Virtual Insanity Harmonic Analysis

by Nick Homes

Note, the tuning of the track is about 17 cents higher than a 440 tuning (at least the ones I
checked) I do not know why, but it is good to know if you are playing along why it sounds off!!!

The song seems/ feels like the key is Eb minor, however it perhaps lends itself more to an
analysis in Gb major the relative major:

In Gb VI-7 II7 V7 I

So in Gb the piece starts on chord VI-7 and resolves to Gb the tonic at then end of bar 2
via chords VI-7 II7 V7 I. This II7 chord is of course the secondary dominant V7 of V in Gb major.
I like to label this II7 as it is quicker and more direct.

‘Isn’t she lovely’ by Stevie Wonder has the same first 4 chords, starting on chord VI- not resolv-
ing to the tonic until the 4th chord either. The only difference in the 2 progressions is that this Ab7
chord in Stevies song is suspended which gives it a slightly different flavour.

The chord movement of the tune follows the cycle of

5ths or 4ths (depending on which direction you prefer).
This movement is heard in Fly me to the moon

The progressions are very similar of the 2 tunes. The second

chord of Fly me to the Moon is Minor however.
In Gb VI-7 II7 V7 I #IV-7b5 IVmaj7 V7/ VI- VI-

The C-7b5 chord above is not so weird as you might think. This minor #IV-7b5 chord (in Gb) can
be thought of here as a substitute for the Ab9 dominant chord, which is the chord built on the 6th
degree of Eb minor (dorian) ( or the Ab9 can be thought of as the V7 dominant of chord V)
This substitution ‘works’ as the chords share 4 chord tones in common : C Eb Gb and Bb

Billy Joels Just the way you are features this sound as well of the #IV-7b5. In Gb the first 2
chords are Gb to C-7b5 (depending on the version you listen to. Sometimes the second chord is
Ab7! )

This C-7b5 can also be thought of as Eb minor with C in the bass.

In Eb melodic minor, the relative minor to Gb major this is chord VI-7b5

Stevie Wonder used this chord relationship in his classic All is fair in love
which is in C#- featuring the VI -7b5 chord of that key which is A#-7b5.

Note the right hand voicing of the C-7b5 (see above) is Eb minor.
This is the same voicing right hand voicing as seen on the Cb major7.
Just the root note has changed!

The Bb7 contains the augmented 5th Gb which spices up the chord in a jazzy way.

Using the above roman numerals the progression in C major would be:
A-7 | D9 | G9 | Cmajor7 | F#-7b5 | F major7 | E7+5 | A-

A note about the 9th chords. Above the Ab9 and Db9 chords contain the 9th.
You can see that these are regular dominant 7th chords with the natural 9th added in.
In the case of the Ab7 that is the Bb. On the Db7 the 9th is Eb.
These sounds are homegenous as the melody features the Eb minor pentatonic
that features these notes.
 In Gb IVmaj7 V7b9 VI- II-7

The above chords show the chorus of the tune.

The first 3 chords are the same as Bill Withers ‘Just the 2 of us’

This is a common Soul progression to know and love.

In C major it is : F major | E7 | A-7 | G-7 C7 (Just the 2 of US)

Many times an Ab-7 can be heard between the A-7 and the G-7
F major | E7 | A-7 Ab-7 | G-7 C7