
Love Will Keep Us Together
Captain & Tennille
Love Will Keep Us Together (1975)
Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield
Listen to the Song
At a glance
- Key
- F major
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Main progression
- I–I+–IV–V
- Chords used
- Bb · C · F · Dm · Faug
Summary
Originally written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield in 1973, 'Love Will Keep Us Together' was transformed by Captain & Tennille into a buoyant, keyboard-driven pop classic. Their version topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks and earned the Grammy for Record of the Year, defining the sound of mid-70s soft pop.
Chord Sheet
Chords Used
Progression by Section
Chorus
Verse
Chord Diagrams
N/A
Musical Analysis
The harmony is built on a deceptively simple pop framework elevated by the augmented tonic chord, a device Sedaka borrowed from soul music. The Faug chord introduces chromatic tension that resolves smoothly into the IV chord, giving the song an ear-catching ha…
History
Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield wrote the song in 1973 as one of their final collaborations. The duo had reluctantly decided to end their songwriting partnership because their songs were no longer commercially viable. Greenfield wrote the lyrics alongside 'O…
“Dragon and Tennille worked the phrase 'Sedaka is back' into the song's fadeout, acknowledging the songwriter's mid-1970s comeback”
Full musical analysis
The harmony is built on a deceptively simple pop framework elevated by the augmented tonic chord, a device Sedaka borrowed from soul music. The Faug chord introduces chromatic tension that resolves smoothly into the IV chord, giving the song an ear-catching harmonic color that sets it apart from standard I-IV-V pop progressions of the era. This subtle sophistication, wrapped in an accessible arrangement, is central to the song's enduring appeal.
Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield wrote the song in 1973 as one of their final collaborations. The duo had reluctantly decided to end their songwriting partnership because their songs were no longer commercially viable. Greenfield wrote the lyrics alongside 'Our Last Song Together' before moving to Los Angeles with his companion Tory Damon. Sedaka admitted to borrowing the main chord progression from 'Do It Again' by the Beach Boys and adding augmented chords inspired by Al Green's harmonic style.
Originally written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield in 1973, 'Love Will Keep Us Together' was transformed by Captain & Tennille into a buoyant, keyboard-driven pop classic. Their version topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks and earned the Grammy for Record of the Year, defining the sound of mid-70s soft pop.
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Song DNA
Genre
Pop
Era
70s
Mood
Uplifting
Tempo
Upbeat
Key
Major
Texture
Full Band
Sound
Piano-led
Feel
Straight
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Statistics
797K
Plays
199K
Listeners
45K
Genius Views
3
Annotations
100%
Popularity
3:25
Duration
4/4
Time
Credits
Written by
Produced by
From the album Love Will Keep Us Together