u/Jonathan10_52

Song link

I’m struggling to tell if it’s in F# major or C# major. I first heard it in F#, but then I started doubting myself the more I thought about it.

Some arguments for F#:

• The chord progression in the verse(?) seems to follow a fairly typical I—vi—V—V in the key of F# major, also putting F# in the metrically strong position of the chord loop
• Vocal melody outlines the fifths of these chords in the verse

Some arguments for C#:

• Each verse ends on 8 bars of G#7, which would be a fairly unlikely unless it’s a secondary dominant
• The melody resolves to a C# in this section ”…for the Bentswood boys” (but the chords still resolve to F#?)
• The section from 1:47 has a melody which quite clearly says C# to me, especially the ”Don’t take me down, don’t take me down, don’t take me down south” mostly walking down the C# major scale and landing on chord tones of C# major

My theory on why it’s hard to tell is because Brett Anderson never sings a B (4th degree in F#) or C (technically B#, 7th degree in C#) so we don’t get a clear indication from the vocal melody. The harmony and one melody plays a C over the G#7 but nowhere else.

So I ask r/musictheory; what key is this song in? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!