hey Super:

I wasn't trying to discourage you.

I just don't think you need a college education or expensive courses to analyze simple pop songs. Just a good basic foundation; and there is enough free info on the net to accomplish this.

and as Russ and Danny already suggested ear training is highly recommended. Start by singing intervals. Do Re Mi Fa So is a great place to begin. Start with humming a note and try to hit a sixth above; a fourth above; a fifth below. Are you good at this?

If not, practice, practice practice. Ear training, in my opinion, is more important than theory; If you can hear it you don't have to analyze it.

Analyzing simple chords is not difficult; Even beginning musicians should quickly hear the difference in a major triad and a minor triad. The difference in a major 7th and a dominant 7th is easily heard. Suspended chords and diminished chords are also easily distinquishable.

Look for the bass note to be the root of the chord (in most cases); If not the root, look for a 5th, 3rd or simply a passing note to the next chord. If you have trouble analyzing a chord look at the very next chord; It can be a clue.

Don't make it more complicated than it is; a C major chord will sound totally different with the root, third or fifth as the bass note; but it's still a C major chord.

Good luck.