Music · Scale degree

♭VI

Flat-six chord - borrowed from parallel minor, dramatic shift

songs

It turns up on 37 recordings, everywhere from 1962 to 1970. McCartney's 'P.S. I Love You' came first and Harrison's 'I Me Mine' last, with the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album leaning on it hardest, four of its twelve tracks. More of them come from 1967 on than from the first four years, 22 against eleven. The singing splits John on eleven, Paul on eleven, George on seven and Ringo on two. Three of them share it on 'Because'. More of Harrison's songs have it than McCartney's, 28% against 17%, including 'Think for Yourself' and 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'.

#	Title	Year	Album	Lead Vocal(s)	Notes
1	P.S. I Love You	1962	Please Please Me	Paul	B♭
2	I Saw Her Standing There	1963	Please Please Me	Paul	C
3	Don't Bother Me	1963	With The Beatles	George	C
4	I Call Your Name	1964	Past Masters	John	C
5	Things We Said Today	1964	A Hard Day's Night	Paul	F (in A minor)
6	Tell Me Why	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John	B♭
7	Michelle	1965	Rubber Soul	Paul	D♭ (in F minor)

8	Wait	1965	Rubber Soul	John, Paul	D
9	We Can Work It Out	1965	Past Masters	Paul, John	G (in B minor)
10	Think for Yourself	1965	Rubber Soul	George	E♭
11	I'm Only Sleeping	1966	Revolver	John	C
12	Eleanor Rigby	1966	Revolver	Paul	C
13	With a Little Help from My Friends	1967	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	Ringo	C
14	Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds	1967	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	John	F (in A major)
15	A Day in the Life	1967	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	John, Paul	C (in E major)
16	Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!	1967	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	John	B♭ (in D minor), C (in E minor)
17	Hello, Goodbye	1967	Magical Mystery Tour	Paul	A♭
18	I Am the Walrus	1967	Magical Mystery Tour	John	F
19	The Fool on the Hill	1967	Magical Mystery Tour	Paul	B♭ (in D minor)
20	Lady Madonna	1968	Past Masters	Paul	F
21	Helter Skelter	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	Paul	C
22	The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	John	A♭ (in C minor)
23	Blackbird	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	Paul	E♭
24	While My Guitar Gently Weeps	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	George	F (in A minor)
25	Savoy Truffle	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	George	C
26	Happiness Is a Warm Gun	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	John	F (in A minor)
27	Only a Northern Song	1969	Yellow Submarine	George	G (in B minor)
28	Old Brown Shoe	1969	Past Masters	George	A♭
29	Because	1969	Abbey Road	John, Paul, George	A
30	Polythene Pam	1969	Abbey Road	John	C
31	The End	1969	Abbey Road	Paul	F
32	I Want You (She's So Heavy)	1969	Abbey Road	John	F (in A minor), B♭ (in D minor)
33	Mean Mr. Mustard	1969	Abbey Road	John	C
34	I Me Mine	1970	Let It Be	George	F
35	Free as a Bird	1995	Reunion singles	John, Paul, George	F (in A major)
36	Now and Then	2023	Reunion singles	John	F

♭VI

Analysis

By Year

By Songwriter

By Era

By Album

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Songs(36 of 37)

P.S. I Love You

I Saw Her Standing There

Don't Bother Me

I Call Your Name

Things We Said Today

Tell Me Why

Michelle

Wait

We Can Work It Out

Think for Yourself

I'm Only Sleeping

Eleanor Rigby

With a Little Help from My Friends

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

A Day in the Life

Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!

Hello, Goodbye

I Am the Walrus

The Fool on the Hill

Lady Madonna

Helter Skelter

The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

Blackbird

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Savoy Truffle

Happiness Is a Warm Gun

Only a Northern Song

Old Brown Shoe

Because

Polythene Pam

The End

I Want You (She's So Heavy)

Mean Mr. Mustard

I Me Mine

Free as a Bird

Now and Then