Songs that use the Picardy Third

We would expect a passage in the minor key to resolve to a minor chord, right? But the Picardy Third is when we instead resolve to the major chord. It's a simple swap that yields a very satisfying resolution.
Cover versions used in the video:
Roundabout: • Roundabout (Yes) - Aco...
And I Love Her: • The Beatles - And I Lo...
Things We Said Today: • Things We Said Today c...
I'll Be Back: • I'll Be Back - (Beatl...
A Day In The Life: • A DAY IN THE LIFE // T...
Exit Music: • Exit Music (For a Film...
Kiss From A Rose: • Aria (Featuring Bas Ja...
And an extra special thanks goes to Daniel Long, Toot & Paul Peijzel, the channel’s Patreon saints! 😇
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON: / davidbennettpiano

[@LemakiMusik]

Tis not a David Bennett video without at least one example from the Beatles

[@charliejoseph6465]

Tis not a songwriting technique without at least one example from the Beatles

[@EmiTheLoomistar]

@@charliejoseph6465 Man, It only makes me appreciate the Beatles even more.

[@MattiaPiola]

Tis not a Beatles song if there's nothing interesting to say about it!

[@michellatendresse1700]

why would that be surprising? It would seem to me the opposite would be strange. The Beatles and their music are a major influence in all popular music that followed them.

[@Exayevie]

Or six

[@rtg_onefourtwoeightfiveseven]

1:21 It's almost like that chord is saying 'To be continued'.

[@alienbeef0421]

Lmao true

[@masterjiggs274]

Alex M. ゴゴゴゴ

[@pamelamason530]

I mean, the introduction to "Roundabout" is used as the TBC music in one of the seasons of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, so...

[@blizzard_the_seal9863]

pfF

[@Juan6370]

@@pamelamason530 whoosh

[@JayForeman]

'A Taste of Honey' by the Beatles. As far as I know, the Picardy third at the end was their idea, and no previous version has it.

[@moka8267]

Thank you, Jay, very cool!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Great example! Thanks Jay 🙏

[@dhpbear2]

And just about every band that could stand up in front of a mic had recorded this little ditty !

[@DanB-sh3wt]

IT'S THE BOY HIMSELF JAY FOREMAN jay i love you

[@FatJesusOMG6911]

Jay could you do some guitar tutorials for your songs???

[@mikerojano7305]

"their third has been suspended" damn what he do

[@Cujohhh]

SHUT UP LOL

[@vannillaAJofficial204]

free my boy‼️‼️

[@graceyang9022]

I have listened to Roundabout so many times I cannot accept the Em version

[@gtripmusic2906]

Intro part ends the bar in Em

[@Asocial-Canine]

@@gtripmusic2906 yeah, but it does so with the whole band joining to start playing the verse, not a guitar lightly strumming the chord

[@mrCheeeseGuy]

TO BE CONTINUED

[@tocov]

Man you must be swarmed with copyright strikes constantly. So frustrating since you're making such amazing content, to constantly battle that crap. KZbin's copyright system is so dumb.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

it's a nightmare! With each video I make now I try to be as careful as possible as you may have noticed today! I WISH I could just use the original recordings!

[@tocov]

@@DavidBennettPiano It's absolutely bonkers. Man, I really appreciate you keep creating these great videos while constantly battling for your channel's survival. You're awesome.

[@tonybates7870]

What are these "blockers" afraid of? That someone will be content to listen to a small scrap of a track on a KZbin video and not want to buy the whole record? If I wanted to hear, say, Yes' Roundabout the little bit of it on here wouldn't be enough.

[@fenhen]

Tony Bates You need to protect what you own though. If you let things slide you can easily lose your rights to things. The problem isn’t people flagging things, it’s that KZbin doesn’t have the resources to analyse the amount of content people are creating for it.

[@HofTheStage]

@@DavidBennettPiano could the algorithm be fooled if you transposed the original song by a half step (or a quartertone even)? I know that the song wouldn't be quite the same and you couldn't maybe write the same chords as the original, but it might be good for avoiding copyright? I've heard if you turned the volume down of a song a lot that this might also help, but I'm not sure. Anyway, great video as always, keep it up!

[@75lemonade17]

The Picardy Third was used as far back as the Baroque period, and as I always say, if it’s not Baroque don’t fix it ;)

[@Galantski]

Although lovers of the Baroque would argue that their music doesn't need fixing, thank you very much! And besides, how do you Telemann that his musical instrument is baroquen?

[@coombscharlie]

Groan!

[@alienorbiter]

Learning baroque music is clave.

[@frankjuggaloheathen1035]

😖😖😖🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️

[@burpie3258]

HAHAHAAH

[@rpeetz]

Its a little sad to see that you had to use covers of the song to avoid copyright strikes when it is really clear that you are using the sections of the song not to reproduce it, but it is for an educational purpose where you explain in this case the uses of picardy third. But nice job man.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

I wish I could use the original recordings... but that's KZbin's broken copyright system!

[@rpeetz]

@@DavidBennettPiano i know exactly how it is, on one of my videos where i build an arcade style joystick i got issues because of the super mario bros theme playing on the video (because i was showing off the controller playing the game).

[@reginaldfry5738]

@@DavidBennettPiano It's not "KZbin's broken copyright system" it's money grabbing record labels. There is a TED talk where every possible major key melody has been created by a computer and stored on a hard drive, so watch it, because any new melody created in a major key after the date of that video will not be new and therefore is breaking copyright. Enjoy

[@vrajesvari108]

@@reginaldfry5738 I'm no legal expert, but I can't see that making every melody in major key a copyright infringement. For one thing, all the makers of that program could really lay claim to is the method for producing the melody, not the melody itself. Secondly, melodies themselves aren't particularly copyright-able; it's the way a melody is used that really counts. Otherwise the million mainstream pop songs that all use the same chord sequences would be a shit show

[@fashnek]

This is the nature of automated copyright. He COULD use them, but it would be much harder because of the legal burden. It is prohibitively time-consuming and expensive.

[@SilloniusAeldarian]

I swear it's so satisfying ending a piece in a picardy third like that

[@chipgaasche4933]

No kidding...lol

[@marconteurs94]

The chorus of " while my guitar gently weeps" or " Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley

[@darknightmike10yearsago]

Yes!

[@hallamhal]

Are those Picardy Thirds? I thought they were just modulations to the parallel majors

[@michaelweiske702]

The chorus of WMGGW is in the key of A major and resolves to E major. The whole progression is A - C#m - F#m - C#m - B - E

[@imranino]

Great examples. I would say that the Picardy third is most effective if the root major hasn’t been played at all throughout the piece, and is only played at the very end. (Of course a root dominant to go to the iv doesn’t count). I love ending minor songs on a major key, I often do it spontaneously with my band! I might shout “Picardy” instead of “major” now

[@marconteurs94]

Imran Khan I agree . I suggest you to listen to “ dedicato a te “ , by an italian band called Le Vibrazioni. They Use The Picardy in the very last chord.

[@pamelamason530]

What I like about your videos is that you include demonstrations of how the music would be affected if the composers/songwriters didn't make the musical decisions (for example, how the experience of the song's tonal universe is different when you remove the picardy thirds and resolve "normally"). From the perspective of someone who hopes to be a music theory instructor one day, I appreciate the effort you put in to your examples.

[@victorwilburn8588]

Indeed, a very consistent and effective part of his videos.

[@VladKazimirov]

The final part of Shine On You Crazy Diamond, which is that 3-ish minute long melancholic instrumental bit featuring several layers of Rick Wright's keyboards. It's in G minor, like the rest of the suite, but ends on a G major chord.

[@yesdcotchin]

presumably you're referring to part 2?

[@VladKazimirov]

@@yesdcotchin Yes, the second half of SOYCD, at the end of the Wish You Were Here album.

[@torstenlandsson9757]

@@yesdcotchin it is technically just one song though, it's just split into two parts

[@tonybates7870]

Doesn't Wright play the first few notes of See Emily Play towards the end of that as a nod to Syd Barrett, the ex-member conspicuous by his absence on Wish You Were Here and the subject of most of the album?

[@yesdcotchin]

@@torstenlandsson9757 ye ofc, just clarifying

[@xcheesyxbaconx]

Exit Music for a Film is even more interesting because the following chord is a Bm, so you've got a chromatically descending note inside of the B chord (Bsus4 > Bmaj > Bmin)

[@m.ak.s.1298]

Love it how many examples you show us.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

In my opinion, theory only makes sense when applied!

[@tomhannah3825]

Thank you so much for making it crystal clear! The great site ReacttotheK tried to explain it once, but your explanation is much better...

[@thesweetembraceofnonexiste3740]

I've always wondered what this was called, because I REALLY like it when songs utilize it. Thanks!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

You're welcome! I'm glad the video helped.

[@byronrobbins8834]

@@DavidBennettPiano the Picardy third note, will help for a stronger ending.

[@potetopancakes]

hearing the version of roundabout with the Em chord was weird

[@ManWithNoExpression]

Cool to see you used my cover of And I Love Her! Nice video

[@DavidBennettPiano]

ManWithNoExpression your cover was one of the best I could find! Well done. How did you find my video? Thanks 🙂

[@ManWithNoExpression]

Thanks! Well with all the Beatles stuff you include, I’ve been watching your videos off and on for a while, and saw this one in my recommended. Feel free to use my videos whenever. Also, if you don’t already use it, I’d highly recommend Alan Pollack’s website for some info on the music theory of Beatles songs: www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/DATABASES/AWP/awp-beatles_canon.shtml Side note: My personal hope has always been to see their song You’re Going To Lose That Girl in one of these videos, with its great pivot key change which then modulates down a half step back to the original key. Just throwing that out there haha

[@cesaraguilar5405]

Been playing for a while. I recently got started into real theory. It amazes me so much to find that all these things and emotions are actually narrowed down and DO have a name. Ty so much Bennet, amazing as always

[@DavidBennettPiano]

You're welcome! A lot of people say that theory restricts creativity! But, when approached correctly, theory can be a massive expansion to your existing tool set, letting you create things you never even considered before!

[@theknightsofawesomeness2701]

Paul: Shall we add the picardy third to our song? John: Make it so.

[@moka8267]

More like "Paul: how many picardy third Jhon: yes"h ahah get it

[@GolfhausYT]

I see what you did there. Nice call making it John to say it.

[@chipgaasche4933]

The Beatles had no idea it was a picardy 3rd.

[@markmark8545]

@@chipgaasche4933 you might be amazed actually...Paul was / is a big JS Bach fan.

[@chipgaasche4933]

@@markmark8545 he STILL didn't know what a Picardy 3rd was.

[@victorhugotoledocofre1366]

Happy Together by The Turtles (1967) Largely in E minor resolves into E major

[@yesdcotchin]

*F# minor/major

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Great suggestion.👍👍 I actually included this one in the video originally but I couldn't find a version that would avoid the copyright filter so I decided not to mention it.

[@mbcarlson]

Yes, also "Eleanor" by The Turtles. I guess they like those.

[@PhillipCowell01]

Ah that's it! I new there was one that I had played a lot recently in a band and couldn't think what it was. It's doubly awesome because it comes right after that big 'ba ba ba ba' part I think. Or at least it did the way we covered it;)

[@marlonelliot8943]

@@mbcarlson The record company told the Turtles to write another Happy Together, so they came up with Elenore

[@aaronclift]

“Down in a Hole” by Alice In Chains is in G # minor but ends on an Ab major chord, which is a very surprising way for such a dark song to end.

[@TorTheWeirdo]

Great example!

[@guitaristssuck8979]

So you think G# and Ab are different? 😜

[@TorTheWeirdo]

Guitarists Suck damn now that you say it they are enharmonic. I don’t know much about theory or guitar playing so I can’t speak on the actual chords being played but if you listen to the song it does sound like the other examples given in this video.

[@aaronclift]

Guitarists Suck I assume that you’re being sarcastic, but yes, in equal temperament, Ab and G# are enharmonic.

[@turnleftaticeland]

Guitarists Suck i think he said Ab major instead of G# major because G# major as a functional key doesn’t really exist

[@jasminegosewinkel]

My first time noticing a Picardy Third was in the Christmas song Coventry Carol! Can't believe it's been in many songs I know and I haven't noticed! Loved the video!

[@revbobuk]

Is it just me, though? I don't feel that the Picardy third is a 'stronger, more triumphant' end to that carol - it always strikes me as a little spooky in that context, a little unnerving.

[@Jannik__92]

„Sealed with a kiss“ by Brian Hyland ends also with a Picardy third 😊

[@jennw6809]

I absolutely love the Picardy Third!! Thanks for doing a video on it.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

you're welcome!

[@turnleftaticeland]

the end of exit music is one of the most beautiful things i’ve ever heard

[@ScottiBishop]

he explained this better in the first 20 seconds than my theory teacher did in a whole semester

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thanks!

[@vrajesvari108]

The channels/producers who are doing these copyright strikes should be *happy* that people are making videos like this about their music. Videos like this are how I discover a lot of the new (to me) music that I listen to. If I hear an explanation of a song I maybe wasn't otherwise so interested in that peaks my interest, then I start exploring that artist more than I otherwise would have. It's a win win for everyone, content creators like you, viewers like me, and producers like them. I just don't think they see the big picture.

[@sigvestein]

"deadmau5 - Some Chords" is a great example of this being used in modern electronic music. Love your videos!

[@ItzyMM]

Classical Gas ends in A while the whole song is in Am!

[@deanc.5984]

It's ok, I LOVE THE BEATLES.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

me too!

[@dpc1332]

So happy together?

[@DavidBennettPiano]

great example!

[@carltroia6235]

Darío Paredes Elenore the turtles

[@jonchappell857]

In addition to the Turtles’ “Happy Together, how about Del Shannon’s “Runaway”?

[@rhmon7112]

In the Light by Led Zeppelin is a prime example of this. Shifts between A minor and A major seamlessly.

[@renatawaldmann3448]

amazing song!

[@sunguy08]

Great vid! Thanks! 💛

[@potNuts]

You could do a whole video on Exit Music (For a Film). The way the whole song is built around that chromatic walkdown from Bsus4, to B, to Bm is one of my favorite things in all of music. It feels like they almost abandon the idea of key-based tonality in that song, and just focused on making every chord change satisfying and compelling.

[@polarchill7292]

*sees video about the Picardy third* “Alright when does Exit Music come in?”

[@SamOwenI]

I was expecting "Ill Wind" and "Street Spirit".

[@musicle2020]

The end of the second verse leading into the chorus in Maneater by Hall & Oates.

[@PianoFromScratch]

Babooshka by kate bush has use the Picardy third a lot, been teaching that to someone recently

[@dhpbear2]

7:27 - I would've liked to hear the version of "Killing Me Softly" with the imperfect cadence from Fm to Bbm7 :)

[@aetoate]

This is the most pleasing video in existence.

[@Gnurklesquimp]

I remember looking into the picardy third and only hearing examples that I found sounded cheesy, but MAN you can do some cool stuff with this, very colorful and interesting.

[@sexyeur]

Impeccable! David you're awesome! The best examples, always some of the very best music instruction anywhere on the planet!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Wow! Thanks for the amazing compliment! I'm glad you enjoyed. 😃

[@danielmkubacki]

I have never heard of a Picardy Third. Cool video and very informative. I hope you had a Happy Christmas.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you! And a happy new year to you!!

[@GeoffBosco]

Can't believe no one's mentioned-that I could see-Summer Breeze by Seals and Crofts. The songs switches constantly between Emaj and Em.

[@liavch1]

Love you man Always great content!!

[@mikeciul8599]

"We're Simply Meant to Be" from The Nightmare Before Christmas has a picardy third, but it's sung just before the downbeat on the final chord - it has a very unique sound!

[@luisfernandoenrique]

Thank you for the great content as always David!!! Love from Paraguay

[@pablovasquez2166]

do not stop making this useful videos ......David great job.

[@evelynlochart9949]

I am SO glad you made this video!!! I have wanted someone to make a video about picardy thirds since I started taking music theory this fall!!!

[@AwakeningComics]

Watcher of the Skies by Genesis ends with a major chord (though Steve Hackett changed it to a minor when he covered it later on).

[@liquidsolids9415]

Great video, as usual. Loved the examples and explanation. Totally worked fine with the cover songs. Thanks!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

I'm glad the cover songs are sitting well! Thank you for the support and happy Christmas!

[@liquidsolids9415]

David Bennett Piano You’re welcome! Happy Christmas to you as well!

[@mscrabson]

I've only discovered your channel today and I'm loving it!

[@PictureMaker22]

Brilliant. Always a great lesson. Thank you.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you! 😊

[@jean-marieboucherit4716]

Good man

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Cheers Jean-Marie and Happy Christmas!

[@commentfreely5443]

so just end on the 6th chord but major.

[@saviourself676]

I just did it to a couple of my songs. Sounds great! Thanks for the tip, David. Keep ‘em coming and merry Christmas

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thanks! Merry Christmas to you!

[@ricocrescenzio5067]

The amount of examples you bring us shows how much effort, study and knowledge you put in each video. Great channel.

[@lilTwigLP]

One of the most underrated music channels on yt, great vid as always really, love the chili peppers and Beatles examples!!

[@edgarjohnson8482]

The final chord in Down In A Hole by Alice in Chains is A instead of Am. Never knew the term for this. Cool.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Good example!

[@pedroguzmanm]

I really enjoy your videos. Thank you!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thanks! Merry Christmas

[@leahnewyork]

Excellent vid. Glad my Picardy Third search delivered me here. Thank you 3 years on, David Bennett!

[@douglaslarson532]

My compliments to a very clear and enjoyable explanation. I have known about Picardy thirds for many years and have encountered examples in baroque, as you mentioned, but also in the classical and romantic eras of music.

[@cameronbleecker9072]

i just found your channel and it’s honestly amazing. so fascinating! keep it up

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you!!

[@justinw1384]

I often find that the Picardy third at the end of a song ends up feeling like an unearned happy ending. Some of the examples given were like this while some others (Radiohead in particular) were not because they kinda put effort toward earning it maybe. It’s interesting but to my ear it often just sounds like throwing a little happy at the end just so it ends sounding happy.

[@peterluongo1828]

Great videos. Just discovered this one. My favourite Picardy Third is at the end of the Turtles' hit, Happy Together!

[@lebbrin]

Another great video David. Thank you! :D

[@ricktheexplorer]

Wow thanks for this - you enhance my productions.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you! I love when theory can actually be used to enhance music making!

[@hapahapahappy]

The ending to Dear God by XTC is a good example. I would be so ecstatic if you did a video about XTC!

[@frankian28]

Brilliant explanation!

[@jamesdoctor8079]

David Bennett is the only channel i watch on youtube

[@chrishall2594]

Bach's Little Fugue in G minor ends with this. I was inspired to write a melody in g minor based off this and ended it with a G major chord, sounds great.

[@lucasmartins8846]

Bach's Fugue in C minor from Well Tempered Clavier ends with it too.

[@daydreaming9432]

the most amazing thing on your videos: you're seizing the Beatles magic to everyone. That's one of my goal in life too :))

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Woody Allen thank you Woody Allen!

[@Cmack6025]

I am always intrigued on how much music you know! The theory and the different genres

[@arenalife]

My old music teacher told us the Picardy Third came about in choral music in cathedrals etc because the harmonics and the long reverb would generate major chord overtones which would conflict with ending on a minor chord.

[@MakerfieldConsort]

In the Renaissance (and earlier) composers often got round the issue by omitting the third altogether.

[@jon-boi]

Awesome! I feel like I control the content of the channel cause this is exactly the type of video that I requested the other day

[@mbcarlson]

I believe Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive" is another example of a Picardy 3rd. I find Picardy Thirds to be rather corny most of the time, however many of the examples you laid out in this video are good uses of them. Thanks, David!

[@AlexE5250]

I think you’re right!

[@turnleftaticeland]

that one is so good

[@tomitstube]

well done, great examples and descriptions.

[@spyderlogan4992]

So THAT's what it's called?~!!!...After all these years, I finally know the 'proper' name....Thanks David~!

[@derekscanlan4641]

Hunting High and Low, by A-ha. Beautifully done!

[@bazicuber1037]

by far the most used little trick in pop and rock music! Chicago's "Wishing You Were Here" has one

[@turnleftaticeland]

That whole progression is so beautiful

[@duaneanderson4219]

I always love watching your musical explanations. Well done. Intelligent and engaging.

[@juliendespois508]

An example in classical music is Chopin's Nocturne in C Sharp Minor (the interpretation by Rousseau for example). This tragic piece concludes with a major arpeggio (picardy third).

[@joshreilly-flynn5701]

Your quite educational from your use of musical terms and I love how you analyse songs from different genres. I subscribed.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you!

[@rtg_onefourtwoeightfiveseven]

My favourite is the Xenoblade Chronicles 1 title theme. There's a textbook example at the end of the piece.

[@SleepSoul]

The Xenoblade soundtrack is beautifully composed in general, one of my favourite OSTs for a video game ever. The title theme's a highlight.

[@yragnellaable]

Arguably the best channel on KZbin for this type of content.

[@machytka]

thank you for the compilation!

[@unstabilizer]

Super stuff man!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you!

[@arghadeb9180]

Thanks bro.. lots of love

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you!

[@curtpiazza1688]

Thanx! Love these bite sized theory lessons!

[@patrickdevogel5846]

In jazz in the tune Alone Together the first two A sections resolving in a picardy third is lovely, which brought me here to hear some more examples. Thanks for that!

[@Dolores5000]

I love this!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

thanks! 😃😃

[@publiovirgilio2238]

My favourite picardy third is in bach's tocatta in D minor, in the introduction.

[@beans802]

Elton John’s Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me is in C and ends on a C, but that closing chord is preceded by a quick switch to Ab->Bb which makes it sound like a minor key resolving to the major 3rd.

[@ErnieLeblanc]

By the way, your videos have become the sound track of my day. Great Stuff, Mr. Bennett!🎯💥💯💥🎯

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you!!

[@ErnieLeblanc]

@@DavidBennettPiano You're very much welcome!

[@BlueInk912]

I may have joined you in the habit. Just so happy YT delivered this intriguing channel to me. Brings back memories.

[@matthewloughran73]

I wouldn't have been able to tell you that it was a picardy third but i always loved the D at the end off And I Love Her

[@risvegliato]

You should really mention the hymn-tune 'Picardy', which is a minor mode tune that ends with a major third. Where the term comes from, actually. You should REALLY mention it.

[@johndone7395]

The theme from "Hawaii 5-0 ends in a picardy chord of D major. Also, Chad and Jeremy's "A summer song" ends on F# major.

[@TLGProduktions]

A Last Straw by Robert Wyatt (1974) uses one I believe. I love how it flows between minor and major, the entire album is interesting and unusual in it's composition. Being a great jazz rock drummer, then falling out of a three-storey window breaking his back, then returning as a singer-songwriter and being the first musician to perform on British TV in a wheelchair (he had to wrestle with them in order to be allowed to). I recommend the album Rock Bottom very much.

[@tonybates7870]

I remember that - he did a version of the Monkees' I'm A Believer on Top Of The Pops.

[@julianwilson6219]

Silly man, roundabout by yes never ends

[@pinkajou656]

It always continues...

[@wvnes]

Might be interesting to make playlists with the songs referenced in you videos! Always enjoy your videos

[@DavidBennettPiano]

I have considered doing that before. Maybe I will one day 😊

[@yesdcotchin]

Just to clarify on the off chance anyone reads this comment, picardy third/tierce de picardie specifically denotes this technique being used to END a section of music (or a phrase at a push). Of course the major root replaces the minor elsewhere in pop music too, and is a very cool technique when executed properly

[@denrockshard]

The Coventry Carol was a holiday favorite of mine being young, ending on Picardy third