Music · Key

Key change

The song modulates to a new key for one or more sections.

songs

51 Beatles recordings have key change in them, across almost the whole of the band's recording life, 1963 to 1970. Abbey Road leans on it hardest, eight of its seventeen tracks. 'Do You Want to Know a Secret' came first, on the Please Please Me album, and 'Two of Us' last, on the Let It Be album. Paul sings lead on eighteen of them, John on fifteen, George on five and Ringo on one. All four of them take the lead on 'Carry That Weight'. Three of them share it on 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)'. On 'Cry Baby Cry' it is from E minor to G, with a hidden coda in F minor. On 'Happiness Is a Warm Gun' it is A minor sections resolve to C major doo-wop.

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51 Beatles tracks contain at least one key change - a shift to a new tonal centre at any point in the song.

Analysis

By Year

Song count per year

By Songwriter

% of each member's catalogue with this tag (by writing credit)

By Era

Early9 · 18%

Mid-period22 · 45%

Late18 · 37%

By Album

The Beatles (The White Album)8

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band5

Help!3

Rubber Soul3

Magical Mystery Tour3

Book

All the Songs

Margotin & Guesdon

Sheet music

Musicnotes – Beatles Piano/Vocal/Guitar

Musicnotes

Book

The Beatles: Complete Scores

Hal Leonard

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Songs(50 of 51)

Year

Album

Writer

Lead vocal(s)

#	Title	Year	Album	Lead Vocal(s)	Notes
1	Do You Want to Know a Secret	1963	Please Please Me	George	-
2	From Me to You	1963	Past Masters	John, Paul	-
3	I Want to Hold Your Hand	1963	Past Masters	John, Paul	-
4	Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand	1964	Past Masters	John, Paul	-
5	When I Get Home	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John	-
6	Things We Said Today	1964	A Hard Day's Night	Paul	-
7	If I Fell	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John, Paul	-

8	And I Love Her	1964	A Hard Day's Night	Paul	-
9	I'll Cry Instead	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John	-
10	Yes It Is	1965	Past Masters	John	-
11	The Night Before	1965	Help!	Paul	-
12	You're Going to Lose That Girl	1965	Help!	John	-
13	Another Girl	1965	Help!	Paul	-
14	Day Tripper	1965	Past Masters	John, Paul	-
15	Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)	1965	Rubber Soul	John	-
16	Girl	1965	Rubber Soul	John	-
17	Michelle	1965	Rubber Soul	Paul	-
18	We Can Work It Out	1965	Past Masters	Paul, John	-
19	For No One	1966	Revolver	Paul	-
20	Good Day Sunshine	1966	Revolver	Paul	-
21	She Said She Said	1966	Revolver	John	-
22	Here, There and Everywhere	1966	Revolver	Paul	-
23	Doctor Robert	1966	Revolver	John	-
24	Penny Lane	1967	Magical Mystery Tour	Paul	-
25	Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!	1967	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	John	-
26	Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds	1967	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	John	-
27	Lovely Rita	1967	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	Paul	-
28	A Day in the Life	1967	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	John, Paul	-

29	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)	1967	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	Paul, John, George	-
30	The Fool on the Hill	1967	Magical Mystery Tour	Paul	-
31	Magical Mystery Tour	1967	Magical Mystery Tour	Paul	-
32	The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	John	-
33	While My Guitar Gently Weeps	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	George	-
34	Martha My Dear	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	Paul	-
35	Cry Baby Cry	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	John	from E minor to G, with a hidden coda in F minor
36	Honey Pie	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	Paul	Tonicizes E minor in bridge
37	Savoy Truffle	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	George	Moves between the parallel pair of E major and E minor
38	Happiness Is a Warm Gun	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	John	A minor sections resolve to C major doo-wop
39	Birthday	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	Paul, John	Modulates to ♭III (C major) at bridge
40	Only a Northern Song	1969	Yellow Submarine	George	-
41	Carry That Weight	1969	Abbey Road	Paul, John, George, Ringo	C major chorus to A minor bridge/verse
42	Octopus's Garden	1969	Abbey Road	Ringo	-
43	Something	1969	Abbey Road	George	-
44	I Want You (She's So Heavy)	1969	Abbey Road	John	A minor verse a to D minor verse b
45	The End	1969	Abbey Road	Paul	A major to C major at coda
46	Golden Slumbers	1969	Abbey Road	Paul	A minor opening to C major
47	You Never Give Me Your Money	1969	Abbey Road	Paul	A minor → C major → A major arch
48	Sun King	1969	Abbey Road	John	-
49	Two of Us	1970	Let It Be	Paul, John	Bridge modulates to B♭ major
50	Free as a Bird	1995	Reunion singles	John, Paul, George	-