A Playing Guide to “Hurricane”
Band of Heathens
“Hurricane” lives comfortably in A minor, but part of what makes it compelling is how often it leans outside the strict key while still sounding completely natural. It’s a great example of how rock and Americana borrow from basic theory concepts—especially borrowed chords and strong harmonic motion—without getting complicated.
Chords:
- Am | A minor: A C E
- C | C Major: C E G
- D | D Major: D F# A
- E | E Major: E G# B
- G | G Major: G B D
Verse: Am – C – D – Am (x4)
| Verse | Am | C | D | Am |
| 5th | E | G | A | E |
| 3rd | C | E | F# | C |
| Root | A | C | D | A |
Chorus: Am – C – D – Am | Am – C – D – E | Am – C – D – Am | Am – G – D – Am
Chorus lines 2 and 4 introduce 2 different chords:
| Chorus pt. 2 | Am | C | D | E |
| 5th | E | G | A | B |
| 3rd | C | E | F# | G# |
| Root | A | C | D | E |
| Chorus pt. 4 | Am | G | D | Am |
| 5th | E | D | A | E |
| 3rd | C | B | F# | C |
| Root | A | G | D | A |
Core Key and Feel
The song is centered in A minor, with Am acting as the clear home base throughout. One helpful thing to notice right away:
- The first bar is always Am
- The third bar is always D
That consistency makes the song easy to memorize and great for locking in as a band.
Verse Progression
Am – C – D – Am
At first glance, this looks simple, but the D major chord is doing something important. D contains an F♯, which is not part of the A natural minor scale. This borrowed note adds brightness and forward motion, preventing the progression from sounding flat or static. It’s a very common move in roots-rock and Americana—using a major IV chord in a minor key for lift.
Chorus Progression
The chorus begins the same way as the intro and verse:
Am – C – D – Am
I was born in the rain on the Pontchartrain
Underneath the Louisiana moon
These opening 4 bars repeat the chord progression of the verse.
The second line of the chorus moves to:
Am – C – D – E
I don’t mind the strain of a hurricane
They come around every June
The E major chord is the key moment here. E contains a G♯, which is outside A natural minor—but that G♯ is the leading tone to A. In simple terms, it pulls your ear strongly back to Am. That’s why the E chord feels so satisfying, especially when it lands on the word “June.”
The third line of the chorus returns to the verse progression:
Am – C – D – Am
The high black water, the devil’s daughter
She’s hard, she’s cold, and she’s mean
The final line introduces a small variation on the second chord:
Am – G – D – Am
But nobody taught her it takes a lot of water
To wash away New Orleans
That G major adds a slightly darker, descending feel before resolving back to Am, giving the ending more weight.
Arrangement and Dynamics
- Intro:
Quiet, guitar only.
The verse progression (Am – C – D – Am) is played twice as the intro. - First verse & chorus:
Remain stripped down, keeping the same guitar-led feel. - Second verse & chorus:
More of the band comes in, building energy while keeping the same structure. - Instrumental break using chorus progression.
- Short transition hanging on Am
- Third verse:
Played through with full band presence. - Before the final chorus:
The Am bar is repeated for three, then the band drops out completely.
The chorus begins vocals only, dropping at “this is what he said.”
Everyone comes crashing back in on “High black water” with the second half of the chorus. - Final choruses:
The chorus repeats with increased intensity.
The last four bars of the chorus are repeated one final time, then the full chorus progression cycles through an instrumental break and continues until the song ends.
Live Outro / Vamp
When “Hurricane” closes the show, the band often vamps on the chorus progression. This gives space to thank the audience and call out band members, with each player free to stretch out melodically while staying anchored to the familiar chorus chord progression.