Beast of Burden by The Rolling Stones is played in the key of E at a beginner difficulty level, originally released in the 1970s. It uses 4 chords — E B C#m A — arranged in the I-V-vi-IV progression.
About the I-V-vi-IV progression
The I-V-vi-IV pattern is the most common chord progression in modern pop. It moves from the tonic home chord to the dominant (V), drops to the relative minor (vi) for emotional weight, then resolves through the subdominant (IV) back to home. Hundreds of hit songs are built on this shape, from "Let It Be" and "Don't Stop Believin'" to nearly every four-chord Top 40 song of the past thirty years.
Playing in the key of E
E major is a staple of rock and blues guitar — think Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, and countless Rolling Stones classics. E, A, and D are open shapes; C#m as the relative minor is a barre chord.
Related songs
More songs in the key of E
More songs using the I-V-vi-IV progression
Learn to play Beast of Burden by The Rolling Stones on guitar. It sits in the key of E and uses the I-V-vi-IV progression with the chords E B C#m A.