Ah Radiohead, everyone's go to band for when you're feeling in the need for a good cry. Lead singer and songwriter Thom Yorke really knows how to write a beautifully tragic piece of music. He was just the right person for director Luca Guadagino to reach out to to make a song for his 2018 film "Suspiria". The film is a remake of a classic horror from 1977 of the same name. It focuses on a woman in ballet school who is suspected of witchcraft. Yorke incorporated this plot into the making of, in my opinion, one of the most beautifully written piano harmonies of any of his songs; "Suspirium." The song is immediately recognizable from its main chord progression, C#m, F#, A, B, C#, F#m, E. If you're someone who can not read music, such as I, what this list of chords amplifies is the use of a slightly higher pitch of notes. The notes being a higher pitch as opposed to a lower one is what creates the haunting effect of the song. The chords vary slightly throughout the song, but always remain in this slightly higher pitch. It makes sense that this song was made for a film about ballet and witchcraft as the harmony is as beautiful and delicate as a ballerina dance, but as haunting as a witch. Halloween may be over, but the mystification of this song is enjoyable to listen to all year round.
To listen to song while seeing the chords first hand, click this link. Or, click play below to simply enjoy the piece.
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