Rope by Foo Fighters is an amazing rock anthem full of interesting songwriting tricks. It has a perfect balance between heavy riffs and beautiful melodies. So what are the secrets behind this song? Let’s dive in and let’s get creative!
The Foo Fighters is an American rock band that was started in 1994 by Dave Grohl, who was the drummer of Nirvana. On the first album, he played all the instruments. The current members (2024) are Dave Grohl (lead vocals, guitar), Nate Mendel (bass), Chris Shiflett (guitar), Pat Smear (guitar), Rami Jaffee (keyboards), and Josh Freese (drums). I think I speak for many when I say that my heart broke when I heard Taylor Hawkins passed away.
The Foo Fighters have been a staple of modern rock music for quite some time now. What I find so interesting is that they managed to cross the barriers and create music that also appeals to a non-rock-loving audience. And they do it without compromising their sound or identity. Think of songs like:
- Learn to fly
- Times like these
- Everlong
- The best of you
- Rope
Video Tutorial: Foo Fighters Song Analysis
If you want to hear the examples with real music. Or if something is not clear from this article then check out my songwriting video tutorial.
Cool Rope Foo Fighters Chords
The first time when I listened to the song I had a feeling that it had a different time signature than normal. But the Foo Fighters Rope time signature is 4/4. Just the rhythm is very syncopated.
Verse chord Progression
The first time I heard the intro it grabbed me immediately. I mean, even on piano these chords sound cool. So let alone on a guitar with full distortion! So why do these chords sound great? That’s because, in their basic form, they are all suspended 4th chords. This chaining of sus4 chords creates a sense of ambiguity and tension.
After-chorus chord progression
I really love this chord progression that comes at the end of the chorus. This progression creates incredible tension and build-up from the chorus back to the verse and bridge. And they do this by using secondary dominants. And in this case, not just normal ones, but secondary dominants in the first inversion.
Secondary Dominants
Dominant chords create movement and tension. It is the chord on the 5th scale degree and wants to resolve to your tonic chord. Which is on the 1st scale degree. Just look at the example below. The D7 chord wants to resolve back to the G tonic chord.
A secondary dominant is a chord that you play to create tension towards any other chord. The trick is this: the chord that you want to resolve to is your temporary Root chord. It’s your home base. Then from that chord, you calculate what the dominant chord would be. This dominant chord is called a secondary dominant.
In the short example from Rope, the second normal chord is A. This is our temporary tonic and the E major is the temporary dominant or secondary dominant as it’s called.
Secondary dominants in the first inversion
Now the final thing that is missing is turning the secondary dominants into the correct inversion. This means that not the root note is the lowest note, but the major third. When the 3rd is the bass note instead of the root note, then it’s called a chord in the first inversion.
Check out the after-chorus chord progression again. Do you now see what I mean?
Chromatic bass note movement
Another beautiful detail that you get from this chord progression is a beautiful half-step or chromatic movement of the bass notes.
Chorus Chord Progression
The chorus sounds uplifting energetic and even melancholic. And there are a few good reasons why. The first obvious things are:
- The chords are being strummed and all chord tones can ring brilliantly instead of the heavy guitar riff-oriented verse.
- The vocal melody begins on a higher pitch compared to the verse. This always creates a lot of energy.
But the reason needs more explaining because it’s so important and useful. During the verse, our tonic or home base is B minor. This is the relative minor of D major. It is the chord on the 6th scale degree.
On the other hand, the chorus starts, stops and circles around on the G major chord. This is the chord on the 4th scale degree.
Many songs use this technique. Because this G major is not the tonic chord. It does not feel like a resting point. So the starting and ending points of the chorus have internal energy and instability. Also, you can accentuate the Lydian mode or sound when playing this chord progression.
Foo Fighters Rope Meaning
What is Foo Fighters Rope about? Some say that the song is about methods of deception and manipulation that some people use to control others. And also how the victims struggle to break free from the manipulative influence. For example, the title “Rope” could refer to the rope as a metaphor. A rope that binds the victim to the abuser. Or maybe the rope that the victim uses to escape. Or in a very black scenario, to end their suffering. Also, the lyrics suggest a sense of frustration and anger. And a desire for change and freedom.
Other Song Analyses
If you enjoyed this song analysis, then check out some of my other songwriting analyses. For example, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tame Impala, Phoebe Bridgers, The Beatles and more.
