Songs With Modal Interchanges

The most memorable moments in popular music often come from a single unexpected chord, one that doesn't "belong" to the key yet sounds perfect.

This is the art of borrowed chords (also called modal interchange or mode mixture), where composers borrow chords from parallel keys or modes to add emotional color without losing the tonal center.

The Beatles' signature bittersweet sound, Radiohead's alienation in "Creep," and the triumphant power of Led Zeppelin all rely on this technique.

Understanding borrowed chords unlocks not just music theory, but the emotional vocabulary that makes songs memorable.

This tutorial provides the complete theoretical foundation plus 23 analyzed songs from rock, progressive rock, blues, and jazz, each with exact chord progressions, the source of each borrowed chord, and analysis of how it functions emotionally and harmonically.

Part 1: The Theory Foundation

What Borrowed Chords Actually Are

A borrowed chord is a chord taken from a parallel key, a scale that shares the same tonic (root note) but has different scale degrees.

When you're in C major and use an F minor chord instead of F major, you've borrowed that chord from C minor.

The key distinction is duration: borrowed chords are brief enough that the original tonic remains established.

They function as "color chords," providing harmonic variety without modulating to a new key.

Music theorist Aldwell and Schachter describe it well: "The major/minor duality is a basic attribute of the tonal system; using mixture enables a composer to focus on this duality within a single piece or passage."

How Borrowed Chords Differ from Diatonic Progressions

Diatonic harmony uses only the seven notes of a single scale.

In C major, the diatonic chords are C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, B°, all built from C-D-E-F-G-A-B.

These chords sound familiar, stable, and expected.

Borrowed chords contain chromatic notes, pitches outside the current key's scale.

In C major, an E♭ major chord (bIII) contains two notes foreign to the key: E♭ and B♭.

These outside notes create surprise, contrast, and emotional shift while the tonal center remains anchored.

Parallel Keys and the Seven Parallel Modes

Parallel keys share the same root but different scale structures.

C major (C-D-E-F-G-A-B) and C minor (C-D-E♭-F-G-A♭-B♭) are parallel keys, three notes differ between them.

All seven modes can be built on the same tonic, creating seven "parallel modes" from which chords can be borrowed:

The Aeolian mode (parallel natural minor) is by far the most common source for borrowed chords in popular music, providing iv, ♭VI, ♭VII, and ♭III.

The Mixolydian mode's flattened seventh provides the rock-essential ♭VII chord.

The Most Common Borrowed Chords and Their Emotional Qualities

In major keys (borrowing from parallel minor/modes):

The minor iv chord creates a melancholic, nostalgic quality, common in Beatles songs, it's sometimes called the "Beatles cadence."

The ♭VII chord produces anthemic, triumphant power, ubiquitous in rock music.

The ♭VI adds epic, bittersweet drama.

And ♭III creates mysterious brightness.

These four chords, all borrowed from Aeolian, form the core vocabulary of modal interchange in popular music.

In minor keys, borrowing the major IV from Dorian mode adds unexpected brightness, while the raised leading tone in V7 (borrowed from harmonic minor) creates strong dominant function.

Part 2: Rock Songs That Define Modal Interchange

Rock music's relationship with borrowed chords is profound, the ♭VII chord alone appears in thousands of rock songs, creating that signature powerful, anthemic sound that distinguishes rock from other genres.

"Creep" by Radiohead Creates Alienation Through Minor iv

Key: G major | Progression: G – B – C – Cm | Roman numerals: I – III – IV – iv

The song's devastating emotional impact comes from a single borrowed chord.

The progression moves through expected territory,G major to C major, then drops to C minor (iv), borrowed from G Aeolian.

That F natural in the Cm chord (replacing the F# from G major) creates a chromatic descent: F#→F→E as the progression cycles back to G.

This voice leading produces the "minor plagal cadence" effect, a softer, more defeated resolution than a standard IV-I.

Combined with Thom Yorke's lyrics about not belonging, the borrowed iv chord becomes the harmonic embodiment of alienation.

The B major chord (III) is also chromatic, either borrowed from G Lydian or functioning as V/vi (a secondary dominant).

Either way, it sets up tension that the iv chord transforms into resignation rather than resolution.

"In My Life" by The Beatles Perfects the IV-to-iv Movement

Key: A major | Progression: A – E – F#m – A7 – D – Dm – A | Roman numerals: I – V – vi – I7 – IV – iv – I

The Beatles used the D to Dm movement (IV to iv) so frequently it became their signature sound.

In A major, D major contains F#, but Dm contains F natural, borrowed from A minor.

The chromatic voice leading F#→F→E resolves into the tonic with a bittersweet quality that perfectly captures the reflective nostalgia of looking back on one's life.

This "minor plagal cadence" became Lennon and McCartney's emotional secret weapon, appearing in "Yesterday," "Something," "Let It Be," and dozens of other songs.

"Space Oddity" by David Bowie Floats on Borrowed Chords

Key: C major | Verse: C – E7 – F – Fm – C | Chorus: Fmaj7 – Em – Fmaj7 – Em – B♭ – Am – G – F

Roman numerals (verse): I – V7/vi – IV – iv – I | Chorus includes: ♭VII (B♭)

Bowie uses two critical borrowed chords.

The Fm (iv) borrowed from C minor creates the song's ethereal, floating quality, perfectly matching Major Tom drifting through space.

The F to Fm movement appears at key lyrical moments: "papers want to know whose shirts you wear" and "floating in a most peculiar way."

The B♭ chord (♭VII) in the chorus, borrowed from C Mixolydian or Aeolian, adds triumphant scope during "Planet Earth is blue, and there's nothing I can do."

The combination of both borrowed chords, iv for isolation, ♭VII for vastness, creates the song's distinctive cosmic atmosphere.

"Hey Jude" Builds Its Legendary Coda on ♭VII

Key: F major | Coda progression: F – E♭ – B♭ – F | Roman numerals: I – ♭VII – IV – I

The four-minute "na-na-na" ending of "Hey Jude" became one of rock's most recognizable moments, built entirely on borrowed chord movement.

The E♭ (♭VII), borrowed from F Mixolydian or Aeolian, creates the anthemic I–♭VII–IV–I progression.

This pattern, dubbed the "double plagal cadence", resolves without using the dominant (V) chord at all.

The ♭VII walks down a whole step to IV, which then resolves plagally to I.

The result sounds triumphant and communal, perfect for audience participation.

The Beatles understood that borrowed chords could create anthems.

"Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin Weaves Dorian into A minor

Key: A minor | Intro progression: Am – Am(maj7) – Am7 – D/F# – Fmaj7 – G – Am

The chromatic descending bass line (A–G#–G–F#–F–E) became one of rock's most recognizable progressions, but its harmonic sophistication often goes unnoticed.

The D major chord contains F#,which doesn't exist in A natural minor (which has F natural).

This F# comes from A Dorian mode.

The Dorian IV chord (D major) creates momentary brightness and hope before the Fmaj7 (♭VI) brings back the minor key darkness with its F natural.

This alternation between hope (F#) and melancholy (F natural) creates the emotional push-pull that gives "Stairway" its dynamic journey from gentle acoustic opening to powerful climax.

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" Shifts Between Parallel Major and Minor

Key: A minor (verses) / A major (bridge) | Verse: Am – Am/G – Am/F# – Fmaj7 – Am – G – D – E

George Harrison's masterwork literally shifts between parallel keys,A minor for the weeping verses, A major for the questioning bridge ("I don't know why...").

Within the verse, the D major chord (containing F#) is borrowed from A Dorian, providing brightness before the Fmaj7 (♭VI) darkens the mood.

The chromatic descending bass (A–G–F#–F) creates the "weeping" quality the title describes.

Harrison understood that the contrast between parallel modes,A major's brightness and A minor's darkness, could create emotional depth impossible with diatonic harmony alone.

"With a Little Help from My Friends" Showcases ♭VI–♭VII–I Power

Key: E major | Transition progression: C – D – E | Roman numerals: ♭VI – ♭VII – I

The ♭VI–♭VII–I cadence, two major chords borrowed from the parallel minor walking up by whole steps to the tonic, creates one of rock's most triumphant sounds.

In E major, both C and D are foreign (E major has C# and D#), borrowed from E Aeolian.

This progression accompanies the introduction of "Billy Shears" and creates such overwhelming arrival that it became a template for stadium rock and film scores (it's essentially the Universal Pictures fanfare).

All three chords are bright major triads climbing stepwise to resolution, pure harmonic triumph.

Part 3: Progressive Rock and Sophisticated Modal Techniques

Progressive rock bands approached borrowed chords systematically, often using mode mixture as a compositional principle rather than occasional color.

Academic analysis reveals Yes, in particular, preferred borrowing from modes exactly one sharp or flat away from the home key, creating minimal chromatic disruption while maintaining clear tonal motion.

Yes's "Close to the Edge" Uses Lydian II and Mixolydian ♭VII

Key: D Aeolian moving to F Ionian | Chorus example: I – II – IV – ♭VII – I

Yes guitarist Steve Howe and keyboardist Rick Wakeman systematically employed what theorist Brett Clement calls "s1 and f1 transformations", borrowing from modes one signature sharper or flatter than the current key.

The Lydian II chord (a major chord built on the raised second degree) harmonizes the raised fourth scale degree in descending chromatic melody lines.

Meanwhile, the ♭VII chord from Mixolydian substitutes for the traditional dominant function.

The song's 18-minute journey from D minor to its triumphant F major resolution uses these borrowed chords as signposts, marking harmonic arrival points throughout the epic structure.

"Roundabout" by Yes Fills Modal Gaps with ♭III

Key: 1♯ collection (E Aeolian / G Ionian) | Verse: E Dorian | Chorus: G Mixolydian with ♭III

"Roundabout" creates what Clement calls "fundamental scalar gaps" between sections, the verse sits in E Dorian (2♯) while the chorus uses G Mixolydian (♮).

Yes fills these gaps through strategic borrowed chords.

The ♭III chord in the G Mixolydian chorus is borrowed from G Dorian, extending the flatward harmonic motion.

This creates smooth voice-leading connections between modally distant sections.

The technique allows Yes to write lengthy compositions that feel coherent despite constant modal shifting.

"Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd Contrasts Verse and Chorus Modes

Key: B minor (verse) / D major (chorus) | Verse: Bm – A – G – Em – Bm | Chorus: D – A – D – A – C – G – C – G

Roman numerals (chorus): I – V – I – V – ♭VII – IV – ♭VII – IV

Pink Floyd's greatest guitar solo sits atop one of rock's clearest examples of ♭VII borrowing.

The verse lives in B minor (relative minor of D), but the chorus shifts to D major,where the C major chord (♭VII) is borrowed from D Mixolydian.

David Gilmour's solo navigates this borrowing brilliantly.

As one analysis notes, he uses the full D major scale but "mostly avoided the C# during the C chord", acknowledging the borrowed C natural through melodic choices.

The result: soaring guitar lines that feel simultaneously triumphant (D major) and tinged with melancholy (the borrowed ♭VII).

"21st Century Schizoid Man" by King Crimson Shifts Between C minor and Mixolydian

Key: C minor hexatonic (verses) / C Mixolydian (middle section) | Main riff: Cm – B♭ – Cm – E♭ – B♭ – Cm | F – F# – G

King Crimson's aggressive opener uses modal interchange structurally, entire sections shift between C minor and C Mixolydian.

The staccato C minor seventh chords of the vocal sections give way to the "Mirrors" instrumental middle section in a brighter modal territory.

The chromatic power chord movement F – F# – G at phrase endings creates additional tension through chromatic voice leading.

Rather than borrowing individual chords, King Crimson borrows entire modal frameworks, switching between them for structural contrast.

"Tom Sawyer" by Rush Operates from a Mixolydian Foundation

Key: E Mixolydian | Foundation: The ♭VII (D major) is diatonic to Mixolydian

Rush built "Tom Sawyer" on E Mixolydian, where the flattened seventh (D natural instead of D#) is actually diatonic rather than borrowed.

However, additional chromatic chord choices create what Hooktheory analysis identifies as "higher complexity than the average song in terms of Chord Complexity and Chord Progression Novelty."

The Mixolydian foundation itself represents a form of mode mixture, the song sounds major (E major tonic) but with the bluesy edge of the flattened seventh throughout.

Part 4: Blues as Inherent Modal Mixture

Blues occupies a unique position in music theory: the entire genre operates through modal interchange.

The characteristic "blue notes" (♭3, ♭5, ♭7) played over major chord structures create constant tension between major and minor, the essence of mode mixture.

Every dominant seventh chord in a standard blues progression is itself borrowed from Mixolydian mode.

"The Thrill Is Gone" by B.B. King Borrows V7 from Harmonic Minor

Key: B minor | Progression (12-bar minor blues): | Bm7 | Bm7 | Bm7 | Bm7 | Em7 | Em7 | Bm7 | Bm7 | Gmaj7 | F#7 | Bm7 | Bm7 |

The F#7 chord is the critical borrowed element.

In B natural minor (Aeolian), the chord built on the fifth degree would be F#m (containing A natural).

But B.B. King uses F#7, which contains A#, borrowed from B harmonic minor.

This raised seventh scale degree creates a leading tone that pulls powerfully to the B minor tonic.

Without this borrowing, the progression would feel circular and directionless; with it, the V7–i cadence provides the authentic resolution that gives "The Thrill Is Gone" its conclusive, inevitable quality.

"Stormy Monday" Transforms Through Minor iv and ♭VII

Key: G major | Enhanced progression: G7 – C9 – G7 – G7 | C9 – C9 – G7 Am7 – Bm7 B♭7 | Am7 – Cm7 – G7 C9 – G7 D+

The Allman Brothers' arrangement of T-Bone Walker's blues standard introduces two critical borrowed chords.

The B♭7 (♭VII7) in measure 8 creates the famous "backdoor progression", resolving up a whole step to the tonic rather than down a fifth like a traditional dominant.

The Cm7 (iv minor) replacing the expected C major or C7 adds melancholic color through the "plagal sigh", chromatic voice leading where the major third of the IV chord descends to the natural third of the tonic (C→B in G major).

This iv–I resolution feels more resigned and bittersweet than the bright IV–I plagal cadence.

Standard Blues Uses Dominant Sevenths Borrowed from Mixolydian

Key: Any major (example: A) | Progression: A7 – D7 – A7 – A7 | D7 – D7 – A7 – A7 | E7 – D7 – A7 – E7

Every dominant seventh chord in this progression represents mode mixture.

In strict diatonic A major, the I chord would be Amaj7 (with G#).

But blues uses A7 (with G natural), borrowed from A Mixolydian.

Similarly, the diatonic IV chord would be Dmaj7, but blues uses D7 (with C natural).

The genius of blues harmony is using the flattened seventh of each chord to create productive tension with the major third.

When the melody uses the minor third (blue note) against the major chord, additional modal mixture creates the essential blues sound, neither purely major nor minor, but constantly hovering between both.

The "Backdoor Progression" Pervades Blues and Jazz

The iv7–♭VII7–I progression (example in C: Fm7–B♭7–Cmaj7) borrows both chords from the parallel minor.

This "backdoor" resolution, named because it approaches the tonic from the "back" rather than through the traditional V7 "front door", creates smooth voice leading with chromatic motion descending into the tonic.

Examples include "Lady Madonna" (Beatles), "Bold As Love" (Hendrix), and countless blues and jazz standards.

The progression sounds sophisticated yet familiar, surprising yet resolved.

Part 5: Jazz Standards and Systematic Modal Interchange

Jazz musicians developed modal interchange into a systematic harmonic language.

The borrowed iv, ♭VII, and ♭VI chords from parallel minor became standard vocabulary, while the "backdoor progression" (iv7–♭VII7–I) emerged as an alternative to the ubiquitous ii–V–I cadence.

"Lady Bird" by Tadd Dameron Showcases the Backdoor Progression

Key: C major | Progression: | Cmaj7 | Cmaj7 | Fm7 | B♭7 | Cmaj7 | Cmaj7 | B♭m7 | E♭7 | A♭maj7 | A♭maj7 | Am7 | D7 | Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 E♭7 | A♭maj7 D♭7 |

Tadd Dameron's composition became the textbook example of borrowed chord usage in jazz.

The Fm7 (IVm7) is borrowed from C Aeolian, functioning as subdominant minor.

The B♭7 (♭VII7) completes the backdoor progression, resolving up a whole step to Cmaj7.

The A♭maj7 (♭VImaj7) adds further borrowing from parallel minor.

Dameron's signature turnaround moves down by major thirds (C→A♭→F→D♭), incorporating multiple borrowed chords into a logical chromatic sequence.

"Night and Day" by Cole Porter Opens with Borrowed ♭VI

Key: C major | A Section opening: | A♭maj7 | G7#5 | Cmaj7 | C6 |

Roman numerals: ♭VI – V7alt – I – I

Cole Porter's standard demonstrates modal interchange from its first chord.

The A♭maj7 (♭VImaj7) borrowed from C minor creates the signature mysterious opening sound.

The V7#5 contains altered extensions from harmonic minor, connecting the borrowed ♭VI to the tonic through chromatic voice leading.

The chromatic bass descent later in the song (F#–F–E–E♭–D) moves through F#m7♭5, Fm7, Em7, and E♭m7, three of which contain notes borrowed from parallel minor.

Porter understood that borrowed chords create emotional sophistication within a clear tonal framework.

"On Green Dolphin Street" Alternates Directly Between Parallel Major and Minor

Key: C major | A Section: | Cmaj7 | Cmaj7 | Cm7 | Cm7 | D7/C | D♭/C | Cmaj7 | Cmaj7 |

Roman numerals: I | I | i | i | V7/V | ♭II | I | I

This standard demonstrates modal interchange at its most direct, literal alternation between Cmaj7 and Cm7 over a tonic pedal.

The harmonic shift from major to minor creates immediate mode mixture without any harmonic motion; only the chord quality changes while the root remains constant.

This technique, shifting between parallel major and minor on the same root, is the purest form of borrowed chord usage, directly juxtaposing the two parallel tonalities.

"The Girl from Ipanema" Uses Backdoor Progressions in Its Bridge

Key: F major | Bridge progression includes: Am7 – D7 – Gm7 (in E major context: iv – ♭VII – ii)

Antonio Carlos Jobim's bossa nova masterpiece modulates through multiple key centers in its bridge, employing the backdoor ii–V throughout.

In the context of E major (one of the bridge's temporary key centers), the Am7 (iv) and D7 (♭VII7) are both borrowed from E minor, creating the sophisticated backdoor resolution.

Jobim's harmonic sophistication influenced generations of jazz and pop composers.

His systematic use of modal interchange, particularly the minor iv and ♭VII borrowed chords, became foundational to modern harmony.

"Blue in Green" by Miles Davis/Bill Evans Creates Impressionistic Color Through ♭VI

Key: D minor | Progression: | Gm7 | A7♭9 | Dm7 D♭7 | Cm7 F7 | B♭maj7#11 | A7#9 | Dm7 E7#9 | Am7 Dm7 |

The B♭maj7#11 (♭VImaj7) borrowed from D Aeolian adds the characteristic "impressionistic" color associated with Bill Evans's harmonic approach.

While the piece centers in D minor with functional harmony, the borrowed ♭VI creates unexpected brightness within the minor-key framework.

The unusual 10-bar form and rich borrowed harmonies create the floating, dreamlike quality that defined modal jazz's aesthetic, not modal in the sense of avoiding functional harmony, but using mode mixture to expand the coloristic palette.

"Days of Wine and Roses" Features the Classic iv–♭VII Backdoor

Key: F major | Measures 7-8: | B♭m6 | E♭7 |

Roman numerals: IVm6 – ♭VII7

Henry Mancini's Oscar-winning standard includes the iv–♭VII backdoor progression in its A section.

The B♭m6 (IVm6) borrowed from F minor leads to E♭7 (♭VII7), which resolves up a whole step to Fmaj7.

This "backdoor" cadence, softer and more unexpected than the dominant-based ii–V–I, creates the bittersweet, nostalgic quality perfectly suited to the song's themes of memory and loss.

The progression demonstrates how borrowed chords can match emotional content through harmonic color.

Conclusion: Borrowed Chords as Emotional Vocabulary

Modal interchange is not merely a theoretical concept but a practical emotional vocabulary.

The patterns revealed across these 23 songs illuminate consistent relationships between borrowed chords and their effects:

The minor iv chord creates nostalgia, melancholy, and bittersweet resignation, whether in Beatles ballads, Radiohead's alienation, or jazz standards exploring memory and loss.

The ♭VII chord generates anthemic power and triumphant arrival, essential to rock's stadium-filling sound and jazz's sophisticated backdoor resolutions.

The ♭VI chord adds dramatic scope and epic feeling, while direct alternation between parallel major and minor creates immediate emotional contrast.

Composers don't use borrowed chords randomly, they match harmonic color to emotional content.

The chromatic voice leading that borrowed chords enable (particularly the descending half-step motion like F#→F→E in the minor iv) creates smooth resolution with unexpected color.

Understanding these techniques transforms both listening and composition, revealing the deliberate craft behind music's most affecting moments.

The principle underlying all modal interchange is simple: any chord from any mode sharing your tonic is available for borrowing.

The artistry lies in choosing which borrowed colors serve the music's emotional goals.

From Lennon's nostalgic reflections to Yes's epic harmonic journeys, borrowed chords remain among music's most powerful expressive tools.