Chord progression and a turnaround used in Western popular music
A '50s progression in C
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.
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.[citation needed]
50s progression in C – harmonic rhythm
two beat
four beat
eight beat
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
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. In some cases, such as "
Blue Moon", it includes notable remade recordings of songs ("
covers") by other artists; but mostly the songs are shown in their original versions.
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:
Buxtehude, Psalm 42 "Quem ad modum desiderat cervis"Buxtehude, Psalm 42 "Quem ad modum desiderat cervis"
J. S. Bach Cantata BWV140, orchestral introduction to the opening chorusJ. S. Bach Cantata BWV140, orchestral introduction to the opening chorus
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:
Mozart, Piano Concerto K. 491, closing bars of the slow movementMozart, Piano Concerto K. 491, closing bars of the slow movement
Mozart Piano Concerto K. 482, opening barsMozart Piano Concerto K. 482, opening bars
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]
Chord progression and a turnaround used in Western popular music
A '50s progression in C
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.
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.[citation needed]
50s progression in C – harmonic rhythm
two beat
four beat
eight beat
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
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. In some cases, such as "
Blue Moon", it includes notable remade recordings of songs ("
covers") by other artists; but mostly the songs are shown in their original versions.
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:
Buxtehude, Psalm 42 "Quem ad modum desiderat cervis"Buxtehude, Psalm 42 "Quem ad modum desiderat cervis"
J. S. Bach Cantata BWV140, orchestral introduction to the opening chorusJ. S. Bach Cantata BWV140, orchestral introduction to the opening chorus
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:
Mozart, Piano Concerto K. 491, closing bars of the slow movementMozart, Piano Concerto K. 491, closing bars of the slow movement
Mozart Piano Concerto K. 482, opening barsMozart Piano Concerto K. 482, opening bars
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]