“Two Tickets to Paradise” by Eddie Money is a great example of using guitar modes. The song uses notes and chords from the D major scale, but with the fifth, A, functioning as the tonic. When the fifth degree of a major scale is the tonal center of a piece of music, it produces Mixolydian mode.
The chord progression is G-A which is IV-V (4-5) in D. Because the V chord, A, is the tonic, you can renumber it “I” and then call G “bVII” (b7). So, thinking in the “key of A” we would number this chord progression bVII-I.
There are two guitars that play the melodic riff that is the signature hook in this song. The scale used is A Mixolydian mode (a.k.a. A dominant scale), which is really just the notes of D major beginning on the fifth, A. Gtr. 1 starts on the fifth of A, E, and Gtr. 2 starts on the third of A, C#. C# and E are separated by three scale degrees (C#-D-E, one-two-three) and the two guitar lines maintain this interval separation throughout the riff, so this harmony part is considered playing in thirds.
The lead guitar solo, which starts around the 1:44 mark, is almost entirely A major pentatonic.
You can preview the tab to this song at the link below or buy and download the whole score.
Two Tickets To Paradise Eddie Money Digital Guitar Tab
Guitar Theory
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Mr. Desi Serna
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