The '50s progression (also known as the "Heart and Soul" chords, the "Stand by Me" changes,[1][2] the doo-wop progression[3]: 204 and the "ice cream changes"[4]) is a chord progression and turnaround used in Western popular music. The progression, represented in Roman numeral analysis, is: I–vi–IV–V. For example, in C major: C–Am–F–G. As the name implies, it was common in the 1950s and early 1960s and is particularly associated with doo-wop. The first popular song to use the progression was Blue Moon, written in 1934. This inspired Heart and Soul in 1938.
Theory
In Western classical music during the common practice period, chord progressions are used to structure a musical composition. The destination of a chord progression is known as a cadence, or two chords that signify the end or prolongation of a musical phrase. The most conclusive and resolving cadences return to the tonic or I chord; following the circle of fifths, the most suitable chord to precede the I chord is a V chord. This particular cadence, V–I, is known as an authentic cadence. However, since a I–V–I progression is repetitive and skips most of the circle of fifths, it is common practice to precede the dominant chord with a suitable predominant chord, such as a IV chord or a ii chord (in major), in order to maintain interest. In this case, the 50s progression uses a IV chord, resulting in the ubiquitous I–IV–V–I progression. The vi chord before the IV chord in this progression (creating I–vi–IV–V–I) is used as a means to prolong the tonic chord, as the vi or submediant chord is commonly used as a substitute for the tonic chord, and to ease the voice leading of the bass line: in a I–vi–IV–V–I progression (without any chordal inversions) the bass voice descends in major or minor thirds from the I chord to the vi chord to the IV chord.
Variations
As with any other chord progression, there are many possible variations, for example turning the dominant or V into a V7, or repeated I–vi progression followed by a single IV–V progression. A very common variation is having ii substitute for the subdominant, IV, creating the progression I–vi–ii–V (a variant of the circle progression) and thus the ii–V–I turnaround.
50s progression in C – harmonic rhythm two beat four beat eight beat
variableVariations include switching the vi and the IV chord to create I–IV–vi–V, as is used in "More Than a Feeling" by Boston[5] and "She Drives Me Crazy" by Fine Young Cannibals.[6][7] This is also similar to the I–V–vi–IV progression.
The harmonic rhythm, or the pace at which the chords occur, may be varied including two beats (half-measure) per chord, four (full measure or bar), eight (two measures), and eight beats per chord except for IV and V(7) which get four each.[3]: 206
"Sleep Walk" by Santo & Johnny uses a similar progression, with the IV replaced by its parallel minor iv for an overall progression of I–vi–iv–V.
Examples in popular music
This is a partial list of recorded songs containing the '50s progression. The list does not include songs containing the progression for very short, irrelevant sections of the songs, nor does it include remade recordings of songs by other artists.
Examples in classical music
Instances of the I–vi–IV–V progression date back to the 17th century, for example, the ostinato bass line of Dieterich Buxtehude's setting of Psalm 42, Quem admodum desiderat cervus, BuxWV 92:
The opening of J. S. Bach's Cantata "Wachet Auf":
The progression is found frequently in works by Mozart. At the end of the slow movement of his Piano Concerto No. 24, K. 491, the progression is spelled out in arpeggios played by the bassoon:
The opening of his Piano Concerto No. 22, K. 482 extends the progression in a particularly subtle way, making use of suspensions:
Eric Blom (1935, p. 227) hears this passage as "the height of cunning contrivance resulting in what is apparently quite simple and obvious, but what could have occurred to nobody else."[45]
See also
Sources
- ↑ Moore, Allan (May 1995). "The So-Called 'Flattened Seventh' in Rock". Popular Music. Cambridge University Press. 14 (2): 185–201. doi:10.1017/s0261143000007431. ISSN 0261-1430. S2CID 162661553.
- ↑ Cole, Clay (2009). Sh-Boom!: The Explosion of Rock 'n' Roll (1953–1968). Garden City, New York: Morgan James. p. 56. ISBN 978-1-60037-638-2.
- 1 2 Scott, Richard (2003). Chord Progressions for Songwriters. New York: Writers Club Press. ISBN 0-595-26384-4.
- ↑ Austin, D.; Peterik, J.; Lynn, C. (2010). Songwriting For Dummies. Wiley. p. 189. ISBN 978-0-470-89041-7. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
- ↑ Bennett, Dan (2008). The Total Rock Bassist. Van Nuys, California: Alfred Publishing. p. 62. ISBN 978-0-7390-5269-3.
- ↑ "She Drives Me Crazy Chords by Fine Young Cannibals". Tabs.Ultimate-Guitar.com. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
- ↑ "She Drives Me Crazy by Fine Young Cannibals Chords and Melody". HookTheory.com. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
- ↑ "Beyond the Sea", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "Body Say by Demi Lovato Chords and Melody", HookTheory.com.
- ↑ "Boom Clap by Charli XCX Chords and Melody". HookTheory.com.
- ↑ "Chain Gang", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "Crocodile Rock", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- 1 2 Hirsh, Marc. "Striking a Chord", The Boston Globe, December 31, 2008.
- ↑ "Don't Dream It's Over", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- 1 2 Scott (2003), p. 206
- ↑ Harwood, Dane (September 1982). "Review: [untitled]". Ethnomusicology. University of Illinois Press on behalf of Society for Ethnomusicology. 26 (3): 491–493. doi:10.2307/850712. ISSN 0014-1836. JSTOR 850712.
- ↑ "Eternal Flame", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "Eyes Of Blue chords & lyrics – Paul Carrack". Jellynote. Archived from the original on 9 April 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ↑ "For Your Precious Love", MusicNotes.com.
- ↑ Lewis, Randy (March 31, 2011). "Rebecca Black's 'Friday': There are a million good reasons you can't get it out of your head". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
- ↑ "Give a Little Love", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ Riley, Tim (2002). Tell Me Why: The Beatles: Album by Album, Song by Song, the Sixties and After. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da Capo Press. p. 269. ISBN 0-306-81120-0.
- ↑ Nintendo (2022-06-22). Atsumare Dōbutsu no Mori Original Soundtrack 2 あつまれ どうぶつの森 オリジナルサウンドトラック 2 (booklet). Nippon Columbia. COZX-1898-903. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
- ↑ "Heart and Soul", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "Ima, Kimi wo Omou". YouTube.
- ↑ "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea Rebuttal". University of California. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
- ↑ "Acoustic Lesson 11B: Basic Chord Progressions". GuitarLessonInsider.com. Archived from the original on November 30, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
- ↑ "Jesus of Suburbia", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "Last Kiss", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "Just Like a Pill", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "Lollipop", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ Lonely "This Christmas Chords", E-Chords.com
- ↑ Guralnick, Peter (2005). Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke. New York: Little, Brown. p. 157. ISBN 0-316-37794-5.
- ↑ "Lovable", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "Oliver's Army", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ Robert Joffred (24 November 2017). "Weekly Billboard Theory — Perfect". Medium. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
- ↑ Moore, Allan (May 1995). "The So-Called 'Flattened Seventh' in Rock". Popular Music. Cambridge University Press. 14 (2): 185–201. doi:10.1017/s0261143000007431. ISSN 0261-1430. S2CID 162661553.
- ↑ "Stand by Me", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "This Magic Moment", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "Those Magic Changes", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "True Blue", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "We Go Together", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "You Don't Own Me Chords – Lesley Gore". E-Chords.
- ↑ "Misc Computer Games – Doki Doki Literature Club – Your Reality (Chords)". Ultimate Guitar.
- ↑ Blom, E. (1935, p. 227) Mozart. London, Dent.