Page "Old Brown Shoe" Paragraph 1

Harrison commented about this song: " I started the chord sequences on the piano, which I don't really play, and then began writing ideas for the words from various opposites ... Again, it's the duality of things – yes no, up down, left right, right wrong, etc.

" This idea was also prevalent in their earlier single, " Hello, Goodbye ".

Pollack notes that though the song is mostly in the key of C Major it often veers towards the relative minor ( Am ).

Everett states this " A / C duality " fits well " with the composer's main concern in the poetic text " (" I want a love that's right but right is only half of what's wrong ").

Pollack also emphasizes the song's interesting flat VI ( Ab ) chord in the verse, the V-IV ( G-F chord ) alternation in the bridge and the ' bluesy ' effect of the flat 3rds and 7ths with the frequent dissonant I7 ( C7 ) chords.

Everett considers that the voice leading and harmony on ' Old Brown Shoe ' are " far more subtle and interesting " than such qualities in the song (' Ballad of John and Yoko ') on the A side of the single.