Stand By Your Man

Description

The first chorus is 8 bars long. Unlike the low key quality of the verse, the chorus flips dynamically as the vocal jumps up the octave.

The harmony immediately distinguishes itself, using an unexpected C# Major chord to create a dramatic, uplifting shift and a departure from the key. This C# chord is used as a leading tone towards the IV chord, which hits briefly and then in the same bar walks down back through the key, using the iii and ii chords and then easing back down to the I chord. the song departs the key again, delaying the arrival to the E or V chord by first traveling through a series of V of V relationships (F#7 - B7, B7 - E). Again the E chord is landed as a compelling turn around back to the tonic.