The progression
I – III – IV – iv: in G major, G – B – C – Cm. It is the complete chord loop of Creep by Radiohead (single 1992, album Pablo Honey, 1993), repeated for almost the whole song. The same loop (with a similar melody) is in The Air That I Breathe (Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood, a hit for the Hollies in 1974): after a dispute, Hammond and Hazlewood were credited as co-writers of Creep.
In C: C – E – F – Fm.
Chord-by-chord analysis (G)
| Chord | G | B | C | Cm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Degree | I | III | IV | iv |
| Notes | G B D | B D# F# | C E G | C Eb G |
| Function | tonic | secondary dominant (V/vi) used in a “diverted” way | subdominant | minor subdominant (borrowed) |
- G → B: chromatic upper mediant (common tone B). B major is the V of Em (vi), but instead of going to Em it goes to C: a kind of deceptive cadence of the secondary dominant (V/vi → IV).
- C → Cm: minor plagal (modal borrowing from G minor). Cm → G closes the circle as iv → I.
The inner chromatic line
The secret of the loop is an inner voice that moves by semitone:
D (5 of G) – D# (3 of B) – E (3 of C) – Eb (b3 of Cm) – D
It rises two semitones and then falls back: 5 → #5 → 6 → b6 → 5 relative to G. It is this line, played or implied, that makes a loop that looks strange on paper feel “inevitable.”
Neo-Riemannian reading
- G → B = LP (G → Bm → B): two minimal transformations.
- B → C: a leap (no single transformation), and it is the “strange” point.
- C → Cm = P.
- Cm → G = the relationship of the minor plagal cadence (Cm is the “N,” Nebenverwandt, of G).
Emotion
The major III brings a sudden light (surprise); the minor iv takes the light away (melancholy). The loop alternates euphoria and disappointment: perfect for the song's self-critical lyrics.
Other uses of the same idea
- I – III – IV: common in rock (B is often used as an “unresolved” secondary dominant).
- IV – iv – I: the second half alone is the classic minor plagal cadence (Beatles, In My Life).
- I – III – vi (G – B – Em): the “corrected” version that resolves the secondary dominant; less surprising.
Mix and arrangement in Creep
The song alternates clean verses (arpeggiated guitar) and choruses with Jonny Greenwood's distorted guitar, which enters with the famous “hits” before the chorus: the harmony stays identical, only the tonal and dynamic treatment changes. An excellent example of how arrangement can build the form on a loop.
Producer exercise
- Loop in C at 92 BPM in slow 12/8 or 4/4: C – E – F – Fm (1 bar each).
- Strings or synth with the line G – G# – A – Ab – G in the foreground.
- Verse with arpeggiated clean guitar (or Wurli V with tremolo), chorus with distorted guitar and full drums: same loop, two worlds.
Related
Chromatic mediants, plagal cadence and minor plagal, neo-Riemannian theory, chromatic voice leading, modal interchange.