The 50s progression (also known as the "Heart and Soul" chords, the "Stand by Me" changes,[1] [2] the doo-wop progression[3] 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.
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.
Variations 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]
"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.
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.
| Title | Artist | Year | Progression | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Hero" | Enrique Iglesias | 2001 | I–vi–IV–V | |
| "The KKK Took My Baby Away" | Ramones | 1981 | I–vi–IV–V | |
| "Oh, Pretty Woman" | Roy Orbison; Roy Orbison, Bill Dees (writers) | 1964 | I–vi–IV–V | |
| "Ain't I Right" | 1966 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "A Teenager in Love" | Dion and the Belmonts
| 1959 | I–vi–IV–V | |
| "Angel Baby" | 1960 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Aku Yang Tersakiti" | 2010 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "All I Have to Do Is Dream" | 1958 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "All Right" | 1983 | I–vi–ii–V | ||
| "Baby" | 2010 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Baby Doll" | 2016 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Bad Girl" | 1996 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Baby, I'm an Anarchist!" | 2002 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Beautiful Girls" | 2007 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Beyond the Sea"[8] | 1946 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Blank Space" | Taylor Swift | 2014 | I–vi–IV–V (verses) | |
| "Bleeding Love" | 2007 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Blue Moon" | 1961 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Body Feels EXIT" | 1995 | vi–IV–V–I | ||
| "Body Say"[9] | 2016 | IV–V–I–vi (chorus) | ||
| "Boom Clap"[10] | 2014 | IV–V–I–vi | ||
| "Boyband" | 2012 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| 1987 | IV–V–I–vi (pre-chorus) | |||
| "Boyfriend" | 2011 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Brave" | 2013 | I–vi–IV–V (verse and chorus) | ||
| "Brave as a Noun" | 2007 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Bristol Stomp" | 1961 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" | 1962 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Brokenhearted" | 2012 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Burberry Headband" | 2018 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Capital Radio" | 1977 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| 1963 | I–vi–IV–V | |||
| "Chain Gang"[11] | 1960 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Close Your Eyes" | 2014 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Cobalah untuk Setia" | 2004 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Complicated" | 2002 | I–vi–IV–V (verses) | ||
| "Coney Island Baby" | The Excellents | 1962 | I–vi–IV–V | |
| "Cradle Rock" | The Heartbreakers (Ray Collins/ Frank Zappa) | 1963 | I–vi–IV–V | |
| "Crocodile Rock"[12] | 1972 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Cupid" | 2023 | ii–V–I–vi | ||
| "Can't Stop Lovin' You" | 1995 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Da Doo", "Dentist" | Little Shop of Horrors (musical) Original Broadway Cast | 1982 | I–vi–IV–V | |
| "Dance with Me Tonight" | 2011 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Dear Future Husband" | 2015 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Di Dadaku Ada Kamu" | Vina Panduwinata | 1984 | ii–V–I–vi | |
| "Diana" | 1957 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Donna"[13] | 1958 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Don't Dream It's Over"[14] | 1986 | IV–V–I–vi | ||
| "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" | 1997 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love)" | 1966 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Duke of Earl" | 1962 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Dura" | 2018 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "D'yer Mak'er" | 1973 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Earth Angel"[15] | 1954 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| 1994 | I−vi−IV−V | |||
| "Enola Gay (song)" | 1980 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Epiphany" | 2018 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Escape From The City" | Ted Poley | 2001 | I–vi–IV–V | |
| "Eternal Flame"[16] | 1989/2001 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Every Breath You Take" | 1983 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Eyes of Blue"[17] | 1995 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Eyes on Me" | 1999 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" | 2007 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| 1999 | I–vi–IV–V | |||
| "For Your Precious Love"[18] | 1958 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Friday"[19] | 2011 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Give a Little Love"[20] | 1975 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder" | 1966 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Girl on Fire" | 2011 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "God Is in the Rhythm" | 2015 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Happiness Is a Warm Gun"[21] | 1968 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Have It All" | Jason Mraz | 2018 | I–vi–IV–V | |
| "Hazure03" | Kazumi Totaka[22] () | 2020 | I–vi–ii–V | |
| "Heart and Soul"[23] | 1938 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "I'll Be Missing You" | 1997 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "I'll Make Love to You" | 1994 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "I'm the One" | 2017 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "I'm Waiting for the Day" | The Beach Boys | 1966 | I–vi–IV–V | |
| "I Always Knew" | 2012 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "I Love You Too Much" | The Book of Life (soundtrack) | 2014 | I–vi–IV–V | |
| "Ima, Kimi wo Omou"[24] | HKT48 | 2014 | vi–IV–V–I | |
| "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea"[25] | 1998 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "In The Shape Of A Heart" | 1986 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "In the Still Of the Night" | 1956 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "I Wanna Be With You" | 1974 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "I Will Always Love You" | 1974/1992 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Jesus of Suburbia"[26] [27] | 2004 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Joey" | 1990 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Just One Look" | Doris Troy "[28] | 1963 | I–vi–IV–V | |
| "Judas" | 2011 | IV–V–I–vi | ||
| "Just the Way You Are" | 2010 | I–vi–IV–I | ||
| "Kimberly" | 1975 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Last Kiss"[29] | 1961 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Looking for an Echo" | 1975/1976 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Lollipop"[30] | 1958 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Lonely This Christmas"[31] | 1974 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Lovable"[32] [33] | 1956 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Love Hurts" | 1960/1974 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All" | 1982 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Lupa Lupa Ingat" | 2009 | I–vi–ii–V | ||
| "Mama I'm A Big Girl Now" | Hairspray Original Broadway Cast | 2002 | I–vi–IV–V | |
| "Mandy" | 1974 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Marathon" | 2011 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Marvin Gaye" | 2015 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Me!" | 2019 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Messin' Around" | 2016 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Don't Dream It, Be It" | 1975 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Hangin' Out with Jim" | 1988 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Million Reasons" | 2016 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Modern Girl" | 2005 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Monster Mash" | 1962 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "My Broken Friend" | 2001 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Never Be the Same" | 1980 | I–vi–ii–V | ||
| "No Hay Pedo" | 2014 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" | 1987 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Octopus's Garden" | 1969 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Oh True Love" | 1960 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Bobby Brown" | 1979 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Hang Fire" | 1981 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Saturday Night" | 1999 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Oliver's Army"[34] | 1979 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Perfect"[35] | 2017 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Please Mr. Postman" | 1961 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Pretty Little Angel Eyes" | 1961 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Prove It" | 1977 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Red Cadillac and a Black Moustache" | 1957 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Rinky Dink" | 1962 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Rude" | 2013 | IV–V–I–vi | ||
| "Runaround Sue" | 1961 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Som Sarn" | 1998 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Stand by Me"[36] [37] | 1961 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Suara (Ku Berharap)" | 2008 | I–vi–IV–V (verse) | ||
| "Surti Tejo" | 2000 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Sweat (A La La La La Long)" | 1992 | I–vi–ii–V | ||
| "Sympathique" | 1997 | I–vi–ii–V | ||
| "Telephone Line" | 1976 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Tell Me Why" | 1964 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "The Man Comes Around" | 2002 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "The Thin Ice" | 1979 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "This Boy" | 1963 | I–vi–ii–V | ||
| "This is Me" | 2018 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "This Magic Moment"[38] | 1960 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Those Magic Changes"[39] | 1978 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "(Tired Of) Toein' The Line" | 1980 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Title Theme" | Hirokazu Tanaka (Dr. Mario) | 1990 | I–vi–IV–V | |
| "Total Eclipse of the Heart" | 1983 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Twistin' the Night Away" | 1962 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Mr. Bass Man" | 1961 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "True Blue"[40] | 1986 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Unchained Melody" | 1955 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Victoria's Secret" | 2022 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "We Almost Had A Baby" | 2009 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Walking In Memphis" | 1991 | IV–V-I–vi | ||
| "We Are Young" | 2011 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "We Go Together"[41] | 1972 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" | 1955 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)" | 1961 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "Perfidia" | 1939 | I–vi–ii–V | ||
| "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" | 1956 | I–vi–IV–V | ||
| "You Don't Own Me"[42] | 1963 | I–vi–IV–V (chorus) | ||
| "Your Reality"[43] | 2017 | I–vi–IV–V |
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."[44]