All Posts Tagged Celtic

The chorus vocal melody to American singer-songwriter Rachel Platten's Fight Song (released February 19, 2015) is similar to the traditional Irish folk ballad Molly Malone, which dates back to the 1700s, and was popularized in 1977 by the Dubliners (U2, Peter Seeger, and Bing Crosby, among others, have also recorded the song). Both songs are in the key of G major, and emphasize the root note of the diatonic scale (G) in the first bar, and the second note of the diatonic scale in the second bar. Fight Song's production/arrangement (marching drums, bass drone, chant vocal reverb) owes a debt to Katy Perry's Roar (1:08).

Fight Song (:38) VS Molly Malone (1:53)

Fight Song
Key: G major
Chord Progression (chorus):
G, D, E minor, C (I-V-vi-IV)
Chorus Vocal Melody:
3-2-1-1-1 ("This is my fight song")
3-2-1-2-2 ("Take back my life song")
4-3-2-3-3-4 ("Prove I'm alright so-ong")

Molly Malone
Key: G major
Chord Progression (chorus):
G, E minor, Aminor, D (I, vi, ii, V)
Chorus Vocal Melody:
5-1-1-1-1-3 ("A-live a-live O!")
1-2-2-2-2-4 ("A-live a-live O!")